Learning to Fish

Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  ~Matthew 4:19

When I was a child I loved to go fishing with my dad. He had a V-bottom boat that we took to the lakes around our state; Lake Greenwood, Lake Hartwell, Santee, and others. There was a pond near our house. My brothers and I would take our fishing poles down to the pond during the lazy days of summer. We learned to dig worms and thread them on our hooks. We learned to hook a minnow just under the spine so it didn't slip off. We learned to wait patiently for the fish to drag our bobber under the water before snatching out our catch. Now my sons teach their children to bait a hook, feel the tug of the line, and reel in their catch. We were an "eat what you catch" family when I was growing up but my boys are catch and release. One son has his own flyfishing business. 

I could never see the point in catch and release until I thought about Jesus telling his disciples he would make them fishers of men. Jesus wanted to teach his disciples to tell others about the message of salvation but he didn't want them to just sit on the mountainside or hold up in a monastery when they became believers. He wanted believers to go and tell others, to become fishers of men. That's a gospel version of catch and release. 

Before you fish you have to learn how to bait the hook, how to cast the line, how to feel the tug or watch the bobber. When you fish you have to give the fish something they want - the worm or the minnow. How can we prepare to offer the gospel to the people we meet? 

• Prayer
• Bible study
• Assurance that you are a believer
• Allowing others to demonstrate how to approach others with the gospel

What can we offer the person we meet? Maybe they need help or maybe they are looking for peace. When we were on mission trips to Nicaragua we saw lots of hungry people. We fed them. It's easier to listen when we have full stomachs. Sadly in the winter, we see people who have lost their homes to fire or in summer to a tornado. When we see people who have encountered a tragedy. We can try to offer help, do they need clothes, or water, or some other immediate need. Before we can give people the gospel we must first try to meet their immediate need. 

But first, we must meet our immediate need. 

• Does your church offer a discipleship class?
• Do you have a daily routine of prayer and Bible study?
• Do you have others who will go with you when you witness to others?
• Do you have a personal message of salvation to share with others?

Jesus said, Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Are you willing to gather the things you need to be a fisher of men? Fishing is one of the most enjoyable things I know. 

Heavenly Father, teach us to be fishers of men. Help us be willing to learn by following you. In Jesus's name. Amen. 

 

Fishers of Men

  And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. Mark 1:17

My son is a fly fishing guide. He studies the weather, the hatch of the insects, the water levels in the rivers and streams and notices what type of insects the fish are biting on this week. 

He ties his own flies. They have to look as close to the same color and size as the actual insect as possible. He also has to hike miles through rough terrain and wade slick rocky rivers to give the best guides in natural waters. This is a lot of hard work but he absolutely loves the studying and hard work. 

When Jesus called his disciples he told them to follow him and he would make them fishers of men. It wasn't an instant transformation any more than my son became an instant expert on flyfishing. In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 and following, Jesus took his disciples up on the mountain away from the crowds and began to instruct them. They followed him and just like my son guiding on a trip, Jesus showed the disciples how to fish for men. They began to practice "fishing" before Jesus ascended so they would know how when they had to go "alone". 

There's a pattern to becoming a fisher of men. Mark 1:15 says to repent and believe the gospel. The first part of learning to fish for men is to know that we ourselves are sinners in need of repentance (a change of heart about ourselves) and we need to believe the gospel (Jesus is the sinless son of God who died for our sins and was resurrected again). 

Jesus then called the disciples to follow Him. Following is probably the hardest part. That's the study, the understanding of scripture, the talking with the Master. Along with all the study comes the practice, the little by little learning to talk to others, teach others and go into all the world with the gospel (Matthew 28:19,20).

The transformation into a fisher of men doesn't happen overnight. It happens over time. If my son were not a continual learner and follower of flyfishing he wouldn't have his own business today. If we are not faithful and continue in our study of God's word, faithful in prayer, and faithful to reach out to others we will not be effective fishers of men reaching all nations. 

Heavenly Father, help us be faithful followers who study your word daily and pray for guidance in reaching others. Help us practice lives of dedication to your calling. In Jesus's name. Amen.  

Hey Kids:

Do you like to fish? 

Who taught you? How often do you get to practice?

Can you bait your own hook? What type of bait do you use?

Can you take a fish off?

Is fishing your passion? 

Maybe fishing isn't your thing but God has given you interest and talents that He wants you to use for His glory. 

How can you go into all the world? Do you speak another language? Can you draw or write? Do you contribute to kids' magazines? In our day of technology, going into all the world can mean reaching them at home, but it doesn't mean it's easy.

How can you improve your talents so you can use them to be "fishers of men"?

Blessings,

Gail

Fishers of Men

 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. Mark 1:17

My son is a flyfishing guide. He studies the weather, the hatch of the insects, the water levels in the rivers and streams and notices what type of insects the fish are biting on this week. 

He ties his own flies. They have to look as near the same color and size as the actual insect as possible. He also has to hike miles through rough terrain and wade slick rocky rivers to give the best guides in natural waters. This is a lot of hard work but he absolutely loves the studying and hard work. 

When Jesus called his disciples he told them to follow him and he would make them fishers of men. It wasn't an instant transformation any more than my son became an instant expert on flyfishing. In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 and following, Jesus took his disciples up on the mountain away from the crowds and began to instruct them. They followed him and just like my son guiding on a trip, Jesus showed the disciples how to fish for men. They began to practice "fishing" before Jesus ascended so they would know how when they had to go "alone". 

There's a pattern to become a fisher of men. Mark 1:15 says repent and believe the gospel. The first part of learning to fish for men is to know that we ourselves are sinners in need of repentance (a change of heart about ourselves) and we need to believe the gospel (Jesus is the sinless son of God who died for our sins and was resurrected again). 

Jesus then called the disciples to follow Him. Following is probably the hardest part. That's the study, the understanding of scripture, the talking with the Master. Along with all the study comes the practice, the little by little learning to talk to others, teach others and go into all the world with the gospel (Matthew 28:19,20).

The transformation into a fisher of men doesn't happen overnight. It happens over time. If my son were not a continual learner and follower of flyfishing he wouldn't have his own business today. If we are not faithful and continue in our study of God's word, faithful in prayer, and faithful to reach out to others we will not be effective fishers of men reaching all nations. 

Heavenly Father, help us be faithful followers who study your word daily and pray for guidance in reaching others. Help us practice lives of dedication to your calling. In Jesus's name. Amen.  

Hey Kids:

Do you like to fish? 

Who taught you? How often do you get to practice?

Can you bait your own hook? What type of bait do you use?

Can you take a fish off?

Is fishing your passion? 

Maybe fishing isn't your thing but God has given you interest and talents that He wants you to use for His glory. 

How can you go into all the world? Do you speak another language? Can you draw or write? Do you contribute to kids' magazines? In our day of technology, going into all the world can mean reaching them at home, but it doesn't mean it's easy.

How can you improve your talents so you can use them to be "fishers of men"?

Blessings,

Gail