CALLED TO BE FISHERS OF MEN
CALLED TO BE FISHERS OF MEN
Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. —Mark 1:16-20
Jesus called His first disciples to Himself. They were commercial fishermen, ordinary everyday business working people seeking to make a living. He called them to follow Him and then He used something they could easily understand to describe what would happen when they followed Him— He would not make these fishermen “fishers of men.” They would not make themselves “fishers of men,” but Jesus would make them “become fishers of men.”
The same is true of all Jesus’ disciples, including you and me today if we are truly following Jesus. He will make us “become fishers of men.” What does a fisher of men do? Well, what does a fisherman do? Jesus used this terminology to help Peter, Andrew, James and John to immediately understand their calling. They would:
- Follow Jesus
- Be taught how to fish for men (Jesus would make them become fishers of men)
- They would be given by Jesus the skills needed to fish for men
- They would go to where men are
- The would observe how Jesus fished for men
- They would follow Jesus’ example/model and imitate Him while fishing for men
- They would interact with men with the message Jesus would give them
- Some men would respond (be caught)
- Those men (caught) would now be disciples of Jesus
- These new disciples would be taught by the disciples how to fish for men
- This would continue until the gospel of the kingdom reaches all nations
- Then the end would come and the work be finished— the fishing ending
So let me ask you a question. Are you a follower of Jesus? If you say “yes” I will ask another question. When was the last time you went fishing for men? When was the last time you saw someone respond to the gospel (be caught)? One thing about fishermen or fishers of men is that they are patient, persevering, expectant and do not give up. Are we like that? Keep fishing for men— “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYZw0dfLmLk&t=19s
Dear Father, be please to work in and through me to be the fisher of men that You desire me to be. The promise is, the expectation is that if I follow Jesus then He will make me a fisher of men. May it be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus Your Son and all for Your glory! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yBzIt_z8oY