Matthew 4:18-22 Mark 1:16-20
http://biblehub.com/parallelgospels/Finding_Four_Fishers_of_Men.htm
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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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