Jesus advised Peter and Andrew to leave their fishing business and become “fishers of men.” That means they were to help other people to find God. Jesus was calling them from their useful business to be spiritually useful. How many of us have heard the call and answered? We as a whole need to be fishing for lost souls. Assuming that we are practicing the teachings of Christ's and offering the Gospel with others, the Holy Spirit will actually be able to attract everyone around us to Christ, similar to an angler who uses nets to maneuver fish into his boat.
These men definitely knew Jesus. He had conversed with Peter and Andrew already (John 1:40-42) and had been preaching in the area nearby. At the point when Jesus called them, they realized what sort of man he was, and they were motivated to follow him. They were not in a mesmerizing daze (hypnotized) when they followed Jesus, yet they were completely persuaded that their lives would change for all eternity when they started to follow after him.
James and his sibling John, alongside Peter and Andrew, were the disciples that Jesus called to work with him first. Jesus' call inspired these men to get up and relinquish their jobs right away. They did not concoct any reasons or excuses concerning why it was anything but a suitable time to do as he called. They left immediately and followed him. Jesus calls every one of us to follow him. When Jesus calls to us serve him, we should do as the disciples did and do it without a moment's delay.
Look at what they did when they were called. Did they ask permission from anyone to go? Did they stop to ask their spouses if they could go? That is if they had wives. Did they ask the local rabbi at the synagogue for permission to go into the ministry? Then again, why did they go? These guys undoubtedly had good paying jobs, or their work was enough to keep them comfortable. I doubt that they had a union to deal with.
So, as a Christian, we should ask ourselves a couple of questions. First, what type of fisherman are we? Secondly, we could ask ourselves, what type of fish are we fishing for? Any fisherman can tell us that fishing takes practice. We have to learn the style of fishing that we want to do and learn the type of fish that we want to go after.
Types of Fishing:
The following are a few types of fishing.
There is Fly fishing. This type of fishing uses a lightweight lure. It is called an artificial fly. It acts like the real thing, but it is fake. Fly fishing skims surface. Then there is Bass fishing. You can see a lot of people out on a lake in their boats. They cast their lines and then they sit there and wait around for something to happen. Many bass fishermen may use a bobber, a floating device that is attached to the line. It sits on top of the water so the fisherman can just watch and see if anything bites.
Next there is Trout fishing. Now this type of fishing looks exciting. The fishermen may get out into the water and hunt for fish. They can look really busy. There is Spearfishing. This involves impaling the fish with a straight pointed object. These fishermen are jabbing at the fish trying to catch one. Or there is a Casting Net type of fishing. Here the fishermen use a net that they throw out into the water and try to catch fish. Sometimes the load is too heavy, and the fishermen cannot pull the net in. If the net is broken, the fish will get away.
Types of Fish:
Now let us look at some diverse types of fish. Are some Christians like this?
• We will start with Eels. They are slimy and slippery. You can hardly find them because they are never around.
• There is the Mudfish. It lives in the mud and slings dirt. So, if it slings dirt, that could mean that it causes trouble.
• There is the Bass. Some are largemouth and some are smallmouth, but they are all mouth. Someone who is all mouth is generally one that is classified as a talker, all talk but no action and not productive.
• A Flounder is a bottom fish. Their eyes migrate to one side of its body. They ambush their prey. I like to think of them as selfish. They cannot agree with anyone and are self-centered.
• A Salmon goes against the current. They leap as they go upstream.
• Puffer fish are poisonous. They blow up when they feel threatened.
• The Catfish troll the bottom of the water as scavengers because they sink rather than float.
• The Crayfish, often called crawfish or a mudbug, resembles a lobster because it is a crustacean and not a fish. I chose this one because of how it acts, it walks backwards. Like some people, it sneaks out of the back when work needs to be done or when the work starts.
• The Goldfish is immensely popular. The goldfish at one time symbolized good luck and fortune, but that has since died down. They are used for display in many aquariums. It struts around with a look at me attitude.
There are some questions that we need to ask ourselves as we go about our daily Christian life. Have we examined our spiritual “boats” and our spiritual “tackle boxes?” Are we using the right line, bait, etc.?
And as the title of this sermon suggests, have we become keepers of aquariums? That means are we swiping fish from other fishbowls (other churches), and not reaching out for lost souls? Are souls not being saved because our nets are torn?
We may not have ability to “fish” in the natural sense, but the question is, are we willing to go fishing for lost souls? Do we have a willingness to serve in whatever capacity that God calls us to do? What have we been called to do? We are to let our light shine, the light of Jesus, before everyone that we come in contact with (Matthew 5:16). We are to be separate (2 Corinthians 6:17). We are told in Matthew 28:19 to go and teach. We are to go into the world and preach the gospel (Mark 16:15).
