“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19 – NASB95)
Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. (Matthew 4:18-20 – NASB95)
INCREDIBLE! For the first 41 years of my life I was “blinder than a bat” and not equipped with sonar. I wore glasses or contact lenses every day of my life from the age of 3. When I took them off, everything was a blur! In the morning I would have to ask my wife what time was on the alarm clock 18 inches away. If I took the kids to the beach and took off my contact lenses to swim, I would have no idea which blur in the water was one of my kids (which is embarrassing when you yell at someone else’s kids that they have gone too far out). Then I began hearing stories about people with bad eyesight that now were able to see clearly. First, it was a news report that I ignored because, “Who can trust the media anyway?” Then it was a friend, then a relative, and then another friend. I was bewildered. Could it be possible? Was there really a cure for this curse? Could I be freed from this bondage to corrective lenses?
I began to do in-depth research to see if it could possibly work for me. I read the pros & the cons. I investigated different companies and specific doctors. I went in for consultations and was told that my particular condition was very serious and extremely difficult to correct. I was told not to expect too much but they could certainly make my vision dramatically better. I could tell they didn’t want to set me up for disappointment with expectations that were too high. I also heard horror stories of people that had their vision ruined by inexperienced doctors that botched the procedure. I became concerned because I only had one pair of eyes (as blurry as they may have been). Finally I picked a doctor and decided to go for it.
One week after the procedure I had 20/20 vision.
INCREDIBLE! What a blessing. What a gift. I wanted to kiss the doctor! I wanted to thank him profusely for all the years of training and sacrifice that gave him the ability to restore my vision. I wanted to thank him for enduring the attacks of critics and the scorn of people that claimed he was a quack and a charlatan selling snake oil. I wanted to thank him for taking the risk of going into business, purchasing the expensive equipment, training a staff, and putting his name and reputation on the line for something he believed would truly help people. I wanted to do all that, but he had moved on to help the next person. I remembered the videotape I watched weeks earlier when one of these doctors said, “I can’t wait to get out of bed in the morning and go to work. I can’t imagine anything more fulfilling than giving people good vision.”
It has now been 24 years since my eye surgery, and I believe that what we followers of Jesus are able to do for others is far more fulfilling than what eye surgeons do. They are able to give temporary clear vision; we can offer eternally clear vision. They can take people that are nearly blind and enable them to see the natural world; we can take people that are spiritually blind and enable them to see the supernatural world. They can help some people with specific eye problems; we can help all people with spiritual blindness. What an awesome privilege! What an incredible reason to get out of bed every morning!
During this Christmas season we have opportunities abounding to tell people about Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, the Lord and Savior of mankind. We have friends that have heard about Jesus in a news report or on a Christian television program. They may have ignored it saying, “Who can trust televangelists anyway?” Then they heard something from a co-worker but thought it was just a temporary religious phase they were going through. After all, they had heard horror stories from people that went to a church and were mistreated by the pastor and/or the church people. Besides, religion is just “the opiate of the people” – snake oil! Then they met you and me. Now it is our privileged opportunity to tell them what Jesus Christ has done in our lives. We can tell them about God’s “Amazing Grace” opening our blind eyes, removing our sin and guilt, and giving us an eternal love relationship with Him.
Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt. 4:19). Are we following? Are we fishing? Are we finding our fulfillment in fulfilling the Great Commission of our Lord and Savior? Opportunities abound this Christmas season. Let’s boldly reach out so someday we will hear from a precious friend, “Thank you for telling me about Jesus.” Then one day in the future we will also hear from our most precious Friend, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Are We Fishermen? (Source Unknown)
Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And lo, there were many fish in the waters all around. And the fish were hungry. Week after week, month after month, and year after year. Those who called themselves fishermen met to talk about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how they might go about fishing. Year after year they carefully defined what fishing means, defended fishing as an occupation, and declared that fishing is always to be a primary task of fishermen.
Continually they searched for new and better methods of fishing and for new and better definitions of fishing. They sponsored costly nation-wide and world-wide congresses to discuss fishing, promote fishing, and hear about all the ways of fishing such as the new fishing equipment, the fish calls, and any new bait.
In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. All the fishermen seemed to agree that what was needed was a board which could challenge fishermen to be faithful to fishing.
Large training centers were built whose original and primary purpose was to teach fishermen how to fish. Over the years, courses were offered on the needs of fish, the nature of fish, where to find fish, and how to approach and feed fish. Those who taught had doctorates in fishology. But the teachers did not fish. They only taught fishing. And those who were sent out did exactly as those who sent them. They formed groups and held special meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, and to declare how important fishing was. They talked about the great need for fishing. They prayed much that many fish might be caught. They analyzed the fish and discussed what is necessary in order to catch fish. But one thing they did not do, they did not fish.
Now it’s true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish every day. They were ridiculed by some who made fun of their fishermen’s clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen, yet never fished. They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the weekly meetings to talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master who said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men?”
Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who don’t catch fish are not really fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be.