“Come Follow Me and I Will Make You Fishers of Men”
Matthew 4:12-25, Mark 1:14-20, Luke 5:1-11
Pray
Turn to Matthew 4:12-22
Conclusion - most important vs in NT - for understanding our role.
As a test of my conclusion, I asked a brother in the Lord who was a very good student of the New Testament what he considered the central text of the New Testament. He quickly responded: Come! Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
4 Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, - the three year ministry of Jesus, the central theme of Jesus’ ministry was teaching men how to fish for men.
Lets read:
Now Jesus, hearing that John had been handed over, separated to Galilee. And having left Nazareth came and settled in Capernaum along the sea in the border of Zebulon and Naphtali in order that it should be fulfilled; having been said through Isaiah the prophet saying:
“In Zebulon and the land of Naphtali the way of the Sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles. The people sitting in darkness see a great light, and those sitting in the land and shadow of death to them a light dawns.”
From that time forward began Jesus to preach and to say: Repent (Change your mind) the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near.
Now walking along the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, being called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea. For they were fishers. And he said to them; Come! Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
And at once, having left the nets, they followed him. And going on from there he saw another two brothers, James, the son of Zebedee and John his brother in the boat with Zebedee, their father, preparing their nets and he called them.
And at once, having left the boat and their father, followed him.
How many of you are fishermen? You all are!
• Some fish for fish
• Some fish for sales
• Some fish for dropped bolts somewhere under the hood
• Some fish for the fuel tank switch or the auto pilot
• Some fish for lost treasure
• Some fish for missing numbers in the spread sheet
• Some fish for knowledge
• Some don’t know what they are fishing for, they just love to fish.
We are all fishing for something! What are you fishing for?
The Fish & Game Warden and Pastor go fishing:
No one in this town could catch any fish in this one lake except this one Pastor. The game warden, thinking the Pastor's prayer life must have been exceptional, asked him how he did it.
The Pastor told the game warden that he would take him fishing the next day. Once they got to the middle of the lake the Pastor opened what looked like a bait bucket, took out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and threw it in the water.
The Warden through himself into the bottom of the boat. After the explosion fish started floating to the top of the water and the man took out a net and started picking up the fish.
The game warden, picking himself up out of the bottom of the boat, said Pastor, you should be ashamed! That is illegal. As he was talking the Pastor took out another stick of dynamite and lit it. The he tossed it to the game warden and said " are you going to fish or talk."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last Winter Chad and I went ice fishing up in Colorado. After arriving at the lake early in the morning, we cut two holes in the lake and drop our lines in the water. After fishing for a few hours, Chad had caught dozens of fish while I hadn't even gotten a bite.
I asks, "Chad, what's your secret?"
Chad answers, "Mmu motta meep da mmrms mmrm."
I asks, "What did you say?"
Chad answers, "Mmu motta meep da mmrms mmrm."
I again asks, "What?"
Chad spits something out of his mouth into his hand and says, "You gotta keep the worms warm!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One day, a rather inebriated layman, went Ice Fishing. He drilled a hole in the ice and peered into the hole and a loud voice said, "There are no fish down there."
He walked several yards away and drilled another hole and peered into the hole and again the voice said, :There's no fish down there."
He then walked about 50 yards away and drilled another hole and again the voice said, "There's no fish down there."
He looked up into the sky and asked, "God, is that you?"
"No, you idiot," the voice said, "I am the ice rink manager."
There was a day when Jesus appeared on the scene of our life. And with more authority than a US Marshall, he commanded: “Come! Follow Me! I will make you a fisher of men.”
Come – (Äåõôå) “Here” – adverb of place (Come Here! – come is inferred)
Follow – (Ïðßóù) “Behind” – adverb of place (Follow behind me! – follow is inferred)
The calling to fish for men, Jesus makes here is very emphatic: “Here! Behind Me! I shall make you fishers of men.
Life Question:
What does it take for a person struggling with the cares of life, to lay them down for the peace and rest Jesus provides?
What does it take to move the mountain between us and God? That mountain that keeps us from responding to his call?
• The housing keeping chores, laundry, cooking, or cleaning
• The job, with its travel, long hours, and commute
• The children’s activities, soccer, baseball, cheerleading, etc.
• The never ending list of honey dos
What does it take for you & I to Hear the call? Heed the call? and Follow the call?
Life Answer:
I believe it takes understanding who God is, and how much he really cares for our helpless estate.
• God knows our struggles for time.
• God knows our insecurities
• God has known each of us from before the time we were born. PS. 139
The disciples were just like us: Flesh; men struggling everyday with:
• How to provide for their families.
• How to keep their business from going bankrupt.
• How to keep their children from becoming like the heathen out there.
Jesus did not call them out to follow him without ensuring they understood he was capable of meeting their every needs; calming their every fears.
Some of you may be sitting here today wondering: How did these guys drop everything they were doing to follow Christ, when they had so many responsibilities:
• Where was the money for food and bills going to come from?
• Who was going to look after their families as they took time out of their day to set under the training of their new teacher?
• Was this just a temporary calling out and they went back to their work later in the day?
• How would God provide for my needs, if I had to set aside time to come follow him?
There are 3 records of this event in the Bible. If you were to read only the Matthew or Mark account, you would get the cliff notes version, the shorten version. However, Luke, being a medical Doctor, is sometimes prone to providing more detail in his writing. Luke’s detail is very important in helping us understand how these men could, with confidence, set aside the time to follow after Jesus’ plan. Look at Luke 5:1-10
LK 5:1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret( Sea of Galilee), with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
LK 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
LK 5:5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
LK 5:6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
LK 5:8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Do you see the difference here? Luke gives much more explanation toward understanding why they had the confidence to drop everything and follow Jesus.
1. Jesus would have us know dropping what you are doing to follow Him means no longer toiling alone. Lk 5:5-7
Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets. When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
a. Is your life, your labor, back breaking, difficult, without joy and peace?
b. Or do the hardships seem uneventful, it never seems to be too much and the there is Joy and Peace the majority of the time? God’s provision just seem to always be there!
c. Does fishing for men seem to be very difficult, tiresome, even scary?
d. Or does fishing for men seem to be just an everyday part of life?
MT 11:25 Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
MT 11:27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him to.
MT 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Taking Jesus’ yoke means no longer toiling alone. He will be there for you all the way.
2. When you recognize Jesus as God, your view of God & life will change. Lk 5:8, 9
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken
a. Before this, to Peter, Jesus was just the new preacher in town, but now he was God!
b. When you recognize God for who he is worship will be different. Peter falls at his feet.
c. How do you know when you have accepted God, as God? There is astonishment at what he does all the time.
d. When you know God this way it is much easier to let go and walk with him.
3. A true act of God in your life may be reassuring of His care for you, but it might also frighten you. 9-10
9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men
Many people are afraid of Miracles or the presence of the Holy Spirit, or the presence of Angles.
• Miracles
• The Holy Spirit
• Angels
4. If you really recognize Jesus, there is nothing you are not willing to let go off for following him? A three fold calling:
a. Come here!
b. Fall in behind me! i.e. Put me first!
c. I will train you how to fish for men.
i. Fishing for men is part of your call
ii. Jesus will train you, if you fall in behind him.
iii. Fishing will not be difficult any longer
So where do we go from here Pastor?
Have you ever seen Jesus for who he really is?
God come in the flesh to die for your sins. Raised from the dead and now seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.
If not, ask him to reveal himself to you: in a dynamic way that your faith in him might be boosted.
Then, when he does, don’t be frightened; but release all you are holding on to and let him use your life to fish for others.
