Fishing for Men

"

In the 1991 film "The Perfect Storm,” five fishermen head out to sea in order to catch a ‘boatload of fish.’ After several days, they had very little to show for their efforts. Tensions on board began to mount, the crew began to bicker with one another and even question the ability of the captain. The lesson here is simple: When fishermen don't fish, they fight.

The Gospel of Luke shares a similar story with us in chapter five. As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “And I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

You don’t have to be in church for very long before someone uses the word evangelism.” What that word means is to teach and introduce others to Jesus. Why? Because you are convinced that without a relationship with Jesus, that person will never have the opportunity to go to heaven. Sounds simple. And yet, can be intimidating.

An artist, seeking to depict on canvas the meaning of evangelism, painted a storm at sea. Black clouds filled the sky. The only illumination was a flash of lightning. A little boat could be seen falling apart under the pounding of the ocean. Several men were in the water fighting to keep their heads above the water line. The only glimmer of hope appeared in the foreground of the painting, where a large rock protruded out of the water. There, clutching desperately with both hands was one lone seaman. It was a moving scene. Looking at the painting, one could see in the tempest a symbol of mankind’s hopeless condition. And true to the gospel, the only hope of salvation was the "Rock of Ages"; a shelter in the time of storm.

Nevertheless, as the artist reflected upon his work he realized that the painting did not accurately portray his subject. So he discarded the canvas, and painted another. It was very similar to the first: the black clouds, the flashing lightning, the angry waters, the little boat crushed by the pounding waves, and the crew vainly struggling in the water.

In the foreground the seaman was still clutching the large rock for salvation. But the artist made one change. The survivor was holding on with only one hand, and with the other hand he was reaching down to pull up a drowning friend.

That, my friend, is a picture of evangelism. Jesus called it ‘fishing for men.’ His analogy is hard to beat. There is a story told about a fisherman from Minnesota. He was very well prepared. He knew how to fish. He had everything you need to be a good fisherman. He had poles, nets, bait, and even a really nice boat. Yet, this fisherman
had a problem—he never caught a fish. Not one! Not ever! And you know why he never caught a fish? He never pushed out. He had all the knowledge and all the equipment, but he never got into the boat. He never left the dock.

Every preacher dreams of having a church full of fishermen. To help make that call easier, we have an opportunity coming up for you to introduce your church to your family, co-workers, and friends.

We’re having a Comedy Dinner Outreach Event on March 7. This is your opportunity to invite an unchurched person to come to an exciting event where they can rub shoulders with your church friends as well as have a fun evening of dinner and comedy. And who doesn’t like that?

All you have to do is invite someone. We will be selling tickets to our Comedy Dinner Night through most of February. You can pick up tickets at the Welcome Center and/or Church Office during the week. Think about who you would most like to introduce to your church and extend an invitation today!
[Ron Otto, Lincoln Christian Church Preaching Minister]