Matthew 4:18-22 Mark 1:16-20

http://biblehub.com/parallelgospels/Finding_Four_Fishers_of_Men.htm

Change is a difficult thing for most of us.  We are more comfortable with that which is familiar.  Things that are different tend to scare us.  When Jesus called His disciples it meant radical changes in their lives.  It is important to note that the Peter, Andrew, James and John already knew who Jesus was.  They had spent time with Jesus and were convinced that He was Messiah.  They had spent time with Him after His baptism and before He went to Judea.  Now He was back in their region and He came to teach in the place where they were fishing.  They heard Him teach, they participated in an amazing catch of fish and then they were called to follow Jesus.  Many times we imagine that this encounter with Jesus was their first meeting but that is not true.  They knew who He was which makes their immediate response make much more sense.  The call to follow Jesus meant that they would need to leave the known for a life that would be very different.  Their lives would never be the same.

FOLLOWING JESUS MEANT LEAVING THEIR FISH: When Jesus came to the sea He saw Peter and Andrew fishing.  They were fishermen so it is only natural that they would be doing this.  Jesus calls them to come and follow Him and promises to make them fishers of men.  There is not a lot of money or security in fishing men but there is an eternal purpose in fishing men.  The call to follow Jesus was a call to leave the known for that which was largely unknown.  Jesus did not give them a lot of explanations or make them promises about how He would provide for them.  It was a simple call to follow Him.  His identity was the key to the call.  He was Messiah and that was all the reason that they needed.  When Christ calls us to follow Him, all the assurances that we need are found in the fact that He is the creator and sustainer of the universe.  There is nothing wrong with fish, but we must never allow fish to become more important to us than the call to follow Christ.  Peter and Andrew recognized this and left their fish behind in order to follow Jesus.

FOLLOWING JESUS MEANT LEAVING THEIR FATHER: James and John had finished their fishing for the day and were fixing their nets.  They were working with their father when Jesus came to call them to come and follow Him.  Like Peter and Andrew, they had already spent time with Jesus and believed that He was the Messiah so this was an invitation that they were ready to obey.  It seems that the fishing business of James and John was significant as their father as well as servants and boats were involved.  It may have been a family business and it may have been a successful business but it was not enough to keep them from following Jesus.  Family is a wonderful thing and God wants us to honor and love our families; but it is easy for our family to become an idol in our lives.  Zebedee was able to care for himself as he was still out working with his sons.  It is not an easy thing to leave family and it is not easy to leave a successful business but it is what God calls for many to do.  The mission that God has for the world must be the priority in all of our lives.  He is more important than fish and more important than family.


APPLICATION: We must be convinced of who Jesus is so that we will be willing to do what He wants us to do.  Our security and our family can never be more important than the mission that God has called us to do.  That which is eternal is a greater priority than anything else that calls for our attention.

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