Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Mark 1:16-18 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew 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.
CALLED BY CHRIST
All four of Jesus' first disciples were established commercial fishermen with careers on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus found Peter and Simon busy at work in their independent business, and James and John working with their father. He called upon them to follow Him, saying that He would make them "fishers of men."
Jesus not only called upon people to repent and believe in Him. He also called them to follow Him as His pupils and to later be His emissaries, His representatives. These men were fishermen, ordinary people like you and me. How could they ever hope to preach like Jesus? When Jesus called them to follow Him He was essentially answering that question by saying, "You leave that to me. You follow me." "Follow me and hear and believe and be equipped to proclaim the same message of sin and grace." They were called to repentance and faith that they might call others.
Jesus continues to call us to follow Him! He does so for all of us through His "great commission." His command to "make disciples of all nations" is not limited to a few -- to apostles and pastors and teachers. No, all Christ-believers are to be His ambassadors and as He gives us opportunities to speak, we want to pray that He will open our mouths and fill them with just the right words to encourage, correct, or instruct!
Jesus has also called you to repent and believe, and to use His Word to call others to do the same. This is the Lord's plan to bring Jesus' salvation to human beings. This is how people are caught for Christ for time and eternity.
So, if the word "preaching" makes you think of a pulpit and leaves you out, change the word. Proclaim, share, witness, speak of the Savior--your choice. Just remember if you are His, then you represent Jesus to others. And what you do needs to fit with what you believe. And what you believe can't be guessed by others--it needs to be said.
