Matthew 4:18-22

If we remember how last week ended with these infamous words: "From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.”” ()

In connection with the preceding context (4:13–16) the meaning here in verse 17 is that

Jesus now begins to bring this gospel of the kingdom

into regions which the Baptist had not penetrated to any great extent.

The good news is beginning to be spread over a wider territory.

The demand that men be converted resounds in regions where it had not been heard before.

The fact that the coming of Christ has indeed brought about a tremendous change on earth,

so that millions of people have been translated from the realm of darkness into the kingdom of light,

shows that the proclamation, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” was fully justified.

Not immediately or all at once was this message proclaimed throughout the world.

From the beginning its spread was intended to be progressive:

it was to reach first the Jew (10:5, 6), then also,

also, step by step, all the nations (24:14; 28:19; ; ). It is not surprising, therefore, that the announcement “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” found first on the lips of the Baptist, then confirmed by Jesus, is at Christ’s command repeated by the disciples (), with the intention that it shall at last reach the entire world: every nation. Then shall the end come.

step by step, all the nations (24:14; 28:19; ; ).

It is not surprising, therefore, that the announcement “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,”

found first on the lips of the Baptist,

then confirmed by Jesus,

is at Christ’s command repeated by the disciples (), with the intention that it shall at last reach the entire world: every nation. Then shall the end come.

is at Christ’s command repeated by the disciples (),

with the intention that it shall at last reach the entire world: every nation. Then shall the end come.

Then on the heels of those infamous words is our passage

being seen through the lens and understanding

that the wonderful gospel of the kingdom

was not intended only for the men and women living during the time of Christ’s earthly ministry.

It’s not at all surprising that at the very beginning of His ministry

Jesus chose men who, by means of their testimony,

would go on to perpetuate His work and proclaim His message.

Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (Vol. 9, p. 244). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

So here is a short account of the way Jesus called His first disciples.

Something that is noteworthy, is that Jesus called those He wanted. In Judaism, the disciple chose his rabbi.

Let’s walk through this text together.

"As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter), and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen.” ()

As Samuel comes to anoint David as king and the Lord has to remind Samuel to not look upon his appearance.

It says in that, “Humans do not see what the LORD sees, for humans see what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart.”

And so it is here Jesus doesn’t go to the mighty and noble in Herod’s court.

Not to Jerusalem, among the chief priests and the elders.

But to the sea of Galilee. Surely Christ sees not as man sees.

"Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, preparing their nets, and he called them.” ()

Galilee was a remote part of the nation and its inhabitants were less cultivated and refined.

These men picked up at the sea of Galilee didn’t have all the privileges and improvements of the others.

And this is where Christ went to call His apostles that were to be in the cabinet of His presidency (so to speak)

The men who were chosen by Jesus to be his immediate companions needed to be trained for apostleship.

Simon the fickle must become Peter the rock.

Something similar was true with respect to all.

When we first meet these men, and to a certain extent even much later,

they manifest lack of deep spiritual penetration (; ; , , ; ; , ; );

of fervent sympathy (14:15, 16, 23; 19:13–15);

of profound humility (18:1–4);

of the gladly forgiving spirit (18:21, 22);

of persevering prayerfulness (17:16–21); and

of unflinching courage (26:56, 69–75).

Look at their responses:"Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” () "Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” ()

"Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” ()

thereby face the opposition of many, including the religious leaders.

"Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” ()

We absolutely cannot ignore this.

“Their decision” to side with Jesus exhibits his greatness:

the impelling force of his influence over the minds and hearts of men,

so that when he calls they follow immediately.

The span of his sympathy and the magnitude of his power are also shown here.

Is it not marvelous that he was willing and able to take such common folk,

four fishermen, (and the others)., ignorant and uncultivated individuals, and,

in spite of all their prejudices and superstitions,

to transform them into instruments for the salvation of many;

to make them leaders who, by means of their testimonies, would turn the world upside down?

The four men are Peter, the abrupt and impulsive (; , ; ; ),

who becomes the leader of The Twelve, and

is mentioned first in every list of apostles (; ; ; and ).

Peter’s brother Andrew, who is always bringing people to Jesus (; , , cf. ; ).

Zebedee’s son James, the first of The Twelve to wear the martyr’s crown (, ).

His brother John, who is called “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (; ; etc.).

Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (Vol. 9, p. 247). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

To be sure, the Lord loved all “his own” very intensely (, ),

Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (Vol. 9, p. 247). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

but between Jesus and John the tie of attachment and understanding was the tenderest.

Then Jesus gives them a simple command and a promise.

"“Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.”” ()

"“Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.”” ()

“Follow me” is the call to discipleship.

It is no longer a question of taking fish from the lake,

but of drawing men up out of the abyss of sin and death,

catching them in the great net of God!

Jesus’ disciples would not only learn from him but

would bring others into living contact with God.

Jesus says in effect: ‘You have been casting your net for fish; I will empower you to catch men instead.

It’s v19 that I want us to focus upon this morning.

Let me start by saying that I take for granted this morning that we all want to be useful to the King and His kingdom right?

ORDINARY WORK

If you don’t want to be useful, I would have to question as to whether you are a believer or not.

SOMETHING FOR YOU TO DO THAT END

But if you want to be useful, here is SOMETHING FOR YOU TO DO THAT END, “Follow me” Jesus says, “and I will make you fish for people.”

“Follow Me”. It is our ORDINARY WORK.

What is the best way to become an efficient preacher? Someone says, “Go to college!” Christ says, “Follow Me and I will make you fish for people.”

How is a person going to become useful in serving in the church? “Take a training class!” someone says.

Christ says, “Follow Me!”

The word from Christ in v19 is very distinct and plain and it’s exclusive.

You don’t get to fish for people apart from following Him.

There’s no other process to becoming a fisher of men than following Jesus!

Jesus knows all about fishing for the souls of men.

And if we are to be useful as fishermen, we will have to walk in His tracks.

Part of this ORDINARY WORK is being set apart to Christ.

These men left their pursuits behind. So that their one line of work would be, in their Master’s name, to fish for people.

Not leave your job or your family.

Discipleship begins in your family and you stay and shine bright for Christ out in the world on the job.

We are called out of those old worldly pursuits among the ungodly, and to separate ourselves unto Christ.

Fish will not be fishers.

The sinner will not convert the sinner.

The ungodly man will not convert the ungodly man; and, what is more to the point, the worldly Christian will not convert the world.

If you are of the world, no doubt the world will love its own.

If you are dark, and belong to the kingdom of darkness, you cannot remove the darkness.

If you march with the armies of the wicked one, you cannot defeat them.

I believe that one reason why the church of Jesus Christ in American has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the church.

Come on you children of the Lord, you must stand out with Him, outside the camp.

Jesus calls you today and says, “Follow Me!”

Jesus was found in the world like a physician, He goes among the people, healing his patients.

In some sense, unless you take up your cross and protest against an ungodly world,

you cannot hope that the holy Jesus will make you fishers of men.

Not only set apart unto Christ but also in the ordinary work of “following” Christ is to remain with Christ.

This is how to be a fisher of men.

These disciples where to live with Christ.

Everyday, they would associate with Him.

They would hear Him regularly teach the everlasting gospel publically.

In addition, they would receive His private teachings of the public things He spoke of.

They would observe His works and hear His prayers and join in, come into union with His holy labor.

They would eat with Him, even have their feet washed by Him.

They would watch and experience many afflictions and struggles and persecutions.

They would see His secret agonies, see His many tears,

they’d see His compassion and passion of His soul.

This they would do. This is Christ’s school.

Though we don’t have His bodily presence with us, we have His indwelling Spirit.

See how Jesus talks and ministers, there isn’t any other real way of learning.

Remain in fellowship with Christ and there shall be a Christ-like aroma around you,

as of one who has been made in heart and mind able to teach and wisdom to lead others to salvation.

Be separated unto Christ, remain with Christ and then in the ordinary work of “Following” Christ is obedience.

Obey Christ, then you’ll know how to fish.

A believer, that desires to be useful to Christ, ought to be very particular as to being obedient to his Master.

Jesus was obedient to His Father’s will and therefore in our following Jesus we learn too obedience.

The Lord is very gracious and pitiful; but yet he is a jealous God.

He is sometimes sternly jealous towards his people who are living in neglect of what they know to be doing.

He will wither our work, weaken our strength, and humble us until at last we say,

“My Lord, we will take Your way after all. We will do what You’ve told us to do.”

The Lord said to his disciples, “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature:...”

Oh brothers and sisters, we must get back to apostolic practice and to apostolic teaching:

we must lay aside the commandments of men and the whimseys of our own brains,

and we must do

what Christ tells us,

as Christ tells us, and

because Christ tells us.

Definitely and distinctly, we must take the place of servants; and if we will not do that,

we cannot expect our Lord to work with us and by us.

Remember, they cast their nets all night long and caught nothing.

Christ says, “If you go beyond Me or fall back behind Me, you may cast the net, but you’ll catch nothing.

When you do as I tell you to do, you shall cast your net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find.”

So following Christ leads to the ordinary work of being separated unto Christ, remaining with Christ and then in the ordinary work of “Following” Christ is obedience.

Lastly, as part of my discipleship to Christ, that is, my following of Christ, is to imitate His holiness.

We may preach orthodoxy, but we must also live orthodoxy.

God forbid that we should preach anything else;

but it will be all in vain, unless there is a life at the back of the testimony.

An unholy preacher will render truth contemptible.

This is the ORDINARY WORK of the Follower of Jesus.

They are separated,

they remain with Christ,

they’re obedient to Christ and

they imitate His holiness.

Then we have the EXTRA ORDINARY WORK of God. When we, His dear servants follow Him, He says, “I will make you fish for people.” ()

Spurgeon, C. H. (1886). How to Become Fishers of Men. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 32, p. 343). London: Passmore & Alabaster.

EXTRA ORDINARY WORK

His EXTRA-ORDINARY work entails allowing His people to pass through the fiery trials.

Doesn’t the scripture teach that God “works out everything in agreement with the purpose of His will”? ().

“everything” includes

This “all things” includes the fall of sparrows (), the rolling of dice (), the slaughter of His people (), the decisions of kings (), the failing of sight (), the sickness of children (), the loss and gain of money(), the suffering of saints (), the completion of travel plans (), the persecution of Christians (), the repentance of souls (), the gift of faith (), the pursuit of holiness (), the growth of believers (), the giving and taking of life (), and the crucifixion of His Son ().

the fall of sparrows (),

the rolling of dice (),

the slaughter of His people (),

the decisions of kings (),

the failing of sight (),

the sickness of children (),

the loss and gain of money(),

the suffering of saints (),

the completion of travel plans (),

the persecution of Christians (),

the repentance of souls (),

the gift of faith (),

the pursuit of holiness (),

the growth of believers (),

the giving and taking of life (), and

the crucifixion of His Son ().

From the smallest thing to the greatest thing, good and evil, happy and sad, pagan and Christian, pain and pleasure—

God governs them all for His wise and just and good purpose.

"I declare the end from the beginning, and from long ago what is not yet done, saying: my plan will take place, and I will do all my will.” ()

So the total sovereign God causes even the trials in our lives to help us in the efforts in fishing for men.

This is how He makes us fishers of people.

He also gives us His Holy Spirit.

They were to follow Him and then after He rose from the dead and ascended into glory,

into the holy place of the Most High,

they were to wait at Jerusalem for a time and that the Spirit would come upon them

and cloth them with a power from on high.

We know how this was fulfilled in Peter.

What a host of fish he brought to land the first time he cast the gospel net in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Follow Me and I will make you fish for people.

Brothers and sisters, sitting before me this morning. You are by the shore of a great sea of human life swarming with the souls of men.

When Christ makes us fishers of people, we no longer ask who can save these wicked towns?

When Christ does the making, even the weakest among us is able to fish men out of destruction.

When God’s in it, smashed lamps and blowing trumpets bring down walls of Jericho!

When God’s in it, a donkey’s jawbone can smite the Philistines.

Fish for people! We are not fit for this but He will make us fit.

You cannot do it of yourself but he will make you to do it.

I wish that I could somehow say this with a voice of thunder, so that the whole church might hear it.

I wish that I would write it in the stars across the sky.

Jesus said, “Follow Me and I will make you fish for people.”

If you don’t do the command “Follow Me”, then the promise will never be yours either.

You’ll never be a fisher of people.

If you follow some other track you will fish in vain.

God grants to us to believe fully that Jesus can do great things in us,

and then do great things by and through us for the good of Roselawn.

We are to do the ORDINARY life in Christ.

God does the EXTRA-ORDINARY in our life in Christ.

Then we see the EXPRESSIONS OF EXTRA-ORDINARY life in Christ.

So what are the expressions of Christ’s fishermen like? What are we like?

A fisherman is someone who’s very dependent.

He cannot see the fish. One who fishes in the sea must go and cast in the net and he throws the net in, and is fishing as an act of faith.

It’s such a blessing to be weak if Christ becomes our strength!

Our Master’s strength will be seen when your own has all gone!

As dependent fisherman we must look up for success every time we put the nets down! Throw the gospel net with joy!

A fisherman is diligent and persevering man.

Fishermen rise at dawn.

They begin early and continue to fish till late in the afternoon.

As long as their hands will work, men will fish!

May Jesus make us hard-working fishermen!

A fisherman is wise and watchful.

Real fishing isn’t child’s play. Right on down from the mending of the net to the pulling your catch up.

I watched how people who still fish with nets go about their trade.

There are certain noises used by fishermen to drive the fish into the nets and then there’s other noises used to stun the fish to keep them from falling out.

I wonder if you see yourself as a fisherman? As you look around you this morning, are there any fish that you’ve brought in here?

Are you doing the work of a fisherman to keep the fish in the net through mutual love and care for the body of Christ?

A fisherman is a laboring man.

It’s not an easy calling! These guys didn’t sit in armchairs and fish!

Fishermen sometimes travel rough waters! If we never do any work for Christ, except when we feel up for it, be assured you won’t do much!

If you feel that you will never pray because you cannot pray, then you will never pray.

If I were to say, “I will not preach today because I don’t feel up to preaching!”

Then there’ll be nothing preached that’s worth preaching!

We must be always at it, until we wear ourselves out, throwing our whole soul into the work in all weathers, for Christ’s sake.

A fisherman is a daring man.

A fisherman is a daring man.

He’s had his clothes soaked through a thousand times through, brine on his face, floating through the rough seas.

SO the minister of Christ that is true doesn’t mind risk!

He’s bound to say many things that are not popular and some will say that he’s too severe!

But he must do and say that which is eternally good for souls.

From the beginning of Christianity, the natural overflow of being a disciple of Jesus

has always been to make disciples of Jesus. “Follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men” ().

This was a promise: Jesus would take His disciples and turn them into disciple makers.

And this was a command: He called each of His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them and teaching them to obey Him ().

From the start, God’s design has been for every single disciple of Jesus

to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples until the gospel spreads to all peoples.

Platt, D. (2012). Foreword. In Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples (First Edition, p. 7). Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook.

Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 85). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.

"Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” ()