LET’S GO FISHING
MARK 1:14-20
Introduction:
1. We all have certain things we like to do with our leisure
time and one of my favorite is fishing.
a. A couple of weeks ago, my family and I wanted to
do some fishing up in the mountains, but due to all
of the fires, we had to locate somewhere else to fish.
b. We called Kim’s sister in Ruidosa and she told us
she knew of a place we could go.
c. So we drove over to Ruidosa and she took us to one
of these pay by the inch ponds, .45 an inch to be
exact.
d. This was definitely an experience and I will share it
with you this morning at different points of the
sermon.
2. Although I love fishing for fish, I even enjoy fishing for
men even more because there is some joy in catching a
big fish but there is no comparison to the joy one experiences in seeing a lost person saved.
3. Let’s read our text.
4. I do want you to notice your tackle box this morning
(inserts in the bulletin).
I. What Is Fishing For Men?
A. Scripture tells us this in Proverbs 11:30, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise."
1. In the New Testament, this activity is called witnessing, sharing, testifying, preaching.
a. Here, in our text, Jesus calls it fishing.
b. Jesus was a Master at using natural things that people did in order to understand the teaching of these great spiritual truths.
2. Many of the principles of fishing for fish are basically the same as principles for fishing for people.
B. We must have good equipment.
1. Back at the fishing pond, we were given "cane poles" and attached at the end of the line was a hook.
a. Now compared to what I am use to fishing with
this was not much, but I had all I needed: a
pole with line and a hook on it.
2. The equipment we use must be useful.
a. Five times in our text, equipment is mentioned.
b. Their boats and their nets were extremely important.
3. As children of God, we are the only equipment that
God has to bring people to Jesus.
4. Jesus wants us to realize that we must be His
witnesses.
C. We must also use the right bait.
1. In the New Testament times, the fishermen used nets.
a. These men were commercial fishermen.
2. In today’s times, it is illegal to fish with nets, unless
you are a licensed commercial fisherman.
a. Most people today fish using either live bait or
an artificial lure on a single line.
b. The key to fishing with bait is to use bait that
the fish will bite.
3. Back to my fishing story, with all of our equipment,
we were also handed a little condiment cup of corn.
a. As we were fishing, a storm was blowing in
and the owner of the pond knew he was not
going to profit from us being there if we did
not catch any fish.
b. Now while we were fishing with the corn, you
could see the fish grab the bait and then spit it
out.
c. After a couple of minutes the owner brought out a little sack of dough bait and told us to try
that.
d. All of a sudden everyone was catching fish,
because of the simple fact that we were using
the right bait.
3. If we are going to lead people to Jesus Christ, we
must present the right bait to them.
a. In today’s society, there are many types of bait
that we see being used:
1. Entertainment
2. Bribery
3. Guilt
4. Fear
5. Promises of an easy road.
b. Many people have said to me "Why do Baptists
get so excited? All of us are going to the same
place. We are just taking different roads"!
c. When we hear that lie we must tell them, "No,
there is only one road to Heaven and there is
only one way to God and that is through
Jesus Christ.
John 14:6 says, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by
me."
d. We must never allow ourselves to get caught
up in the thinking that there is another way.
4. The only bait we better be using is God’s Word
that reveals to us that Jesus Christ is the only way.
D. We must also have time and patience.
1. Everyone that fishes knows that if they will be
patient that eventually they will catch some fish.
2. Again back to the pond, at first we were not doing so
well, but after some minor alterations were made, we
began to catch fish.
3. Let me turn to another analogy for just a moment.
a. My family has planted a garden this year, our
first garden.
b. We have already discovered that if we want to
enjoy delicious tomatoes that not only look like
tomatoes but also taste like tomatoes, we must
follow a process.
c. We first had to break the ground, then we
planted the seeds and plants, then we watered
and cultivated or as the dictionary defines
cultivate, to foster the growth.
d. If we continue to do this, sometime this
summer, we will enjoy harvest time when we
can eat those delicious tomatoes.
4. Sometimes when we go witnessing we break ground,
at other times we plant a seed, at other times we are
watering and cultivating and sometimes we get to
see the glorious harvest when someone surrenders
their life to Jesus Christ!
E. We must be where they are.
1. The weather may be perfect, the water may be just
right, we may have all of the right equipment, bait,
and patience; but we will never catch any fish until
we go to the water.
2. This is the critical point this morning for us as
Christians.
a. Statistics show that only 3% of all lost people
come to church on their own.
b. So by doing a little math, that tells us that 97%
of lost people are out there, lost, helpless,
powerless, condemned, and alienated from
God.
c. We must go where they are and share the Good
News.
3. We will never see any fish caught for the Lord if
we never go fishing.
II. Who Will God Use As Fishers Of Men
Jesus said, "Follow Me, and I will teach you how to catch
people".
A. The called person.
1. I’m not just speaking about a person who is called
into full-time ministry.
a. I’m speaking of a person who is called from sin
to salvation to service.
b. God has called every born-again believer to be
fishers of men.
Acts 8:4: "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went
every where preaching the word."
2. This sounds like apostles, prophets, or missionaries
right?
a. But Acts 8:1 says they were all scattered
"except the apostles".
b. These were men, women, young people just
like we have in our churches today.
c. Everywhere they went they were evangelists,
proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ.
B. The cleansed people.
1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness."
1. Isaiah 6:1-9 is a beautiful expression of this
experience.
2. We must notice here that conviction came,
confession was made, and then he was cleansed.
3. Also notice in verse 8.
a. The call was made, "Who will go?".
b. A commitment was made, "Here am I; send me."
c. And then the commission was given, "Go and
tell".
C. The courageous person.
1. Satan has discovered that fear is a choice weapon to
use on God’s children.
2 Timothy 1:7: "For God hath not given us the spirit of
fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
1 John 4:18: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love
casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth
is not made perfect in love."
D. The concerned person.
1. Jesus looked upon the multitudes with compassion.
a. The word compassion means to "suffer with".
b. The Lord saw people as sheep without a
shepherd and His compassionate love went out
to them.
2. God will use His children when they have a broken, bleeding, burdened heart for lost souls.
Conclusion:
1. I am reminded of a story I read about Clarence Shell, the
director of evangelism for the Arkansas Baptist
Convention. Listen to this story:
"When I walked onto the parking lot on Sunday morning to begin a revival service, a young man walked up to me and said, "You’d better preach today like you’ve never preached before."
I asked him, "What do you mean?" He replied, "My 72 year old father is going to be here today and I’ve never seen him in God’s house."
Mr. Shell said that God blessed that service that day with 15 people responding to the Gospel, but Charles Browning, the young man’s father, did not respond.
That night, Mr.Browning came back and 8 people responded, but Mr.Browning did not.
Monday night Mr.Browning again was at the service and that night his son, who was actually his stepson, was at the altar on his face before God praying for his father. When the service was over, Clarence Shell saw where the carpet was wet with the tears of that young man who was praying for his lost father.
Brother Shell met the young man after the service and the young man made this statement, "I am so burdened because I’m afraid I’m not burdened enough". Brother Shell replied, "I believe God will honor your concern.
The next day, Brother Shell and the pastor went to visit Mr. Browning and that day he gave his life to Jesus Christ. That night when he came into the building, Brother Shell said, "I knew he meant business. He was carrying a brown paper sack with a change of clothes in it."
Not only did Mr.Browning profess Jesus Christ as his Savior that day, he was also obedient in baptism.
Charles Browning came to know Jesus Christ because his stepson was so burdened, and because he was afraid he was not burdened enough.
2. Who will God use as fishers of lost people?
3. You, who are called, cleansed, courageous, and concerned
for them.
4. I pray you too will be burdened, so burdened, by your lack of concern for the lost.
5. It’s time to go fishing!
