Follow Me And I Will Make You Fishers Of Men Series

3. How are to we compare fishing to reaching people for Jesus?

Jesus uses this same effective method to draw people to Himself. John tells us that Jesus said (8:12), “I am the light of the world, He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.”

Just as fish are attracted to the disciples light, God wants people to be drawn to His light shining through His people. The light of every believer is the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives. Paul stated in his second letter to the Corinthians (4:6-7), “For it is God who command-ed light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, (7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power of God may be of God and not of us.”

We are not the light we merely reflect the light of Jesus.

4. What does it require to follow Jesus?

It was a call that required complete and immediate attachment for every else. Peter and Andrew “left their nets” (v. 20) suggesting that they left their present occupation. James and John “left their father” (v. 22) suggesting that following Christ takes precedence over even maintaining close proximity to our family. The requirement for following Jesus are not the same for everyone. For some it means leaving their present occupations to follow him. For others it means a willing to leave family connections and being close to family. But for everyone it is a willingness to exchange their affections, goals and priorities for his.

Listen careful to the statement I am about to make because I do not want you to misunderstand me. The worse thing in life may not be that we fail. The greatest failures occur when we succeed in areas that are not God’s will for our lives and are not true to the clear teaching of scripture, success that keep us from pursuing God’s real plan for our lives. The worse thing in life is not failing but succeeding in a worldly pursuit having left Christ out of our lives.

5. What is the single most important thing we can do as Christians?

When we learn that some one is dying what is the single most important topic on our minds. “Are they saved?” What this should remind us of is that what really matters in life is what we are most concerned about at death – whether or not people know Jesus Christ. When someone is dying nothing else really matters doe it?

There have been times in the life of every Christian when he/she recognized that the greatest thing he could do with his life was to get someone else to Christ. It may be this evening that Christ wants you to recommit yourself to reaching someone for Christ. Perhaps it is someone that you have given up on? Have you ever really stopped to realize that Jesus wants you to be someone whose heart is moved to reach out to the lost people around you? In order to accomplish this goal in life would you be willing to

•Lay aside your personal ambition and plans in order to fully follow Christ.