Let’s Go Fishing!

I love to fish!  My mind is full of memories of fishing when I was child with my Dad, then as a teenager going and checking out all the local farm ponds in East Knox County.  Later as an adult taking one of my children or grandchildren fishing and watching them catch their first fish.  But do you and I remember that Jesus told us to be ‘fishers of men’ (Matthew 4:19)? 

There are a lot of similarities to fishing for fish and fishing for men.  The principles that make someone a good fisherman and a great soulwinner are the same.  Let me recount four things I have learned in fishing that are true to fishing for men.

1.      To catch fish you have to go fishing.

It’s simple, but you’re not going to catch a mess of fish sitting in your living room discussing the joy of catching fish.  You can talk about it all you want, but you will not catch fish just talking about them.  We can dream about going and catching the biggest bass in the county, but he’s not going to come to your house.  Let’s face it, we are not going to catch fish staying in our homes or churches and hanging an ‘Everyone Welcome’ sign over the door.  We have to go fishing to catch fish.

2.      We need to go where the fish are.

Last time I checked fish live in lakes and streams.  You have to go there to catch them.  Putting it in modern day terms we have to go fishing at work, at school, at Walmart, in our neighborhoods, and as the great commission alludes to ‘as you go’.  That is wherever we go we are to fish for men.  As a pastor said in a sermon I heard, “they’re everywhere, go catch you some”!

3.      We need to use the right bait if you want to catch fish.

Fish don’t bite what they’re not hungry for.  You’ve got to find what they are looking for and put that bait in front of them.  Mankind is looking for hope, peace, purpose, and joy.  Those things are only found in Christ.  The world may not realize it, but they are looking and hungry for Jesus!  Sadly we tend to try to use the world’s marketing schemes to catch men.  We want to talk with them about our programs, music, worship, and what great fellowships we have.  Those things are well and good, but only the gospel is what catches men.  You may draw a crowd with those things, but only Jesus will change their lives.

4.      We will need persistence to catch fish.

I’ve fished many a day and caught very few, if any fish.  Sadly, many people give up after the first trip and never fish again because they didn’t catch anything.  I know if I keep going I will catch some fish and what a joy it is to catch some really good ones!  But you know, that’s not really my main motivation to catch fish for Jesus.  My main reason is that He told me to go fishing for Him!  And if I do, I know I will catch some.  And they’re not going to be just some fish, they are going to be men, women, and children who will get to spend eternity with Him and us.  You see, when you catch a fish for Jesus you have made a friend for eternity!  It doesn’t get any better than that!