Some thoughts in this message are from the archives of C.H. Spurgeon who preached in the 1800’s
TITLE: FISHERS OF MEN….NO BAIT REQUIRED
SCRIPTURE: ST. MATTHEW 4:18-20 / ST. MARK 1:17
Since my return to Ardmore, Deacon Cooley and a few other brothers have taken me out fishing. I have not been very successful yet, but they are determined to make a good fisherman out of me. I have watched Deacon Cooley, he always takes time with the bait and cast his line. He usually has 3-4 lines going at once. I can only handle one at this point. He does not move around very much once he cast his various lines.
I have noted others who cast their line and if nothing is biting within a few minutes they walk around the pond or lake and cast their line elsewhere; they will even change their bait every now and then in an attempt to cast just the right bait that will entice the fish.
On Wednesday evenings we have been presenting a Bible Study Series based upon the text read this morning. I want to share with you, especially those that don’t or not able to attend Bible Study on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. what we are teaching and discussing in an effort to help grow the Church. I want to help us all to understand where we are and what God expects from us as the Church positions itself for growth. Jesus in our text found some Fishermen who were very good at what they did, matter of fact; those found initially in our text were entrepreneurs – in business together. And Jesus looks at this crew and says to them – FOLLOW ME AND I WILL MAKE YOU TO BECOME FISHERS OF MEN.
This is the foundation of how the Church grows. For years I’ve been bothered by the GIMMICK VS. GOSPEL approach to ministry in general and evangelism in particular. It seems we don’t think God’s gospel is quite good enough to reach folks, so we have to come up with all kinds of gimmicks and gadgets to get people in the door, to keep their attention, to grow the Church.
Too often we find Churches that use clever tricks and treats to throw into sermons so folks would want to come back. Never mind that true believers should have the desire to come and worship a Holy God in Spirit and in Truth regardless of how “Entertaining” things may or may not be.
• We want the Production Lights
• We want a Stage instead of a Pulpit
• We want Actors and Sports Figures sitting in the Pulpit with Pastor
• We want Praise Dancers and Professional Praise Teams
• We want Entertaining instead of Spirit Filled Choir
• We use a Whole lot of Bait to bring people into the Church today
I was reading recently about a Church that held a Men’s Conference and the theme had to do with being “FISHERS OF MEN.” I understood the Conference drew a very large crowd – they offered a large giveaway of –
• Fishing Paraphernalia
• Rods
• Reels
• Lures
• Tackle Box
And from a crowd standpoint, it must be considered a success. In fact, it was reported, the attendance far exceeded the other “Men’s Event” things that have been held in which they just gathered to talk about being more godly men. Since it was the largest crowd, it must be good, right?
I am sure the speakers bought interesting messages surrounded by all of the Fishing Giveaways. Can I tell you this morning that we have the wrong idea about what it means to be fishers of men.
• Most of us, when we think of fishing, we envision a couple guys out in a boat or along a lake shore
• We see them with their box full of lures and/or live bait
• They cast their lines, and if after awhile they don’t have any success, they change the bait and go after it again
• Fishing, in this context, is all about the bait
• If the bait doesn’t work, change it and go at it again
When we hear the phrase “FISHERS OF MEN” we think of it in the same way. We have to throw out the right bait. And if the bait isn’t working, we change bait until we find something the fish likes, and then we hook ‘em. Hence, our gimmick and gadget approach to ministry and evangelism. It’s all about the bait.
• We think the gospel isn’t powerful enough on its own
• We think we have to find the right bait people will respond to so we can hook ‘em
I don’t believe Jesus ever picked up a fishing pole in his life. Matter of fact I don’t believe Peter and James ever picked up a fishing pole either. As a profession it had more to do with casting nets.
• It was more about going to where the fish were
• It was more about casting a net over them, rather than sitting back and hoping your bait would attract them
There are obviously some similarities. You still have to STUDY THE FISH – KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
• But one focuses on the bait
• While the other is about casting the net and in large part trusting Providence to fill it
• Even when the disciples had a bad night, Jesus took them out and made them cast the net again, and it filled to breaking
• Showing that He was Lord of the fishing nets
The Gospel is sufficient. Christ is sufficient. We don’t need to decorate it just to get folks attention.
• Preach the Word, in season and out
• I know the bait draws bigger crowds sometimes
• But we aren’t called to draw crowds
• We are called to make disciples, teaching them to observe all that He commanded
• LET’S BE TRUE FISHERS OF MEN…NO BAIT REQUIRED
I will take it for granted that every believer here wants to be useful to Jesus. If you do not, I would question whether you could be a true believer in Christ. Well, if you want to be really useful, we must embrace the words of Jesus – “FOLLOW HIM AND HE WILL MAKE YOU BECOME FISHERS OF MEN.” As Christians it is urgent that we carry out the command to bring people to Christ. I think most of us understand that but the question is, “HOW CAN WE INFLUENCE OTHERS TO CHRIST?”
--A young man asked, “What is the best way to become an effective preacher?”
--One person answers, “Go to seminary.”
--“But Christ says, “Young man, follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men.”
--How is a person to be useful?
--“Attend a training-class,” one says. That’s true, but there is a much better answer than that
--“Follow Jesus, and he will make you fishers of men.”
--The great training school for Christian workers has Christ at its teacher; and he is at its head
--Not only as a tutor, but as a leader
--We are not only to learn of him in study, but to follow him in action
We cannot be fishers of men if we remain among men in the same element with them.
• Fish will not be fishers
• The sinner will not convert the sinner
• The ungodly man will not convert the ungodly man
• What is more to the point, the worldly Christian will not convert the world
If you are of the world, no doubt the world will love you as its own; but you cannot save the world. If you walk in darkness, and belong to the kingdom of darkness, you cannot remove the darkness. If you march with the armies of the wicked one, you cannot defeat them. I believe that one reason why the church of the Living God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the church.
Jesus calls to you today, and says, “FOLLOW ME.”
• Was Jesus found at the Theater?
• Did he frequent the Sporting Events?
• Was He found at places of Amusement or Entertainment?
• Was He found hanging out with the Elite of His day?
• He was “holy, innocent, undefiled, and separate from sinners”
• Yet, in one sense no one mixed with sinners so completely as He did
• Like a physician, he went among them healing his patients
• But in another sense there was a gulf fixed between the men of the world and the Savior, which he never attempted to cross, and which they could not cross to defile him
These disciples whom Christ called were to come and live with him. They were to be associated with him every day.
• They were to listen to Him publicly teach the eternal Gospel
• They were to receive special clarifications, in private, of the Word which He had spoken
• They were to be His personal servants and His close friends
• They were to watch His miracles and hear His prayers
• Better still, they were to be with Him, and become one with Him in His holy work
• They were allowed to sit at the table with Him, and even to have their feet washed by Him
Many of them fulfilled that word, “WHERE YOU LIVE, I WILL LIVE”
• They were with Him in His afflictions and persecutions
• They witnessed His secret agonies
• They saw His many tears
• They noted the passion and the compassion of His soul
• In time, they caught His spirit, and so they learned to be fishers of men
A Christian should be an apprentice of Jesus and learn the trade of our Savior. We can never save men by offering a redemption, for we have none to present; but we can learn how to save men and women by warning them to flee from the wrath to come, and setting before them the one great effective remedy. Watch how Jesus saves, and you will learn how it is done: You cannot learn it any other way. Live in fellowship with Christ, and people will notice that you have a certain demeanor about you, that seems to make you very capable to teach and to win souls.
If we will be faithful messengers of Christ’s message, he will make us “fishers of men.” But you know the proud method nowadays is this: “I am not going to preach this old, old gospel – we need something Fresh and New to Say.”
• No longer Preaching the Gospel
• Preaching Everything but the Gospel
• We are Preaching Friendly things
• We are Preaching Fashionable Doctrines
• Preaching the Punishment of Sin is Antiquated
• We want to Preach to the Intellect of this Age
• We feel we have to Change the Bait to Catch this new generation of Fish
We must become FISHERS OF MEN…NO BAIT REQUIRED! The Lord’s directions makes himself our leader and example. It is, “Follow me, follow me.
• Preach my Gospel
• Preach what I Preached
• Teach what I Taught, and keep to that
• Do this, and he will make you fishers of men; but if you do not do this, you will fish in vain
It is important to note that when Jesus called these men, they were not at that time what Jesus wanted them to become. He promised to “MAKE” them to “BECOME” fishers of men. Notice again with me who Christ chose. The Gospels will reveal who these men were:
• They were common laborers
• They were poor
• They were uneducated
• They had little spiritual perception
• They were self-centered
• They were often harsh
• They were proud
• They were weak
• They were cowardly
• They were selfish
GOD IS NOT BOUND BY WHO WE ARE! Jesus looked beyond what they were to what they would become. The important principle at work here is those whom Christ has called, He enables and empowers to perform the task to which they have been assigned. Jesus did not simply command His disciples to become fishers of men but he promised to make them fisherman after men’s souls.
THE INSTRUCTION IS TO CATCH MEN ALIVE. It is here the fishing fails us as a figure. Fish are caught and, as a rule, in the catching are killed. They lose their lives in the process.
• But when souls are taken in the gospel net, they are taken alive
• They are taken to enjoy life abundantly
• In truth, the greatest kindness we can confer on souls is to get them into the net
• It is there they are offered Life and Life more Abundantly
In closing this morning we must understand one of the effective things that a good fishermen does. They know that the more often they cast their nets, cast their fishing poles, the greater the likelihood of catching fish. We must be willing to go where the prospects are and casts our nets a few times.
--We may not be like Peter who preached one day and three thousand were added to the church
--We can however, all be like Andrew who after he had been brought to the Savior, found his brother, Peter, and brought him to the Lord Jesus
--Peter fished with a net, so to speak, and caught large numbers
--Andrew fished with a pole and line, catching one fish at a time
--We may not be called upon to preach to great multitudes or even to groups, yet we can witness effectively to individuals one by one—the pole and line method
--What a privilege that can be!
--We, like Andrew, might lead someone to the Lord, and that one, in turn, might lead thousands
