PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

The Master’s Call to The Master’s Call to Follow Him and Follow Him and

Become Fishers of MenBecome Fishers of Men

Mark 1:16-22Mark 1:16-22

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Mark 1:16-17aMark 1:16-17a• Now as he walked by the sea [lake] of Galilee, he saw Simon

[Peter] and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them….

Notice the initiative of God!

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Mark Gets Right to the Point Mark Gets Right to the Point

But in John 1 we learn that Jesus But in John 1 we learn that Jesus had a relationship with these men had a relationship with these men

before he called them to be before he called them to be disciplesdisciples

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Luke 19:10Luke 19:10

• For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

We follow Christ’s example by building relationships We follow Christ’s example by building relationships with unbelievers with the goal of calling them to with unbelievers with the goal of calling them to

follow Jesus!follow Jesus!

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Jesus (we) Found ThemJesus (we) Found Them

Romans 3:11• There is none• that understandeth, • there is none that seeketh after God.

Apart from divine interventionApart from divine intervention

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Mark 1:17Mark 1:17

• And Jesus said unto them, –Come ye after me, and I will make

you to become fishers of men.

Matt 4:18Matt 4:18–Follow me.Follow me.

Same Story

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

““Follow Me”Follow Me”

Is a call to be a Disciple!Is a call to be a Disciple!

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

A Disciple IsA Disciple Is

• one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another:

• a convinced adherent of a school or individual [in this case Christ]

• Synonym: Follower

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Just to be Clear!Just to be Clear!

• Let’s make sure we agree that the NT does not distinguish between becoming saved and becoming a disciple of Christ.

• The message of the gospel includes a call of repentance toward God and faith as a follower of Christ.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Mark 2:14Mark 2:14

• And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus [Matthew] sitting at the receipt of

custom, and said unto him, Follow Follow me. me.

• And he arose and followed him.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

I am Concerned!I am Concerned!

• I am concerned that a new more palatable gospel has slipped into church of the 21st century; whereby, people are being assured of eternal life without any expectation that they become followers of Jesus.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

But Jesus SaidBut Jesus Said

Mark 8:34• And when he had called the people unto him

with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after [follow] me, Whosoever will come after [follow] me, let him deny himself, and take up his let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. cross, and follow me.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Turn to Mark 10:17-27Turn to Mark 10:17-27Q: Can I have eternal life and not Q: Can I have eternal life and not

be a follower of Jesus?be a follower of Jesus?

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

What does Romans What does Romans 1:16 say?1:16 say?

Is the power of God to turn the Is the power of God to turn the people in the world into people in the world into

followers of Christ.followers of Christ.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Luke 9:59-60Luke 9:59-60

• And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

• Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. kingdom of God.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Jesus SaidJesus Said

John 10:27• My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,

and they follow me:

There aren’t “ sheep” who don’t

follow him; they are goats!

and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats:

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Jesus SaidJesus Said

John 8:31• Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed

on him, If ye continue in my word, then are If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; ye my disciples indeed;

As opposed to As opposed to pseudo disciplespseudo disciples

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Jesus SaidJesus Said

John 10:35John 10:35• By this shall all men know that ye are my By this shall all men know that ye are my

disciples, disciples, if if ye have love one to another. ye have love one to another.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

This pass out a tract, pray This pass out a tract, pray a prayer evangelism is not a prayer evangelism is not

NT evangelism. NT evangelism.

Fishers of men call Fishers of men call people to follow Christ.people to follow Christ.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Turn to John 21Turn to John 21Someone asks, Someone asks,

““Is it going to cost me Is it going to cost me anything to be a Christian?”anything to be a Christian?”

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Some segments of 21Some segments of 21stst century century Christianity seem to have this idea Christianity seem to have this idea

that as long as people say they have that as long as people say they have asked Jesus in their heart its “ok” if asked Jesus in their heart its “ok” if

they don’t become followers of Jesus.they don’t become followers of Jesus.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Notice their ResponseNotice their ResponseMark 1:19• And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

What What does this does this

mean?mean?

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Mark 1:20Mark 1:20

• And straightway he called them:

• and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Mark 1:21Mark 1:21

• And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

He is the Teacher; I am the pupil.He is the Teacher; I am the pupil.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

RabbiRabbi

• 15 times Mark indicated that Jesus taught (also v. 22; 2:13; 4:1–2; 6:2, 6, 34; 8:31; 9:31; 10:1; 11:17; 12:14, 35; 14:49),

• 12 times Mark referred to him as a teacher.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Mark 1:22Mark 1:22

• And they were astonished at his doctrine:

• for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

Why?

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Jesus had the authority to Jesus had the authority to call them out of the darkness call them out of the darkness and into the marvelous light and into the marvelous light and then teach them what it and then teach them what it meant to walk in that light.meant to walk in that light.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

This is a This is a New-Old MessageNew-Old Message

Turn to Turn to Jeremiah 6:16Jeremiah 6:16

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Early ChurchEarly Church• Acts 6:1 The disciples increased in number• Acts 9:1 The disciples of the Lord• Acts 9:19 the disciples at Damascus• Acts 11:26 the disciples at Antioch• Acts 13:52 the disciples were filled with • Acts 18:23 strengthening all the disciples• Acts 19:1 there he found some disciples• Acts 20:1 Paul sent for the disciples

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Think about all the Think about all the resources that are resources that are

available to you to help available to you to help you learn how to be a you learn how to be a

follower of Christ.follower of Christ.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

In the Early ChurchIn the Early Church

• In the early church there is not a distinction between being saved and being a disciple.

• If a person was not a disciple then he was not considered saved because saved people were followers of Christ.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

The Great CommissionThe Great Commission

• Go ye therefore, and teach [make disciples] all nations,

The mission of the church is to teach people The mission of the church is to teach people in all nations what it means to be a follower of in all nations what it means to be a follower of

Christ.Christ.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

The Great CommissionThe Great Commission

• Go ye therefore, and teach [make disciples] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

QuestionQuestionWho should we baptize? Who should we baptize?

Anyone? Anyone?

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AnswerAnswer

People who give evidence People who give evidence that they are followers of that they are followers of

Christ.Christ.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Acts 2Acts 2Who was baptized?Who was baptized?

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Only the RepentantOnly the RepentantActs 2:37-38• Now when they heard this, they were cut to

the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

Who did Who did “John the Baptist” “John the Baptist”

baptize?baptize?

Luke 3:8Luke 3:8

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

John SaidJohn Said

Luke 3:8• “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy [in

keeping] of repentance.. • and begin not to say within yourselves, We

have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”

PASTOR SEAN HARRIS

ConclusionConclusion

Luke 14:25-33Luke 14:25-33