This past Sunday we looked in part at Mark 1:16-20, where Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John into full-time ministry following Him. In doing so, Jesus says in verse 17 – “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” I didn’t do a “deep dive” on this verse for time’s sake, but I wanted to answer a question that some may have had about this verse. What does it mean to be a fisher of men?
Let’s start our answer by looking at fishing itself. I am by no means a fisherman, but I have done it enough times to know that being really successful at it involves more than digging some worms and buying a cheap rod from Walmart.
Success at fishing starts with preparation and identifying the type of fish you want to catch. You use different bait and fish at different spots to catch a bass, a trout, or a catfish. If you want to catch fish that swim in the ocean, then you use a completely different set of gear and bait!
Preparing to fish also involves knowing the habitat and the depth of water that the fish like to swim in. Many fishermen today use “fish finder” electronic devices to help them find schools of fish.
So, after all of that preparation, one last (and obvious) step needs to be taken. You need to go to where the fish are! I’ve caught some nice trout and bass over the years, but I’ve never done so from my couch!
Now, how does all of this relate to being fishers of men? Well, just like we need to equip ourselves to fish, we need to equip ourselves to be fishers of men. Our “gear” is the armor of God, which I talked about in last week’s email blast. We primarily need to use our sword of the Spirit (the Bible), but all of the armor is necessary. It is necessary because we’ll have to fend off Satan…he definitely doesn’t want people to come to faith in Jesus.
Just like it’s necessary to identify the type of fish we are fishing for, we also need to get to know the people that we are trying to reach for the Gospel. God is going to bring all sorts of people into our lives that need Jesus, and those people are going to be very different from one another. They will all come with different backgrounds, experiences, ideas, and preferences. One approach is not going to fit all, and we need to be willing to invest the time needed to understand their story and their perspective on faith before we can effectively engage them for Christ.
We also need to go to where the people are! It is really hard to be a fisher of men from our couch or recliner. It’s also hard to be a fisher of men at church (most folks there are already “caught”). In order to be a fisher of men, we are going to have to get out of our comfort zone at times and engage people where they are at. Of course, we can’t join people in choices or places that are outside of God’s will for our lives.
As with any analogy, there is a danger with taking things too far. That is true for this one as well. Some people believe that part of fishing for men is to proclaim to them a watered-down gospel that is devoid of the idea of repentance. That way, in their thinking, this gospel is so attractive that there is no way that people won’t accept it. And, sadly, these folks are often correct. A human-centered gospel where Jesus is always affirming of every choice a person makes and there is no need for a person to ever change is indeed very attractive.
Friends, to be a true fisher of men for God we have to proclaim the true Gospel – the Gospel of Jesus Christ that is found in Scripture. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only Gospel that has the power to change lives, the power to shine light into darkness and the power to save men and women from their sins. AND don’t forget this…the Gospel doesn’t need our help.
Hebrews 4:12 reminds us:
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
And in Isaiah 55:11 God says:
“so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
We don’t need to water the word of God down, we don’t need to rephrase it, and we don’t need to avoid parts of it. We don’t need to be embarrassed by it. We just need to proclaim it!
Romans 1:16 says:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
Let’s go fishing at the Bridge!
Here’s what’s happening:
- We will be having a fellowship meal after the service THIS SUNDAY, January 29. If you are able, please bring a hot and a cold dish to share.
- Junior Youth next meet on Sunday, February 5 after church.
- We are looking for people to serve as “on call” nursery staff each week. This would entail being at church and willing to be in the nursery for the worship service should the need arise. Of course, if there isn’t a need these folks can join us in the worship service. Please see Amber McMillion if you would be interested in helping out.
- On Saturday, February 11th, Wesley Church is hosting a morning of workshops for the community at Colerain Church (1923 Noble Road in Kirkwood). I’ll be leading a workshop focused on strengthening marriages. There will be several different workshops offered at 9 am, 10 am, and 11 am that morning. You can see the different workshops and their time slots below. Registration is encouraged so they know how many folks to prepare for. If you would like to register, you can do so by emailing Pastor Blake Deibler at bdeibler@wesleyqville.org or by calling Pastor Blake at 717.826.6193.
This Sunday we are going to look at Mark 2:1-12, which is the story of 4 friends lowering their friend through a roof so that their friend can see Jesus. If you know the story, you know that Jesus heals the man, but it’s what He does first that creates a stir among the