Transitions: Vocational Call and Work

The Call

Matthew 4:19 ESV

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

The place: Sea of Galilee

Time: morning

V. 18 - Jesus saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew… who were fishermen

Situation: The fishermen toiled all night and caught nothing

come hither

Come, come here

implies movement

In the sense of becoming a full-time disciple

Whom did Jesus talk to?

Peter and Andrew who experienced job failure

Fisherman - one whose occupation is to catch fish

seasonal work in Galilee

nightly vocation

not a good social status

Why Jesus called fishermen?

The Pulpit Commentary: St. Matthew (Vol. I) Chapter 4

Follow me; come ye after me (Revised Version); δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου. There is no thought of continuous following from place to place (ἀκολουθεῖν), but of immediate detachment from the present sphere of their interest and of attachment to Jesus as their leader.

The Pulpit Commentary: St. Matthew (Vol. I) Chapter 4

Follow me; come ye after me (Revised Version); δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου. There is no thought of continuous following from place to place (ἀκολουθεῖν), but of immediate detachment from the present sphere of their interest and of attachment to Jesus as their leader.

Jesus chose unlearned fishermen because they had not been schooled in the traditions and erroneous customs of their time.

White, E. G. (1898). The Desire of Ages (Vol. 3, p. 250). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

The Pulpit Commentary: St. Matthew (Vol. I) Chapter 4

Follow me; come ye after me (Revised Version); δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου. There is no thought of continuous following from place to place (ἀκολουθεῖν), but of immediate detachment from the present sphere of their interest and of attachment to Jesus as their leader.

Desire of Ages Chapter 25—The Call by the Sea

Continual devotion establishes so close a relation between Jesus and His disciple that the Christian becomes like Him in mind and character.

Unpolluted mindset

Open mind

“They were men of native ability, and they were humble and teachable,—men whom He could educate for His work. “

White, E. G. (1898). The Desire of Ages (Vol. 3, p. 250). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

Follow Me

come

come ye after Me

come here

also means...

1: come after

to engage in as a calling or way of life: pursue

to walk or proceed along 〈follow a path〉

to be or act in accordance with

to accept as authority: obey

4 a: to pursue in an effort to overtake

to seek to attain 〈follow knowledge〉

to come into existence or take place as a result or consequence of the call

6 a: to come or take place after in time, sequence, or order

b: to cause to be followed 〈followed dinner with a liqueur〉

to copy after : imitate

to watch steadily 〈followed the flight of the ball〉

b: to keep the mind on 〈follow a speech〉

c: to attend closely to: keep abreast of 〈followed his career with interest〉

d: to understand the sense or logic of (as a line of thought) verb intransitive

Merriam-Webster, I. (2003). Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. (Eleventh ed.). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc.

implies a movement of the one called from where you are to the caller’s location

Follow me; come ye after me (Revised Version); δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου. There is no thought of continuous following from place to place (ἀκολουθεῖν), but of immediate detachment from the present sphere of their interest and of attachment to Jesus as their leader.

Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Pulpit Commentary on St. Matthew (Vol. 1, p. 109). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

and

implies something more

consequential

promises potential progress

potential upgrade

transitional

I will make you fishers of men

I will make you

Gk — “to cause a state to be--’to cause to be, to make to be, to result in, to bring in’”

This is God’s action as Creator -

He is causative - He is the cause —> effect

when God calls He qualifies

prior training is unnecessary

applying Omni Transit bus driving

when He calls, He enables

when He calls, He empowers

fishers of men

simile

“laying more stress on the change in their character necessary for success in this new kind of fishing.”

Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Pulpit Commentary on St. Matthew (Vol. 1, p. 109). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

Transitions: trans (across) —> transit (movement)

change of vocation

vocation both as a calling and a career

from fishermen to fishers of men

from a mechanical job to a relational work

from dealing with fishes to dealing with men

from dealing with objects to dealing with people

REMEMBER <— Sermon

The church don’t need members but disciples

The Great Commission

- “Go therefore and

make disciples”

= fishers of men

HOW?

Desire of Ages Chapter 25—The Call by the Sea

Continual devotion establishes so close a relation between Jesus and His disciple that the Christian becomes like Him in mind and character.

Desire of Ages Chapter 25—The Call by the Sea

In the common walks of life there is many a man patiently treading the round of daily toil, unconscious that he possesses powers which, if called into action, would raise him to an equality with the world’s most honored men.

Applicable among us here

What we need?

“The touch of a skillful hand is needed to arouse those dormant faculties.

White, E. G. (1898). The Desire of Ages (Vol. 3, p. 250). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

They had become like Him in mind and character, and men took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.”

Desire of Ages Chapter 25—The Call by the Sea

He who longs to be of service to Christ is so quickened by the life-giving power of the Sun of Righteousness that he is enabled to bear much fruit to the glory of God.

It is not the highest work of education to communicate knowledge merely, but to impart that vitalizing energy which is received through the contact of mind with mind, and soul with soul.

The Immediate Response

Matthew 4:20 ESV

Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Above all his companions, John the beloved disciple yielded himself to the power of that wondrous life.

He says, “The life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.” “Of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.”

? They are the disciples, I am not

“In the apostles of our Lord there was nothing to bring glory to themselves.

It was evident that the success of their labors was due only to God.”

White, E. G. (1898). The Desire of Ages (Vol. 3, p. 250). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

Examples of Those Who Transitioned

Peter

John

Moses

Paul

You