by Linzy Slayden
It is amazing to me that the first words Jesus ever said to those who would become His followers were, “Follow me” (Matthew 4). When He said those words, He was talking to nearly strangers. He gave them no formal introduction. He just simply said, “Follow me.” But even more amazing is why Jesus asked these men to follow Him. He didn’t say, “Follow me, and I will make you prosperous,” or “Follow me, and I will make you popular,” or even “Follow me, and I will make you powerful.” What He did say to them was surprising, intimidating, and frightening. He said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
You could understand if they had looked at Him and said, “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Look at their response. “And they straightway left their nets and followed him” (Matthew 4:20). Immediately they left home, business, friends, and family and began to follow Jesus. Jesus kept His word to these men, because by the end of the New Testament these fishermen became fishers of men. Jesus spent all three years of His ministry doing two things — turning people into followers and turning followers into fishers of men.
Listen to the words one more time. “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Isn’t it interesting that the first people Jesus called to follow Him were fishermen? The first title He gave to them was “fishers of men.” What He basically said to them was this, “What you are now doing for a living, I want you to do with your life.”
When Jesus said, “I will make you fishers of men,” He was saying I will take you with your personality, your background, your testimony, your influence, and I will use you to catch men and women and boys and girls and bring them into My family.
We are all grateful for modern technology. Our buildings are loaded with bells and whistles and gadgets that are absolutely incredible, but I want to state what I hope is obvious. Buildings don’t reach people. Technology doesn’t reach people. Bells and whistles and gadgets don’t reach people. Only people reach people. Boats don’t catch fish. Rods and reels and hooks and lines and sinkers by themselves don’t catch fish — only people catch fish, and that is why the fishing business should be our business.
The BBFI has always been a great evangelistic movement. Let’s be reminded again to be “fishers of men.” Let’s preach for souls, persuade souls, and win souls! Let’s encourage each other to be soulwinners. Let’s teach our church members to be personal soulwinners. I would like to challenge every state fellowship meeting to have at least one sermon promoting personal evangelism every time they meet. Our primary business is the fishing business, and no matter what else we do or how well we do it, if we ever get out of the fishing business we are out of business.