Go Fish!
Matt. 4:18-22
June 11, 2006 FBC, Chester Mike Fogerson, Pastor
Introduction:
Lake of Galilee
• 8 miles wide & 13 miles long
• Josephus, 1st century 240 boats regularly fished the waters of that lake.
3 methods of fishing:
Hook & line
Throw a net cast from the shallow water along the shore
Large dragnet strung between two or more boats in the deep water=cooperation
Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He said* to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. Matt 4:18-22 (NASB)
Jesus’ plan was to use disciples to make disciples (Essence of the text in a sentence)
God wants His followers to be fishers of men (Essence of the sermon in a sentence)
I hope you’ll allow God to make you into the fisher He wants you to be (Objective)
What tip do you need to pay the most attention to in order to become the fisher God wants you to be? (Probing question)
Let’s look at 3 fishing tips from the Master Angler on how to be successful fishers of men.
I The first tip is be a follower of Jesus. Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
A Peter, Andrew, James, & John responded affirmatively to Jesus’ fishing invitation.
1 "...and they (Peter/Andrew) immediately left the nets and followed Him...and they (James/John) immediately left the boat and their father, and followed Him (v. 20, 22).
2 There were two actions in these verses that the men were to do on their own.
a Obedience (without hesitation, immediately followed)
b Leave something behind (boat, net, a father)
3 No one could make these men follow, it was their desire to do so.
B When we accept Jesus’ claim on our hearts, we are issued the same invitation to go fishing with Jesus that Peter, Andrew, James, & John received.
1 He calls us to salvation & then He calls us to service.
2 There are two realities to being followers of Jesus:
a It requires obedience
aa "I’ll do it when I feel like it." (False)
"I’ll feel like it when I do it." (True)
bb Obedience is the spark that lights passion
cc The way to develop a love for souls is to obey Jesus’ call to win souls.
dd Notice there’s more than one way to fish
b It also requires us to leave something behind
aa Sometimes possessions (boat, nets)
bb Sometimes people (father)
3 Only you can decide if you’re going to follow Jesus.
When Jesus called the disciples to commit themselves to evangelism, He also called Himself to train & empower them.
II The second tip is be formed by Jesus.
A "Follow me and I will make you..." (V. 19)
1 The disciples could only be made into fishers of men by Jesus forming (making) them into fishers.
a They committed to following Jesus & He committed to forming them.
b The power that was needed to become fishers came from Jesus.
2 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing John 15:5 (NASB) The disciples could do nothing without the power of Jesus!
B When Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, makes us, He makes us from within (the inside out).
1 A skilled wood carver was asked how he did such beautiful work: he answered, "I just cut away everything that isn’t part of what I want it to be."
2 Holy Spirit removes anything/everything that is not part of what He wants us to be.
a Holy Spirit wants to remove anything that stops people from seeing Jesus.
b (IL) a good fisherman keeps himself out of sight as much as possible. (No shadows on water, quiet, deliberate actions)
aa All this so the fish will not see him.
bb A good fisher of men keeps himself out of the picture as much as possible; we can get in the way & cause people to turn away.
cc Lost people need to see Jesus, not us!
3 Jesus said, "Follow Me", so our place is behind Him.
There is a desired end result in this formation...
III The third tip is be fishermen for Jesus
A The reason Jesus called these men to serve as fishers of men is because Jesus sobbed for lost souls. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Matt 23:37 (NASB)
1 These men were the first called to fulfill the Great Commission. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matt 28:19-20 (NASB)
2 The pages of Scripture allows us to trace the successful fishing careers of these men.
a Thousands & thousands of converts. People got saved!
b "He is no fisher who never catches fish." ~Spurgeon
B "The church has one job...save lost souls."~John Wesley
1 If Jesus wept over a lost Jerusalem, I promise you He would over a lost Chester this morning.
2 You & I are called to being them to the boat.
a "Come & see" is how many Christian churches approach evangelism, but a more biblical approach is "Go & seek."
b (IL) Many years ago in Italy, a recluse was found dead in his meager home, but in his attic were 246 expensive violins.
aa What’s the crime? Because this man squirreled away these violins, the world was robbed from their beautiful sounds, never heard the music they were meant to play.
bb The first violin the great Stradivarius ever made wasn’t played until it was 147 years old.
c Many believers treat their faith like the man treated his violins.
aa Hide their light; squirrel it away.
bb Outcome? People don’t get witnessed to & are left in spiritual darkness & poverty.
3 95% of Christians have never led another person to Jesus Christ.
a If true, 95% of the world’s spiritual violins have never been played.
b When we follow & are formed by Jesus, it leads us to shine & share, not hide & hoard.
Conclusion:
A Jesus’ plan was to use disciples to make disciples (Essence of the text in a sentence)
1 God wants His followers to be fishers of men (Essence of the sermon in a sentence)
2 We’ve looked at 3 fishing tips from the Master Angler on how to be successful fishers of men.
a Be followers of Jesus
b Be formed by Jesus
c Be fishermen for Jesus
B I hope you’ll allow God to make you into the fisher He wants you to be (Objective)
1 You are either "come & see" or "go & seek"; following Jesus or someone/thing else; Holy Spirit is forming you or you’re stagnant as a believer; inviting people to Christ with your voice or telling them to "go to hell" with your silence.
2 If we invite enough people...some will come; and if we invite enough, some are going to get saved.
C What tip do you need to pay the most attention to in order to become the fisher God wants you to be? (Probing question)
1 The hymn "Let the Lower Lights be Burning" is based on a story told by D. L. Moody.
a A ship was coming into Cleveland Harbor on Lake Erie on a stormy night.
aa The harbor had two sets of lights to guide incoming vessels: 1) one set was high on the bluff above the harbor & could be seen for miles 2) the other set was down on the coastline to guide ships through the rocks as they came nearer to port.
bb On that night the wind & rain extinguished the lower lights, & the pilot suggested they stay out in the lake until daylight.
cc The captain was afraid the storm may destroy the ship & decided to risk making the harbor.
dd Without the lower lights to guide it, the ship was wrecked on the rocks, & many men drowned.
b The upper lights in heaven are burning as brightly as ever they’ve burned. But what about the lower lights?
aa What are the lower lights?
bb The lower lights are us!
2 What tip do you need to pay the most attention to in order to become the fisher God wants you to be? (Probing question)
a Following (saved but not serving)
b Formed (too much of you & not enough of Jesus)
c Fishermen (many of you are unsuccessful in soulwinning simply because you’re not talking to people about Jesus).
3 Mid-invitation appeal
a What would have happened if Peter, Andrew, James, & John wouldn’t have followed Jesus?
aa Rich young ruler story
bb When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." Luke 18:22 (NASB)
b Jesus would have went on without them.
aa Look at what they would’ve missed!
bb Resurrection, Pentecost, Power, Heaven
c If you don’t/won’t follow Jesus, He’ll go on without you.
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
