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Matthew 4:18-20

18          Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

19          He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”

20          They left immediately left their nets and followed him.

A Quick Preview

The last three parts of this series will have us be curious about the question: “What does it mean to follow Jesus?” Part 12 will talk about how to be fishers of men. Part 13 will talk about carrying the light of life inside of us. Part 14, the finale, will talk about what it means to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  These three answers are core facets of what it means to be a follower of Christ.

Being Fishers of Men

In the cultural context of fist-century Judaism, rabbi often had disciples that followed them to learn their wisdom and ways of life. Jesus changes the game on this by calling His disciples with authority. The call to come and follow means that they would leave behind their previous priorities and responsibilities and embrace this new calling of life. It’s the beginning of one’s relationship with Jesus and commitment to learn His ways and follow His commands.

This call was to make Simon and Andrew fishers of men. Jesus wanted to use their familiar context to show what their new mission would be. The concept of “fishers of men” suggests that they would gather people into the Kingdom of God. In the Old Testament, fishing sometimes referred to moments of judgment (Jeremiah 16:16). Here, Jesus transformed it into a mission of salvation. Jesus was taking what was ordinary and making it extraordinary for His purposes. The ability to make this happen comes from Jesus’ power, not through our own skills or effort.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Think about your career or job currently. As Jesus used their job for His divine mission, how can Jesus use your job for His divine mission?

Reel People In With Your Testimony

Being “fishers of men” is not just an activity, but it’s a lifestyle. It involves living in a way that draws others to Christ through our words and actions. This reminds me of something that Peter said about our testimony: “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) Our testimony doesn’t have to be scripted, rehearsed, or well-thought out. It just needs to be accessible enough to share with those that ask. The important part lies in how you “give an answer.” The Greek word for this is apologia, which describes a reasoned defense. Remember that your testimony is not an argument defending what you believe. It’s a clear expectation of why you believe what you believe. Sometimes this feels very hand-in-hand, meaning you explain why you believe what you believe means you have to defend it. If they have questions about why you believe, then it’s okay to answer it from an inquisitive tone, but not from have a defensive tone. I harp on this, because I struggled with this a lot growing up – and even today. When people question why I say something or why I believe something, my brain immediately goes to question myself, asking: “Is what I believe wrong?” Now there’s a lot of therapy that needs to unpack that, however – just because others may question my own beliefs or argues against them, doesn’t mean that they are wrong inherently. It means that we can reflect on that they said and ask God, “Is it true?” If it is, then we have to walk the hard path to unlearn our old beliefs and relearn the more God-centered beliefs. If it is not, then we can affirm our beliefs and strengthen those what your beliefs are. All in all, we need to make should that our testimony is confident and inviting. We can reel people in this Christmas season by sharing the Gospel with love, confidence, and compassion.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Think of 3 ways you can share your testimony in a place of love, compassion, and light with all people.

Next slide: Walking in Christ’s Light || Curious About Christmas || Part 13