マルコによる福音書1:16-20　Mark 1:16-20

Today we will consider what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, based on the words of the Bible. In the region of Galilee where Jesus grew up, there was a large beautiful lake called Lake Galilee. Lake Galilee was about a quarter the size of Lake Biwa in Japan, and it was full of fish. So around the lake there were fishermen who lived by catching fish.

One day, two fishermen brothers were casting their net from the shore of Lake Galilee and taking fish. The two brothers were Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. When they cast their net, the net would fall where the fish were, sink into the water and surround the fish. Then they would pull it up and take the fish. Just then Jesus passed by and saw them. Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” “Follow me” means, “Be my disciples.” “I will make you become fishers of men” means “I will make you become fishers of human souls.” Fishermen catch fish for their own consumption or to sell to others. But “fishers of men” take human beings to save human souls and keep them alive. In other words, “fishers of men” tell people about Jesus so that those who hear about Jesus will believe in him and gain eternal life. Did Peter and Andrew understand the meaning of the phrase “fishers of men”? They probably didn’t understand it all. Nevertheless, they probably thought that if they followed Jesus, they would be able to do a great job. They threw away their net to catch fish, which they had treasured, and followed Jesus to become his disciples.

Some time later, Jesus saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee, in the boat with their father, Zebedee, tending their net. The fact that they had a boat means that Jacob and John’s family may have been rich. Jesus called out to James and John as he did to Peter and Andrew. He must have said to them in the same way, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” What did James and John do? Would they have said, “We are busy at work right now, please come back later”? Would they have said, “No, thank you, we have a boat and our lives are enough for now”? No. James and John left their father and the hired servants to become disciples after Jesus.

We have work to do every day. If you are a child, your job may be to do various studies. For adults, there are people who do various kinds of work, such as fishermen as in today’s story, people who work in farms, people who make things in factories, people who do business in companies and shops, people who do housework at home, and so on. Sometimes, however, when they are doing their work in this way, Jesus calls out to them, “Follow me.” When he calls to you, it does not mean that you actually hear his voice with your ears. It means that you hear the voice of Jesus calling to you in your heart, through the words of the Bible that you have heard in worship or read on your own. That would be when you first make the decision to believe in Jesus and be baptised. Then there will also be the call of Jesus when you do special service for him. And not only that, but many times you will hear Jesus’ voice saying “Follow me” as you live your daily life witnessing to Jesus.