What does it mean to be "fishers of men"?

When the Lord called Simon and Andrew, He said, "Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fish ers of men" (Mark 1:17). We thus see that the Lord had called them to become workers for Himself and to fish for the souls ofmen. Serving the Lord, being His fishermen, was to be their business now.

It is not a personal call here; that is elsewhere; here it is the ministerial call, the call to service. I beseech you earnestly to take note of that. It is not the call of persons to find their part in Christ and to find Christ everything; it is the ministerial call. You find the personal call in John 1, and the ministerial call is here in Mark. And notice what it says — a beautiful word. Is it, "Go out and preach ye"? Not a word of it. "Go out into the streets and lanes"? Not a word as to that yet. "Come ye after me." O the sweetness of that! Ah! beloved fellow servants of Christ, that must be before all service to men. It must be first to Him in our own souls, "Come ye after me" — this is the school, this is the college, this is the training-house, this is where everything is adjusted, "Come ye after me." Is it not the case for we give it all against ourselves — that that element is sadly wanting oftentimes in our ministry? Do not we very often leave the impression upon the hearts of those that hear us that we have not been very much with the Master? "Come ye after me," He says that is first. Oh, the loveliness of that is beyond all expression. And mark what follows, "And I will make you to become fishers of men" — how instructive that is to us! — that is to say, I will train you. There is only One that knows the art, and that is Jesus. There is but one blessed Master of the art of catching men, and that is Jesus. Thank God that He trains others in His grace, "I will make you to become." But it is "after me" where all that intuition is gone into; it is "after me" where all that is picked up, where all that is learnt; He educates, He is the One that initiates, "I will make you to become fishers of men."

I do not dwell upon the figure, but I am sure you know the pains, and the care, and the patience, and all that is necessary to make a man a really good skilful angler. And do you not know what a difficult thing it is to win persons? Is it not too often that we try to drive people? God knows it is not very difficult to repel people, though sometimes it would seem from the very earnestness with which people set themselves to it, that they think it is a hard thing to do. It is very easy to wound, to repel, to knock down; but to win, and, may I say also, to warm, and to catch — these are the words here in the gospel, "I will make you to become fishers of men."

And observe this one word of the Saviour here, "come." That is a word you constantly find, "come." Oh the power that there was in that word! And I will say more — oh the charm there was in that word! How that word must have fallen on their ears! Some of us, I fear, prefer the word, "claim"; but as for me I love that word "charm." But I think I hear you say, Does not the Lord claim you? Ah! but does He not charm you? They were charmed, and that is exactly what you find. And "immediately," you get the word of Mark again, immediately they left property, ship, father, nets, everything. Now take particular note of this. Do not think for a moment that those men were idle, men that had nothing to do. I was struck with this in coming along to speak to you to-night all these men were busy men, every one of them was occupied; it was not that they were do-nothings; for my part, I cannot, beloved friends, see where the virtue is in people that are do-nothings. Not one of those men were of that character; they were all engaged with their nets, or their fishing, or with their father, either drawing the nets, or mending the nets; they were all engaged in some way or another with their occupation. But oh! there was a heavenly charm in that "come" from those precious lips of the Lord Jesus Christ, "out of heaven," and so all was left — the father, the nets, the fishing, everything.

The Lord said to Simon and Andrew, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matt. 4:19); and what I understand by a fisherman is one who catches fish — not merely a man with a rod, or a net, that goes a-fishing. The work of the evangelist is to bring souls to Christ first of all, and then to the door of the Assembly. My advice to you is, Do not introduce your own converts. Let the porters take them in. We read of the porters in Solomon's days. Their names are given in 1 Chronicles 9:17-18; their number, four thousand, in 1 Chronicles 23:5; their courses in 2 Chronicles 8:14; and their service in 1 Chronicles 35:15. Are you a good porter? A few good porters in the Assembly are of great service, because the porters keep out what ought not to be in, and let in those who have a title to go in. It is a great cheer to a young soul when the porters can say, "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord." I like a good warm-hearted porter.

Follow Him-When Jesus desired to call twelve apostles as His servants for the carrying on of His great work, He went down to the sea of Galilee, called Simon, Andrew, James, and John from their work of fishing and said unto them: "Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men" (Mark 1:17) . He chose simple, unlearned fishermen with just what they possessed and called them to follow Him, promising that He would make them to become instruments that Ile could use in the wonderful work of saving the souls of men. Their preparation and training for this work was to be gained by following Him each day, by being in His company and learning of Him. He would teach them all that was necessary and would make them real soul winners for Himself.

These were the Apostles, and for three years and a half their Lord and Master devoted Himself very largely to their training. When He taught the crowds by parables He would give them the explanation in private. His miracles conveyed spiritual lessons. And in many other ways He fulfilled His promise: "I will make you fishers of men" (Matt. 4:19). For that word "make" has the force of "train."

280 The Lord gives us confidence in Himself by taking the start of us about the knowledge of our sinfulness. Jesus said to Peter, "Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men" - planting him at once in confidence in Himself, because shewing him that though He knew quite well he was a sinner, yet His purpose was to make him the means of saving sinners. It was as much as to say, You need not shrink from me; for if I could not meet you in grace and put away your sin, I could not of course make use of you to save others.

One so utterly humbled and broken as Simon was a fit witness for Christ. Accordingly the Saviour said to the trembling fisherman, "Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men." In Jer. 5:26 we read of leaders in wickedness who "catch men"; here we have Simon commissioned to catch men for Christ and for heaven. For this great work God acknowledges no other means than the Gospel. No new story and no side attractions can ever be expected to receive His sanction. In Acts 2 we have an example of fishing with a net, when three thousand souls were blessed; in Acts 8 we see a man fishing with a hook — Philip landing the individual eunuch for Christ. Both public and individual work remain open to us to-day.

After this the two brothers were appointed to the service of the apostolate. As they were at their daily work, fishing, they were called from that and all else to be fishers of men. And they illustrate the different ways of fishing: Peter fished with a net and brought multitudes in with a sweep of the great waters, whilst Andrew fished with a line. He had already caught one fish, and this proved to be a very large one. Now the qualities needed for the two kinds of fishing are in many ways distinct. Patience and vigilance are needed in both cases; but whereas the net-fisherman has his attention on large things, the rise and fall of sea-tides, gales, and shoals, the line-fisherman has a careful watch for the little ripple, the slight depressions of the float, the faintest pressure on the line. This quality we see in Andrew. When the multitude stood starving around them, and the rest of the disciples were in despair, it was Andrew (John 6:8-9) that saw the boy standing with the bread basket, and, with the practical eye of one accustomed to see small things and seize small opportunities, he said, "There is a lad here [another would not have noticed a lad at all!] which hath five barley loaves [he had not only counted them, but knew what they were made of!] and two small fishes."

60 But the Lord deals in perfect grace. He does not leave Simon Peter. He knew all his sin before He went into the ship, and says to him, "Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men." Jesus went into the ship to shew Peter that he had nothing to fear. Truly "perfect love casteth out fear." Fear has torment till grace is fully revealed; and now it was, with as much authority as that miracle-working word, "Let down your nets for a draught." It was the word of Christ to his heart. If he trusted it for the fish, why not for his fears? Peter had said, "Depart," but instead of that, Christ had already come, knowing all he was better than Peter. He was come as a Saviour; nay, more, He intimates to Peter that He was going to make him an instrument in gathering others. Everyone who has the love of God shed abroad in his heart becomes a vessel of living grace himself: not the source, but the river flows through him, so that people may come and drink. Recipients of grace, we are associated with Christ in the activity of love. Outward gift is not meant here, but that, as members of His body, there is living fellowship with the Head in the testimony of His grace and power.

And now He Who spoke the word of power for the miracle says to Simon, Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt be catching men. There is a season to everything, a time to fear, and a time not to fear. Nor is this peculiar to Simon. It is for every believer in Christ. Till we know Him by faith we do well to fear. Not to fear before that is impenitence with indifference or presumption. But when grace makes Him known to us, "Fear not" is as truly for us as for him. And so it was for James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's partners. The word addressed to Simon they took for themselves believingly; and they were right. It was written for us, that we might believe and have the blessing with like assurance. Perfect love casts out fear.

All, no doubt, are not called to "be catching men," as Simon was; and eminently was made good in due time this word of the Lord also. But while the Lord still calls and sends to preach the gospel, neither man nor woman that believes ought to hide the word of His grace, but publish His name far and wide, as they have opportunity, and in all earnestness, though decently and in order. Time was, whilst all the apostles lived too, when the scattered faithful went through the world evangelizing the word; and the Lord's hand was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord (Acts 8, Acts 11). Let us fear neither for ourselves, if we believe on Him, nor to speak a word in season, His word, to the weary, if they too by grace may hear and live.