When schools closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, I noticed more fishing on Lake Ivanhoe. Meet Drew Young, one of my neighbors. With more time now available, Drew started perfecting his fishing skills while enjoying his new-found leisure time. I watched him standing alone on the bank or sometimes in his kayak, casting his lure into the water and hoping to get a big mouth bass to strike. One day, later on, I passed by the lake and a group of boys were trying their hand a bass fishing, too, which became a regular occurrence. I wondered what had happened, and soon after I found out when his grandfather, Ted Tussey, proudly showed me a picture. My guess is that it did not take long for word to spread in the neighborhood that there were some “BIG” mouth bass in the lake and others wanted to test their luck at getting in on the catch.
Simon Peter and Andrew were brothers who made a living fishing on the Sea of Galilee. One day as Jesus walked beside the water’s edge, he called out to the brothers and said, “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.” They left their nets and followed him. A little later Jesus passed James and John, sons of Zebedee, and invited them to leave their nets and follow him. They left their father and the boats to follow Jesus.
Jesus met the disciples years later after his resurrection by the Sea of Galilee. The Angel told Mary at the tomb that they would see Jesus in Galilee. After a long night of futile fishing back on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus called out to the Disciples telling them to cast out their nets, and they caught 150 fish. The Disciples left their boats and their catch that morning to have breakfast with Jesus beside the lake. Just before Jesus’ ascension, he told his disciples to “Go into all the world and make disciples,” promising to be with them as they went.
The greatest story ever told was the story about how a group of fishermen who were transformed by the saving grace of Jesus the Christ bore witness wherever they went. Just as Drew’s big catch touched the imagination of every neighborhood boy, our story of Jesus should touch the imagination of every person we meet.
In these uncertain times I think we can learn a few lessons from this story:
First: Jesus Calls us to join him in redemption. We hear a lot about depression and the effect of uncertainty on people these days. We are called to be fishers of men, giving them Hope!
Second: Jesus Calls us to bear witnesses of the saving grace of Jesus. We just celebrated Easter virtually, and remembered what it felt like to have the weight of sin taken from us because of the Cross. Others need to feel what forgiveness is like.
Third: Jesus Calls us to make disciples. The greatest gift we can give someone is the experience of catching a fish for themselves.
Footnote: When the Spirit of God touches your life by placing a person or a family on your heart, it might be because they need to hear your story and to learn that the God who loves you and sent His Son to die on the cross for you loves them too. Be a Fisher of Men!
Wayne Smith
April 17, 2020
