J ESUS CALLS Simon and Andrew, then James and John. They are fishermen, professionals. They make their living on the lake. If they catch no fish, they have nothing to sell. If they have nothing to sell, they have no income. If they have no income, the family suffers. Jesus calls them to give up fishing and begin to fish for people. They leave their jobs, their careers, their source of income and follow Jesus and learn to be people catchers.

We know very little of the background of any of the disciples whom Jesus calls. The four in today’s story were fishermen. Matthew was a tax collector (Matthew 9:9). We don’t know what the others did before following.

As far as we can tell, the 12 people Jesus called to be his companions were ordinary folks. As far as we can tell, Jesus didn’t do background checks to determine IQ levels, financial shrewdness, professional skills, or temple education. He picked people, ordinary people, like you and me. Furthermore, his disciples were anything but perfect. Many times they misunderstood him. They often hesitated to follow him. Judas betrayed him and Peter denied him. But these would be the persons who would continue Jesus’ work on earth after he left — ordinary people, like you and me. They were called.

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IT IS THESE PEOPLE, not unlike you and me, that he called to fish for people. I’m not much for fishing. I do best catching fish from the fish counter at Aquilla’s or Billy’s Seafood. In fact, this is the way I like to fish.

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LET’S USE THIS VIDEO as a metaphor for our scripture reading today.

Suppose the boat represents the church. There’s historical support for that. The center portion of a sanctuary is called a “nave.” It’s from the Latin word for “boat.” I suppose it’s the source of the word “navy.” So, pretend Swift Church is a boat. Not a big ocean vessel, but a boat, this boat in the video. And we, members of the church, are riding in the boat on the river. We’re moving right along enjoying the scenery. Minding our own business. In fact, we, in the boat, are a family. Different ages. Just riding along. Happy and laughing and having a good time. We don’t need anything or anyone else. Life is good.

Now, use your imagination that the fish in this video are people. Jesus made that reference. We’ve been called, like Simon, Andrew, James and John to fish for people. And here we are with fish-people launching all around. Like a missile shot from a cannon. Something’s not right in their lives. They jump up and down. Anxious, stressed-out. Their life has changed. Their comfort has been challenged. Disrupted.

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SO, WE’RE IN THE BOAT-CHURCH puttering along, The fish-people are jumping all around. And we speed right on by them. We don’t stop the boat. We don’t get out a net or a rod and try to catch them. We putter along our merry old way. Laughing, enjoying our ride. Talking about all the people in need. Praying for all the people floundering and in need of the boat-church.

Occasionally, one of the fish-people lands in the boat-church and we celebrate. We whoop and holler, we get all excited. And we should be. After all, it’s not every day that someone flops into the church. A few flop onto the deck, bounce around and flop right back out. Some soar in and stay. And we feel good about ourselves, about our boat ride.

But, if you notice, hundreds of fish-people jump around and do not land in the boat. They are there. They are close by. They leap through the air like a salmon swimming upstream. But the folks in the boat-church, you and I, make no attempt to catch them, to pull them in, to help them. Their lives are disrupted, fearful, challenged. People try to jump on board and we just rev the motor and go on our merry way, content as a family to be out on the water celebrating God’s goodness and creation.

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THAT’S NOT THE WAY Jesus intends for us to fish for people. Next week we will ride in the boat-church with Jesus and learn how to be people catchers.

— Keith Cardwell   

Mark 1:14–20
Holy Bible, New International Version

Jesus Announces the Good News
¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples
¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.

¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

— This is the Word of the LORD.