FISHERS OF MEN

“Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”- MATTHEW 4:19

“Esperanza! Esperanza!” (“Hope, Hope!”) The deckhands aboard a fishing charter on the Sea of Cortez were excitedly yelling as our daughter Hope prepared to reel in a gargantuan blue marlin after having had no previous bites on our all-day excursion. Catch and release marlin fishing is one of the most exciting challenges facing anglers because of their size, strength, and speed. They strapped our daughter into a “fighting chair”, and the long 45-minute ensuing tug of war began as Hope tried to keep the line tight to bring in the marlin. She reeled in the 200-pound marlin with great determination and courage, and we were all amazed by the incredible catch.

In a sense, humans are like fishes being reeled in. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The Lord comes with the gospel net, and he takes us in and delivers us from the love of sin. In today’s scripture Jesus says, “Follow me,” and as believers, we must have faith and live our lives with intentional purposes for God’s eternal kingdom. As followers of Jesus, we are called to share the gospel’s good news because God intends everyone to experience the unsurpassed joy of knowing him as their personal Savior.

As Christians, we must adopt the characteristics of fishermen by having compassion for lost souls and the courage to cast our nets. Leading someone to Christ is one of the most incredible experiences for a Christian. We should not become frustrated or apathetic when someone rejects the truth or if it takes years to witness the spiritual thrill of leading someone personally to Jesus Christ.

Charles Spurgeon once stated, “At Jesus’ feet, we must learn the art and mystery of soul-winning: to live with Christ is the best education for usefulness.” (The Spurgeon Center). Let us get out and share the good news of Christ with others and be used as disciples to grow the kingdom of God. Christ caught us, and now we should aim to catch others.

Dear Lord, sharing the gospel can sometimes be a challenge for me. I ask you to help me to know to whom to witness and when. Open my eyes to the needs of those around me and open my heart to share your message of love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Today’s Challenge: As God opens your eyes to the people around you, start a spiritual conversation. This short article may give you some good ideas about ways to do that.

Giving the Worthy Gift

A relationship with the Lord means we have the opportunity for great joy in giving.

2 Samuel 24:15-24

When David wanted to build an altar to the Lord, Araunah the Jebusite wanted to give him land, oxen, and all the items he would need. But David knew burnt offerings that cost him nothing wouldn’t be an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord.

Likewise, God’s sacrifice of His Son wasn’t free; in fact, it was extremely costly. We often hear about God’s grace as a gift freely given to us. And while it’s true we don’t have to pay, it came at a very high price.

In response to God’s generous gift, we should offer Him our best gifts as well. Frequently, however, we fall short and simply go through the motions—serving dutifully but remaining unengaged. Or it could mean reserving our best energy for ourselves or others. We might even set God on the shelf for later, thinking we’ll get back to Him when we have a minute. But it’s easy for time to get away from us before we make good on our intentions.

In what way do you feel God inviting you to give Him your time? What does it look like to give Him your affection? Is there some part of your life that the Lord is yearning for you to share with Him? Let us be like David and give God our best, not just what’s left over.

What Will You Do With Jesus?

My kingdom is not of this world … You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.

John 18:36–37

What will you do with Jesus? On the morning of what is now known as the first Good Friday, the Jewish religious authorities took Jesus to continue His trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. We can see in the details of the Gospel accounts how God sovereignly orchestrated all of these events. The Jews’ determination to secure Christ’s death by crucifixion would actually fulfill God’s plan from eternity. God had also planned Christ’s interaction with Pilate. As they stood before one another, Pilate asked significant questions about Jesus’ identity and authority. These questions formed an examination with eternal ramifications—an examination we all must make. Consider how the hymn writer puts it:

Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall—
Friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all;
Hearken! What meaneth the sudden call?
What will you do with Jesus?  

Pilate believed he was holding an examination on a purely intellectual, natural level. But answering the question “Who is Jesus?” is always a spiritual, supernatural matter. Jesus wasn’t a political king, as Pilate believed, but the heavenly King. He essentially told Pilate, My kingdom doesn’t find its origin in this world. The concern of My kingdom is the spiritual transformation that is brought about in the hearts of My people. The reason why I was born as a King was to testify to God’s truth. But Pilate, blind in his unbelief, had already made up his mind. Jaded and disdainful, he sought to avoid the fundamental question we all must ask: “What will I do with Jesus?” But in trying not to answer, he nevertheless gave his answer: I shall reject His claim on me and His rule over me, and therefore His offer to rescue me.

What will you do with Jesus?
Neutral you cannot be;
Someday your heart will be asking,
“What will He do with me?” [1]

Neutral you cannot be. You will either live under Jesus’ rule or you will not. So do not close your Bible in the morning and then live as though this world and its concerns and kings are all that is or all that matters. Do not proceed as though Jesus has no place or interest in your life in this world. He stood friendless and forsaken before Pilate so that you might be welcomed as His friend into His eternal kingdom. There is no option of neutrality—but why would we want there to be?