Fishers Of Men

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

            This past Saturday, our men’s ministry (Outdoor Connections) had their first event; a fishing tournament.  Not being a fisherman, or the son of a fisherman, I didn’t go with great hopes of winning.  There were promises, if I came, of equipment and tips on how to catch the big one.  My friend Joe has so much fishing gear he could give “Outdoor Man” a run for their money.

            In two hours I caught three bass and one huge frog!  The largest bass was 15.5 inches long.  It was obviously beginners luck and the great advice from a true fisherman.  It was a great time and everyone who came enjoyed themselves. 

            There were some lessons that I learned that I think are applicable to what Jesus said about making us fishers of men.  Five things to remember.

• There are a lot of different fish in the pond.  In this pond there were bass, blue gill, crappie, and frogs (not a fish).  Not every fish is the same.  That is so true of the people we are reaching for Jesus.  People come in all shapes and sizes, economic backgrounds, and racial differences.  No two people have the same family history, emotional baggage, or personality traits.   It is easier to reach people who are most like ourselves, but we must not forget those who are different than us, because they need Jesus to

• Not every fish likes the same lure.  I was setting my eyes on the bass, so I was using a frog lure.  It worked really well, and with the right training I was able to get the lure to hop across the pond scum to attract the bass.  But the frog lure was worthless if tying to catch blue gill or crappie.  Each different fish needed a different lure.  The gospel is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, but what we use to draw people to hear the message will be different.  People who are hurting in their marriage may come to a marriage seminar, a musician may come to a concert, someone who needs a friend may come to fun activity, and so forth.  Paul said that he was all things to all people, that some might come to the truth.  Jesus said we are to be as shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.  In other words we need to above board and honest, but use every opportunity to share the gospel. 

• Patience, Patience, Patience!  Fishing is a lot of waiting; two hours and only three fish!  I am a last minute; want it now, kind of guy.  When reaching people for Jesus we are often in a hurry and when they don’t respond right away, we want to right them off and move on to the next person.  But intentional, relational, evangelism means patiently building relationships, intentionally sharing your faith, and waiting for God to move. Peter puts into perspective in 2Pet. 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

•  Fish fight!  Real fishermen love the fight at the end of the line.  The bigger the fish the harder they are to reel in, but the greater the thrill.  People fight against the gospel.  We shouldn’t be surprised.  We give up too easily because when it comes to relationships we don’t like the struggle.  But it is the struggle that makes the end result so meaningful.  Sometimes people who come to Christ quickly don’t last because they have not struggled with some of the great issues of life, and when they come they fall away.  But those who struggle before coming to Christ understand the depth of God’s love, and how it meets their real needs.

• Fish are slimy.  They are slippery and smelly, and it gets all over you.  It’s funny because the slime isn’t toxic and it washes off.  People are messy too.  They come with all sorts of baggage and problems.  Sometimes we avoid people with problems because we are afraid they will be toxic to us, and our spiritual health, and though we need to be careful not to be carried away into sin, their slime isn’t infectious and has been washed by the blood of Christ.

•  Even one caught fish is an accomplishment.  In two hours I caught three bass.  In the following two hours I caught zero.  But the lack of catch in the afternoon didn’t diminish the joy, thrill, and reward of the three in the morning.  Heaven rejoices over one lost soul found.  If I live my life without any more people coming to faith as a result of my ministry, I have had the great privilege of leading some to Christ.  I want to see more, and I am always thinking of lures and ways to proclaim the gospel.  In the end, however, the catch is in God’s hands.  I just need to be out there fishing.  I’m just saying…