Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Let's go fishing!
In the book of Mark 1:17. Jesus said " I will make you to become fishers of men" I understand fishing pretty well in East Tex. La. and Ark. I know that we fish differently under different circumstances. When Jesus said "I will make you to become" does that mean that He will help us to adapt to every circumstance in our society today? Also I am assuming that We stay in the parameters of the scripture. What do you think?
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We can like Paul be all things to all people, adapt to a person's needs but stay within the parameters of Scripture. Otherwise, you get into easy believism.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite story of fishing for men occurred aroung 1920 (give or take a few years) The pastor and evangelist stopped at an old time store in a rural community. On the front porch, there was a man who had never been saved. After asking the man if he was ready to call upoon Christ to save him, the evangelist grabbed his shoulder and pushed him down off the nail keg onto his knees. I never did know if the man trusted the Lord or got up fighting mad.
I think the whole "fishers of men" could perhaps refer to calling them to preach. John 1 shows a church, and it obviously exists throughout John 1-4 or perhaps just chapter 3. You have a group of baptized believers who were called out by Jesus and they assembled with Him covenanted together to follow Him. You have that same church there with Jesus after he talks to the woman at the well. I think in Mark 1:17, because there are so many differences between it and the Matthew 4, he was saying "I will make you to become" preachers. (This is the timeline we came up with in our harmony of the gospels class at seminary.) Then later, after more journeying, Jesus came back to the sea where they had gone back to fishing, and he said "From henceforth, ye shall catch men" meaning now, they would not go back to their fishing nets.
ReplyDeleteA modern way of putting all this.
John 1 - church began.
Many church services between.
Mark 1 - Jesus called some to the ministry.
Much training between.
Matthew 4 - Jesus calls them to full time ministry, and they never go back to fishing (until Jesus died).