Jesus was a fisher of men (and women). Whilst Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers who were busy fishing. They were Simon, who was also called Peter, and his brother, Andrew. Peter and Andrew were busy casting nets into the sea, trying to catch fish, when Jesus called out to them and said in Matthew 5:19 “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Peter and Andrew immediately left their nets and started to follow Him.
I will make you Fishers of Men
Jesus is not the only fisher of men, but there is another who seeks to catch men as well, and that is the evil one, or the devil. There is a difference in the way that they fish for men. The devil seeks to trick you into being caught and Jesus seeks to set the captives free.
There are different methods used in fishing, in order to catch fish. The main methods used are those of net fishing and hook and line. In net fishing, a net is either cast into the sea, that then entraps the fish underneath it, or a net is pulled behind a boat, which sort of rounds up the fish. The fish caught by this method are not harmed by the process. The process of net fishing allows the fisherman to catch many fish at one time.
In hook and line fishing, a line is cast into the sea, with a barbed hook at the end, which is baited. The bait lures the fish to eat, and when the fish tries to eat the bait, the hook is pulled into the flesh of the fish, and the barb then prevents the fish from getting free. The fish is then forcefully pulled to it’s captor. Many fishermen enjoy the fight of catching the fish, more than the fish that is caught. Fishermen will travel all over the world and pay great prices, just for the thrill of catching a fish that is known to have good fighting abilities, like the Marlin.
The thrill of the fight.
The devil use the hook and line method to fish for men. He casts out a line, and baits it with all the different objects of lust, lust for money, lust for fame, lust for sexual immorality, lust for drugs, etc. The bait is made very attractive in order to lure you, but it is not food and will never satisfy your hunger. The casino lights are the brightest of all the buildings around, and flash out at you promising that you will have your lust for money solved. The pretty woman who stands on the corner of the street, luring men into her enfolds with the promise of a good time for a little money, the pornography that entices you, it is all just the devils bait that he has cast out to you, which will never satisfy you. When you give into temptation and bite the bait, then he hooks you, the barb is in, and you can not get free. He reels you in, and you fight, but as much as you try to fight, you can not get free. The devil gets a thrill at the fight, knowing that he has caught you. He plays you on the line as long as is possible, for it is not the end catch that thrills him, but the fighting against the fish on the line, the thrill of bringing it in slowly, that is what he enjoys, feeling the terror of the catch on the other side.
Baited hook with barb.
Jesus uses the net to fish for men. He casts His net out to many, and when they come into the net, they are unharmed. Using the net to guide the catch, he brings the catch skillfully into an area of quite water, out of harm, and then removes the net, and says to the fish, “See, I have brought you into calm waters. There is safety here and nothing will harm you. You are free and you may stay in my safe waters as long as you wish. If you choose to swim out again to the rough seas, it is by your choice and I will not prevent you, but be warned that if you do swim out to rough waters, you may become hungry, and may be enticed to eat of that which has been cast out as bait, and you may be hooked and caught with the line and hook. Stay rather in the calm waters that I have provided for you. There is plenty of food here in My waters.”
Jesus actively goes out, and sends His disciples out, to help those that have been hooked by the devil. He came to set the captives free. He will help you to remove the hook, he will set you free and bring you into the calm waters, where there is plenty of food to satisfy you. When you are hooked, and the devil is busy fighting his catch, Jesus will come by and ask, “would you like me to set you free?” Some will answer yes, and He will release you from the hook, but many believe that they will win the fight against the devil by themselves,and some do not believe that they even have a hook in their mouths, and continue in their fight. If you are hooked and want to be released into the calm waters, then simply call out God help me, and He will set you free.
