“While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” (Matthew 4:18-20 ESV)
Someone has said that the modern church has lost its calling. It is no longer fishers of men but keepers of an aquarium. What do you think?
Peter and Andrew were probably very good fishermen. Luke 5:10 suggests that they were so successful that they had a fishing business going with their partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee. It was a vocation they knew well and even returned to after Jesus was crucified (John 21:3). So when Jesus said to them, “I will make you fishers of men.” he was using picture language that they would have understood.
They would have understood that He was inviting them to cast a proverbial net in order to bring people to the truth of Jesus. They would have understood that it would be hard work. They would have understood that it required patience and perseverance. But most of all they would have understood that they would learn this new type of fishing only as they followed Jesus.
That word “follow” has become weak in our English language. For instance, we can follow someone on their twitter page, but not really interact with them. We can follow a bus in our car but never know a person riding the bus. In our modern age we can follow someone with detachment and at a distance.
But that’s not how Jesus uses the word. He makes it clear that to follow him means that we know him and are known by him (John 10:14,21). It means that we deny ourselves and “pick up our cross” (Matthew 16:24-26). It means that we are transformed by him and are indwelt by his Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14,15). And it is as we follow him completely, fully, and obediently that he enables us to be fishers of men.
So what do you think? Has the modern church become keepers of an aquarium instead of fishers of men? To add insult to injury, it has been further suggested that we in the church spend most of our time swiping fish from each other’s bowl! If you are tired of keeping an aquarium its time for you to follow Jesus, in the fullest sense, and allow him to make you into a fisher of men and women.
Following Jesus with you,
Pastor Tom