16 And as He
walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting
a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 Then
Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers
of men.” 18 They immediately left their
nets and followed Him.
19 When He had
gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee,
and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending
their nets. 20 And immediately He called them, and
they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired
servants, and went after Him.
OUTLINE
If they only knew, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers
of men...” meant, you’ll be My witnesses, (martus) from which we get
the word, martyr.
Imagine if the Lord said it like this:
Follow Me...
Simon, you’ll be
crucified, like Me, only you’ll be upside down because you’ll say, “I’m not
worthy to be crucified like my Lord.”
Andrew, about 900 miles
from here, in Patra, Greece, you’ll be crucified on an X shaped cross, because
you’ll say, “I’m not worthy to be crucified on a cross like my Lord.”
James, you’ll be the first
of My apostles to be martyred; slain by the sword, beheaded, by order of Herod.
John, you’ll be the
last of My apostles to die. You won’t be martyred, but not for lack of trying.
They’ll boil you in oil, but you just won’t die, nor will you stop preaching
Jesus, so they’ll banish you to the Greek prison island of Patmos.
Do you think they had a clue about what they were
getting into?
No. They only knew, or hoped, Jesus was the Messiah.
They were right about that.
They just misunderstood what the coming of the Messiah
meant.
They thought the Messiah would overthrow Rome, sit on
the throne of David, and MIGA. Make Israel Great Again.
The Messiah did indeed come to overthrow and sit on
the throne.
Only the kingdom and throne He came to conquer wasn’t
brick and mortar, flesh and bone, but heart and soul.
So, when He said, “Follow Me” they thought they
were enlisting in Israel’s army, which meant, they were willing to fight, and
if necessary, give their life.
Their theology was off but their passion and
commitment, was right on target.
And that is what Jesus was, and is,
looking for.
Of the million or so people Jesus could choose from in
that area, He chose twelve.
Why them?
What did the all knowing God see in those dozen men? Or, perhaps, we should say, eleven. Other than Judas, they all remained faithful, even through death.
Imagine Jesus comes walking along, you’re doing,
whatever it is you do—Jesus looks at you, will He see, what He saw, in those
men by the sea that made Him call, “Follow Me.”?
Remember, we are reading, “The beginning of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ...” Mark 1:1.
So, we are seeing the unveiling of Disciple Making, what
He’s looking for in fishers of men.
In previous studies we’ve already uncovered the
foundation stones in building the Gospel.
The Lord follows His own Divine Protocol.
We were already introduced to John, the last messenger
of the Old Covenant, sent to point and prepare and hand the baton to The Way,
The Messenger, of the New Covenant, Jesus Christ.
Now Jesus begins choosing His Messengers.
Since He’s Holy, He chooses holy people, right? Priests?
Levites?
Since He’s the Word, He chooses theologians, Bible
scholars, right?
Wrong.
So, what’s He do?
He takes a walk by the sea and chooses...
 |
| From friend Mike and grandson Diego, on day of this message |
Fishermen?
Yep.
Why?
They’re no theologians. They’re known more for
stretching the truth than spreading it. What’s He see in them?
Great question.
Lord, please open our eyes to see what
You’re looking for, so we can follow their example. Thank You, amen.
16 And as He
walked by the Sea of Galilee,
This is how God does things. He doesn’t sit up in some
far away lofty place while man gropes in the dark trying to find Him.
No. He comes close, He comes looking.
He came searching and calling for Adam and Eve, even after
they had fallen. (Gen. 3:9).
He found grace in Noah, when all the world had gone
bad. (Gen. 6:8).
He found faith in Abraham, while Abram was a pagan. (Gen. 12:1-3).
He saw valor in Gideon, when Gideon was a coward. (Judges 6:11-12).
He saw what they would be, not what they were.
Noah would build. (Heb. 11:7).
Abraham would trust and obey. (Heb. 11:8, 17-19).
Gideon would stand and fight. (Judges 7:7).
He sees you for who you will be, not what you are.
2 Chronicles 16:9. For the
eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show
Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to
Him. (Wholly committed, devoted...)
You have a choice in the matter. No matter the
circumstance. No matter the past. This moment you can change how God sees you.
You can decide to build, be faithful, to stand, to be loyal, wholly committed,
devoted, to follow Him. Forever.
The decision is the first step.
But it means nothing unless you follow through. God
sees what you will do every second after that decision. What you DO after that,
sets the trajectory for your destiny.
You can be someone God wants to show Himself strong on
behalf of.
You can choose to honor God and finish well.
How? What should I do?
Asking that question is a great place to begin.
Now let’s see what the Lord is looking for in fishers
of men.
16... He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting
a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
True to self.
The Lord could’ve found them anywhere. But chose to
show us, that He found them fishing.
They were fishing, for they were fisherman.
They were fishermen, so they were fishing. Simple.
Honest. Work.
Psalm 51:6. Behold, You desire truth in
the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
Shakespeare, in Hamlet, said it like this: “To thine
own self be true.”
The Lord looked out there on the water and saw honest hard-working
brothers, who knew who they were.
No hypocrisy.
No identity crisis.
There’s moral stability and integrity in honestly
knowing who you are.
That environment, working together, as family,
learning a trade, develops depth of character and identity and worth. (Farm
kids, ranch kids, get that. Chores are good).
God set the precedent by giving Adam a job to do
straight out of the gate. Tend and keep the garden, and while you’re it, name
to all the animals... in the whole world. Adam didn’t have time to get bored.
There is much joy and benefit to be found in work.
Especially when you find your Divine Eternal Purpose
and Calling.
That is found in following Him, remaining True to Self and...
17 Then Jesus
said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers
of men.”
Stay the course.
This is not an invitation, but a command. “Follow
Me.”
Generally speaking, the command “Follow Me” goes out
to all.
We’re all called to follow Him. We’re all called to be
fishers of men.
However, in context, this is specifically directed at
Simon and Andrew to follow Him into fulltime ministry. (Even though they
might’ve thought He meant, fulltime, Roman butt kicking military).
This was opposite from the way the rabbis and teachers
of the day gathered disciples. Typically, the student went to the teacher and
asked to be discipled.
Jesus, the Teacher, calls the disciple.
Which is God’s Way, as we already established. He
comes searching.
Which is the same to this day. By God’s Divine Design,
a Pastor, Teacher, Preacher, Evangelist... a full-time minister, is called by
God, not man.
It’s a calling from God. He chooses.
Now remember, Andrew already met Jesus after John the
Baptist looked at Jesus and said, “Behold the Lamb of God.” Then, Andrew
told his brother Peter that Jesus is the Messiah, and he brought him to meet
Jesus. John 1:35-42.
But now, our text shows us that they, stayed the
course, they were fishing, for they were fisherman.
Like King David, even after being anointed as king, he
went back to shepherding his sheep. (1 Samuel 16:13, 17:15).
Likewise, Andrew and Peter did not run off half-cocked
like some wide-eyed brainless groupies.
Galatians 6:9. Weary not in well doing for in due season you shall reap if you faint not.
If
you don’t quit, you win.
They stayed the course, true to self, knew who they
were, went back home, back to work.
Don’t worry. God knew how to find them.
He knows how to find you. Stay the course. Remain
faithful in the little things, true to self.
Jesus comes looking for those who remain true to self
and stay the course and to them He calls...
“Follow Me, and I will make you become
fishers of men.”
Your job: Follow Me.
I will make you... I
will do it.
Your job: Follow Me.
I will make you become...It’s
not a magic trick. It won’t be instantaneous. It’ll take time. It’s a growing,
pruning, becoming, process.
Your job: Follow Me.
I will make you become fishers of men.
You
are already fisher men. We will apply many of the skills you already have. Casting,
baiting, waiting...
Now just to be clear. Your job is to: Follow Me.
Which means, being true to self, staying the course, and...
18 They immediately
left their nets and followed Him.
Obey right away.
They immediately left their nets...
That was their livelihood. Their career. How they put
food on the table. We’re not sure about Andrew but Peter had a wife to feed.
Nevertheless, they dropped their nets, picked up their
pace, and immediately, followed Him.
Delayed obedience is disobedience
Luke 9:59-62:
Then
He said to another, “Follow Me.”
But he said, “Lord, let me first go and
bury my father.”
60 Jesus
said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the
kingdom of God.”
61 And
another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first
go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”
62 But
Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking
back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Be true to self.
Stay the course.
Obey right away.
And...
19 When He had
gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee,
and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending
their nets.
Invest time to mend.
Psalm 147:3. He heals the brokenhearted and
binds up their wounds.
Those fishermen weren’t just net casters, but menders too.
Stopping to mend nets, (people, relationships, self) is
not down time, not wasted time, but invested time.
It pays for itself a hundredfold in unbroken nets, healthy
relationships, marriages, life...
Family, father and sons, working together, mending the
past, the present, preparing, preprayering, the future.
Perfect skills for soul winners and disciple makers.
Jesus sees that and pauses to say, “Hey I want you on My team, follow Me.”
Be true to self.
Stay the course.
Obey right away.
Invest time to mend.
And be...
20 And immediately
He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat
with the hired servants, and went after Him.
All in.
Matthew 10:37. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 16:24. Then Jesus told His
disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up
his cross and follow Me.
They were all in.
They immediately left their dad, their hired hands,
and followed Him.
And none of them regretted it.
Simon, literally walked
on water, caught more fish than he’d ever seen, but the catch of his life was
after preaching his first sermon and 3,000 souls were saved. His writings are
part of the best-selling Book of all time and will be, to the end of time.
Andrew, means, manly.
Manly Andy was a leader. He led his brother Peter, to Jesus. He led a little
boy and his little lunch to Jesus, from which they fed over 5,000. He led a
group of Greeks to Jesus who had said, “We would see Jesus.” Even when
dying, he was pointing people to Jesus, preaching for two days, from a X shaped
cross, until his final breath, proving that no pain is greater than the joy of
fulfilling your Divine Eternal Purpose and calling.
James, his witness
(martus) was so strong that even his executioner converted and stood beside James
to take the same fate—beheading.
John, was by Jesus side
all the way. Took in Mother Mary as his own. When exiled to Patmos, Jesus came
to him, and dictated, the powerful prophetic book of Revelation.
They all died in faith, without one recant.
Now, the troubles of this life are not even worthy of
being compared to the eternal love, joy and peace they are experiencing today,
forever.
Do you want that?
You can have it.
This very moment you can change the trajectory of your
destiny for eternity.
Be true to self
Stay the course
Obey right away
Invest time to mend
Be all in
Bottom line...
Follow Him.
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word that
works, in us and through us, so we and all those You’ve given us, will finish
well and stand beside those fishers of men, experiencing Your love and joy and
peace, for eternity.
Thank You.
We love You, forever.
Amen.
Prayer Requests:
Call or text: 612-554-2522
Email: pray4measap@aol.com
Facebook: Church at WPV
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Watch online:
Facebook: Disciple Making, Mark
1:16-20
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1:16-20
This was feed for you to read. Now it’s
Seed for you to sow.
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