United: Matthew 4:18-22

Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary ii. The Call of Four Disciples (4:18–22)

19. Follow me (literally ‘come behind me’) would immediately suggest the disciples of a Rabbi (see Davies, pp. 422–423), who literally followed him around to absorb his teaching, though this was by their own choice, not by his summons. A good teacher would be expected to have a group of such ‘followers’. But Jesus calls his disciples not only to listen and learn, but to take an active part as fishers of men.

SPURGEON:

A fisherman must also know how to allure the fish. I saw on Lake Como, when we visited Bellagio, some men fishing. They had torches burning in their boats, and the fish were attracted to them by the glare of the light. You must know how to get the fish together. You know there is such a thing as the ground-bait for the fishes. You must know how to allure men.

  The fisherman must be a man who can wait with patience. Oh the patience of a fisherman! “We have toiled all night,” said the disciples, “and have taken nothing.” You cannot be a fisherman unless you are willing to sit and watch, especially if you angle. There you may sit for hours and hours together, and at last when the float begins to move you think you have got your fish, but probably it is only a weed or a frog, and you may watch, and watch, and watch again, and nothing will come of it.

A fisherman, too, is one who must run hazards. Especially was this so on the Lake of Galilee, for that, like many other lakes, was subject to fierce storms. The winds sometimes came rushing down from the mountains, and before the fisherman could take in his sail his boat would be upset. And truly every worker for Christ must expect squalls and stormy weather. Do not think, dear friends, to serve Jesus Christ in those kid gloves and in that nice dainty style of yours. That is not the way in which fish are caught out at sea; it is rough work, and requires a man who can let the wind howl about him without being afraid of his fine curls,

But this was not merely a call to fellowship, but to practical fellowship. It seemed to say, “Peter, put down thy net, and take up the cross; I am to be despised, come and be despised with me; I am going without the camp, I shall be scorned, and cast out from society; come, Peter, come without the camp with me.”

We ought actually to go into the streets and lanes and highways. . . . Sportsmen must not stop at home and wait for the birds to come and be shot at, neither must fishermen throw their nets inside their boats and hope to take many fish. Traders go to the markets, they follow their customers and go out after business if it will not come to them; and so must we. (Lectures to My Students, 224)

MACARTHUR

How did He do it?  Have you ever analyzed how Jesus trained soul winners?  Let me just give you some brief insights.  Our time is nearly gone.  First, listen to this.  As you look at the New Testament, this is what you find.  How did Jesus win people?  They watched Him.  He didn’t give them 45 lectures.  He just did it, and they watched and they learned.

First of all, here are the methods Jesus used in brief.  Number one, He was available.  As I study the life of Christ, I notice that He was always in the throngs.  Do you ever notice that?  He was always where the crowd was.  He was always where the sinners were.  In fact, they said about Him, “You’re always hanging around sinners.”  He was there, and they got the message that’s where they needed to be.

Secondly, He had no favorites.  He didn’t run around with the fancy folks.  He didn’t run around with the rich.  He didn’t run around with the famous.  He didn’t run around with the religious.  It didn’t matter what their social standing was.  Oh, He would reach a wealthy Jairus, but He’d also spend time with a harlot.  He knew no favorites.  He was available, and He had no favorites.

The third thing I see about Jesus in His approach to winning people was He was totally sensitive.  Boy, He could spot an open heart just that fast.  Can you?  Have you learned how to see an open heart?  Your remember Jesus in Mark 5 in the crowd, and everybody was shoving Him, and He said He could hardly move because of the press?  They were just - not the press like we know the press, but the press of the crowd.  He could hardly move.  He was just crushed in, and then the Bible says He turned around and said, “Who touched me?”  You say, “Are you kidding? Who touched you?”  “Yes, who touched me?”  There was a woman with an issue of blood, who had reached out for one of the four tassels that always hung from the robe of a rabbi, and grabbed it.  He knew there was a sensitive heart, and He called that woman out of that crowd.  He healed that woman’s issue of blood, and He elicited out of her heart a confession of faith in Him. 

He was sensitive.  He could spot that one in the mob with the open heart.  Sensitive to the Spirit.  Do you know you can do that?  If you’re walking in the Spirit, I believe the Spirit of God will lead you to that person.

He was available.  He had no favorites.  He was sensitive.  Fourthly, and I already hinted at it, He secured a public confession.  He didn’t let people just run away.  I remember that woman in Mark 5.  He made her call out her confession.  She couldn’t get away.  She touched the hem of His garment.  She was healed, but that wasn’t enough.  By the way, Mark says she had really been through it.  She had suffered many things at the hands of many physicians.  Mark says that.  Luke doesn’t record that part, for obvious reasons.

GREAT QUESTIONS/EMPHASIS:

Does it bother you when additions to your church body grow stagnant? Are you concerned that so many in this world are perishing without hearing of Christ? If the gathering continues, kids’ programs run smoothly, and some spiritual benefit is exchanged from Sunday to Sunday, is all well with your soul?