Matthew 4:12-25 Part 2

Jacob Whitaker

Matthew • Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

Matthew 4:12–25

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Matthew 4:12–17 ESV

Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:12-

Last week we looked at the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and we took a close look at the transition between the ministry of John the Baptist and that of Jesus. If you remember we saw Jesus returning to the Jordan river several times after his baptism. John sees him and declares, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

We saw Jesus’ first interactions with Peter and his brother Andrew while at the Jordan river with John.

We saw Jesus’ first interactions with Peter and his brother Andrew there at the Jordan river with John, and because of John’s words they follow Jesus back to where he is staying and presumably follow him eventually back to Galilee.

Jesus performs his first recorded miracle in Cana of Galilee while at a wedding party, turning water into wine, and when the time of the Passover arrives he heads back south to go up to Jerusalem. It’s there Jesus famously drives out the money changers from within the temple, and after performing many signs before the people many believe in his name.

While still in Jerusalem a Pharisee named Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night and Jesus tells him that in order to enter the kingdom of God that one must be born again, or born from above. That a person’s salvation is wholly of the Lord, that their spiritual birth is both God’s prerogative and God’s doing.

Jesus then moves out into the Judean countryside and by this time his followers have increased significantly in number. So much so that John the Baptist, who is baptizing nearby, instructs his disciples and says, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Shortly after John is arrested and put in prison.

So Jesus travels back to Galilee and along the way encounters a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. While speaking with her he reveals to her that he is indeed the Christ. After hearing of Jesus the Samaritans at Sychar plead with Jesus to stay within them, and he does, for two days. They exclaim, “…we know this is indeed the Savior of the world!”

Upon arriving at his hometown of Nazareth in Galilee Jesus is violently rejected. They even attempt to throw him off a cliff, but he mysteriously passes through their midst and to moves to Capernaum. It’s at this point Matthew connects Jesus to an OT text from Isaiah and shows us that he is like a great light to those people dwelling darkness, both to those in the region of Galilee and to the Gentiles, even today, like us, and it’s after this that we pickup in Mathew starting in verse 18 of chapter 4.

Jesus calls his disciples

Matthew 4:18–22 ESV

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is 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. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

If you’ll remember Capernaum is a city located on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee just west of Bethsaida where Andrew and Peter are from, along with James and John. So while Jesus is walking by the Sea of Galilee he sees Peter and Andrew casting their net into the Sea. This obviously isn’t the first time Jesus has met these men, in fact, it’s likely they have come to know Jesus quite well since their first encounter with him in Judea along the Jordan river. I suspect they’re quite aware of who Jesus is as well the miraculous signs that follow him.

Now what I find exciting is that while Matthew here is very brief in his account of Jesus’ interaction with Andrew and Peter, Luke records in far greater detail what takes place between Jesus and his disciples. So turn with me to Luke chapter 5 starting in verse 1,

Luke 5:1–11 ESV

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Luke 5:1-

Now what we see here is that these texts are making two very important points. The first is that Jesus tells them to follow him, and the second is that Jesus tells them that he will make them fishers of men. So what I want to do this morning is look at both of these points and expand on them, what is it that Jesus was calling these men to do and what were the implications of his calling.

Follow Me

Effectual Calling

The first thing we notice in the text is that Jesus’ calling is effectual. What do I mean by that? I mean that when Jesus calls his disciples to himself they don’t hesitate, the Scriptures teach that they immediately left their nets and followed him (i.e. they came when he called). This is a type of calling that is heart-changing and Spirit wrought, it’s a call that penetrates the stony hearts of men and it gives them a new heart that joyfully responds to God’s command.

And this internal call when coupled, or paired with the external, general call of God given to the whole world indiscriminately works effectually in the hearts of men. It’s what we witness here with Jesus’ disciples. And it’s the same reality that works in us as Christians, it’s the same call that brought us, as Christians, to faith in Christ, it’s the same call that causes men to repent of their sin and put their trust in Christ for salvation.

The general call

Now often times God’s general call to repent and to turn to Christ falls on deaf ears and on hard hearts that remain unchanged. Men frequently do not humble themselves before God and receive the good news of the Gospel, but I pray that we would be like these disciples and immediately leave whatever it is we’re doing and follow after Jesus.

Follow Jesus

I pray that we would examine our lives and ask ourselves, “Is Jesus at the center of our dreams and of our ambitions?” While it’s obvious that Jesus’ call for his disciples was also a call ultimately to ministry, that doesn’t mean that the rest of us aren’t called to set Christ at the center of our lives. No, Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” ()

Center our lives around Christ

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

We are to follow Christ in our educational pursuits, in our vocations, in our families and with our friends. When we follow Jesus he becomes the ‘why’ behind everything that we do. He personifies our dreams and our ambitions, he’s our King and our purpose for doing this or that. He’s the reason we go one place or another. He’s the reason we stay when it’s hard, he’s the reason we go when it’s uncertain. He’s the reason we can and do endure suffering.

Glorifying God by loving and obeying him

Our love for our King motivates us toward one singular goal and passion, and that is to glorify him. And how do we glorify him? We do so by loving him and obeying him, by building his kingdom. When we choose to build our own kingdoms over and above his kingdom this serves to simply demonstrate that we only love ourselves or someone other than Christ. So I pray that we would embrace Christ and set him at the center of our lives.

Jesus has the right to direct our lives

You see what we’ve seen up to this point in the Gospel of Matthew is that Jesus is not only worth following, but he’s also has the right to direct our lives. Matthew demonstrated to us in chapter 1 that Jesus is the promised son of David and son of Abraham. He’s the seed of the woman foretold and hoped for in Genesis chapter 3. He’s the rightful king of Isreal, and the divine son of God who’s both truly man and truly God, a God-man who would save his people from their sins.

In chapter 2 we saw that Jesus is the true son of Isreal, the son that Israel could never be. That this Jesus was a king born of the Jews worshipped by the Magi and to be worshipped by us. In chapter 3 John announces that this Messiah is the savior of the world and that he is the righteous judge. The heavens are opened, the Spirit descends upon Jesus and his Father bestows his love upon him. This is the Jesus that the disciples leave everything behind to follow, and it’s the same Jesus we ought to leave everything behind to follow ourselves.

All things used in obedience to Christ

Now I don’t want to give anyone the wrong impression. Many of us are called to the very professions we have today, and we rightfully responsible to the families God has given to us, but may all of those things find their rightful place and purpose subservient our call to follow Christ. So again the first aim here in the text is not only to describe the response given by Jesus’ disciples to follow him, but to remind and even exhort us to do the same.

So again the first aim here in the text is not only to describe the response given by Jesus’ disciples to follow him, but to remind and even exhort us to do the same.

Now I said earlier that the second point of these passages is that Jesus tells his disciples that he will make them fishers of men.

Now we’ve seen from John’s Gospel account that this was not their first encounter with Jesus. At least two of them had been disciples of John, both Andrew and Peter, and they lived and worked in the Bethsaida alongside James and John.

Fishers of Men

Matthew 4:18

Matthew 4:18–22 ESV

Now I said earlier that the second point of these passages is that Jesus tells his disciples that he will make them fishers of men. You see from this point on these men that Jesus has called to himself will follow him everywhere he goes. They will listen to his teaching, Jesus will privately explain his teachings to them, they will witness the miracles that are performed by his hands, and they will be sent out periodically to put into practice Jesus’ instructions.

Luke 5:1-

Luke 5:1–11 ESV

Evangelism

Jesus is going to train his disciples to be fishers of men, he intends to make them evangelists. That they will take the good news of his kingdom throughout the world. In fact, it’s precisely what we read at the end of Matthew’s Gospel in chapter 28 starting in verse 16,

Matthew 28:16

English Standard Version Chapter 28

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16–20 ESV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Analogy of the net

Now this command isn’t only for his disciples this command is for all disciples of Christ. The command to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that I Jesus has commanded is for all of us. When Paul writes a letter to his protege in the faith, Timothy, he exhorts him to preach the word and to do the work of an evangelist. So first of all it’s important that we realize that we are not only called to follow Jesus but we are also to called to be fishers of men as well.

Analogy of the net

Now for many of us a call to become fishers of men is a scary prospect. Most of us by nature are afraid of people, we’re afraid of what people think of us, we’re afraid of how people might treat us, especially if we tell them something crazy like they need to repent and believe in Jesus. Well, there’s much I could say about such a problem but I want to focus in on what’s specifically here in the text and I think it’s really encouraging!

So what I want to do is remind us of the incident between Jesus and Peter in the boat as we read earlier in the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 5:4–5 ESV

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”

When Jesus tells Peter to let down his nets Peter is reluctant, but eventually Peter yields to his Lord. And to Peter’s surprise when they bring the net back up it’s full of fish! Now my question for you is this, “Who filled his net?” Of course, the answer is our Lord.

When Jesus tells Peter to let down their nets Peter is reluctant, but yields to his Lord. To Peter’s surprise when they bring the net back up it’s full of fish! Who filled his net? Of course the answer is our Lord.

Now this is of great encouragement to us for a couple of reasons, first we see here that we are not responsible for filling our own nets. In fact, it’s Peter in who exclaims, “Master we toiled all night and took nothing!” Peter has absolutely no control over the fish in the Sea of Galilee.

Catching fish in Chignik

The other day I was speaking with a good friend of mine who’s a fisherman by trade down at the dock. They lease their boat out several times a year during the winter and springtime to catch things like pollock and halibut, and during the summer their family take their boat to a place here in Alaska called Chignik.

It’s a native village about 400 miles east of us and it located almost exactly between us and Anchorage. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the town’s population to be approximately 70-80 residents at any given year.

The village

Now during salmon season the town explodes in size for a few short months while fisherman from around the state and surrounding region come to capitalize on the yearly salmon runs. My friend explained that while there is some consistency associated with the fish runs that there is also a high level of uncertainty associated with the amount of fish and where exactly they might show up.

In fact, he relayed a story from recent years where all of the boats in Chignik had gathered in a particular area where the salmon were anticipated to be, and that because so many people had gathered to fish in this particular place he decided to stay behind and go elsewhere - largely because he felt it would be difficult to do much fishing with so many other competitors, even if there were a lot of fish in that area.

Interestingly enough the place where they had decided to fish that day ended up slammed with fish, in fact, when the day was over they had taken in one of their biggest hauls of the season! Later that day they got word over the radio that the fishing had been bust for everyone else. The fish didn’t show up where everyone had anticipated. Which is reminiscent of Peter’s word earlier, “…we toiled all night and took nothing!”

Now my point here isn’t that God is going to tell us where the fish are, or who we should and shouldn’t evangelize to. The Scriptures teach that we are share the gospel with everyone without discrimination. Instead my point is that it’s not our responsibility to fill our nets, it’s not our job to save people. Salvation is of the Holy Spirit - it’s a supernatural work. We’re not burdened with responsibility of converting people, but it is our responsibility to let down our nets, it’s our job to open our mouths, and trust that, as the Lord pleases, he will fill our nets.

but it is our responsibility to let down our nets, it’s our job to open our mouths, and trust that as the Lord pleases he will fill our nets.

Ordinary means accomplish extraordinary ends

Salvation is of the Holy Spirit - it’s a supernatural work, but it is our responsibility to let down our nets, it’s our job to open our mouths, and trust that as the Lord pleases he will fill our nets.

God has ordained that people get saved through the proclamation of his word - that is, the proclamation of the gospel. God sees fit to use ordinary, human means to accomplish his extraordinary ends - namely the salvation of souls. God intends to use us as tools in his hands, and on one hand this relieves the burden of saving people from us and puts that responsibility on our Lord, but on the other hand we find such privilege and joy by being used by God in his work of saving sinners like us.

and secondly Jesus will fill out nets if we would simply obey him by letting down our nets.

Paul in his letter to the Romans says this,

Romans 10:14-

God chooses to work through ordinary means to accomplish his extraordinary goals - namely the salvation of souls.

Romans 10:14–15 ESV

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

When you have a conversation with a coworker or person on the plane about the gospel you don’t have to worry about the results. You simply have to communicate the message. We are like farmers, we plant and we water but it is God who gives the increase. It is God’s prerogative to cause spiritual rebirth.

Do the work of an evangelist

We get to be the messengers of this good news that Jesus has

When you have a conversation with a coworker or person on the plane about the gospel you don’t have to worry about the results. You simply have to clearly communicate the message. We are like farmers, we plant and we water but it is God who gives the increase. It is God’s prerogative to cause spiritual rebirth.

We are all called to “do the work of an evangelist” and to proclaim the gospel, and when you have a conversation with a coworker or person on the plane about the gospel you don’t have to worry about the results. You simply have to clearly communicate the message. We are like farmers, we plant and we water but it is God who gives the increase. It is God’s prerogative to cause spiritual rebirth.

Now I want you to turn with me to ,

English Standard Version Chapter 16

13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well

God opens Lydia’s heart

Look at what God did! He opened Lydia’s heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. She wasn’t won by Paul’s charisma or his elegant speech. Her heart responds to the gospel because God calls her, he opens her heart. Paul had no idea if there would be any fruit when he opened his mouth that day but had he not spoken she would not have heard, and God would not have opened her heart. God has ordained that salvation comes by hearing, and the hearing of the Word of God. And we are his vessels who are instructed to speak that word, and it’s not dependent on how eloquent our speech is.

Responsible to cast our nets

Now we are responsible to mend our nets, to keep them intact, then to cast them into the sea and trust that at some point God will fill our nets. What exactly does that mean? We study his word in order to understand it and we memorize his Scriptures that we might proclaim them. So we do indeed have a responsibility to know the gospel and to hide God’s word in our hearts, but it’s God’s responsibility to convert people, and that’s exciting! As an evangelist your call to be a fisher of men does not hang on your ability to convince a dead sinner of his need for salvation, no, it rests ultimately on God’s ability to make spiritually dead people alive.

Prayer

Proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom

The purpose of healing

Lord, thank you for your word, thank you for calling us. We are your sons and daughters because of your great mercy, and we are grateful. I pray that your love for us would compel us to take the good news of your kingdom, the good news of the forgiveness of sin, to a hostile world. I pray that you would open hearts as we step out in faith and share this gospel. Help us to be bold, to be courageous, to overcome our doubt. To remember that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to your Son and that he has promised to be with us, even to the end of the age. I pray that you would give us the words as we interact with those you have put in our way as we seek to glorify you in all that we do.

Help us to order our ways after your kingdom and that we would put your kingdom first. Help us to immediately leave everything behind that hinders us and follow you.