Following Jesus
And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Matthew 4:21-22 (ESV)
They were engaged in the family business when Jesus found them again. Peter and John were casting a net into the sea when Jesus called them to follow Him. They left their nets and followed Jesus down the beach. They came upon their fishing partners, James and John, who were mending their nets with their father Zebedee. They too left their boat along with their father, and followed Jesus.
I wonder what their father, Zebedee, thought about it. Did he call out, “Where are you two going? We have work to do! Nets don’t mend themselves!” Jesus’ word comes with power. Jesus’ word enables those who hear to arise and follow Him. Which is why we don’t go about fishing for men with our own baits and lures. Our evangelism plans aren’t successful because we’ve carefully thought them out and figured out how to get past the defenses of other men. Our plans can only be successful if we speak the Word of Christ.
We have all been given a special occupation by the Savior Jesus, to be fishers of men. We are to cast His Word into the sea of our world and let Christ draw men to Himself. The message of Christ smells sweet to those who have come to see themselves for who they are – hopelessly lost sinners. There will be those who will not listen. It is not our concern to convince them with logic and reason. It is for us to present Jesus to them, the Savior of Sinners, and let Him catch them for time and eternity by His grace and love.
If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus, You can say He died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked With the Judgment’s dread alarms,
You can lead the little children To the Savior’s waiting arms.
The Lutheran Hymnal 496:2