Evangelism Bible Study Fishers of Men

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1 Evangelism Bible Study Fishers of Men Introduction One picture Scripture uses to describe our role is fishers of men. Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men (Mark 1:17, from the gospel for Epiphany 3). Have you ever gone fishing? Are you a good fisherman? Do you know what it takes to be a good fisherman? Let s see. Our Objectives: 1) To see that our Lord has given each of us what we need to be his ambassadors/fishers of men 2) To lead each of us to be more active as Christ s ambassadors/fishers of men What Does It Take to Be a Fisher of Men? You Have to Have FISH We re not talking about the kind you catch in a stream or lake. We re talking about a different kind of FISH. To be a fisher of men, first you have to have Faith 1) Look at what Andrew did and said in John 1: Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Look at what Philip did and said in John 1: Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. Look at what Peter did and said in Luke 5:5. Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." 2) What do you have in common with Andrew, Philip, and Peter? 3) Notice what Andrew did before he went and found his brother in John 1: Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus How had this prepared him to be a fisher of men? 4) God gave you your fishing license. God brought you to faith. How does God strengthen your faith? Like Jesus first disciples, there is nothing about us that qualifies us to be fishers of men. We are what we are solely by the grace of God. He found us. He made us his own. He gave us the first and foremost qualification for being fishers of men faith. In addition, the Lord provides

2 Page 2 Insight 1) Jesus disciples didn t always grasp right away what was happening and why. In John 2:22 and 12:16 what does John say happened after Jesus resurrection and ascension? After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. John 2:22 At first his disciples did not understand all this (events of Palm Sunday). Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. John 12:16 2) How does this apply to us today? 3) What is St. Paul s prayer for us in Philippians 1:9-11? And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God. 4) What can we do to increase our insight? Our Lord promises to give us what we need to be fishers of men. As we follow him, he will increase our biblical knowledge, our spiritual understanding, our insight. As we follow him, we will also see how our Savior is driven by a Servant s Heart 1) Why did Jesus come to serve as our Redeemer? Read: Matthew 9:36 and Mark 10:45. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45 2) Why did St. Paul dedicate himself to preaching Christ? Read: 2 Corinthians 4:5-6,15. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:5-6 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15 3) What happens when we see Jesus compassion? When we see his love for souls? When we see his servant s heart? The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we will see his compassion and love for souls. We too will experience the joy of heaven over every sinner who repents. We too will acquire a servant s heart. All of this is possible because of the work of the Holy Spirit 1) What is the focus of the work Jesus disciples think they are about to enter in Acts 1:6? So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? What is the focus of the work they are carrying out in Acts 2:11,21,38? We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues! Acts 2:11 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:21 Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

3 Page 3 What made the difference? Read: Acts 1:4-5,8; 2:4. "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4-5 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:4 2) How about us? Read Ephesians What were we by nature? What are we now? What made the difference? 3) What is St. Paul s prayer for us in Ephesians 1:17-19a? I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:17-19a It is clear that we are fishers of men by the grace of God. He has given us everything we need: faith, insight, a servant s heart, and the Holy Spirit. Indeed, to be a fisher of men you first have to have FISH. But there s more You Have to ACT Today we aren t talking about the act of going fishing. We re talking about a different kind of ACT. Let s think about some of the characteristics of a good fisherman. What is there about fishing for fish that also applies to fishing for men? One characteristic is Adaptability 1) First century fishermen had to be able to adapt. Depending on the fishing conditions, a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee might use one of three methods of fishing, using baited hooks, casting nets or using drag nets, depending on the conditions and what they were hoping to accomplish. How did St. Paul apply this in his ministry? To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 1 Corinthians 9:22 2) How does this apply to our fishing expeditions? God s Word is and always must be the heart and core of our message to others. But how we present that message may vary. One of the keys to fishing with the Word is adaptability. Another is Courage 1) Fishermen on the Sea of Galilee had to be courageous and tough. The Sea of Galilee was and is famous for the speed at which storms blow in out of the mountains. Do you recall any such situations? 2) St. Paul s ministry was one that called for courage. He gives us a summary of his work in 2 Corinthians 11: Note what he faced. Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28

4 Page 4 3) As we fish for men, what situations may call for courage on our part? Fishing isn t always easy. There may be risks involved. Nevertheless, we go forward knowing that our Lord will provide all that we need to carry out the task he has given, including courage. Courage is another key to fishing with the Word. A third is Tenacity 1) Fishermen have to be tenacious. In other words, they have to stick to it. They have to be patient. They can t afford to give up. If first century fishermen gave up whenever the fish didn t swim immediately into their nets, they wouldn t be fishermen very long. How did Jesus instill this patience and persistence in his first disciples? Read: Matthew 10:5,7,11-14,23,40. 2) St. Paul displayed this tenacity. Note how he stayed in places in spite of opposition and returned to places in spite of rejection. First Missionary Journey Second Missionary Journey Third Missionary Journey Insets from maps in Acts, Rev. Richard Balge, Northwestern Publishing House, Milwaukee WI, Used by permission of Northwestern Publishing House.

5 Page 5 Paul s Tenacity and Courage How many What danger did Paul face there? times did Paul visit Pisidian Antioch 4 Acts 13:50 expulsion Iconium 4 Acts 14.5 plot to stone Lystra 4 Acts stoned until dead Derbe 3 Philippi 4 Acts beaten, scourged, jailed Thessalonica 4 Acts 17.5 riot Berea 4 Acts riot Corinth 3 Ephesus 2 Acts riot 3) Why is it important that we, as fishers of men, be tenacious? When we stick to it, when we refuse to give up, when we continue to courageously share the gospel in various places and in various ways, God will bless our efforts. Let s go out with adaptability, courage, and tenacity. Conclusion The Lord has provided the FISH! It s up to us to ACT! Take a minute to jot down your thoughts for each of the following questions. 1) How do you proclaim the grace of God? 2) How might you proclaim the grace of God? 3) How will you proclaim the grace of God? Closing Prayer