Matthew Chapter 4 Verse 12

• Understand that between verses 11 and 12 there is a period of about a year. In this year, Jesus turns water into wine. He turns tables over in the temple…He had His midnight meeting with Nicodemus…all of these things you can read about in John Chapters 2 and 3 and we know that these take place before Matthew Chapter 4 verse 12 because John Chapter 3 verse 24 says, “John had not yet been thrown into prison.”
• Another scene that happens between Matthew 4:11 and Matthew 4:12 is when Jesus encounters a woman at the well as He traveled to Galilee by way of Samaria. John Chapter 4. It’s an awesome scene…and that is where we find Jesus’ first recorded revelation to man that He is the Christ. Only it wasn’t to a man…it was to a woman…completely counter cultural…it was to an outcast…and I love that…

Matthew Chapter 4 Verses 13 – 17

• Remember Matthew is writing primarily to the Jews and so he, at least 67 times, shows the reader how the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus all line up precisely with Old Testament prophecy. And so here he quotes Isaiah 9 verses 1-2…the same chapter in Isaiah that says, “For unto us a Child is born; Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end…” Such an AWESOME chapter…

• And Matthew says that from that time on, Jesus picks up where the forerunner, now imprisoned, left off…and He began to preach. Health. Wealth. And prosperity. HA! Not a chance. Check out Jesus’ sermon…, “Repent, for the kingdom.” Mark actually gives us a bit more color in Mark Chapter 1 verses 14-15. Mark says, “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”” (Repentance for the kingdom is at hand is the Gospel! Without repentance, where is the good news!)

• The time is now. The moments are fulfilled, the past is the past, why? Because now you know the gospel. You see it changes everything. It is the light. It is the truth. It is the pathway, man. Once the gospel enters your understanding, that is when the time if fulfilled…its time man…the kingdom of God is knocking. Repent…turn from the world and turn towards God…find the good news!   That repentance means something…it’s towards the coming kingdom!

Matthew Chapter 4 Verse 18

• Now what’s interesting here is that we know from other books of the Bible, other gospel writers, that this was not Jesus’ first interaction with Andrew or Simon. John Chapter 1 tells us that Andrew was a disciple of John’s and one day after Jesus’ baptism, (we don’t know exactly when), John was with two of his disciples, one being Andrew, and he saw Jesus and said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” And when the two heard John say that, they left him and followed Jesus!

• I LOVE THAT! This is the job of every mother, husband, father, pastor, preacher, ministry leader, missionary, you name it…to point people to Jesus. I love how the Bible doesn’t say that John said, “Hey, I thought we were gonna get pizza!? Where are you guys going?” No way! He just lets them go…go right to the Lord!

• And John’s gospel goes on to tell us that those two stayed with Jesus all day after that and one of those men was Andrew. And that even Andrew had brought his brother to meet Jesus. And so we know this is not their first interaction with Jesus but notice…he is still a fisherman…that’s about to change…

Matthew Chapter 4 Verse 19

• I see what you did there, Jesus. HA! But actually the way this whole thing unfolds is awesome. Back in John Chapter 1 when Andrew encounters Jesus, it’s Andrew that comes to Him and Jesus says, “What do you seek?” Andrew replies, “Rabbi, where are You staying?” Or quite literally, “Where are You present?”
• I love this! Because it’s like Andrew is saying, “Just to be near You, Jesus…” Jesus’ reply? “Oh it’s a nice little flat over yonder by the river…” NO! Jesus’ reply was, “Come and see!” So Andrew did…but that’s all he did…He came, he saw, he conquered…wait that’s Caesar! HA. He came and he saw…that’s it…now check out Jesus’ call on his life. Something much different!
• (Jesus’ call) Stop being focused on catching to sell…catching to eat…catching for yourself…My call on your life is to make you catchers of men and yet the thought, the concept here is to capture men that are caught…fish in water is fine…men in water are dead…can’t breathe, can only struggle and are only doomed…Jesus says leave behind living for yourself, leave behind sailing and come saving with Me…
• Luke Chapter 5 actually records Simon Peter’s conversion in this scene…we have no indication that Peter followed John…we know his brother Andrew did…but this scene…Luke Chapter 5 gives us additional details that Jesus got in the boat with Peter and Peter had had a tough day…no catch…and Jesus said, “Try again…” Peter called Him Master, not because he believed but because Jesus was already great in the land…
• Peter complained and then did it and caught so much that he had to call to shore for help…then Peter falls down there in the boat at the feet of Jesus and proclaims, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Humility breaks free. A revealed man, strong in the eyes of the world, crumbles at the revelation of Jesus and just confesses truth…James, John, Andrew…they were all there, Peter didn’t care…he was revealed and he believed…
• Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” And even Luke said, they immediately forsook all and followed Him. Look at how Matthew puts it…

Matthew Chapter 4 Verses 20 – 22

• I love their response to Jesus…immediate. Why? Because they believe. Here’s the thing…if you truly believe, there will be no other response. Your reaction, your answer, your turning, your moving, your changing, your response…will be immediate if you truly believe that Jesus is the very Son of God…

Matthew Chapter 4 Verses 23 – 25

• I love this. Think of this. Jesus begins His public ministry and it was comprised of preaching, teaching, healing and casting out demons. The fact that He could heal folks of all sorts of even genetic defects and all kinds of different diseases proves that He has absolute power over the damage done by the fall of man. His authority over demons, to cast them out of the demon-possessed, proves that He has absolute authority and power over all of creation…Jesus not only proved that He is God in the resurrection folks, He proved it 24/7…
• And this proof caused, it says here as we close, this proof caused great multitudes to follow Him…but what’s interesting, how many left all? So far, we really know of only 2…Folks, I want to ask you today as we close…are you simply following? Because in that can still be great distance…just ask Peter…or are you His disciple….have you left all behind for Jesus…are you catching men…have you yourself been yet caught?
• God calls you from the drowning today…to receive Him as your Savior…not the Savior of the world…YOUR Savior.