Matthew 4:18-20. 18One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 19Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20And they left their nets at once and followed him.
Have you ever gone fishing? Likely, if you have fished, it was with a fishing pole. If you got lucky you caught one fish. But the fishing that Jesus saw happening that day on the Sea of Galilee was much more intense. Yes, people did fish with a stick and hook in Jesus day, and just like us they were lucky to catch one fish at a time.
But professional fishermen also fished with large round nets designed to catch many fish all at once. These nets would have weights tide to them so that the net would sink into the deep waters of the sea. The nets also had a long rope tide to them so that the fishermen could pull the nets up and, hopefully, they caught a whole bunch of fish. We know that Peter and Andrew were using one of these round nets because the verse says that they were casting the net, or throwing the net, into the sea.
Ancient fisherman like Peter and his brother Andrew, would have been pretty tough. Why? Because fishing was such hard work. You had to row your boat out into the water, then lift and throw heavy nets that got much heavier if they caught fish. You also had to be a great swimmer since nets often got tangled up under water and the fisherman would have to dive down to free up his nets. The best fishing on the Sea of Galilee happened at night and in the winter. So you know what that means. Fishermen were used to being very, very cold. Very cold and very wet.
Fishermen had to be strong, and patient, and courageous, and persistent.
Maybe that’s why Jesus chose fishermen to be his first disciples. A disciple is a follower of Jesus. The word disciple means to learn (like a student). Now that Jesus has come to us and died for our sins so that we can be saved and go to Heaven, what are we supposed to do? We are supposed to fish for people.
Fish for people?
That’s right. While we wait for the second advent of Jesus (his second coming), we can cast out the net of God’s love and forgiveness to others and see if they want to receive Jesus and follow him too. Of course, fish don’t have a choice about being caught, but people have a choice about Jesus. But many people have no idea that Jesus is not only a choice, he is THE only choice that will bring you eternal life, love, and joy.
And you have a choice too. Will you fish for people until Jesus comes back?
Questions: How can you fish for people, telling others about the love of God through Jesus? How can Jesu with you make you strong, patient, courageous, and persistent like a fisherman?
TLICfamily 