Fishing for . . .

As a child, my dad took me fishing once. We were on the Bow River in a boat, just the two of us. I caught a fish, but my two brothers, who were envious that I got to go and they didn’t, never believed me. I never went fishing again, at least until I was much older.

We were living in Alaska, where everyone must go fishing. My husband took my dad out for halibut. They forgot how many they caught and I couldn’t imagine that being possible. So my hubby took me the next time. I listened carefully to the captain’s instructions and did exactly what I was told. After a time, my hubby asked how many halibut I’d pulled in and put in the holding tank. I sheepishly admitted that I forgot.

If I could pick which experience describes my efforts as a Christian to be a fisherman, I’d like that AK trip off the coast of Homer to describe my success, but it doesn’t. :-(

And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17)

There are two parts to this: the invitation and the promise. To become a fisher of men, one must first follow Jesus. Chambers says people seldom just follow Him. Instead, we make excuses, offer our talents as if He needs them, or hum and haw with other reasons. We realize God asks for our right to ourselves.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Chambers says that if I give God my right to myself, He will make a holy experiment or a new person out of me, one that is original and also successful. He will become in me a wellspring of original life all the time as He engineers circumstances and makes life an adventure.

When I live in reckless abandon as His follower, there is no crawling off the altar, no pity parties or complaints, no self-seeking. Not only that, He will help me see Him being as original with others as He is with me, so none of this ‘every Christian has to be like me’ stuff either.

Chambers points out that when I am abandoned to Jesus, coming when He says ‘Come,’ He continues to say ‘Come’ through me. That is, my life will be an echo of His invitation — I will be telling others to come to Jesus and He will take them fishing too.

There are consequences for these fishing trips. Sometimes the fish run and hide. Sometimes other fishermen don’t believe that I am capable of catching anything. Sometimes the fishing expedition is a success, but the work of it leaves me totally exhausted (my arms ached for two weeks after pulling in more halibut than I can remember).

Another consequence is that the enemy doesn’t want God’s people to invite others to Jesus. Satan is might be subtle with his efforts, like keeping me busy with other and less important occupations. However, he more often openly attacks with an obvious onslaught to push me off a cliff so that I will stop urging others toward Jesus.

For the fishing part, I trust the Lord and do my best to obey. For the onslaught part, trusting the Lord AND obeying Him is the prerequisite to resisting and overcoming the one who tries to stop me . . .  

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

It also helps to talk and share with other fishermen. We might embellish our fish stories, but the sharing of our common experience of difficulties in the task helps us to stay firm in faith . . .

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:8–10)

It helps me to know that others struggle, yet God’s promise is also vital. It helps me stay at the task and endure the enemy’s efforts to stop me. I know that ‘this too shall pass’ because Jesus is in charge of my life and will use all of the enemy’s strategies for my good. It is for these reasons that I can say “Come, follow Jesus” to others.

Come and See

My daughter asked about a birthday gift and I told her about a brand of lotions that I buy in the grocery store. She was skeptical. She had never heard of that brand and normally shops for such things in places like Holt Renfrew. But she took a friend and they went to the store to sample the merchandise. Both of them were amazed. They purchased a basketful for me and decided they would start buying the same product.
 

Come and see. Sometimes the best way to prove the value of something is not through a sales pitch but a demo. Car dealers know that. So do people who sell other things, from sewing machines to new food products. Christians ought to know it too.

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (John 1:45–46)

In the early days of Christ’s ministry on earth, there were no billboards, ad campaigns, facebook or twitter. The only way anything could go viral was by word of mouth. And it did. News of Messiah’s arrival travelled fast. By the time Jesus had “gone public” His fame had spread to the point that the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” (John 12:19) 

What about today? Is Jesus well known? In one way, His name is known; it is a common swear word. Millions on this planet, including children and those in almost all countries, use Jesus Christ as blaspheme without even knowing whose name it is. 

Not only that, few understand the power of Jesus’ name. if they did, would they then say it with awe and prayerfully? Perhaps if they would “come and see” they would understand the amazing grace of God that can be theirs through believing in His name.

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)

Taking a good look at Jesus reveals so much about His power and the worth of His name.

While you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus. (Acts 4:30)

Men have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 15:26) just as Paul said, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 21:13) 

His name also changes lives. After a list of what sinners do, the Bible says, "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11).

God gives the invitation to come and see, to experience Jesus, but more than that, to believe in Him. By believing, we receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life. We also enter into a new life and become part of His family, a family bound together by faith in the name of Christ and by a love that only He can produce in us.

And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. (1 John 3:23)

At times I weep because some blaspheme His name, or ignore it, or are not interested, or are not willing to “come and see” for themselves. Even though I’d rather they change and learn of Him, it is some comfort to know that eventually Jesus Christ will be honored because everyone will bow when they hear His name.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9–11)

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Jesus, Your name is beautiful as well as powerful. By faith in You, I have assurance of eternal life. My sins are forgiven and You are giving me power to overcome them. One day, I will enter eternity where Your name will be above all names, no longer abused or ignored but exalted to the glory of God. Help me today to honor You in whatever way I can, and to invite others to come and see.