WEBVTT 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:12.800 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:28.559 Welcome you this morning and ask that you would take your Bibles as we look at God's Word together from Matthew chapter 4. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:34.079 We have been out of God's Word in the book of Matthew for about a month now, looking at other texts. 00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:35.679 I'd like to return to that. 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:43.439 And I know some of you may have come this morning expecting to hear a Mother's Day sermon, and that is not what you are going to get. 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:56.479 That is not specifically about mothers, because it's my conviction that even though we should celebrate mothers and we should honor them, we gather together to worship Christ the Lord. 00:00:56.560 --> 00:00:59.439 And so it's best if we gather together to see Jesus. 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:04.640 And then you scatter to honor your moms, as is proper. 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:10.719 So let's see Jesus together for a few moments this morning from Matthew chapter 4. 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:20.400 I'd like to begin reading in Matthew chapter 4, verse 18, and we'll continue through chapter 5, verse 2. 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:26.159 If you have a Bible, you can follow along in that text or take a pew Bible and do that as well. 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:28.959 Matthew chapter 4, beginning in verse 18. 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:41.920 It says, While walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers, Simon, who's called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:47.599 And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:50.799 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 00:01:51.120 --> 00:02:01.680 And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:06.079 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:15.599 And Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:28.400 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:35.199 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decopolis, from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:39.039 And seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain. 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:45.919 And when he sat down, his disciples came to him, and he opened his mouth and taught them. 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:46.879 Amen. 00:02:48.000 --> 00:03:02.319 Well, as we've looked at in past weeks, the first several chapters of the book of Matthew describe to us Jesus as the one who fulfills all of the promises God gave throughout the Old Testament. 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:04.479 He is the promised one. 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:10.800 He's the promised Messiah, the Son of God, and the Son of God is the promised King of God's people. 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:17.360 That's why we see the end of chapter 4, verse 17, the message of Jesus. 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:20.719 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:24.560 The kingdom of heaven is at hand because the king is present. 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:29.840 And the proper response to be ready for the kingdom is to repent. 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:34.479 Yet this king is not like other kings. 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:40.719 This is the shepherd king who has compassion on people. 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:45.759 And those are the two key themes that we're going to be seeing in this passage. 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:50.479 That is, Jesus is the king who calls his own people. 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:59.280 But he's also the king who is compassionate to people who need to experience that compassion. 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:04.159 Now, this account takes place about three years before the book of Acts. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:16.160 And you might remember that in the book of Acts, the apostles turned the world upside down with their preaching of Jesus crucified, buried, and risen again. 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:39.199 If one were to look at the four fishermen at the Sea of Galilee on this particular day when Jesus was walking by, and ask them if they were able to grab the attention of people and preach a coherent, convicting sermon, the answer would probably be, yeah, not so much. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:41.519 Not really. 00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:44.240 They were fishermen. 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:46.800 They were fishermen. 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:52.319 On a daily basis, they handled wet, slimy, and smelly fish. 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:58.079 And they mended wet, smelly nets so that people could eat. 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:00.639 Now their profession was honorable. 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:02.160 It was a great profession. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:10.959 Estimates are that there were some 240 boats fishing commercially on the Sea of Galilee during this time. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:14.639 So it was a proper professional profession. 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:24.399 But surely these aren't the kind of people the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords would draft into his service as his ambassadors, are they? 00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:30.160 We must be careful when answering that question. 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:37.600 If we're too slow to answer, we may begin to doubt the work of God. 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:44.720 But if we are too quick to answer, we may neglect that it means that God can call me. 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:49.360 Wherever and whoever I am. 00:05:50.560 --> 00:05:57.040 God did draft these fishermen into his service, and he can and may do the same with you. 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:06.240 But this passage is not so much about these four fishermen who would become disciples and apostles and evangelists. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:09.519 It's about the king who calls them to follow him. 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:15.600 We know that because throughout these verses, the action is consistently centered on Jesus. 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:16.959 Look at verse 18. 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:18.879 He saw two brothers. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:22.480 Verse 19, he said to them, follow me. 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:26.480 Verse 21, he saw two other brothers, and he called them. 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:28.160 Verse 23, he went. 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:30.160 It's all about Jesus. 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:41.439 He's the one who called fishermen, working men, businessmen, normal men, fallen men to follow him. 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:47.040 This is about the work of the king calling people to follow him. 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:55.600 Now we need to know that this is not the first time that Jesus has encountered these men. 00:06:56.160 --> 00:06:58.240 It's not even the first time they've met. 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:07.040 We know from the Gospel of John in John chapter 1 that Andrew and John were disciples of John the Baptist. 00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:16.319 And one day John the Baptist pointed Jesus out to them and said, There goes the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:21.920 From that point on, John and Andrew followed Jesus. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:28.000 Shortly after that, Andrew brought his brother Peter to Jesus, and it's likely that John brought James. 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:35.279 And at that time, their following Jesus was primarily in faith, in trust of who he is. 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:42.480 They were in need of a Savior king, and John the Baptist identified Jesus for them. 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:46.160 So they followed him in belief of who he was. 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:53.600 In fact, when Andrew brought Peter, his brother, to Jesus, he told Peter, hey, we have found the Messiah. 00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:57.519 So they came in belief of who he was. 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:19.199 And the picture presented to us is one in which these men, after their belief in Jesus as the Messiah, continued to believe, while occasionally following him step by step in his ministry while still continuing their occupation of fishing. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:27.839 But here in Matthew chapter 4, the four men are called to be Jesus' steady companions. 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:35.440 You might say they're called to be apprentices, to be in training to become fishers of men. 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:46.320 It's a call to a more significant role of discipleship: to leave everything behind, saying goodbye to their occupations, to be devoted to the ministry of the king. 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:48.799 And that's instructive for us. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:54.799 Discipleship is equivalent to trusting in Christ for salvation. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:58.080 That's what the end of Matthew tells us in Matthew 28, 19. 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:00.960 As you're going into all the world, make disciples. 00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:07.120 The book of Acts tells us that the word disciple is synonymous with Christian. 00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:10.399 A Christian is a disciple, and a disciple is a Christian. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:21.360 But not all disciples are at the same place or stage, if we can use that term, in their following of Jesus. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:27.519 Every Christian is a disciple. 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:32.399 And every Christian should be a disciple. 00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:39.919 See, following Jesus after believing in him is implied in the word disciple. 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:47.759 Every Christian is in the process of discipleship. 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:54.960 You, if you are a believer in Christ, are in the process of discipleship. 00:09:55.279 --> 00:09:59.200 We never reach the pinnacle of discipleship. 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:04.799 We never get to the place of perfect learning, perfect understanding, perfect following. 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:07.120 And so we're always pursuing Jesus. 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:12.960 We're always seeking to know more, to learn more, to know Him more, to love Him more. 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:19.759 But we're all at various places on that line, aren't we? 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:23.919 We're at different locations and our growth. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:32.639 But every Christian must always be prepared for the master to call them into a greater commitment to Him. 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:38.559 These men leave their boats to follow Jesus because of who he is. 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:43.519 Jesus has an immense influence over their hearts and minds. 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:47.919 So that when he calls, they follow. 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:53.279 Does Jesus have that kind of influence over you? 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:59.279 That when he speaks, you obey. 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:30.879 Do you notice there's no dialogue? 00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:35.679 The disciples don't say, What do you mean? 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:37.200 Where are you going? 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:40.080 What are you asking us to do? 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:42.879 Follow me. 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:45.360 And they go. 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:48.320 Those are interesting words to try to translate. 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:52.320 Literally, Jesus says to them, Come after me, or come behind me. 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:56.080 It's an expression of a command. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:58.879 He's commanding them to follow him. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:08.639 He's telling Peter and Andrew and James and John that their place is to come behind the master, not catching fish and mending nets. 00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:12.960 It's as if Jesus says to them, You believe that I'm the Messiah. 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:13.600 That's great. 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:14.320 That's good. 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:16.240 Now you need to follow me. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:18.559 Come after me. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:27.759 Now, as fishermen, these men were hardworking, we might call them blue-collar men. 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:30.320 They were educated. 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:40.240 They were educated in the ways of the sea, in the wind and the waves, the fish and the nets. 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:44.240 They surely smelled of fish and the sea. 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:47.679 But they're quite fascinating men. 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:51.679 We're probably most familiar with Peter. 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:58.720 He's the one who in chapter 14 would walk on water and then sink. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:08.480 He's the one who would make the declaration of Jesus, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God, and then Jesus would say to him, Get behind me, Satan. 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:18.960 He was privileged to view the transfiguration of Christ, to see him in all of his glory on the mountaintop with only two other individuals. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:27.039 And then he turned around and thought that he was being quite generous when he suggested to Jesus that he should forgive his brother only seven times. 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:29.120 And Jesus said, Oh no, you don't get it. 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:30.159 70 times seven. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:31.679 Don't count. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:38.320 Of course, there's the time in Matthew 26 that Peter said that he would never leave Jesus. 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:41.200 He would never fall away from him. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:45.440 And then he would turn around and deny him three times. 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:58.080 And yet in the book of Acts, he becomes the first vocal leader of the disciples and the first apostle to preach openly about the resurrected Savior. 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:00.320 What a change. 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:02.480 What a change in that man. 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:08.720 His brother Andrew is always seen in Scripture as bringing somebody to meet Jesus. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:14.399 Every time you see Andrew in your Bible, he's bringing somebody to introduce them to Jesus. 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:17.600 What a challenge. 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:19.679 Are we Andrews? 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:28.799 Are we so caught up in Jesus that we want people to meet him and we are willing to introduce them to him? 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:34.879 James was one of four men in the New Testament with this name. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:39.200 This particular James was always mentioned alongside his brother John. 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:41.039 You never see them separately. 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:46.320 This James had the honor of being the first apostle to be martyred. 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:48.480 In Acts chapter 12. 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:55.840 In contrast, his brother John was the longest-living apostle and the writer of five of our New Testament books. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:15:06.320 Those two, James and John, were the sons of Zebedee, apparently a well-to-do man who owned a fishing business, and Peter and Andrew were their partners in business. 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:14.799 Jesus calls James and John the sons of thunder, presumably referring to them as quick-tempered, rough men. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:21.120 How ironic then that John would become known as the disciple of love. 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:28.320 Why do we see those kinds of changes in those men? 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:33.919 It's because they listened and obeyed the call of the Master. 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:35.840 You see, there's an important truth here. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:39.440 When the king calls you, he doesn't leave you where you are. 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:46.879 He takes you and he begins to mold you from the inside out to be like him. 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:51.279 He doesn't leave you there rotting in your sinfulness. 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:54.799 He begins to make you holy as he is holy. 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:58.480 Sometimes it's rapidly. 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:06.720 Sometimes God will take a sinful habit that you have and completely eradicate it from your life. 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:11.120 At other moments it's at a snail's pace, isn't it? 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:14.000 And we wish that he would move more rapidly. 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:17.200 But he never leaves us where we are. 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:20.720 He's always moving us, taking us to be like him. 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:26.000 Now notice in our text here, in verse 20 and 22, the double use of the word immediately. 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:28.000 That's one of Mark's favorite words. 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:31.919 Mark likes to use the word immediately, but not so much for Matthew. 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:40.159 It's fairly rare in Matthew's gospel, so it jumps out to us when we see it consecutively here in such a short time period. 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:49.600 It's not by chance that the response of these four fishermen to the call of the Lord is described by the word immediately. 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:57.919 As soon as they heard Jesus call them to follow him, without delay, they dropped what they were doing and followed Jesus. 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:10.160 Now it seems as though Peter, if we're trying to paint the picture of what's going on here, the image that we have is that Peter is, Peter and Andrew are fishing from the shore. 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:17.839 Maybe they've stepped out into the water, away from the shoreline a little bit, and they're casting their large nets in a circular pattern out onto the water. 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:26.880 The leaded weights on the edges of that circular net would sink down to the bottom and they would be drawn in to capture fish. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:32.720 Well, their business partners are sitting perhaps on the boat, anchored a little bit away, mending nets. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:40.559 Jesus comes along first to Peter and Andrew and says, Follow me. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:46.240 They immediately left their nets and followed him. 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:50.160 In my former life, I was a carpenter. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:53.920 Worked making cabinets. 00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:58.079 Grew up with my dad as a carpenter. 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:01.759 So here's a little secret about me, I'm going to tell you. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:06.079 I get a little nervous when I can't find my tape measure. 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:12.799 When I can't find my drill, I get really nervous. 00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:24.480 These men left the primary tool of their possession, of their profession, seemingly on the beach. 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:28.079 They just left it and said, We're going. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:31.119 They followed Jesus. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:35.440 On the other hand, what must Zebedee have thought? 00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:39.200 I hope Zebede is in heaven because I want to talk to him someday. 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:47.039 This traveling teacher comes along and suddenly Zebedee's running a fishing business without his sons and his partners. 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:50.000 They've just up and left to follow this traveling teacher. 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:54.559 What must Zebedee have been thinking? 00:18:56.240 --> 00:19:02.160 They left their nets, they left their boat, and they followed Jesus. 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:07.680 Now, the indication that we have from scripture is that it wasn't that cut and dried. 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:15.680 It seems as though Peter especially struggled at times with leaving his profession completely behind. 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:22.319 Because you remember when Peter denied Jesus three times and then Jesus was crucified and buried. 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:25.839 What did Peter do? 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:28.480 He went fishing. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:33.359 He gathered some of his friends, the disciples, and said, Hey guys, you know what? 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:34.880 Jesus is dead. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:36.880 We may as well go fishing. 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:39.599 And what did Jesus do? 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:41.839 He caught them fishing. 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:46.559 And he made them breakfast of fish. 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:52.480 And he said to Peter, Peter, feed my sheep. 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:54.559 Don't catch fish. 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:03.519 They left Jesus and they left their profession and followed him. 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:08.480 When the Savior calls, do we participate in delayed obedience? 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:12.079 I hope you know what that is. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:15.119 Let me explain it to you if you don't. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:22.319 Sometimes, oftentimes, I tell my son to do something, and he just looks at me. 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:25.119 Have you ever experienced that? 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:26.480 If you've been a parent, you have. 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:26.880 I know it. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:28.480 You just might not admit it. 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:31.599 I tell him to do it again, and he just looks at me. 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:34.319 Maybe this time with a grin on his face. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:40.240 And each time there's something stirring inside of me, and my voice gets louder and louder. 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:41.519 You know what I mean? 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:46.000 When the Savior calls, do we participate in delayed obedience? 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:49.599 Do we look at Jesus and say, uh, where are we going? 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:53.039 Do we hear and obey? 00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:59.839 You see, these men knew Jesus was the Messiah, and at least at this point, they listened and instantaneously obeyed. 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:04.240 That's the kind of difference Jesus made in their lives. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:09.279 They left their nets, they left their boats, and they followed Jesus. 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:13.359 But let's not overlook that they were fishermen at work. 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:16.880 They were mending their nets, they were fishing. 00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:22.640 They were busy at work doing what they were supposed to be doing in life. 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:30.640 Being busy doing life is often the place from which the Savior calls you to follow him. 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:37.839 Sometimes we expect God to open up the heavens and to shine down like Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:39.759 Well, that's kind of rare. 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:42.160 Happened once. 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:52.160 God may step in and the king may say to you, wherever you are in your work, whatever life is like for you, and he says to you, Follow me. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:59.759 Now these men know what is involved in fishing, they they understand the world of fishing. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:05.119 They understand the world of boats and nets, but Jesus says it's time to learn what's most important. 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:09.119 It's time to learn how to be people fishers. 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:14.160 And you may face a similar call. 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:19.440 In the midst of your normal life, Jesus may call you to follow him. 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:24.160 This is one of those things I think we often confuse. 00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:27.680 We think this is the action of the fisherman. 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:35.039 Jesus calls them, follow me, and so they they make a decision to follow him and they go, and there's truth to that. 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:39.119 But we often think, isn't it neat? 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:42.799 Isn't it wonderful what they were able to do? 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:46.880 Isn't it wonderful that they were able to become so useful to the master? 00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:50.880 They adapted their knowledge of fishing for something different. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:58.640 They were able to evolve and adapt to a new situation in life and take the skills that they learned in fishing and apply them to fishing for people. 00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:00.160 Isn't that fantastic? 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:01.359 Isn't that wonderful? 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:05.920 Well, friends, notice that these men do not simply become fishers of men. 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:13.279 It is not in them to become evangelists and church leaders and men who turn the world upside down. 00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:21.039 People don't simply evolve to become disciples of Jesus. 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:28.400 Jesus says, I will make you fishers of men. 00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:32.160 That's the sovereignty of God in action. 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:38.400 To choose, then to mold, and to use his people for his purposes. 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:44.319 I have a saying that anybody who's been around me much will hear often. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:46.559 God pays for what he orders. 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:53.279 In other words, if God sends you on a journey, he's going to provide everything you need for that journey. 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:58.720 He does not call you to do something and then not give you what you need to accomplish his desire. 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:01.599 He gives you everything that he needs. 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:05.680 Now it may be in his power, not yours, and so that makes us a little uncomfortable. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:09.839 But if God calls you to do something, he's going to provide everything you need for that. 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:13.519 And that's why Jesus says, I will make you fishers of men. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:15.039 There's a certainty there. 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:18.559 He will do it. 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:23.519 You see, Jesus never leaves a person where he finds them. 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:29.599 He takes them and he begins to change them. 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:38.960 Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but always, always moving them to greater maturity and fuller discipleship. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:48.720 Now, as these men began to follow Jesus, they became regular, sustained disciples, and they're walking in the footsteps of Jesus. 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:58.400 They're learning, they're witnessing, they're observing, they're participating, they're understanding the work of the king, and he makes them into his fishermen. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:05.519 They think they're already fishermen, but Jesus would make them into true fishermen. 00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:06.640 How does he do that? 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:11.599 Well, verse 23 begins to show us there's a shift here, and he went. 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:32.640 Crowds of people who desperately need a shepherd. 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:40.319 The disciples are taken from schools of fish to crowds of people. 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:50.799 Now, even though he often drew a crowd, Jesus was not interested in what we've come to know as attractional ministry. 00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:57.119 Jesus wasn't about gathering tons of curious onlookers wanting entertainment. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:26:00.000 He was looking for disciples. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:02.240 So what did he do? 00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:06.880 Tells us he went throughout all Galilee. 00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:11.119 It's a continuous, repeated action. 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:15.119 He keeps on going throughout all Galilee. 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:21.359 We're not told that he went to every town, but that he covers the region and he keeps on doing it. 00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:27.440 But interestingly, it shifts in verse 24 to a completely different region, Syria. 00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:33.680 He's ministering in Galilee, but word has spread to a different country. 00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:40.480 His fame spread throughout all Syria. 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:42.559 So what does Jesus do? 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:45.920 Well, it tells us he taught in their synagogues. 00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:56.480 Now that's that's much, much more is involved there than simply our notion of coming to church on a Sunday morning and then leaving and not participating again with the rest of the body the rest of the week. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:00.240 The synagogue was the center of the community. 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:01.839 It was the center of activity. 00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:10.480 It was, yes, a place of worship on the Sabbath day, but it was a place of education, of fellowship, even legal proceedings took place in synagogues. 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:14.960 And Jesus went there where the people gathered and he taught them. 00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:24.400 That's the passing on of information so that learning can take place, so that knowledge and understanding can grow. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:26.880 He also proclaimed the gospel. 00:27:28.079 --> 00:27:35.920 He proclaims it as a herald, as an announcer of the good news, the good news that the kingdom is here because the king is present. 00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:39.519 And if the king is present, you must repent. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:46.079 So Jesus has a threefold ministry. 00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:52.079 He's teaching and preaching, he's making disciples, and he's healing. 00:27:52.720 --> 00:27:55.599 Very similar, by the way, to the command he gives us. 00:27:56.160 --> 00:28:03.279 As you're going, make disciples, teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you. 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:04.960 So what happens? 00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:09.039 His fame spreads throughout other countries. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:17.200 Verse 25, it says it's Galilee and the Decopolis, that's ten cities, ten major cities in the Roman Empire in that area. 00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:28.160 Jerusalem and Judea, even beyond the Jordan, the entire area beyond Israel is hearing of his fame. 00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:32.400 They are hearing what? 00:28:33.279 --> 00:28:35.039 That he's a good teacher? 00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:38.079 Hearing that he's the king? 00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:40.400 Hearing that the kingdom is present? 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:44.480 No, the word that's being passed on is he's a healer. 00:28:46.160 --> 00:29:00.880 Come and get healed is the word that is being passed along, and that's why they are bringing to him all that are sick, afflicted with diseases and pains, oppressed by demons, those who are epileptics and paralytics, and he heals them. 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:07.279 They're hearing of the healings, not hearing of the king. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:13.519 So we're told in verse 25 that crowds followed him, and not just any crowds. 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:16.799 Mega crowds, great crowds. 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:26.480 Now these people aren't following Jesus so much because they they believed in who he was. 00:29:28.480 --> 00:29:32.079 They weren't following him because they believed in him as their king. 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:35.279 They were there for the miracles. 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:40.319 They desired the healings and the free food from Jesus' miracles. 00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:48.160 And in fact, at the end of Jesus' message in chapter 7, they're surprised by the things that come out of Jesus' mouth. 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:49.759 They weren't expecting it. 00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:54.799 They weren't there for listening, but for other things. 00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:57.920 What a contrast to the four fishermen. 00:29:59.839 --> 00:30:03.039 They left all they knew to follow Jesus. 00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:08.079 The crowds surged after Jesus as long as they benefited personally. 00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:17.279 Very similar to today's fascination with the prosperity teaching and those who promote the health and wealth gospel. 00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:20.319 People aren't into those movements for the truth. 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:25.759 They're in it for what they can get out of it because they believe that it will benefit them in this life. 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:28.559 They're told that they can have their best life now. 00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:39.359 There are some, some even who believe that Jesus and the disciples practically eliminated disease and sickness from Palestine during their ministry. 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:48.640 It's not in Scripture, it doesn't say that, but it does give us an idea perhaps of how much healing Jesus actually did, that there is much more. 00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:53.839 John even tells us that there's much more that could be included so that even the libraries of the world couldn't hold it. 00:30:54.079 --> 00:30:57.039 Jesus was constantly doing these things. 00:30:58.400 --> 00:31:10.079 In a world filled with crackpot physicians and snake oil salesmen intent on making away with people's money, the knowledge of a true physician with genuine healing would spread like wildfire. 00:31:11.680 --> 00:31:13.519 Who wouldn't want to come? 00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:19.200 As a result, crowds followed him, not just any crowds, but great crowds. 00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:25.839 And Jesus intentionally took his four fishermen into the crowds. 00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:28.880 I would have turned around and ran. 00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:34.000 Why does Jesus do that? 00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:39.440 Why does he go into the crowds instead of running away? 00:31:40.400 --> 00:31:43.519 Well it's because of his great compassion. 00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:47.440 It's a theme that Matthew will develop as we go on. 00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:58.319 Looking a little bit later in Matthew in chapter 15, verse 32, says Jesus called his disciples to him and said, I have compassion on these crowds because they've been with me for three days and they haven't eaten anything. 00:31:58.400 --> 00:31:59.839 Go find them some food. 00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:01.680 I want you to feed them. 00:32:04.480 --> 00:32:13.359 Matthew 14, Jesus was out in a boat and he comes into land and says he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:19.279 Then in Matthew chapter 9, verse 36, it says, When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them. 00:32:19.440 --> 00:32:19.920 Why? 00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:26.720 Because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:34.799 Sheep without a shepherd are easy pickings for any enemy that might come along, and Jesus is compassionate to them. 00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:39.359 He feels for them because they're harassed and they're helpless. 00:32:41.039 --> 00:32:47.440 Is it any wonder then that Jesus would express himself in John chapter 10 as the good shepherd? 00:32:49.839 --> 00:32:51.680 It's because they need it. 00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:56.160 The crowds need the good shepherd. 00:32:57.200 --> 00:33:05.519 And if the crowds need it, then the four fishermen need to learn how to show Jesus to those who need a shepherd. 00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:08.559 So what does Jesus do? 00:33:10.720 --> 00:33:14.559 If he knows that they they need a shepherd, how does he respond to that? 00:33:16.079 --> 00:33:18.240 He went up on a mountain and he sat down. 00:33:20.400 --> 00:33:21.759 That's what he did. 00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:24.559 He went up on a mountain and he sat down. 00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:30.000 The disciples came to him, they sat down around him, and the crowds came and they sat down to listen. 00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:34.000 And you can see chapter 7, verse 28, the crowds were listening. 00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:40.160 Here's a prime opportunity for the king to speak about the kingdom. 00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:43.920 Here's Jesus, Emmanuel, ready to draw people into his kingdom. 00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:47.440 Here's the shepherd being compassionate to sheep without a shepherd. 00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:48.319 What does he do? 00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:51.279 He opens his mouth and he teaches them. 00:33:53.279 --> 00:33:57.359 As you're going into all the world, make disciples teaching them. 00:33:57.680 --> 00:33:59.599 Do what Jesus did. 00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:07.279 What he taught them is what we call the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 6, and 7. 00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:09.039 We'll look at next time. 00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:15.280 But we need to understand here that this king is still calling people to follow him. 00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:19.440 He's still calling people to be his disciples. 00:34:20.480 --> 00:34:24.159 Will you follow or will you stick with the crowds? 00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:33.039 He is a king, yes, but he's a king who is a gentle shepherd who cares about your soul. 00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:37.119 He knows that in many ways you are helpless and harassed. 00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:40.480 And he wants you to come and listen to him. 00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:46.960 He's calling. 00:34:48.079 --> 00:35:00.079 Perhaps he's calling you to trust in him, to once and for all cast aside your thoughts of being good enough to get into heaven, of having tried hard enough. 00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:04.960 And of resting in simply in what he's done for you. 00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:19.039 Perhaps he's calling you to more intense discipleship, telling you that it's finally time for you to become more focused on learning, on maturing, on growing up in Christ. 00:35:21.599 --> 00:35:32.000 Perhaps, perhaps he's calling you to leave your boats and your nets and to follow him to serve those without a shepherd. 00:35:33.440 --> 00:35:39.920 Now, all of those, whichever option fits your life, they all require trust in the King. 00:35:40.239 --> 00:35:47.039 They require trust that he is worthy of following him, of believing in him. 00:35:47.840 --> 00:35:54.559 Requires trust that he is good, that he is kind, that he is just, that he is faithful, that he will shepherd you. 00:35:55.920 --> 00:36:02.000 It requires trust that he will hold you fast as you commit to him because tomorrow is uncertain. 00:36:02.159 --> 00:36:06.159 If you follow Jesus today, you have no idea what tomorrow will bring. 00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:09.760 But he is a faithful good shepherd. 00:36:10.639 --> 00:36:15.599 So it requires trust and holding on to him as he holds on to you. 00:36:16.800 --> 00:36:20.320 So Jesus is calling to you today, follow me. 00:36:22.320 --> 00:36:23.840 How will you respond? 00:36:24.639 --> 00:36:25.519 Let's pray. 00:36:25.840 --> 00:36:32.639 Lord Jesus, we we confess that too often we resist your call. 00:36:34.320 --> 00:36:37.119 We say no to you for various reasons. 00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:39.119 None of them good reasons. 00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:46.960 Break down our reasoning so that we might follow you in the way that you want us to follow. 00:36:49.119 --> 00:36:54.239 Cause us to know what it means to have you as a good shepherd. 00:36:56.800 --> 00:37:02.559 Lord, it can make us nervous to follow you, to leave behind our version of boats and nets. 00:37:03.840 --> 00:37:08.559 It can make us uncomfortable not knowing what you might ask us to do. 00:37:09.599 --> 00:37:13.599 So help us to know that you are the good shepherd who is compassionate. 00:37:14.480 --> 00:37:19.199 Help us to know that always and forever you will hold us fast to yourself. 00:37:20.320 --> 00:37:23.519 You are trustworthy, and you are faithful. 00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:27.599 That concludes this sermon from Faith Evangelical Free Church. 00:37:27.840 --> 00:37:34.639