Pastor J.T. Kalejaiye: The First Fish

TOPIC: THE FIRST FISH

TEXT: MATTHEW 17:24-27

PREACHER: PASTOR J.T. KALEJAIYE

The plural of fish is fish. Fishes refer to multiple species of fish. Fishes/fish have many benefits, e.g.

1.       They can be eaten as food; In Matthew 14:17-21, Jesus fed 5,000 men without counting women and children with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes.

2.       Fish can be used as a messenger or as a means of transportation: In Jonah 1:1-17, God used a great fish to swallow up and carry Jonah to Nineveh.

3.       Fish/fishes provide employment opportunities for some people: These are people who buy and sell them. There are people who train them in order to entertain people.

4.       Fish can be used as a BAIT to catch bigger fishes.

5.       Fish can be used as a treasury.

According to the passage, Peter had no money to pay the tribute collectors. Jesus intervened and after that, Peter’s financial problem was solved. There are many fish/fishes in the ocean but not all of them carry money.

 WHY THE FIRST FISH?

1.       The first fish was the desirable that God made available for Peter. Peter desired the first fish and he caught it.

2.       The first fish was a loaded one: The first fish that Peter caught was a loaded one; no wonder it was needed.

3.       The first fish was not an ordinary fish; it was a special fish.

4.       The first fish terminated labor/activity in the life of Peter; If Peter had not found the needed money in the mouth of the first fish, he would have continued to cast his hook.

5.       The first fish was a silencer: God provided money through the first fish to silence the tax or tribute collectors from taking any negative action against Peter.

6.       The money that the first fish was not meant for Peter alone; it was for both Peter and Jesus.

You do not need money in order to catch the first fish but you need the first fish in order to get money.

To discover the first fish’

1.       You need a divine direction: Jesus told Peter to got to the sea and cast his hook. Proverbs 3:6

2.       You must obey God: Peter did exactly what Jesus told him to do. John 2:5

3.       There must be a discovery before a recovery: Peter discovered the first fish before he recovered the needed fish. Before one can discover the first fish, there must be a casting before a catching.

In Luke 5:6, Peter cast his net before he experienced a breakthrough,

In John 21:6, Peter and his friends cast their nets before they had an overflow

Hardwork defeats talent if talent doesn’t work hard.

PRAYER POINTS

1.       Father, please let the fish that carry my money swim towards me in Jesus’ name.

2.       Father, please make the desirable available to me in Jesus’ name.

3.       Father, please give me the things that will silence my enemies in Jesus’ name.

God bless you and may your payers be answered in Jesus’ name. You can drop your prayer requests in the comment box below. See you next week. SHALOM!!