Fishin'

Fishin’ Matthew 4: 12 - 23

Intro: Can anyone tell me one significant event that took place in 1809? 1) the Peninsula War was raging in Spain. 2) Napoleon invaded Austria. I’ll make it a little easier. There were 7 significant people who were born that year. 1) Wm Gladstone, one of England’s greatest Prime Ministers, 2) Alfred Lord Tennyson, 3) Edgar Allan Poe, 4) Louis Braille, 5) Felix Mendelssohn, 6) Charles Darwin, 7) Abraham Lincoln. Sometimes the most significant events seem insignificant at the time; but, prove over the passage of time to be monumental.

I Such would seem to be the case long ago when Jesus commanded some fishermen to come follow him? On the surface, it doesn’t seem to be such a significant thing. History and the Bible would prove otherwise.

A The two areas mentioned in our Text don’t appear very important to us. However. Zebulun and Naphtali would have been well-known at the time of Jesus. These areas were named after two sons of Joseph.

B That is not only distinction of these two tribes. They were supposedly the first two tribes who were lead into captivity by the Assyrians. (See 2 Kings 15: 29)

C Isaiah 9: 1 & 2 is quoted here in Matthew 15 & 16. Isaiah refers to them as “the people living in darkness . . . those living in the land of the shadow of death.” They lived far from Jerusalem in Assyria where they were held in captivity probably as slaves b/c that was a common practice to control conquered people.

II VS. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, Interesting to note here is that in the Greek Bible, the word “COME” does not appear.

A The Greek word is opisso/ ?p?s? translated as “follow me” The English word. “come” is added for emphasis. The tense of the Greek word is the imperative. It is not a suggestion. It is not just a suggestion. It is a COMMAND. It is the same as saying, “You! Come follow me, now!” It is like an order by a commanding officer.

B Matthew goes on in VS. 21 to tell us that Jesus called two other brothers most likely in the same manner. We can tell this by another Greek word that is used in relationship to the calling of Peter, Andrew, James and John. It is the word eutheo / e????? translated as the English word, Immediately.

C They didn’t even question. Perhaps you are asking yourself. “what is wrong with these guys?” No questioning. No doubting. Would you just pick up and go with a stranger who comes to you and says, “YOU THERE, COME WITH ME!?”

III If I had to earn my living fishing, I would have dropped the net, said, “See ya!” to my family and left with Jesus. Others may not have been so quick to follow. They might say something like, “Who are you? What right do your have here? What’s it going to cost me? What am I going to be paid? What do I have to do?”

A Wouldn’t you love to have that kind of power over people? I think it would be great! It sure would make my job as a pastor easier. I could just stand out on a street corner and say, “Come!” and the church would be full.

B As followers of Christ Jesus we know we are called to fish for people; but, we don’t think the problem is with us. It’s with the fish.

C Fish stink! They don’t think like us. I don’t know any free fish. The ones I know don’t act like us. I don’t know where to find them. All the fish I know have already been caught. You don’t think you have what it takes to be a fisher for people. VS. 19b “I will send you out to fish for people.” (A LITERAL TRANSLATION IS “I WILL MAKE YOU BECOME FISHERS OF MEN.”) I will show you how. I will teach you. Just rely on me.

Concl: When fishermen forget to fish, they have time to look into other people’s business and fuss, fight, and complain. This causes the fish to not want to be caught and swim to other places to get away.

Do you have what it takes to catch fish? 1) patience, 2) perseverance, 3) courage, ‘ 4) an eye for the moment, 5) the ability to fit the bait to the fish.

Would you be so willing to leave as quickly as Peter, Andrew, James, and John? Would you be so willing to jump up for a “job” to follow into the unknown future? Perhaps, it you’re not happy where you are and with what you are doing, you would. What Jesus saw in those men long ago, he sees in us today. They were ordinary folk who would give Him themselves and go fishin’.