Smells Fishy

AUG 06  / Sunday – Read Job 12:8 / Jn 6:5-13 / Jn 21:1-11 / Jonah 1-4

Overview: Ever doubt an angler’s “I caught a fish this big!” tall tale? That same suspicion of fishy stories can carry over to the bible. Unlike fishermen, though, God doesn’t lie.

07 / Mon – Fish Stories  |  Read 2 Tim 3:14-16

When an offer seems too good to be true, we think it sounds fishy and ask what’s the catch? If the facts of a story don’t add up, we say something smells fishy. What do those situations have to do with actual fish? Maybe nothing but do we connect them because a fisherman’s catch is the only thing that can keep growing every time it’s retold? Some Bible stories are difficult to believe. What is your favorite ‘impossible’ story from the Bible? What makes it sound ‘fishy’? Why do you still choose to believe it?

08 / Tue – Picnic in the park  |  Read Mark 6:35-44

This difficult-to-believe story involves a very small lunch and a huge crowd of hungry people. Many witnesses heard the conversation between Jesus and his disciples and saw what he did next. Thousands more tasted the results. Given people’s propensity for skepticism, you would think someone present would have exposed it as a trick but they all ate the food. It was real. Jesus trusted his Father to provide and He did. Will you? No matter what the need, you can trust Him.

09 / Wed – Deja vu  |  Read Luke 5:1-11 / John 21:1-14

Twice Jesus performed this fish miracle, once near the beginning of his ministry and again after the resurrection. The first time was to get the fishermen’s attention, to prove who he was and to call them to follow him. The second time must have felt like deja vu all over again. He got their attention and reminded them of who he was. It proved he was no longer dead. Many skeptics, then and now, think something smells fishy about the resurrection story. But if a person believes the resurrection really happened, they are faced with a choice. What difference has this made in your life?

10 / Thu – Fish food  |  Read Jonah 1-4

This is the most famous fish story of them all. Jonah was a prophet in Israel when Assyria had become the most powerful empire. When God told Jonah to go to the capital city of Nineveh with a message of repentance, Jonah ran the other way. Was it because he was afraid? Was it because he hated these ruthless enemies of Israel? Jonah’s time-out in the fish taught him God is to obeyed so he did. But was there a true change of heart? See Jonah 4:1-2, 10-11. What does this story teach you about God’s character? Are there any insights here that might apply to your life?

11 / Fri – 5 + 2 = 5,000?  |  Read John 6:5-13

Imagine Tuesday’s picnic story from the boy’s perspective. He saw the huge crowd. He could have said to himself… I’m really hungry or I don’t have enough to share but he didn’t. He gave it to Jesus and got a bigger lunch in return. Dallas Jenkins, creator of The Chosen series, tells what God said to him when the project God called him to do seemed impossible: it’s not your job to feed the 5,000; it’s only to provide the loaves and fish. Will you bring your ‘loaves and fish’ to Jesus too?

12 / Sat – No fish stories here  |  Read Titus 1:2 / Hebrews 6:18 / Numbers 23:19

 It is true that some stories in the Bible are difficult to believe. You might be tempted to discount those that are confusing. But consider this. If you were God and you loved your people, wouldn’t you do anything to communicate it, to ensure that the truth they needed to know was made clear to them? You may be sure God, who cannot lie, will never tell you a fish story when you ask Him for the truth. He has, is and will always let Himself be known through His word and the Holy Spirit’s guidance. No fish stories here.