#33 Four Fishermen follow Jesus

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Intro:

In event 32 we saw that Jesus was rejected in Nazareth His hometown (). it was Jesus’s practice to go to synagogue. This was not required in the Jewish law but it was the practice of Joseph and Mary and Jesus in His adult life.

If Jesus thought it was important to go to church then maybe we should think it is important as well.

Jesus quoted from . He explained that He was the fulfillment of that prophecy. The folks in Nazareth did not like that then Jesus explained that God sent Elijah to a gentile widow and during Elisha’s time, the only leper healed was Naaman the Syrian. Implying that the gospel would go out to the Gentiles.

They tried to kill Jesus but Jesus escaped.

Now Jesus heads to Capernaum which would become His base of operations in Galilee.

Some also group this event with , #37, Jesus provides a Miraculous catch of fish, but the Harmony of the Gospels that we are following has them separate.

Mark 1:14 AV

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

Mark 1:14 AV

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

Mark 1:15 AV

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

The account of the calling of these first disciples clarifies that repenting and believing the gospel (v. 15) should result in abandoning one's former life to follow Jesus from then on. This is the appropriate response that Mark commended to his readers with these disciples' example.

Sermon

Mark 1:16 AV

Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Holman New Testament Commentary: Mark F. The Calling of the Servant’s First Disciples (1:16–20)

The Sea of Galilee is a beautiful fresh-water lake. Fed by the waters of the upper Jordan River, it is seven hundred feet below sea level, fourteen miles long, and six miles wide. It was also called the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1) and the Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1; 21:1). In Old Testament times, this lake was known as the Sea of Kinnereth (Num. 34:11). Most of Jesus’ teaching and miracles were performed in this area.

While it is called a Sea it is actually a lake.

We are familiar with Simon (Peter) but do not recognize that Andrew was the one that Introduced Peter to Jesus (). What a difference it made for Andrew to tell one person about Jesus.

Remember that it was Barnabas that introduced the Apostle Paul to the Apostles. They were afraid of him and would not have anything to do with him.

Introducing one person to Jesus can impact the rest of history and if you don’t believe that, then you do not believe the Bible.

Somebody invited Billy graham to a tent meeting in Charlotte.

They were casting a net. Those that can read Greek explain that this was a small circular cast net.

Mark 1:17 AV

And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 1:17–18

The words Come, follow Me are literally, “Come after Me,” a technical expression that meant “Go behind Me as a disciple.” Unlike a Rabbi whose pupils sought Him out, Jesus took the initiative and called His followers.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 1:17–18

The call included Jesus’ promise: and I will make you to become (genesthai) fishers of men. He had “caught” them for His kingdom; now He would equip them to share His task, to become (genesthai implies preparation) fishers who catch “men” (generic for “people”; cf. 8:27).

When God calls us to serve Him, He will equip us to do the assignment. Saying you can’t do something is humble but it is denying the power of God to use ordinary vessels to accomplish His will. In essence when you are saying you can’t do something you are actually saying that I won’t do what God is asking.

look what Andrew and Simon done.

Mark 1:18 AV

And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

They did not give excuses, they did not say they would pray about (a christian delay tactic) talk with their families, go ask the preacher or even think about it, they followed Jesus.

I think Jesus’s words were actually a command and not a suggestion. They were obedient. That is all that God is asking of us to be obedient. If you believe God then do what he says. Don’t complain about it do it. And do it with everything you have in you and let God worry bout the details.

Mark 1:19 AV

And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

Now Jesus picks up a couple more Disciples, this not the call to Apostleship that comes later. Most of the time call in the Bible has to do with vocation not salvation.

James is really Jacob. Nobody really knows why the change happened. But James in the New Testament is really always Jacob.

instead of casting a net like Andrew and Simon, these guys are preparing their nets to get ready to go out next time. Plus, these are a different kind of net. It is a different Greek word used here. These nets are what were dragged behind the boat to catch fish.

William Barclay pointed out that Andrew and Peter were kind of a picture of evangelist sharing the Gospel. But James and John were more like preachers and teachers that train up the new converts and turn them in to Disciples. Both are very important.

Mark 1:20 AV

And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

Reading Mark: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Second Gospel Calling of the First Disciples (1:16–20)

The pattern of a summons to leave one’s work and family to accompany and become the successor to a man of God is found in the call of Elisha, 1 Kgs 19:19–21. Elisha responds by following Elijah (v. 21). So when the author of Mark portrays Jesus’ calling of fishermen (1:16–20), a tax collector (2:14), sinners (2:17), a rich man (10:21), and a blind beggar (10:46–52) who respond either by following or by turning away, he skillfully combines a call story pattern from Hellenistic culture with the basic biblical notion of God’s sovereign call of the least likely into covenant relationship.

Notice that they left their Father and the family business. they were probably pretty well off since they had servants.

It is also noted that the mother of James and John was Siloam and that she was a relative of Mary. It is possible that James and John were cousins of Jesus.

They left everything to follow Jesus. We only want to serve God when it is convenient to us. We may say well I will serve God when I retire or when I have a little more time. We want God to put us first when we pray but we put Him way down the list of priorities in our lives. Sometimes even behind fishing and golfing or even mowing the grass. Is your child's school sports more important than serving God. God has to come first, your family, your time, your money, talents, skills, health all come from God. They can be idols that you worship and God can remove those idols from your life if you are not careful. All of those things are important but God has to come first.

Matthew 4:18 AV

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

The Holy Bible: King James Version Chapter 4

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

My question to you is what are you going to do with Jesus’s call?

Matthew 4:19 AV

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

#34 Jesus teaches with great authority ,

Matthew 4:20 AV

And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

Mark 1:21 AV

And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

Matthew 4:21 AV

And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

Mark 1:22 AV

And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

Matthew 4:22 AV

And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Mark 1:23 AV

And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

Mark 1:24 AV

Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

Mark 1:25 AV

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

Mark 1:26 AV

And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

Mark 1:27 AV

And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

Mark 1:28 AV

And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

#35 Jesus heals Peter’s Mother in law and many others. , Mathew 8:14-17, .

#36 Jesus Preaches throughout Galilee , Mathew 4:23-25,