LARGE FRIES FROM SMALL POTATOES
(By Emerson Blythe)
A message to encourage the grads, and all of us.
Making large fries from small potatoes is a big order. But remember: (Luke 1:37 KJV) "With God nothing shall be impossible."
Have you ever felt grossly inadequate for the task at hand? I suppose we all have at times.
1. There was once a man who had a shaky childhood. As a matter of fact, he narrowly escaped being put to death, then had to survive the dangers of the Nile river in a basket of bulrushes until someone found and adopted him. The one to find him was the daughter of the very oppressive king who had decreed his death in the first place. Miraculously, the girl took pity on the little child and chose to keep him as her own.
As an adult he was never very self-confident and sure of himself. He tried to do good, but when he found an Egyptian beating up an Israelite, he ended up killing the Egyptian. He thought he kept is a secret until he heard that people were talking about it.
He was not a very important person in society: just a shepherd boy, tending the flock of his father-in-law.
While he was out in the wild with the sheep, this man, Moses, saw the incredible sight of the burning bush, and none other than God Almighty appeared to this "little potato" and appointed him to be the leader of Israel, and to go to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and demand the release of God's enslaved people.
What was Moses' reaction? Moses' reaction to God was, "God, I can't be a big fry like that!--I'm just a "small potato." (Exo 3:11-15 NRSV) "But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" {12} He said, "I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain." {13} But Moses said to God, "If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" {14} God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." He said further, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" {15} God also said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you': This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations."
(Exo 4:1-5 NRSV) "Then Moses answered, "But suppose they do not believe me or listen to me, but say, 'The LORD did not appear to you.'" {2} The LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A staff." {3} And he said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw the staff on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it. {4} Then the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail"--so he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand-- {5} "so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.""
(Exo 4:10-15 NRSV) "But Moses said to the LORD, "O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." {11} Then the LORD said to him, "Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? {12} Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak." {13} But he said, "O my Lord, please send someone else." {14} Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, "What of your brother Aaron, the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently; even now he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you his heart will be glad. {15} You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do."
But in spite of Moses being just a "small potato," he became a "large fry" not only to that generation, but down through the annals of history even unto today!
The Old Testament describes Moses as a heroic leader of the people and as a man of God who brought the people out of Egyptian slavery into the promised land and their special relationship with God. The story about Moses in the Old Testament, found in the extensive narratives from Exodus 1 through Deuteronomy 34, can be described as a heroic saga.
Moses triumphantly led the children of Israel from Egypt, through the Red Sea, and on to the Promised Land. He went up to the top of Mt. Sinai, communed with God, and came back with the two tables of stone containing the law of God, commonly known as the "Law of Moses."
(Acts 7:36 NRSV Stephen:) "He led them out, having performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years."
2. Another instance of a "big fry" from a "small potato" is King David.
After King Saul disobeyed God and was rejected as king, God sent Samuel to Bethlehem, to the house of Jesse to anoint one of Jesse's sons as king of Judah. Samuel was not told which son of Jesse he was to anoint, at first.
Jesse had eight sons and two daughters. Eliab, Abinadab, Shimea (Shammah), Nethanel, Raddai, Ozem, Elihu, and David—and the two daughters, Zeruiah and Abigail.
In 1 Sam. 16:6, when Samuel saw the tall and stately Eliab, he said to himself, This has to be the one. (1 Sam 16:7-13 NRSV tells us:) "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." {8} Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." {9} Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." {10} Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these." {11} Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here." {12} He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." {13} Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah."
The kid son David was just a "small potato," but God said, This is the one I want to use to make a "Big Fry"!
When David volunteered to go up against the giant Goliath, (1 Sam 17:38-51 NRSV says: ) "Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. {39} David strapped Saul's sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them." So David removed them. {40} Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd's bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. {41} The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. {42} When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. {43} The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. {44} The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field." {45} But David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. {46} This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, {47} and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hand." {48} When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. {49} David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. {50} So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking down the Philistine and killing him; there was no sword in David's hand. {51} Then David ran and stood over the Philistine; he grasped his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him; then he cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled."
So from this "small potato" David became the great king and mighty warrior of Judah and Israel; and of the Messiah it is said that He would be raised up to sit on the throne of his father, David.
3. Hundreds of years later, there was another man, a fisherman, from the town of Bethsaida, (the name "Bethsaida" intrestingly enough, means "house of fish"). He and his brother were just "small potatoes," being partners with two other men in a Galileean fishing business. He was married, and had a residence in Capernaum. The man's name was Peter.
In John 1:35-42 NRSV, John tells this story: "The next day John (i.e. John the baptist) again was standing with two of his disciples, {36} and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" {37} The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. {38} When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" {39} He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. {40} One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother (One of the team of fishermen). {41} He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). {42} He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter)."
Then Luke relates a time: (Luke 5:1-11 KJV) "And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him (Jesus)to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, {2} And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. {3} And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. {4} Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. {5} And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. {6} And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. {7} And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. {8} When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. {9} For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: {10} And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. {11} And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him."
Peter felt so unworthy that he begged the Lord to depart from him. He didn't know how to become a "big fry," for he was just a "little potato"!
But Peter came to play a great role in the early church. Peter is credited by some with being a leader of the twelve disciples whom Jesus called. His name always occurs first in the lists of disciples (Mark 3:16; Luke 6:14; Matt. 10:2). He frequently served as the spokesman for the disciples (compare Mark 8:29) and was usually the one who raised the questions which they all seemed to be asking. Jesus often singled out Peter for teachings intended for the entire group of disciples (see especially Mark 8:29-33). As a member of the inner circle, Peter was present with Jesus at the raising of the synagogue ruler's daughter (Mark 5:35-41), at the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-8), and at the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemene (Mark 14:43-50).
Matthew tells us: (Mat 16:13-19 KJV) "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? {14} And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. {15} He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? {16} And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. {17} And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. {18} And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. {19} And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
It was this "little potato" Peter, who became the "big fry" to preach the moving gospel sermon on the day of Pentecost when 3000 were obedient to the gospel.
Upon the healing of the lame man, the courageous Peter stood up and said, (Acts 4:10-13 KJV) "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. {11} This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. {12} Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. {13} (The Bible says:) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
From a simple Galileean fisherman to a very influential figure in the early church, Peter's contribution to the early church, and to the New Testament itself, is amazing.
CONCLUSION:
What about you and me? We know we are just "small potatoes," but have you ever stopped to think what God might do with you and me?
Concerning God's promise to Abraham, Paul wrote: (Rom 4:17-18 KJV) "(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. {18} Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be."
And thus Paul wrote: (Phil 4:13 NRSV) "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
(1 Pet 2:9-10 KJV) "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: {10} Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."
No matter how small and insignificant you may be, you can still be a child of God, an heir of the throne, a citizen of Heaven. Your name can be written on the greatest roll of all: Heaven's book of life; and you can be elected to receive a mansion in Heaven when this life is over.
What are you waiting for?
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