Jesus Promise to Followers

Evangelism  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Jesus promises that he will make his followers "Fishers of Men" This message explores that promise and its implications upon us.

Notes
Transcript
Matthew 4:18–22 KJV 1900
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. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 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. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Pre-Sermon Ice Breaker

Ken Harrison in the “Christians who enjoy good clean jokes” Facebook page writes:
One year I bought my mother-in-law a cemetery plot for her birthday. The next year, I got her nothing. When she asked why she got no present, I replied, “Well, you haven’t used what I got you last year.” We’re still not speaking...

Introduction

Most of you know that I am a Bible Marker. At the front of my current Bible I have included a Color coding guide to remind me about some things that I mark by the color I use to mark them:
Black = General Observations
Brown - Technical notes
Dark Blue - Commands to Obey
Red - sins to Avoid
Dark Green - Salvation
Orange - Questions
Dark Pink - God’s Love
Light Green - Eternal Security
Light Blue - Promises to Claim
We sing “Standing on the Promises” Peter tells us that God has made us “Great and Precious Promises.” But what is a promise”
Dictionary. com defines a promise as - “A declaration that something will or will not be done, given, etc. by one.
2 Corinthians 1:20 KJV 1900
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
In our text this morning we find a promise from Jesus.
If you will embrace this promise I believe it will change your entire understanding of Evangelism.
Matthew’s gospel bridges the Old Testament and the New Testament, linking the prophecies of the coming Messiah and their fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 4:18-22 we see Jesus calling the disciples. Within this call we can see our own calling from Jesus and the implications it has on our life and the practice of our faith.
Often we think of Evangelism as a burden, a task to be accomplished, a job we have to do. In these verses we will see Evangelism differently as we observe the characteristics of Jesus promise to followers.

I. The Prerequisite of Promise

Matthew 4:19 KJV 1900
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Follow me.
39 Passages in the New Testament refer to the idea of Following Jesus.
Greek for Follow is actually 2 words
Deute - Come , Opiso - After, back
(Call up someone to demonstrate)
John 10:27 KJV 1900
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 12:26 KJV 1900
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

II. The Principle of Promise

Matthew 4:19 KJV 1900
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Charles Spurgeon - “When Christ called us by his grace we ought not only to remember what we are, but we ought also to think of what he can make us.”
I am sure as a Christian you have heard preachers chastise you for not being a soul-winner or evangelist. Many have tried to identify the reason that people don’t witness more.
They hunt for reason:
People are afraid...
People don’t know how...
People don’t know the Word...
Philippians 2:13 KJV 1900
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
John 15:5 KJV 1900
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:16 KJV 1900
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

III. The Product of Promise

Matthew 4:19 KJV 1900
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
John 1:43–46 KJV 1900
The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Proverbs 11:30 KJV 1900
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that winneth souls is wise.
Daniel 12:3 KJV 1900
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Conclusion

Dictionary. com defines a promise as - “A declaration that something will or will not be done, given, etc. by one.
Matthew 4:19 KJV 1900
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
How will you respond to the promise of Jesus.
Matthew 4:20 KJV 1900
And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
Matthew 4:22 KJV 1900
And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
First are you saved, the first step in following is knowing.
ABC’s of salvation.
Next comes following in obedience
Are you following Him?
Maybe today you need to come, knell at the altar and say Jesus help me to follow you so that I may be a soul-winner like you.
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