Any Baseball fans in the room today? Anybody every yelled
at a ref or an ump for missing a call? Come on, I’ve been
to a few ORU BB games with some of you…
This past Monday, during Larry Peninger’s funeral, his
nephew, Eric Austin shared a story about an infamous
blown call by a Major League umpire that cheated a pitcher
out of a perfect game. I found the story with a picture in a
recent article entitled:
THE 12 MOST OUTRAGEOUS UMPIRE MISTAKES IN
BASEBALL HISTORYMichael Schatz Published: February 18,
2025
#2 Jim Joyce Ruins Armando Galarraga’s Perfect
Game (2010) (David, please put this picture on screens with this heading.)
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With only one out left in the game, Armando Galarraga had
pitched a perfect game. With two outs in the ninth inning,
first base umpire Jim Joyce ruled Cleveland’s Jason Donald
safe at first when replays clearly showed he was out,
destroying Armando Galarraga’s perfect game bid.
Afterwards I was talking to Brad Thomas who recalled
another blown call, this one impacting the St. Louis
Cardinals
#1. Don Denkinger’s Blown Call (1985 World
Series, Game 6)
In a pivotal moment that changed baseball history, umpire
Don Denkinger’s infamous call in Game 6 of the 1985 World
Series gave the Kansas City Royals new life when Jorge Orta
was ruled safe at first base despite clearly being out. This
error sparked a Kansas City rally that led to their victory in
both Game6 and ultimately the World Series over St. Louis.
Illustration: HOW GOD CALLS IT
A major league baseball player hit the ball far out in left
field. Bases were loaded. The runner on 2nd base made it
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all the way to home plate where he collided with the
catcher. Immediately, the one team yelled, "He's safe, he's
safe, he's safe." The other team yelled, "He's out, he's out,
he's out".
Upon looking at both teams the umpire calmly announced,
"He ain't nothing til I call him."
Today, the title of my message is “He Ain’t Nothing Til I
Call Him!”
Exodus 3:1-4
3:1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law,
the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the
desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the
angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a
bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn
up. 3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight--
why the bush does not burn up."
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called
to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said,
"Here I am." NIV
MATTHEW 4:18-22
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two
brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were
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casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 "Come,
follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20 At
once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of
Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their
father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and
immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
NIV
A. In Exodus, God was about to set a whole nation of
slaves free, and to find the person to do it, he went to
the back side of a desert and found an 80 year old,
murderer, fugitive, washed up, has been. He was
basically “Nothing” til Jesus “called him”
B.In Matthew 4 we see Jesus calling 4 ordinary fishermen
- men the world would ordinarily pass by - but he saw
potential in them to turn their world upside down.
Men who were “nothing” til Jesus “called them”
C. Today, God is again walking along the seashores of our
lives, and going to the back sides of the deserts
To find just plain old, ordinary folks who will hear his
call and simply say, "Yes"
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D. As we look at the Scripture today there are 4 things I
want us to notice:
I. THE CHOICE OF JESUS - VS. 18
- Notice the people Jesus chose for ministry
- He Didn't go to seminary - to Rabbi school and find
best prospects
- Went down to lake and found 4 ordinary,
uneducated fishermen
- The choice of Jesus amazes me
A. Do you, like me, sometimes wonder in absolute
amazement when you think about the fact that God
has chosen people to reach this world - to fulfill the
Great Commission - to build the Kingdom of God - to
do ministry!?!?!?!
1. I mean, why in the world would God in his
sovereignty use people to do something as
important as Kingdom work?
2. If I were God, I don't think I would have ever chosen
to use people - angels maybe - but not people!
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3. Another question: If He chooses to use people, why
did he choose some of the people he chose to
use?????
a. For example, I wouldn't have chosen to use:
1) Fatherless Abraham to be the Father of Nation
Israel
2) Stuttering Moses to be spokesman for Israel
3) A Scrawny Shepherd with a Slingshot to kill a
Giant
4) Disobedient Jonah to evangelize Ninevah
5) An unwed teenager to be Mother of Jesus
6) an unstable Peter to launch the early church
7) the persecutor of the church, Saul, to write
half of NT
b. I wouldn't have chosen them - and neither would
you!
c. BUT GOD DID!!!!!!!
d. And in the same way - GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU!!!!
GOD WANTS YOU!!!! GOD WANTS TO USE YOU!!!
WOW!!
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Maybe you feel like a nothing or a nobody, but when Jesus
calls you… that changes everything!
B. Three reasons why you are important to God
1. Who you were at birth – the Creation of God
a. God the Father Created us in His own image
b. That gives us great importance
2. What you cost
a. Jesus, God's Son gave up his own life on Calvary
for us
b. It literally cost Jesus' very life in order to redeem
us from sin
3. Third, most importantly, What You Can Become
a. You are important to God because of the power
of the HS to transform you and make you today
what you weren’t yesterday
b. And to stretch you and make you tomorrow what
you are not today.
c. Example: How Jesus looked at Peter and saw his
potential - You are Simon - shall be Cephas - a
rock!
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d. John 1:12, "But as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God…"
“A Place to Become”
e. Man surveys people and values them by 2
perspectives
1) Past - what they were
2) Present - what they are
f. God sees us and values us by:
Our Future - What we can become
h. Do you realize that:
1) Einstein could not speak until his was 4 years old
and could not read until he was 7
2) Thomas Edison was told by a teacher he was so
stupid he would never learn anything.
3) Walt Disney was once fired by a newspaper editor
because he wasn't creative enough
i. Amazing isn't it, how the world passes by people that
God sees as important and is willing to call us to work in
His kingdom.
II. THE CALL OF JESUS - VS. 19
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Three things significant about the call of God/Jesus in
these stories
A. The significance of a call depends upon…
1. Who called
a. Do you ever get a phone call - tired, maybe
resting comfortably in a chair - don't want to get
up - and so you ask, "Who is it?" - Or you check
the caller ID, (“possible spam”) …
b. Who calls is of extreme importance
c. Moses understood this, “(Exo 3:13-14 KJV) And
Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto
the children of Israel, and shall say unto them,
The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you;
and they shall say to me, What is his name? what
shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I
AM THAT I AM: "
d. Is your phone ringing today? You better find out
who's calling.
1) Just The Pastor? - Not at home
2) GOD??? CALLING ME??? I'll take the call!
2. What they say when they call can make it important
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a. Someone could call you, and you don't even know
who they are, but they have a message that
changes your life
b. Some stranger could call to tell you your house is
on fire, or you child has been involved in an auto
accident - not important who called, but the
message was extremely important.
c. Is God speaking to your heart today? Is he calling?
You better listen to what He has to say!
3. Where I am when they call
a. Moses was on the backside of a desert when
God called
Disciples were casting nets by the lake
Zacchaeus was sitting in a Sycamore tree
Samaritan woman was drawing from a well
b. In each case it was at a time in their life when
they were ready for a call - ready for a change -
ready for something different - ready for
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something better - they were tired of things the
way they were
c. Maybe you know exactly what I’m talking about –
Maybe you’re at that exact place today – tired of
the way things have been – ready to make a
change - JESUS IS CALLING!!!
III. THE CHALLENGE OF JESUS - VS. 19
A. Verse 19 "Follow me and I will make you fishers of
men:
B. What made the challenge of Jesus irresistible?
1. Jesus took responsibility for their success!
a. Jesus said, "I Will make you fishers of men!"
b. Didn't say, "You are gonna do this – it’s all up to
you.”
c. But said, "I will come, I will make you, I will take
responsibility for the success of your ministry - If
you will obey me - If you will follow me - I will
make you!!!!
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- You don't have to worry about results - Jesus
takes responsibility for results - we just have to
be faithful.
- Jesus saying, "IF you'll get out of the boat, If
you'll take a chance - If you'll say I'm tired of
being a mundane Christian sitting in the pew
waiting for something mystical to happen
- If you'll roll up your sleeves, find your gifts, and
do something for me, God will guarantee your
success - not you, not the pastor - God will
make you something you could never be by
yourself!
2. 2nd reason Challenge of Jesus was irresistible, Jesus
gave them hope!
a. Jesus was saying, You don't have to stay the same
- I'm gonna make you something better
b. How many of you need hope - tired of being what
you are - but afraid to try to change - Jesus wants
you to know that if you will follow Him He will
change you and make you better
IV. THE CONCERNS OF JESUS - VS. 19
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A. First Concern was Relationship
1. Follow ME - Develop a relationship with me
2. Before we can do anything else, we must have a
relationship with Jesus
*Jesus wants your heart before he wants your hand
B. Jesus' Second Concern was Growth:
1. Jesus wanted them to grow - that's why he said, "I
will make you fishers of men."
2. Rubber Band Illustration
a. 3 rubber bands - skinny, fat, colored
b. Only Purpose of a Rubber Band is to be stretched
- Without being stretched is no use
c. Jesus wants us to be stretched so He can use us.
- He wants us to grow - Never quit learning
d. We are designed to grow - And it is impossible to
grow without changing. - Growth = Change
3. We change when we hurt enough we have to
change…
- Heart attack will change your diet - cigarettes,
etc.
b. Or when we learn enough we want to change!
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C. Jesus' Third Concern was Fruitfulness - I will make you
"fishers of men" - great fruit will come into your life
D. Jesus' Fourth Concern was Obedience - "Follow me"
Worldly success is based on achievement
Spiritual success is based on Obedience
CONCLUSION: Musicians come
A. God is calling you today…
a. Is He calling you into a relationship? - Salvation
b. Is He calling you into Ministry? - Follow Him
c. He’s calling you to move beyond a mundane
existence of religion – and into the excitement
and joy that comes with REALLY doing Kingdom
Work!
B. God is calling you and it isn’t a “blown call” – it isn’t a
mistake - You are the man or woman that He wants to
use to impact the world around you!