Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #20 Fishers of Men

Let’s take up our walk again, following Jesus in the area of Capernaum where he had just publicly launched God’s call to the world that the kingdom of God had come.

Fishers of Men

Jesus had previously met Peter and Andrew. Andrew had heard John the Baptist make the wonderful pronouncement that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Lamb of God. And so Andrew brought his brother Peter to “Come and see” if Jesus was who and what he was proclaimed to be. (See Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #9 In the Land Beyond Jordan.) A month or two later, Jesus saw them again here at work near their home, and he gave them an invitation to take the next step and become his disciples.

Matthew 4:18-20 [ESV]:
While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Mark 1:16-18 [ESV]:
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.

Peter and Andrew did not have to think about it too long. They “immediately” left their fishing business to become fishers of men. A little further along, Jesus came upon James and John, and called them to follow him as well. They also responded immediately by leaving their home, their family, and their business to follow Jesus.

Matthew 4:21,22 [ESV]:
And 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.
Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Mark 1:19,20 [ESV]:
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.

They had already accepted the invitation to “follow Jesus” back in the land beyond the Jordan. There, they had believed in him as God’s chosen Messiah, the savior of the world. But now, in the early summer of 27 A.D., Jesus called these four young men to an even greater commitment: to leave their own fishing business, home, and family—to join him in his work.

And can we not all relate to the first call to “follow Jesus”? Brought up in a Christian church, it was generally assumed that I believed in Jesus as the savior of the world. But naturally, as I grew older, I had my doubts, fears, and false assumptions about my relationship with God.

As a young teenager, I would go to rallies, revivals, church youth groups, and small fellowships to find Him. I was not fond of altar calls, and refused to “make a show” (as I thought of it), of my personal salvation. But my best friend, who was with me at one conference, went bounding up confidently to the front where she cried out her sins and loudly praised God.

When she finally came back to her seat, I asked her about her experience. She boldly proclaimed that she had “seen God”. I believed her, but felt that since I had never seen God, I was not yet “born again.” A couple of years later, I read Romans 10:9 and 10, took it to heart, manifested the spirit of God within me by speaking in tongues, and finally believed that I truly was a beloved child of God.

Do you remember when you first accepted the initial call to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? Or perhaps you were like me, not really sure until you read the truth of it in God’s Word. In any case, your positive response to receive the “new birth” is really only the beginning. As we see by the occasion of Jesus’ call to Peter, Andrew, James, and John, here in Matthew 4 and Mark 1, the next step is to answer the call to discipleship. The newborn baby needs to grow up, learn a few things, and eventually do something!

Because these four men had already believed that Jesus was the Messiah come from God, they immediately answered Jesus’ next call to leave all, and take up a new line of work. Note that Jesus had made this offer in terms that they could understand and appreciate. By following him, they would learn to be “fishers” of men. What a brilliant approach that spoke straight to their hearts. They were strong, confident, successful fishermen who knew the industry, and the terrain. Would they be interested in becoming fishers of men for the Master? Indeed, they were!

Now think back to God’s calling for you. He’s the searcher of all hearts and His offer to you would have been no less intimate, no less perfect for you. And once you have decided to become a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus, you see Him instruct you, love you, reprove you, and bring you up to walk with His power and love in Christ in you. You will know then that God has given you the desires of your heart.

However, this calling will not be void of troubles, sorrow, trials, and pain. If we take a look ahead at what Jesus and his disciples had to endure, we will perhaps want to draw back in fear at what we may have to face ourselves. At those times, let’s take heart from the scripture and encourage one another to continue in the path where our heavenly Father leads. We will have a forever life in God’s love together, when Jesus Christ returns as king of kings and lord of lords. Let’s keep following the Lord Jesus Christ today!

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