Becoming fishers of men

Notes from a sermon on 30 January 2011
Mark 1 verses 16 - 28

Along the shores of Galilee Jesus came across these 2 men - verse 17 “come ye after me and I will make you to become fishers of men.” Wwhat the Lord wanted to do with these men. He had a plan for their lives. Not just to cast their nets into the sea but that they might be used to bring men and women to a knowledge of Christ as Saviour and Lord of their lives. They were going to seek men and women in the highways and byways, in the market places. To take the gospel to places never been before. God has a plan and purpose for your life today. Look at these mere men, they have seen the mind of Christ in what he wanted them to do. Let us see the minds of the fishermen and how they respond to the call of God on their lives. Have we proved what God desires of us? Verse 17 “come ye after me.” Through this phrase their lives were completely turned upside down. Their lives would never be the same again. Jesus had stepped in and he had taken them around a corner.

The decision that we find in this word “come”. When these men were gazing into the water they heard the word “come”. There had to be a decision to be made on this day on the shores of Galilee. They were not being challenged about the issues of salvation as they had already settled that. When Andrew beheld John the Baptist saying “behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world” he told Peter who wanted to come and see for himself. They both settled the question of Jesus in their own lives, took him at his word for themselves. Was there a moment in your life when you settled the question for yourself? When we laid our sin at the feet of Jesus, repented of our sin, accepted his forgiveness and offer of eternal life? An important place to come to today. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved”(Acts 16 verses 31) Jesus tells us. This call came to Peter and Andrew at their work place. They had to make a leaving - in their hearts and minds. All of a sudden Jesus appears asking them to surrender their lives completely. A call to service. Jesus wanted every part of them. Now had to make a decision - was their love for personal lives far greater than their love for Jesus Christ? They had found the Saviour and had now settled down in their lives. A natural thing - the call of God came to them in their natural daily routine. Sometimes we will only hear that call if we are in the word of God so we cut ourselves off. Set everything aside, get into quiet place and seek God on our own. God breaks through in the every day routine and speaks to us and says “follow after me”. Maybe sometimes that is what happens to us. We can look back to a day when saved, takes us back maybe months or years. Somehow get settled in our lives. God somehow comes and stirs us up. Deuteronomy 32 verse 11 mother eagle stirs up her young, helps them out of the nest but doesn’t leave them there - bears them out onto the air, flies with them. God wants to do that with us. Sometimes we are settled in our Christian routine but God comes and stirs us up, shows us a plan and purpose that he has for our lives. God’s plan was not going to be worked out in their every day life. Just at the right time God took William Carey aside to the Indian continent. Elijah was a great man of God doing great exploits for God. Where does God find him? Sitting in a cave. “What doest thou here?” God had to ask him. God didn’t take him in there. He wasn’t serving the God of heaven or the people Israel but sitting down in a cave. What about you today? The children of Israel on their way to Canaan came to Mount Seir. God has to come to them and say “you have sat here long enough, there is something more for you to do.” (Deuteronomy 2 verse 1) Are we in danger of sitting back just being content in our spiritual life or are we going on? “I press on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3 verse 14) Paul said.

A direction they had to follow. God comes and points out a direction for them. Are we in the right direction today? Sometimes God’s directions are difficult to understand. These fishermen might have been excused for thinking “who are we to take on such a task?. There are men who could debate the scriptures and teach people better than me.” Isn’t that what we sometimes would think too? Someone who is more able to take up that position. We promote someone else and sit back ourselves. All the time God is looking for us. A decision to take, a direction that would change their lives. God is starting to point you to something that could change you today. Maybe God has been closing a door on the past. God was doing that for these 2 men, closing a door on their lives. One day Peter said “I go fishing” Peter tried to open the door again. When God closes a door lets not be guilty of trying to keep it open. There was a brand new door opening up for these men. Sure they were full of doubts. Certainly God leads us down ways sometimes we find it hard to understand. Things happen in our lives that we don’t understand. The message is simple. We are to follow. They may have had doubts and fears but were prepared to follow him. The children of Israel on their way to Canaan, in their own minds had a plan, how knew it was shorter by far than the way God was taking them but God had a plan in mind. They wanted to turn back to Egypt so he took them a different way. Maybe our lives are going in direction we don’t understand. Gods way is perfect.

A discipline that must be acknowledged. They would have to keep the Lord clearly in view. That is something we need to learn - to keep the Lord closely in view. These men were not to run before the Lord nor to drag behind the Lord. No doubt there would be challenges to conflict with human nature. We know God has a task he wants us to do to the best of our ability but sometimes it conflicts with human nature. It will take discipline in those times. There are things we have to discipline our lives in. Disciples did that. When confronted with the multitudes who were tired and hungry the disciples had to deal with this situation. They told the Lord to send them away that they might get food for their bodies but the Lord said “no you get them food”. That is against human nature. The Lord told them to bring him what they had. God is asking you to do that - bring your time, compassion and tithes. Bring them to him and allow him to use them. When the Lord took the towel and started to wash his disciples feet he was teaching them about humility and service. He told the disciples they would have to do likewise. They would be going into villages where they would be hated, they would be going into synagogues where they would be cast out, they would be going into places where they would be rejected and spat on. Had to learn about humility and service. “What I do thou knowest not.” No explanation necessary, discipline in knowing God’s way is perfect.

The devotion that is also required. It is my love for the Lord Jesus Christ that dictates our Christian lives. If they didn’t love the Lord how could they come? Illustration in the Old Testament scriptures of the hired servant. Time would come when he could walk out free. If he had a family they could go out free with him too. If he had acquired that family during his time of service only he could go out. If his servant says in his heart “I love my master, I love my family, I will not go free.” He wanted to stay because of his devotion. Isn’t that a wonderful testimony to have - I love the one who died for me because he shed his precious blood for my sins on Calvary.