"Let's go fishing"
Mat_4:19 “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
How many here like to fish? I have tried it and I am not very good at it. As we look at this text today I want you to realize that to be a follower of Christ is not an easy task but for those who persevere there are many rewards. Last week we talked about using the giants of this world as stepping stone to get at the grapes of God’s promises and blessings. This message also should encourage you to face the challenges of this world. In fulfillment to the command of Jesus it should be every believer’s ambition to further the kingdom of God on this earth. As we look about us today we see empty pews and we all know people who desperately need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.
Now take a look at this scripture. When Jesus asked these men to follow him he was not calling them to an easy task. They were going to have to give up their lives and follow him. Dwell on that for a moment. Have you made that commitment to God? Have you put everything else on the back burner and said “Here am I, use me Lord.” I want you to know that Jesus is still looking for some people who will cast the nets to capture souls for him. Are you that person? Being a member of the church (the body of Christ) demands a total commitment.
It doesn’t mean just showing up on Sunday morning and tossing a dollar in the plate.
It doesn’t mean maybe coming on Sunday night,
or showing up for Sunday school if you happen to get up on time.
It doesn’t mean if I’m not too tired I will come Wednesday night.
A fisherperson for Jesus is fully vested in the cause. He is ready to get on the Old ship of Zion and
cast some nets,
cut bait,
swab the decks
or whatever it takes to reach a lost world for the master.
Patsy and I have been fortunate enough to take two cruises one was a short cruise to Mexico and the other was a longer cruise to Alaska. Both were enjoyable. Now I love cruising and it’s not just for the food (I know what you are thinking) When you are on a cruise they cater to your needs, serve your food, clean your room, make your bed and on one they even left animals made from towels with mints on your bed.
“The Old ship of Zion is not a cruise ship, where you lay around and have every whim attended to by somebody else - it is a working fishing vessel and if you want to fish - there's room for you. If you want a cruise - wrong ship!!!”
If you are ready to board the ship there are some things that you need to know before you can catch any fish. You need to know who is Captain of the ship, what kind of fish you are fishing for, and what to do with them when you catch them.
To catch fish you must know:
1. Who the Captain is. The invitation or actually if you look real close it’s a command is being given by Jesus. Now before anything else can happen in your life, before you can ever catch a fish, you must be willing to let Jesus be the captain of your ship. I work with a man named Karl who loves to deep sea fish. Now when he goes down to the ocean he doesn’t jump in a boat and wonder around the sea hoping to find fish he hires a captain with a proven record. Let’s look at this scripture from Luke:
Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Luke 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Luke 5:6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
I really don’t understand why but it seems that most of us want to wonder aimlessly around through this world and hope that we land on the right course for our lives. Let me tell you that Almighty God has a plan for your life and He has asked to be the Captain of your ship. Will you let Him on board today? Jesus is the evidence of the love of the father in that he came and laid down his life for the sins of you and me. The bible tells me that “All have sinned” and God said “if you sin you shall surely die.” This same Jesus (who is atonement for sin) is calling out to you today saying “Come”. Will you come? Becoming a child of God is as simple as “believing in the Lord Jesus Christ” but being a child of God means that you have to let him captain the ship!! Did you here what I said? He has to be the captain!!!!!
He’s not the co-pilot( I really dislike that bumper sticker)
He’s Not the entertainment director
He’s not the purser
He’s the Captain.
Notice what happened in the previous scripture when peter let Jesus take over control of the fishing expedition. THEY CAUGHT FISH! If you will let Jesus pilot the ship of your life you will catch some fish. If you have ever been fishing then I am sure that you notice that if someone was catching fish then everybody wanted to get as close to that spot in hopes of catching fish. Jesus is catching fish so why don’t you jump in the boat?
2. Know what you are fishing for. Now using the illustration of Karl going fishing that I previously mentioned they determine what they are fishing for before they ever leave shore. Why because it depends on what kind of fish as to where they go. He told me sometimes we decide to just go fishing, by this he says they pick a place and cast and take whatever gets on the line. That is the fishing that Jesus is talking about. Jesus says, “I will make you fishers of men” Now one thing I want to point out here is that Jesus didn’t limit that statement to any race, class, or qualify man in any way. Jesus was speaking of ALL men. John_11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? Notice the word “Whosoever” it is totally inclusive not excluding anyone. The true church should be fishing with nets that catch any and everything not lures designed to only attract certain kinds of fish! Every soul is important to God and should be to us.
3. What to do with the fish you catch. Now you are probably saying ‘eat them”, but you know we are talking about children of God not actual fish. What did Jesus do with the men that obeyed his calling? He took them in and loved them and spent the rest of his ministry teaching them. Once God blesses you with fruit you have to get them grounded in the word! Notice in the following scripture: Matt. 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Matt. 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Jesus is the foundation! I don’t know about you but when we used to go fishing we had this thing called a stringer. It was a rope with a pointed piece of metal on the end. You would stick the metal part through the fish’s mouth and out the gills and tie him on the stringer so that he wouldn’t get away. Now you thought that the fish were safe on the stringer but I have heard more than one tale of pulling the stringer up and it was gone or something had been eating on it. The fish en,t caught until they are on board the ship. Of course now they use live wells and buckets because we don’t want to hurt the fish that we are about to skin and cut up for supper. The point I am making is that we are not sport fishing, Jesus is not calling us to ‘catch and release” he wants us to put those fish in the boat and hold on to them We do that by taking care of those fish.
We put them in the
Bucket of prayer
The bucket of bible teaching
The bucket of Christian love
The Bucket of mentoring
The bucket of Bible preaching
And after that they become fishers! Yep that is what I said. You take those fish you caught and go back fishing and next thing you know they are catching more fish.
You see God made us to be next to Him. When Adam introduced sin into the world he placed a divider between God and man but God wasn’t happy so He, through Jesus, put a door in the wall and opened it so that all that wanted to come to him could. The door is open! The only thing stopping you from becoming a child of God is you! I am sure that you are by now asking what has this to do with what you have been talking about. Here it is God wants you to be “fishers of men” and the only way you can do this is by following Jesus. Notice, He said, “Follow me….” When we receive Jesus we become changed people and people want to know what has caused the change. Then you begin telling them what Jesus has done in your life….oops you are fishing and when they see the change and here your testimony some will get on the line. Will you listen to the invitation of Jesus and answer it today?
The right Place (you go where fish are!) Jesus said that the “fields are white with harvest”. That is just as true today. You don’t have to go any further than the news to know that sin is running rampant. With the economic situation, social immorality, and this circus we call the political arena people are scared and looking for security. The only security you can find in this or any world is God! He is the same today as he was when He created the world, he will be the same tomorrow, and when He greets me in eternity he will be the same. So there are people all around you that are looking for something and that something Jesus. You are sitting on a school of fish so why don’t you drop a line?
