Over and over the Bible inquires Christian pastors to feed the sheep. Three times in John 21:15-17. Jesus instructs Simon Peter, "Feed My sheep....Take care of My sheep....Feed My Sheep." It was to the shepherds on the hillsides that the Heavenly Angels first appeared in glory to announce the birth of Jesus. God hand picked David the son of Jesse, a lowly shepherd boy, to be the leader of His people.
That’s the kind of leaders God wants. Obviously shepherds make great leaders. During Jesus’ ministry here on earth He was a shepherd: John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." Again Jesus said in verse 14, "I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and My sheep know me.” So, Jesus was a Shepherd.
Jesus did not refer to Himself as the good fisherman but as the Good Shepherd! So why didn’t He choose shepherds as the future leaders of His church just like God did in the Old Testament? Why Fishermen and not Shepherds? (Don Gettys).
Many of the great leaders of God’s church in the OT were shepherds. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses; were all good shepherds. All of them were entrusted with leading the people of God before Jesus came.
The eastern shepherd was the quintessence of courageousness and dedication. They fearlessly cared for the flock of God that was entrusted into their care and keeping. Flocks of sheep became numerous and healthy under the tutelage of many a faithful hardworking shepherd. They cared for the new lambs and protected the growing flock from danger from predators.
How curious then for Jesus not to assign His New Testament Church with shepherds.
First: TO FULFILL THE PROPHECY - Jeremiah 16:16 "But now I will send for many fishermen," declares the LORD, "and they will catch them."
Again in Ezekiel 47:10 Fishermen will stand along the shore;....The fish will be of many kinds like the sand of the Great Sea.
Second: CHURCH GROW.
- A shepherd is usually given an existing flock and maintains that flock in good fashion.
- A fisherman, by nature, is more aggressive than a shepherd. He must go out to catch new fish every day.
The new church must grow and grow fast. Fishermen could best perform that job description. Peter, James and John were all fishermen and they were the closest to Jesus of the 12. Fishermen must work in all kinds of weather or they will starve. The fisherman who avoids rainy days or stays at home when the forecast is borderline will soon be bankrupt. This enterprising nature of the fisherman was needed to accelerate the growth of the Christian Church.
Thirdly: INVOLVEMENT. I think Jesus chose fishermen because God needs many fishers and few shepherds. In the Christian church every member, like the disciples, is called to be a fisherman. Matthew 4:18, 19.
As Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and his brother, Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishers. "Come and follow Me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men.
Every Christian sould be an evangelist. We are to be fishers of men, a missionary fishing for unsaved men and women, unsaved boys and girls. Jesus wants us to be involved. Not everyone can be a shepherd but everybody can be a fisherman. Peter was a fisherman first and only later did Jesus tell him he could be a shepherd. We should never cease to be a fisherman.
"Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium." (Paul Harvey). Our job is not to be aquarium keepers, but to go and fish for men. Our church must never forget its mission. Our mission is fishing for men. It is not a special activity for special people at special occasions but the normal activity of every Christian every day.
Fourth: FELLOWSHIP INSTEAD OF FASTINGSHIP
Shepherds often live in isolation but fishermen are not hermits. They are social people and mingle with people. It takes a team of spirited strong men to catch fish with large nets. If he does not learn to work with others he will not be successful. The successful fisherman must deal with boatmen, he must compete with many others in the fish market. He is not a loner. Jesus never upheld before us the life of the monasticism. We are not called to be secluded from the world but to go into the world.
Look at Matthew 28:19,20:... Jesus will go with you. You’ll not be alone. Fellowship is Jesus’ way. That former Monk Martin Luther said: "More and greater sins are committed when men are alone than when they keep themselves in fellowship." Only when Adam and Eve were alone, away from God, could Satan deceive her. Only when King David was alone and idle did he fall into adultery.
Fifth: JESUS WANTS YOU TO BE A FISHERMAN. Now, whether your occupation is sitting at a desk, or driving a truck, or doing surgery, or whatever it is, the same call that Jesus called Andrew with is also meant for you. You are not called to sit idly by but to roll up your sleeves and be involved in outreach. You are called to be a missionary, to go in Global Evangelism, to work in building up the cause of Jesus. A Christian who does not evangelize will fossilize. We’ve got to be out doing something for Jesus, not just squabbling over ourselves, but you should lead somebody to Jesus this year.
Unfortunately most Christians are sterile. By that I mean to say: they never reproduce themselves, when God has clearly commanded us to make disciples not just decisions. Consider this: The total offspring of a single pair of flies, if they survived to the end of summer, would create a mound big enough to cover Texas to a depth of several feet. Next time you swat a housefly, remember the importance of spiritual reproduction.
The 12 disciples had to act quickly and with great zeal. Again time is short. The end of the world is looming upon us. It seems to be only a matter of time before several scallywag type nations acquire the atomic bomb and we’re going to see some bombs go off. Only a few more years of affordable oil remain for our use until modern life as we know is grinds down into anarchy. Only when God’s people rise up and follow their ultimate job description, to be a fisherman, will they be doing the full will of God. Your ultimate task is not to warm a pew although the disciples did often sit at Jesus’ feet. There is nothing wrong in sitting at Jesus’ feet. Your job is to become a fisher of men. Shepherds care for the sheep. Fishermen are hunters. That’s why Jesus called fishermen.
So, what was God’s first plan? Actually, evangelism is God’s third choice, it’s not the first choice. The great gospel commission of going and telling is number three. God’s second choice was for interested people to desire to come and see. God hoped that His chosen people (Israel) would be so blessed because of their relationship with Him that people would beat a path to their door. Then they could observe what can happen when a people live life according to God’s will. But His people, Israel, did not follow God very well. It didn’t work.
What was God’s first choice? For one hundred percent of human beings to have an unbroken relationship with Him so that no one would have to seek the lost. But Adam and Eve spoiled God’s highest hope. Now the church is operating under the mode of evangelism. It is wonderful. But it is God’s third choice. The mission of every church is to uplift Jesus to the world. Your street is part of that world. So is India, Guatemala, Tanzania. So is your son or your daughter’s office/bedroom/playground. They are part of the world.
John 17:18 says: "As you sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world." That’s His disciples, that’s us. Our job description is to go to the world, just as Jesus went to the world, and tell the world about Jesus. We are living in the last days. We must be faithful to our task. Did you know that Christianity is just one generation away from extinction? Each generation must tell the next. If we would stop telling the world about Jesus, stop preaching Jesus, burn all the Bibles Christianity would be over.
Matthew 13:47 says, "The kingdom of heaven is like a (fishing) net." We are the fishermen. A lot of people are not good fishermen. I have noticed that around the Tennessee River, and some of these creeks. That doesn’t stop them from fishing. They enjoy it. The same ought to hold true for our spiritual fishing trips as well. Go out humbly and prayerfully and God will give you a good catch.
ILL. One day a rich man went fishing. He had all the latest and finest equipment. Hours later he had caught nothing. He walked on up the river and came upon a small boy with a stick and a bent hook. The boy had a fine string of trout over his shoulder and he was about to go home. The man questioned the lad, "How did you get so many fish and I got nothing and we both use the same bait?" The lad said, "You’ve got to keep yourself out of sight." To be a successful fisher of men; preach Jesus, and get Him into sight and get yourself our of sight. Send the people away talking about Jesus instead of praising you for all your numerous accomplishments. Don’t impress them with your fancy house but with Jesus.
Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." So, go. Go somewhere.
Do you know one of the greatest impediments of successful fishing is, today by Christians? It is the poverty of our personal relationships with Jesus.
That’s why we don’t catch fish. We don’t know the Fisherman. So, know Jesus and show Jesus, and you’ll be successful.
(Thanks to Don Gettys for his ideas)
