“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
Mark 1:17, NIV
The first disciples are called on the shore of the sea of Galilee – humble fishermen, Andrew and Simon who would later be called Peter, and a little later James and John – the Sons of Thunder.
They were everyday working men.
Where other Rabbi’s and Teachers called disciples from religious schools and places of higher learning, Jesus called the Everyman. Diamonds in the rough, with calloused hands and tough demeanors.
They were not seminary educated. They were not wealthy and had no status in society. They were common men, hard working men – although they might have been respected as small-time business men in their communities, they were often overlooked and underestimated in the other arenas of life – and dismissed altogether when it came to religious, spiritual and more philosophical things.
But Jesus sees deeper.
Jesus arrives announcing the coming of The Kingdom – He has come with a mission and He needs strong, willing men to help Him establish, proclaim and expand the boundaries of this Kingdom.
Of course the core of His group would consist of fishermen – tough, rugged tenacious men. Courageous men. Hard working men.
Jesus looked at the fishermen and saw team-players (fishermen seldom worked alone) with great courage, stamina, faith, energy and patience – the ability to endure.
The Gospel of Jesus has always been practical.
God does not call the qualified – there were many who were qualified – who knew the scriptures, who understood the prophecies, who were willing and ready to believe – even in Jesus day. We see this in Nicodemus.
Nicodemus was willing to believe – but not willing to endure the hardship that would come with the Cross of Christ.
God qualifies the called. And on this day, by the sea of Galilee, He called four humble men.
“Follow me… and I will make you fishers of men.”
And the Bible says they left their nets, they left their boats – and they followed.
They simply followed.
The Gospel of Jesus is practical. In training others for the work of ministry I have often found that courses, studies and endless reading lists are not effective – but the concept of ‘journeying’ is. There is power in ‘walking together’.
And this is what Jesus invited them to do. “Come and walk with me, and I will make you fishers of men…”
Jesus, in the book of Mark, teaches primarily through action. His training of the disciples is very much hands on, through demonstration more than discussion. And perhaps, for some of us, this is exactly what is necessary.
Jesus is still calling fishermen today – not just the seminary student – God doesn’t need a degree to work through us – He only needs a willing heart with a yielded yes.
The biggest impact is not made from behind the pulpit, but through His presence in our daily lives – if He is present in us, and we are present in the lives of others, they will see Jesus! They will see Jesus in us.
As we walk with Jesus, learning from Him – as we do what we see Him doing, and as we live as we see Him living – we will see change, lasting change, not only in our own lives but also in the lives of those around us.
Jesus is calling you today to come and ‘walk’ with Him – and in so doing, to learn from Him – so that you might also become a fisher of men.
How will you answer this call today?
Reflect:
1. Is there anything you would have to leave behind to follow Jesus fully? What people, places or things might you have to leave behind to follow Jesus? How about sin, shame or fear?
2. Are you willing to take up the call of Christ? How can you start learning from Jesus today? What practical next steps can you take?
Prayer: Lord, let me heed Your call to discipleship today. Open the eyes of my heart and my imagination. As I read Your Word, show me what discipleship looks like. As I walk with You, Jesus, show me a better way. Let me learn from You Lord, let Your life speak volumes into my own. And, as I walk with You, let me be transformed – and as I am transformed, to look more like You, let others see You in me and be transformed as well. In Jesus Name. Amen.