Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark 1:17 NABRE
Jesus is ready to begin His public ministry and He proclaims the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the good news. He is passing the Sea of Galilee and sees two brothers, Simon and Andrew, they were fishermen going about their business. He calls out to them to come after him and become fishers of men. Jesus is asking them to completely change their lives, to stop doing what they know and come do something with Him they have never done before. It was not unusual for disciples to see a teacher and choose to gather around him to learn and discover the law. But here Jesus is choosing His disciples. Later we will hear about the prominent role that Simon, who Jesus renames as Peter, will have as leader and spokesperson of the disciples. The call to be fishers of men evokes a prophecy of Jeremiah in which God promises to send out “many fishermen” to gather the Israelites who had been scattered among the nations (Jeremiah 16:16) Mark emphasizes the immediate and radical response of obedience by these two ordinary fishermen, abandoning their nets and following him. The pattern is repeated with James and his brother John, a complete abandonment of their occupation and their father. These four become intimate friends of Jesus, especially Peter, James and John. The force of the initial call endures and these men become workers and potential martyrs for Jesus and the spreading of the Good News.
Jesus continues to call disciples today. Each person who comes to Christianity comes because of an experience of Jesus. We may invite friends and family but until they experience Jesus they are just observers. No one becomes a disciple without a deep experience of Jesus.
Are you a disciple or an observer? Do you recall your call to discipleship?
Jesus continues to call disciples today. Each person who comes to Christianity comes because of an experience of Jesus. No one becomes a disciple without a deep experience of Jesus. Click To Tweet#bible’#godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #fishermen gospel #Mark #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #pray #prayer #goodnews #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways