Sermons Preached In Moody Texas

Moody First United Methodist Church

Matthew 4:17-23

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

Have you seen the TV commercial? Terry Bradshaw is sitting around the card table with a group of other guys. His take a good look at his cards and says, “I bet one dollar!”

“One dollar! What kind of bet is that.”

Then we are told about all the telephone minutes you can get for one dollar. This commercial is like all the others for this product. It wants to give you a new perspective on the value of one dollar.

The commercial end with Bradshaw turning to the man next to him and saying, “Have you got a 5?”

“Go fish,” the man says.

Matthew shares with us a story about Jesus calling the first four of his disciples. As Jesus is walking along the shore he spots Simon, the one called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They are casting their net out into the lake, because they are fishermen. Jesus says to them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then an incredible thing happens. Without one word, Peter and Andrew drop their net and follow Jesus.

What was Jesus talking about? “I’ll make you fishers of men.” Was Jesus going to teach them the card game? What does it mean to be a fisher of men?

It has been many years ago now. My brother worked at a West Texas Utilities power plant on Lake Stamford. They provided a home right next to the plant and the lake. Our parents were visiting and Glen, our Dad, and I were fishing in what was suppose to be a prime fishing area-the hot water discharge out of the power plant.

We stood there on the bank of the lake, next to the plant, lined up one, two, three. I was between Glen and our Dad. We were all casting into the lake, but Glen and Dad were reeling in fish. I never caught a thing. Glen traded places with me. He kept catching fish and I couldn’t even catch an old boot. Glen traded fishing gear with me. Yes, you’re right. Glen kept catching fish, and I went to the house. Fishing is not as easy as it looks.

Jesus uses this image of fishing. “Come follow me and I’ll make you fishers of men.” What is Jesus trying to tell us?

Fred Craddock says this metaphor of fishing for people is more familiar than clear. He calls it “unattractive as a description of the details of the church’s mission.” Craddock also points out that this metaphor did not “catch on” in the New Testament. The more popular image in the New Testament is that of the shepherd.

So why would shepherding be more readily accepted than fishing? We tend to associate fishing with evangelism and discipleship. We think of shepherding as taking care of someone else’s needs. Now which would you rather do, help someone feel better or take the risk of sharing your beliefs. Which would you rather do, give someone your old coat or invite them to church. I’m not sure things have changed much in 2000 years.

So what does it mean to be a fisher of men? C. Sumner Wemp says, “A follower of Christ is a fisher of men!” “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). If you are not fishing, you are not following. Jesus promised to make you a fisher of men. C. Sumner Wemp, “Fishing for Men,” Electronic Evangelism Devotional, www.gospelcom.net Retrieved, August 31, 2001.

The invitation is to become a disciple or learner. “Jesus calls these men not to an experience of personal salvation but to a school…. He does not say, ‘follow me, and I will save your souls.’ … His promise is not their salvation but others’ .” (Bruner, 127).

In the days of Jesus to be a disciple of a rabbi meant that one would be in daily, intimate contact with their teacher. Jesus was offering Peter and Andrew that opportunity. In such daily, intimate contact they would become like Jesus in thought, word and deed. “That speaks powerfully about discipleship. It is not enough to learn facts about Jesus. We must spend time with him. Discipleship is less an affair of the head than of the heart.” Richard Donavon, Sermon Writer for Epiphany 3A

So. To be a fisher of men requires following Jesus. It means accepting the invitation to be in daily, intimate contact with Jesus.

If you want to be a successful fisherman, you don’t look for the most comfortable spot on the lake, said Rick Warren, senior pastor of Saddleback Valley Community Church in Lake Forest, California. Instead, you go to where the fish are, and you make it as easy and attractive as possible for the fish to swallow your hook.

Warren said the same is true when you’re fishing for men: “Unfortunately, many churches don’t take the time to understand the people they want to reach, and they don’t have a strategy. They want to win people to Christ as long as it can be done in a comfortable way.”

Speaking before 2,500 ministers from 34 countries during a recent Purpose Driven Church seminar, Warren said he learned this principle from his father, who was a fisherman. “If there was only one fish in a lake or stream, my dad would catch it,” said Warren. “As I got older I realized his secret: My dad understood fish and caught them on their terms. In contrast, I never had a strategy whenever I went fishing. I’d cast out anywhere in the lake, hoping something might bite. While my dad would crawl through brush or get wet up to his waist in order to get to where the fish were, my fishing spots were usually determined by what was most comfortable to me. I had no strategy, and my results showed it.”

Warren said Jesus gave five fishing guidelines for evangelism and that Saddleback grew from only four members to over 15,000 by using this simple strategy.

Know what you’re fishing for …

Go where the fish are biting …

Learn to think like a fish …

Catch fish on their terms …

Use more than one hook …

-Jon Walker, “Evangelism is not about comfort,” Challenge Weekly Christian Newspaper, Issue 23, challengeweekly.com.nz/Iss23-2001.htm.

I’ve been thinking. Moody is a small place. Ken Gates can put a sign on his place saying, “Making a delivery, back soon.” Nikki Munz can put up a sign that says, “Closed for the day.” Tony has a sign at the barber shop that says he is off on Mondays and Wednesday afternoons.

Maybe we need some signs that read, “Gone Fishin’.”

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