PART 1
FOLLOW THE LEADER
TEXT: MATTHEW 4.18-19
INTRODUCTION:
In September 2006, my wife and I moved from Tennessee to Illinois to pastor a church. What would make us quit our jobs, sell our house, load a truck and move 400 miles from our hometown? It was a calling from God to follow Him. He wanted us to fulfill the ministry that He had called us to do. We tried to get a church in our home state, but that was not what God had in mind for us. Instead, God opened a door in the state of Illinois and asked “Are you willing to walk through and follow me?” We had a choice to make, and we made that choice. Today, we have an Illinois driver’s license and our car has an Illinois license plate.
In the verses prior to our text we see where Jesus begins His earthly ministry. He had been baptized by John the Baptist, driven by the spirit into the wilderness to fast for forty days and is tempted of the devil. He returns only to find out that John has been cast into prison. He departs into the region of Galilee where He begins to call his disciples. As He passes by the Sea of Galilee, He comes upon two men who are working as fishermen. One is named Simon and the other, his brother Andrew. In this sermon we are going to focus on the call of Simon.
I pray that at the conclusion of this message, you will see that Jesus found Simon right where he was, doing the job of a fisherman. Jesus called him to follow and become a disciple, because He knew of his ability to complete the mission that he would be given. Upon receiving this call, we will see Simon leave it all behind and follow after Jesus.
My desire is that we can truly understand that God calls us right where we are, because He also knows our abilities, and He knows what we are capable of doing. The question is will we, as Peter, drop everything and leave it all behind. God wants to use us in the same way to
become fishers of men. Are you willing to be one of those?
1. JESUS FOUND PETER WHERE HE WAS
They were just ordinary fishermen. Matthew 4.18-19a reads, “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me” (see also Mark 1.16-17a). This was what Peter did, fishing was his profession, it was his means of providing for his family. There is a possibility that Jesus has already met Peter. We read in John 1, where Andrew is introduced to Jesus as the Messiah by John the Baptist. After meeting Him, Andrews goes and finds his brother Simon and brings him to Jesus. It appears that Simon possibly went back to his fishing. That is until Jesus finds him in Galilee in Matthew 4 where Jesus calls him to be a follower. The main motive for Jesus on this day is to find some disciples to follow Him.
When I read this story, I wonder why Jesus began his ministry by calling just ordinary fishermen. There were many educated men that were available in the country, those like the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the scribes. These men were all well versed in the Scripture. They knew all the traditions that have been passed down to the generations. With this caliber of men available, why is Jesus calling just ordinary fishermen?
In calling fisherman, He is not seeking the well-educated, but rather he is choosing someone he knew would follow him. Education is not bad in itself, but we must never allow it to be our only source. We must truly rely on Jesus, and always give Him the glory. These were men that he could train to be effective disciples. He knew that these men would not seek their own glory, but would seek that which would honor the Father. He could prepare these fishermen and they would be willing to go.
Jesus sees more in Simon than just “one who hears.” The apostle John records when
Jesus meets Simon, He tells him, “. . . Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone” (John 1:42).
As you begin to research the meaning of his name, Simon is a Greek form of the Hebrew name Simeon. This name means “one who hears or obeys” and this is exactly what Simon did when he heard the call of Jesus. When Jesus met Simon, he calls him by name and says I am going to add a little something extra to your name. This seems reminiscent of other times in Scripture when a person has a true encounter with God and gets a change of name. The same is true here in the case of Simon. When Jesus meets Simon, he says “I am going to call you Peter.” Peter is the Greek form of the name Cephas, which means “a rock.”
2. JESUS KNEW THEIR CAPABILITIES
You will catch people. You will become missionaries. Jesus told them, “. . . and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19b; see also Mark 1.17b). As you hear Jesus giving this new name to Simon and you read the Scripture you begin to wonder what Jesus was thinking. How would Peter ever do anything but fish? Peter seemed to be such a quick spoken person, for every time he opened his mouth it was just to change feet. He was one who often spoke before he thought on many occasions. It seems that his mouth would engage in speaking before his brain would engage in thought, but now Jesus is calling him “a rock.” However, the thing that we must remember is that Jesus looked down through time, and saw what Peter could accomplish.
I believe in this call of Peter, Jesus looks at him and thinks, you are just a fisherman, but I am going to take you a step further and make you a fisher of men. You will go out and catch people. You will go out and fulfill ministry by reaching the lost. You will do greater things than what you were doing. I believe that is what God wants us to do with us. You may have just an
ordinary job, but God wants to take you and make you into something great. He knows what
your capabilities are.
The same is true for us today. We may look in the mirror and say I am nothing, I am not capable of following in the ministry that I am called to. Yet we know that God looks on us and knows what we really are, what we are capable of doing, and what we will become.
Jesus gives them a great example of what He is talking about in Luke, where he presents a different perspective on the calling of Peter. You will see something tremendous of how Jesus calls Peter. One day Jesus is teaching by the Sea of Galilee as the crowd presses upon Him. He sees a few boats docked on the Sea, and asks Simon if He could borrow his boat. If you do not care would push out into the sea so I could teach these people. Peter obeys and Jesus teaches them. When He concludes his teaching, “. . . he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught” (Luke 5:4). Simon cast out your nets and get ready for a great catch a fish.
Jesus, you just do not understand, we have been trying. “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing . . .” (Luke 5.5a). It appears that as Jesus gives this command Peter looks at Him and says “Master, I am a professional fisherman. I know what I am doing, for I have done this all my life. I’ve caught thousands of fish out of this sea, I know how to fish. You just don’t know how hard we have worked during the night and have caught nothing.” The thing in this story is they had worked all night under their power and ability to catch fish, but Jesus was the Master. Yet because of Jesus speaking to him, he decides to try one more time, for Jesus spoke as one who had authority.
Peter was willing to let down his net. He said to Jesus, “. . . nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net broke” (Luke 5.5-6). There were so many fish that the nets began to break. “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” (Luke 5:7). They called for their friends, possibly their associates to come and help, for we have more fish than we can deal with. They caught so many fish that they filled both boats, to the point that they were about to sink. Peter was a professional fisherman, but Jesus was the Master over all.
Lord, you don’t understand who I am. “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). Peter now realizes that he is talking to someone who is not just any ordinary teacher or disciple maker, but he is talking to the creator of all things. Peter truly saw that Jesus was the Master. When this occurred to him, he began to ask Jesus to go away. Peter did not feel worthy to be in the same boat as Jesus. It seems here that he truly realized he was riding in the boat with the Messiah. Everyone was amazed at what they had just seen happen. “For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken” (Luke 5:9). They had fished all night and had caught nothing. Now Jesus tells them to try again and they catch so many fish, that they are astonished. They had just seen things happen at His words.
Jesus just showed them what they would experience in their lifetime if they would come and follow Him. “. . . And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men” (Luke 5:10). I believe Jesus gave them a great example of exactly what they would be able to accomplish in their life. I think that Jesus was showing Peter that he had been trying to do it under his own power and it did not work. But when Jesus spoke, it came to pass and they caught fish. This is an example of what you are going to do when the time is right. Peter must realize that what he is about to embark on must be done with the power of God and not just by
human ability or intellect.
This will happen, not because you are a professional fisherman, not because you know
what you are doing, but because you are going have the spirit and power of God. You will go forth and catch men faster than you can imagine. Peter would later be astonished at what God would allow to occur in his life. If Peter was willing to follow, Jesus would do the rest.
3. PETER DECIDES TO FOLLOW
What should Peter do? Notice verse 11, “And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him” (Luke 5:11; also in Matthew 4.20, Mark 1.18). When he got his boat back to the land he left all things behind and followed Jesus. Peter most likely knew that this was the one that he had heard about all his life. He knew that he had found the Messiah that was to come, I have found him. He was in my boat, and helped us to catch a great load of fish. Peter possibly left all of his fishing gear to those who worked with him or some family members to let them deal with the fishing business. Peter had bigger things to do, for he was going to Follow Jesus.
Are we willing to do what God asks of us? God doesn’t always ask you to quit your job, move your family or sell your house, he just wants us to follow him. How sincere are you, that you are willing to give it all up for him. Peter has left the nets and the boat behind. I believe it showed that Peter was serious and sincere in following Jesus. He was saying, “I am willing to give it all up for you.” Peter followed Jesus all over the land preaching the gospel, he left his wife and his mother-in-law back at the House. By doing this he was saying, “I want to be a Fisher of men.”
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Jesus sums it all up here in this verse, this is what I asked you to do. Peter told Jesus later that, “. . . Lo, we have left all, and followed thee” (Luke 18:28). We have done what you have asked. But is seems humorous when he later asked Jesus what he going to get by following. Notice Matthew 19.27, “then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?” Jesus replies by telling him that when I come into my kingdom and a sit on my throne, you will sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. In verse 29 he tells them, “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life” (Matthew 19:29). If you will follow me, then you will inherit eternal life. This is what you will get. Peter you have been willing to follow, and you shall have eternal life in my kingdom.
One day in the early ministry of Jesus, just after the calling of Peter, Jesus had preached in the synagogue and went to his house and healed his mother-in-law. The next morning, before the sun rose, Jesus leaves the house and goes to a secluded place to pray. When the sun came up, Peter begins looking for Jesus. He is nowhere in the House. What is funny here is, Peter organizes a search party to find Jesus. In Mark 1.36 Mark tells us that, “. . . Simon and they that were with him followed after him.” It seems that many people now have come near Peter’s house looking for Jesus for healing and deliverance. When they find Him, “. . . they said unto him, All men seek for thee” (Mark 1:37). Jesus you have called us to follow you, which we have done. Now there are other people standing by my house searching after you.
There also seems to be some that began to follow, but later decided to leave. He then questions the twelve. “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” (John 6:66, 67). Most of the time when Peter opened his mouth you never knew what would come out, but there were times when he spoke profoundly. This is one of those times. Notice Peter’s words in verse 68, “. . . Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Where else can I go, who else can I follow? Lord, only you have the words to eternal life, for there is no one else who provides what I need. Why should I go look for someone else, for he knew he had found the right one – the Messiah.
CONCLUSION:
The question for us, are we willing to follow? Can we truly say, “God I am willing to put you first. I want to do what you want me to do.” God will bless us and help us to minister to others when we are obedient to him. When you read the history of the church, Peter and these disciples became great in the birth of the church and they pushed the gospel forward. They did so because they were willing to follow after Jesus. We have to ask ourselves the question, “are we willing to give it all to him, are we willing to follow?
We have all been called into the ministry. We may not be called as a pastor or preacher, but we are all called to be witnesses for him. We must tell God, “here I am, I want to be used of you. I am willing to follow you and be your servant. I am willing to give you my live. Take me and use me for your glory.” We must be willing to let God mold us into the vessel that will be most useful in His kingdom. We must not look into the mirror and say “I am nothing and useless,” for God does not see us that way. God does not see us as we see ourselves, instead He sees us as what we can become, if we are available.
I remember when I was then the fifth grade, I had to give a book report before the class. I was so nervous, because I did not like to speak in public. Take a look at me now, as I stand on a weekly basis and preach the Gospel. God can use you if you will follow. God saw what I could become for His glory. Let us be like Peter, and follow, for where else could we go.
