Crosswalk

Dynamite Fishing

A game warden heard about a local fisherman that was illegally using dynamite to fish at the local lake. So the next day he decided to investigate and mayby catch the fisherman in the act. At about 6 a.m. he arrived at pier dressed as a fisherman himself and noticed a gentleman climbing into a small boat with a tackle box but no fishing pole.

Thinking that this must be the culprit, he asks if he might join the fisherman and come along for the ride. "Sure" says the angler "I could use the company. It'll be nice to have someone to talk to while I'm fishing".

So the game warden climbs aboard and off they row to the middle of the lake. As soon as they reach the middle the fisherman reaches into his tackle box and pulls out a stick of dynamite, lights it and tosses it overboard... CABOOOM!! up float a bunch of dead fish which the fisherman scoops up into the boat.

The game warden pulls out his badge and identifies himself. "I'm the game warden and you're under arrest for fishing with dynamite!"

About this time the old fisherman lights another stick of dynamite, hands it to the game warden and says, "You gonna talk or fish?"

When it comes to evangelism, are we just talking, or are we fishing? Are the methods we use for evangelism effective or do they simply cause a lot of collateral damage?

Read Matthew 4:17-22 and think about the following questions:

1. How is telling others about Jesus similar to fishing?
2. Fishing lures are created to be attractive to fish. How can you make the good news about Jesus attractive to your friends?

Jesus said in Matthew 4:19, “Come along with me and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men.” He was sending His disciples out to fish for men, rather than fish. Jesus wants each of us to go fishing with Him every day of our lives. We are to fish for people to bring to the Lord. We are to tell them how Jesus loved them so much that He died on the cross to forgive their sins. We must tell people how they can invite Jesus into their hearts to become their Savior. That way, we become fishers of men and helpers of Christ.

Here's some food for thought: is a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches fish? Is a person a true disciple of Jesus Christ if he never wins a soul for Christ? Jesus never suggests that the world should come to the church but he commands the church to go into the world to witness. Jesus has given us the example - he goes to the people, he never waits for the people to come to Him.