Disclaimer:
Due to the large amount of sermons and topics that appear on this site I feel it is necessary to post this disclaimer on all sermons posted. These sermons are original to the author and the leading of the Holy Spirit. While ideas and illustrations are often gleaned from many sources including those at Sermoncentral.com, any similarities and wording including sermon title, that may appear to be the same as any other sermon are purely coincidental. In instances where other minister’s wording is used, due recognition will be given. These sermons are not copyrighted and may be used or preached freely. May God richly bless you as you read these words. It is my sincere desire that all who read them may be enriched. All scriptures quoted in these sermons are copies and quoted from the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible.
Pastor James May
The Fisherman!
Matthew 4:19-22, " And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him."
Jeremiah 16:15-17, "But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes."
Through the years, I have heard a number of sermons based upon the scriptures where Jesus says to His disciples, “Come, and I will make you fishers of men.” I have often looked upon those scriptures and heard those sermons and, in my shallow thinking, I knew that the simplest meaning was that Jesus was calling His disciples, and every member of the church to witness of the gospel to everyone we meet. This is, of course, the reason for this statement as Jesus was going to begin His disciples in a training course for ministry to a lost and dying world.
I believe that those professional fishermen had a different perspective than most of us who are only casual fishermen at best. In those words, fishers of men, the disciples understood that the same principles and techniques that are used to catch fish would apply in great part, to the preaching of the gospel and drawing men to Jesus.
What kind of preparations and actions are included in the “catching of a fish”?
If we were to plan a fishing trip for Saturday, we would do just that; “Plan the trip”. I don’t know of anyone who, in the middle of a work day, or when they are busy working will suddenly drop everything and leave for the river to fish without thinking even a little bit about bringing their gear and baits along.
Therein is the first point I would like to make. If we are to really become “fishers of men”, we cannot expect to win a soul if there has been no preparation or planning in advance of reaching the place where they dwell.
If we are going to bring in a “rich harvest” of men’s souls, we must prepare to be the type of witness that we need to be. There is no substitute for prayer, fasting and study of God’s Word in order to be prepared for the work.
Just as the fisherman would be unable to catch fish without a line, hook and bait, we cannot catch men without the proper equipment. Our equipment is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, etc. Our equipment must also include the anointing of the Holy Spirit that our words and efforts carry power to draw those that are lost.
The wind of the Spirit is our lead to bring us to those souls who are ready for the harvest. Every fisherman in Louisiana knows that an East wind usually means that waters are backing in and becoming stagnate and few fish will bite in this kind of water. South winds usually mean moisture coming in off of the sea and that means stormy and choppy conditions that hinder the ability to catch fish. The point is, unless we depend upon the wind of the Spirit of God to lead us to where the “fish” are ready to harvest, we won’t be very effective in winning souls to the kingdom.
We must also understand, like the disciples, that being a fisherman is hard work and not always as rewarding as we would hope. If we were to go fishing on Saturday morning, we would not lay back and take it easy until noon and then go and expect to make a good catch. We have to be up early and willing to get out of our comfortable home and head out into the cold and darkness of night. It has been my experience that the best times to catch fish are at dusk and dawn, the very times most of us like to rest.
Jesus didn’t make excuses or take the easy way through life. His life is our example of one who would give their all to catch men’s souls.
John 9:4, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."
There are times when people are more open to the message of the gospel. When they are facing a bad report from the doctor, when disaster has overtaken them, when the trials of life become almost unbearable, when there is no one else to turn to, that’s when people are most open to the gospel.
In the late hours of the evening and in the early hours of the morning, we can hear the cry of the heart of men, women, boys and girls as they are crying out for help. People everywhere are hurting because pain is an inescapable part of life. Every day I hear the cries of people as they are searching for answers, searching for a reason to live, and searching for hope. Child of God, that’s your signal to cast in your line and draw in the fish! They are hungry and will grasp at anything that looks good.
Have you ever tried to catch a fish in the heat of the day, with the air very still, the sun beaming down, and no movement upon the water? It’s nearly impossible to catch fish under those circumstances.
I find it so very hard to witness of the gospel when people are doing well. When the sun is shining brightly down upon their lives, and there is not a care in the air, when their bills are paid, the doctor’s report is good and there is no trouble visible on the horizon, you will have a hard time convincing most people that they need a savior. I know that there are exceptions to every rule but, generally, that’s the way things go.
In the dark hours of life when it seems that the weight of the world has come down upon their shoulders, that’s when people are ready to hear. When the dark clouds of despair and the darkness of night begin to loom over their lives, that’s when people will turn to God. It is a shame that men wait until their well runs dry, so to speak, before they begin to dig a new well. It’s too bad that so many people wait until life has nearly destroyed them before turning to God.
Jesus has given us the chance for an abundant life, but He won’t force us to enjoy it. That choice is ours.
Another thing that the disciples knew, as fishermen, was that if you are going to catch fish you had better have a good supply of bait and a good variety of bait. I realize that most of the time they used seine nets instead of bait, but for you and I, we need to have the right bait because we aren’t professional.
I get concerned over those who think that they have all the answers and are professional Christians with all the D.D.’s and P.H.D.’s behind their name. I still believe that it is not by my knowledge or ability but by the power of the Holy Spirit that men’s souls are brought to the Cross of Calvary.
It was the Apostle Paul who said in 1 Corinthians 3:6, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase."
My job, as a fisherman in God’s Kingdom, is to cast out the net and let God bring those in who are ready for harvest. It is my job to bait the hook and drop it in the lives of men that they might desire the good things of God. It is my job to gently and softly beckon to lost souls using every available means to show them the goodness of God and then wait for the Holy Spirit to draw them in.
There are many reactions to our casting of the net of the gospel to the lost. Some of the “fish” we reach out to will only nibble at the bait as if they are afraid to really commit to God. Those timid souls who will never know what its like to really let Jesus be the Lord of their lives.
There are other “fish” that will bite and even get committed for a little while, but the first time troubles come, or Satan casts his ugly shadow across their path, they spit the hook out and run for familiar waters. Those familiar waters are the people and circumstances that they have learned to feel comfortable around.
There are “fish” that will swim around in circles, playing on the edges of the net but never make any kink of commitment one way or another. People who live this kind of life often end up as hypocrites because they appear to be Christians when around other Christians and yet, when they are around the worldly crowd, they blend in very well there also.
When I go fishing, I love to see the fish as it comes up from the depths, swallows the bait completely and then proceeds to put up a fight!
There is nothing more exciting, in the life of a Christian, than to see “fish” come to Christ with a total commitment. The life of that convert is changed quickly. There is no question of their experience in Christ because where hatred was, love dwells; where sadness and despair was, now joy flows forth; where hopelessness reigned, there is now great hope. This brand new Christian makes a total commitment to Christ. You can see it in their walk and in their talk. Sure, they may fight against the tug in their heart as the Holy Spirit begins the daily process of Sanctification, but they will ultimately allow Jesus to rule and reign in their hearts. Now that’s the kind of “fish” that I like to display before the whole world as a trophy.
A lot of Christians love to talk about their accomplishments in witnessing. Sometimes these great fishing stories are only stories because the truth is hidden somewhere in the exaggerations. Most people who claim to be soul-winners haven’t won a soul in a long time. They remind of a little story I once heard:
A priest who has spent a fruitless day fishing picked out three fat fish in the market. "Before you wrap them," he said to the store manager," toss them to me, one by one. That way I’ll be able to tell the monsignor I caught them and I’ll be speaking the truth …" Bits & Pieces, July 21, 1994, p. 15
Just because the Pastor, the Youth Pastor or some other Christian is witnessing and bringing in the harvest does not make us a soul-winner by association. Each one of us is commanded by Jesus to be a fisher of men and go out to witness of Him.
Oliver Hereford said, “There are more fish taken out of a stream than ever were in it.”
Steven Wright, a comedian once said, “There’s a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot.”
Believe me, there are a lot of idiots standing on the shore in our churches across America. If all Christians were even half the prayer warrior and soul-winner that we claim to be, our churches would be bursting at the seams with new converts. Almost doesn’t count.
Acts 26:28, "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."
King Agrippa, is an almost. He nibbled at the bait, swam around it in circles, started bite then turned away. Paul could not claim Agrippa as one of his converts and neither can we count those who are almost persuaded. Almost will get them a reserved place in the Lake of Fire, not the Streets of Gold.
If we are going to become real fishers of men as Jesus desires us to do, then let’s focus on results and not just being busy fishing. If we aren’t seeing souls be won to the Kingdom and converts coming to Christ, its time to check ourselves to see if we need to change something about our approach or what we have to offer.
The greatest thing to remember in being a fisher of men is that men will be watching our lives. Unless we show the fruits meet for repentance and a life that is changed by the power of God with integrity and the love of Jesus shining through, the “fish” of the world won’t want what we have.
If the power of the Holy Ghost rests within you, the anointing of Spirit is upon you and the Love of Jesus comes from your lips and your actions, then the world will know that there is something different about you and then they will want to have what you have.
In conclusion, let me say that being a “fisher of men” is the greatest calling and life that anyone could live.
There is no greater satisfaction in life, no greater excitement in life and nothing that gives life greater meaning than seeing a soul come to Christ in repentance that you have toiled and prayer for. Every effort is suddenly worth it all many times over for another soul has come home and eternal life now springs from within.
After a long day out on the lake, sitting in the hot sun, trying to catch fish, loading and unloading the boat and bringing in the harvest, it is always so great to come home and have a time of rest.
Jesus said in Hebrews 4:9, "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God."
God has planned a time of rest from your labor as a “fisher of men”. That rest is not in this life, for we are never told to stop trying to win souls for Jesus. There is no retirement from the call of God. We cannot stop trying to pull in another fish. We are called to be a fisherman for God and that’s what we must do until Jesus calls us home.
Our rest will be in the glories of Heaven when all work on earth is done. Until then we must continue to “fish” for men.
What about you? Have you been lax in your duty as a fisherman for Christ? When was the last time you cast forth your net and led some soul to the Lord in repentance? When was the last time you fasted and prayed over the lost? When was the last time you uttered a prayer for those lives that are destined for the pits of Hell?
Sometimes, we must renew our commitment to the work of God. Sometimes we must take account of our own life and rededicate our life to being a Fisherman for the Lord.
2 Corinthians 6:2 says, "…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation"
John 9:4 says, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."
The “fish” are everywhere around us. There are many who are hungry, begging for mercy and needing the message of hope that we have to offer. Let’s not wait any longer before casting forth the net of the Gospel to them. Don’t allow any more to slip away into eternity without God until they have at least had a chance to turn to God.
Re-commit your life to be fisherman right now. That is God’s command to his people and that is the work he has called us to do. Jesus is searching for laborers to enter into the harvest. He is looking for a Fisherman who will go out and hunt for lost souls. Will you answer the call? Let Jesus make you into a “Fisher of men”!
