In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ

In The Footsteps Of The Master:The Life and Times of Jesus Christ Jesus Makes Fishers of Men March 1, 2009 www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Jesus Calls Disciples • Matthew 4:18-22 • “18Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19And He said* to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’20Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. 22Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Mark’s Version • Mark 1:16-20 • “16As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ 18Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

For Discussion • Where does this meeting take place? • Peter was from Bethsaida on the northeast side of the Sea of Galilee • Likely happened here • Very near Capernaum • What does it mean tobecome “fishers of men”? • They would no longer catch fish to die for sale in the marketplace • Instead they would catch men and set them free to live for Jesus www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

A Quick Look Back • John 1:35-39 • “35Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said*, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God!’ 37The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said* to them, ‘What do you seek?’ They said to Him, ‘Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?’ 39He said* to them, ‘Come, and you will see.’ So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Quick Look (cont.) • John 1:40-42 • “40One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41He found* first his own brother Simon and said* to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

For Discussion • When did this meeting take place? • Shortly after Jesus baptism • Who was involved? • Two disciples of John the Baptist • One is identified as Andrew; who was the other? • Probably John, since he never writes of himself in the first person • Andrew then involves his brother Peter • Peter, Andrew and John had already encountered Jesus • Does this change the perspective of Jesus’ call in today’s passages? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

For Discussion • Did these disciples show any hesitance to follow Jesus’ call? • How could they simply abandon their nets, boats, family, etc. and walk away? • Let’s look at the example of Elisha www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Elijah’s Calling of Elisha • 1 Kings 19:19-21 • “19So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him. 20He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

For Discussion • Did Elisha show any hesitance to follow Elijah? • He took care of some family business • He destroyed his farming implements • He followed Elijah and served him • Must every disciple turn his/her back on everything? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Peter’s Example • 1 Corinthians 9:3-7 • “3My defense to those who examine me is this: 4Do we not have a right to eat and drink? 5Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? 7Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

For Discussion • Is Peter’s commitment to Jesus less because he had a wife and took her along when he went from place to place? • Perhaps we errantly apply Jesus’ comments to the rich young ruler as a requirement of every disciple • Jesus requires a commitment of the heart • If something stands in the way of that commitment, then it must be abandoned • Paul commented that we shouldn’t see a change in status www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Luke’s Account • Luke 5:1-3 • “1Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; 2and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

For Discussion • Why did Jesus get into the boat? • Did He not like crowds? • It gave the crowd better visibility • The water would help the sound propagate • It also gave him the opportunity to sit down and be heard by a large crowd • Whose boat was it? • Would you open up your boat to a stranger? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Luke’s Account (cont.) • Luke 5:4-7 • “4When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ 5Simon answered and said, ‘Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.’ 6When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

For Discussion • Jesus tells Peter to put his nets into the water for a “catch” • What is Peter’s response to the request? • Rational thinking, followed by obedience • Not to minimize Peter’s obedience, but perhaps demonstrates his prior knowledge and encounter with Jesus • What is the result of Peter’s obedience? • Many, many, many fish • Nets begin to break; boats begin to sink www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Fishing Net Trivia • One commentator observes that these were likely trammel nets, made from linen cloth • Would have been easily visible (and avoidable) to fish during the day, but not so at night www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Luke (cont.) • Luke 5:8-11 • “8But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, ‘Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’ 9For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.’11When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

For Discussion • Describe Peter’s response to the miraculous catch • Why would he respond this way? • An encounter with the Holy One of Israel will always point out our sinfulness and inadequacy www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Isaiah’s Calling • Isaiah 6:1-4 • “1In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.’ 4And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Isaiah (cont.) • Isaiah 6:5-7 • “5Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.’ 6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7He touched my mouth with it and said, ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.’” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

For Discussion • Peter’s confession and Jesus’ acceptance harks back to Luke 4:18-19 • “18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, 19To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” • These disciples “left everything” and followed Jesus • Must we do the same? • Do we have to turn our backs on jobs, family and everything else? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

In Conclusion • This whole lesson can be summed up in one simple statement: • “You catch ‘em; He’ll clean ‘em.” • “Go and do likewise” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Next Week • Jesus Teaches and Heals in Capernaum Questions? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ