“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 (NIV)
Here are three more observations suggested by Jesus’ analogy.
5. The church is a fishing boat, not a pleasure boat.
Think about two different kinds of boats. Some boats take people on pleasure trips. Other boats go fishing.
Pleasure boats are about convenience and comfort. They go out at the times when people want to go. They hug the shoreline so that the people can enjoy the view. They are very safe. Fishing boats are entirely different. They launch out into the deep. The crew takes risks. They make sacrifices. There is very little comfort.
It’s easier and much more comfortable to have a ministry that is about ourselves. But Christ does not say, “Follow me and I will take you on a delightful cruise.” He says, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” The church is not a pleasure boat. It is a fishing boat.
6. Fishing is hard and sometimes dangerous work.
Have you seen the television program Deadliest Catch? It features guys on the Bering Sea catching crab—one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Read the book of Acts and you will see that pioneer evangelism is up there too. The best fishing is often in the most difficult waters.
7. There’s great joy in catching fish.
Have you ever seen a picture of a miserable fisherman holding a fish he just caught? Of course not! Because there’s great joy in catching fish. There is far greater joy in seeing a person come to faith in Jesus Christ.
Which of these observations do you find most encouraging today? Why?
