Jesus wanted to make an impression on people that would change their attitudes and behaviour that would also impact on the whole world.
So what did he do? He called some fishermen to be his disciples. It was on the surface, an unlikely choice; they were ordinary men from an ordinary place and they were effective in gossiping about Jesus. They spoke breathlessly to the people they met about what an impression Jesus had made on them, and the word spread like wildfire.
There are six characteristics which are needed in those who would catch fish, which are also needed in a disciple who wants to attract people to Jesus:
1 They must have patience, not expecting immediate results.
2 They must have perseverance, prepared to keep trying to influence others until the results come.
3 They must have courage. The fishermen may meet a storm; the Christian disciple may meet a storm of opposition.
a. Courageous people risk their lives to do what is right. They also risk their reputations to do what is right.
b. Courageous people are bold in representing Christ. Boldness requires courage to press though our fears and do what we know is right. To gain that boldness you can pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to give you courage, look for opportunities in your family and neighbourhood to talk about Christ, realise that rejection, social discomfort and embarrassment are not persecution, and start where you are by being bolder in small ways.
c. Courage grows as we trust God. God is our refuge, our only true security. How often do we entrust our lives to other things – perhaps money, career, a noble cause or a lifelong dream? Our only true refuge is the eternal God, who always holds out his arms to catch us when the shaky supports that we trust collapse and we fall. No storm can destroy us when we take refuge in him. Those without God however must forever be cautious – One mistake may wipe them out. Living for God in this world may be a risky business but how much more shaky for those without God in their lives. Because God is our refuge, we can dare to be bold.
d. Courage grows from the presence of Christ.
4 They must recognise the right moment. The fisherman knows when to cast his net; the Christian must know when to speak and when to keep silent.
5 Next is the skill to choose the right bait for each type of fish. There are as many ways of coming to Christ as there are human beings, - we can’t expect a ‘one size fits all’ approach to attract the person we’re talking to.
6 Sixth, and last, fishermen must keep themselves out of sight. So must Christians. We’re not trying to draw attention to ourselves, but Jesus.
Jesus original disciples did their work in attracting us to him, and that’s why we’re here today. Now it’s our turn to be courageous. We’ve been chosen, as they were, but not for our own benefit; not so that we can sit back and enjoy being a Christian. We’re chosen for service, not privilege – we have a job to do. We must gossip about the gospel, and spread the good news about Jesus and his love. We need to be tactful and time things just right, as the fishermen learnt. Every word that we say about what our faith means to us is judged by others. If God means anything to you, you won’t want to keep it to yourself – you’ll want to share your own experience with others at the right moment.
God is calling to all of us to become fishers of men. Are you willing?
Every blessing,
Penny
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