You have to start somewhere.
We are going to begin something new here.
We are going to work through the subject known as evangelism.
This blog will serve as place to work on the sermon material that will be delivered on Sunday.
In covering this subject, like any subject, we need a starting place.
The place should be a familiar one as we were here during the Lenten season.
Jesus calls to some fishermen to follow him.
But, why these guys? These guys have no idea how to preach. They are not public speakers.
These are blue collar, hard working men who probably don't socialize real well.
And, yet, Jesus comes to these men and says, "Follow me."
We are going to look at this 'from both sides of the fence', you might say.
To be a professional at one thing and yet called to do something that seems completely out of our league. Fishermen called to fish for people. In order to do this, we might want to look at what it really takes to fish in the first place. Things like that will come in the weeks ahead. We will take passages apart and look at the idea of being "fishers of men".
I am by no means an expert fisherman.
We are going to work through the subject known as evangelism.
This blog will serve as place to work on the sermon material that will be delivered on Sunday.
In covering this subject, like any subject, we need a starting place.
The place should be a familiar one as we were here during the Lenten season.
Jesus calls to some fishermen to follow him.
But, why these guys? These guys have no idea how to preach. They are not public speakers.
These are blue collar, hard working men who probably don't socialize real well.
And, yet, Jesus comes to these men and says, "Follow me."
We are going to look at this 'from both sides of the fence', you might say.
To be a professional at one thing and yet called to do something that seems completely out of our league. Fishermen called to fish for people. In order to do this, we might want to look at what it really takes to fish in the first place. Things like that will come in the weeks ahead. We will take passages apart and look at the idea of being "fishers of men".
I am by no means an expert fisherman.
I like to fish. I like nothing better than taking a pole and my chair and finding a quiet place.
But, I did not grow up going fishing. My father was not one of those outdoorsy kind of guys who embraced nature and went hunting or shooting or trapping.
I can remember when I was about 4, my Aunt Mary was a teenager and was on a date with some guy. We wound up at a pond somewhere. I remember casting a line and holding a pole. That was my only experience fishing until I was into my 30's.
I can remember when I was about 4, my Aunt Mary was a teenager and was on a date with some guy. We wound up at a pond somewhere. I remember casting a line and holding a pole. That was my only experience fishing until I was into my 30's.
This is a common problem for many a folk facing the subject of evangelism.
They've heard about it. They know people do it. But, there is very little actual experience doing it.
Take the disciples for example. These men are expert fishermen. It's what they do.
But, they have absolutely no experience being evangelists.
What they know is fishing. They know how to cast a net. They know how to be patient and wait for the fish to come along. They how to sit through the night waiting for that big catch.
But, they have no idea how to share the message of Christ with the world around them.
And, that's where Jesus comes to them.
They've heard about it. They know people do it. But, there is very little actual experience doing it.
Take the disciples for example. These men are expert fishermen. It's what they do.
But, they have absolutely no experience being evangelists.
What they know is fishing. They know how to cast a net. They know how to be patient and wait for the fish to come along. They how to sit through the night waiting for that big catch.
But, they have no idea how to share the message of Christ with the world around them.
And, that's where Jesus comes to them.
Matthew 4:18-20
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.To fish for people? You don't 'fish' for people, do you?
It sounds silly. It sounds ridiculous to some.
But, the key thing about this passage is what the disciples did.
At once they left their nets and followed him.
Without even taking a moment to think about it or ponder the consequences or wondering how this was going to play out, they simple pick up and go.
Mark's account is very similar....
Mark 1:16-20
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Check this out. Not only do I want you to follow me, I want you to determine that this matter of following me is more important than any of this stuff. Fishing for people is more important than fishing for food, for livelihood, for business. More important than carrying on the family business. Notice that James and John leave their father Zebedee in the boat.
17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.The matter of evangelism needs to be so important to us that we are willing to drop everything to reach the world around us for Christ. Nothing else matters.
Now, lets take a look at Luke's account. There's much more story to look upon here.
Luke 5:1-11
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He
got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to
put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people
from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
As we've noted, these men are fishermen by trade. They know how to do this.
Maybe they don't sense anything odd about Jesus wanting to get into a boat with them, but when Jesus wants to go out a ways, maybe they look at each other puzzled. "Alright", Peter whispers to James and John. Then comes the strange request. The scriptures suggests that Jesus finishes speaking and immediately turn to Peter with a command. “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Now comes the emotion. Maybe resentment. Maybe a complaint. Maybe in a huff.
I think I know best here, Jesus. I think I know what I'm doing. This is my job after all.
“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”Peter gives in. The disciples cast their nets. What they are doing seems silly or ridiculous.
And, the result is absolutely amazing. A catch to rival all catches.
But, the response is not what you would expect.
Man, Jesus, I don't know how you knew that, but, wow, thank you so much. Nope.
“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
Now, lets ponder this for a moment, because I have heard this on both sides of the line.
People we are fishing for and people who are supposed to be doing the fishing.
The person who needs Jesus - "I'm just too sinful for this church stuff." "The roof might fall in if I go in there [i.e. church]" The message is, I'm sinful, everybody is sinful, there is no hope.
The person in church who should be fishing for people - "I'm just no good at this evangelism stuff." "You know, I don't have any gifts or abilities. I'm not one of those talented people." "God hasn't called me to do anything." The message is, I still have some guilt here that has not been taken care of and I don't feel very confident in myself.
Jesus' words are the same as they always are. "Don't be afraid"
How is it that our Lord has this way of simply speaking to a thing and it subsides.
He can calm a storm. He can walk on water. He can tell a demon to get lost.
Fear is the one thing that holds us back from doing anything worthwhile for Him.
Jesus doesn't beat around the bush. He speaks directly to the problem.
"Don't be afraid" And, how do the disciples respond?
They drop everything. They leave it all and they follow.
Fear is most likely the greatest issue in coming to Jesus in the first place.
And, fear is the one thing that keep us from sharing Jesus with others who need to hear about Him.
We are afraid of entering into this 'new life' in Jesus. Forgiveness, love and mercy are things foreign to many of our lives. And, we are afraid of sharing that same message with those around us because we are unsure of how it will be received. Fear rules too many hearts.
Steve Sojgren, the author of The Conspiracy of Kindness relates the story of sharing God's Love in a practical way through simple everyday things. Free cans of pop out on a street corner. A bowl of food. Packs of lightbulbs to senior citizens. The reactions can vary on all levels.
One day while standing out at corner sharing cold cans of pop, an elderly women pulled up. Upon stepping towards the car the senior woman behind the wheel freaked out. She screamed at the person to get away from the car. She didn't care what they were doing or what they wanted. As soon as the light changed she tore away from the corner leaving the person standing their in bewilderment.
The next person to approach the corner was a cop. The first thought going through anyone's mind would be "Oh man, it's a cop. He's going to tell us to get lost." But, as the officer pulled up he praised their work. "I just want you guys to know that I think what you all are doing is just great. It's making a difference."
"Don't be afraid" When you hear the word 'evangelism' does it bring out the fear in you?
Do you have images of people arguing or folks fighting over theology and politics and God?
The disciples have no idea what they are walking into because all of that will lie ahead for them.
But, here's what Jesus sees. He sees some people who are used to being patient.
They know how to sit and wait for the outcome they are after, the big pay off, the big catch.
Are they eloquent speakers? No, most likely not. Do they know how to work hard? Sure they do.
They know about casting nets, the right place to fish, working all night, giving it all they have.
And, if they are willing to adapt that patience to the lessons Jesus will teach, they can learn how to be the fishers of men that Jesus wants them to become.
Don't be afraid. Cast out a little ways. Put out farther and let the nets down.
We have nothing to lose. We have everything to gain.
And, Jesus promised. He would make his disciples into fishers of men.
