One of my greatest joys in life is spending time out fishing on a lake. The peaceful water and the sounds of nature create a relaxing environment to rest and recharge while I cast the lure in hopes of getting a “hit.” Whether I catch fish or not is beside the point. The experience of being out on the water is what I really enjoy.
The apostles’ type of fishing on The Sea of Galilee was far different than mine, often involving teams of men, in multiple boats, throwing out large nets to capture schools of fish. It was an active process of trying to catch large groups of fish at once.
Jesus says in Matthew 13:45-47:
“Again, the kingdom from heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea that gathered all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen hauled it ashore. Then they sat down, sorted the good fish into containers, and threw the bad ones away.”
Likewise, the gospel should be cast like a wide net that will bring a large group of sinners to a saving knowledge of Jesus.
On a recent Share Life Today, John Sorensen encouraged listeners to stop talking about evangelism with other believers and go out to deliberately find people who desperately need to hear the gospel.
“After all, we’re to be fishers of men, and we already know where the fish are. Our problem is usually that we would rather talk about fishing around other fishers of men without ever venturing to where the fish actually are. If we are to be fishers of men, shouldn’t we be out there engaging with others, sharing our testimony, and telling them about the difference God can make in their lives?”
It’s clear that if we are to share Jesus Christ with others, we need to cast a wide net and capture the hearts and minds of the unsaved with the glorious news of the gospel! If you want to encourage your listeners to change the world through evangelism and don’t yet air Share Life Today, we’d encourage you to do so. Please let me know by emailing me at charley@ambaa.com
