“Follow me… I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 (NIV)
The disciples left their nets and followed Jesus (4:20). What did they gain from three years of following Jesus? What will we learn from following Jesus that will make us effective in bringing people to Him?
A new interest in people
These men lived in a world of fish, nets, and boats. They were comfortable on their own, but Christ brought them into a world of people. They didn’t like the crowds at first and wanted to send them away. They stood in the way of children and tried to stop people from other cultures from coming to Jesus. But following Christ, these men gained a new interest in people. Peter, the fisherman, became a shepherd to the flock of God. Where did he learn this? From following Jesus.
A new clarity about Jesus
When Jesus calmed the storm, the disciples said, “Who is this that even the winds and the waves obey him?” After three years of following Him, Peter was able to say, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” But they still did not see that He must die for sins and rise again on the third day. They continued to follow Jesus, and on the day of Pentecost, Peter threw out the gospel net and the Spirit brought 3,000 souls to Christ that day.
A new confidence in God’s power
Following Jesus, the disciples saw lives changed. They saw those who were possessed by evil spirits, set free; those who were sick with various diseases, healed. They saw what God can do, and their faith in Him grew.
Ask God to increase your love for people. Ask Him to give you more clarity about Jesus. Or ask Him to increase your expectation in evangelism.
