Jesus Promises a Harvest

Mark 1:17-20 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
 
HAVE you ever wondered what made these fishermen and other young men like them leave what they were doing to follow Jesus? After all, most left their jobs, their way of life, their parents and their friends to respond to Jesus’ promise, “I will make you fishers of men.”  An eager willingness to change your life for Jesus is an amazing, devoted response, isn’t it?.
   Likely his promise struck their heats with excitement and possibilities. The Promise Keeper had called them into a future they could not imagine. What was this fishing for men? But perhaps for the first time they understood life with God has the potential to be an extraordinary experience when you commit your life to him.
   This fishing opportunity was far from these fishermen’s minds. The culture of the day had great restrictions on who would be rabbis and teachers of the law. Young men who were interested in learning more of God and God’s Word would have to go to a rabbi and say, “Could I please be your disciple?” Many were rejected because they did not pass certain tests. Or the rabbi had some prejudice against them. Peter, Andrew, James and John were laborers. They had no hope of sitting under a rabbi’s teaching.
   But something remarkable was happening in Judea. John the Baptist was walking the countryside preaching, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Matthew 3:11) And now the one proclaimed has come to Galilee to anoint his chosen disciples into ministry. Jesus’ promise is a call to harvest the catch God has prepared to begin his church.
   This is one moment in God’s plan to save the world from sin. In his love, it is his choice to come to earth. In his love he has chosen people to be his disciples. In his love, he will take all who believe the promise and drop “their nets” to follow him.
   What is your response to the promise? Can you “catch fish” – help people know Jesus, so they can follow him, too? Do you know life with God is an extraordinary adventure when you go with the Lord?
    This is a most amazing thing, isn’t it?