Matthew 4:18-22

Four Fishermen Called
to be Disciples

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 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. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. (John 4:18-22)

1. Sea of Galilee was so named from the province of Galilee on its western side. It is about thirteen miles long and six miles wide in the widest place. The Jordan runs through it. On its borders Jesus lived, taught, and did most of his miracles.

   1. Matthew calls it a sea because to him it was huge

   2. Luke calls it a lake because he has seen a real sea, the Mediterranean 

2. Jesus called Peter, Andrew, John, and James on same day while walking along the shore of Galilee

3. Three, Peter, James and John had a special relationship with Christ forming His inner circle.

   1. The three were present at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2)

   2. The three were present at the raising of Jairus's daughter (Mark 5:37-43)

   3. The three were present in the garden of Gethsemane with Lord (Mark 14:33).

4. All four were partners in a fishing business with Zebedee, the father of John and James.

   1. Jesus had already met John, Andrew, and Peter (John 1:35-42)

   2. Peter and Andrew were casting a net into the sea, because they were fishermen

      1. Andrew, was a originally a disciple of the John the Baptist (John 1:37-40) 

         1. Andrew is a Greek name meaning, manliness or a strong man

         2. Having a true missionary spirit Andrew is always bringing someone to Christ

            1. Peter who would become a pillar of the Church (John 1:41) Andrew wasted little time getting spreading the news about the Messiah. 

            2. Lad with bread and fish Jesus used to perform miracle feeding 5000 (John 6:8-9)

            3. Greeks wishing to see Jesus (John 12:22), interestingly that Philip was who the Greeks first spoke to. Instead of himself approaching Jesus Philip went to Andrew who was accustomed to bring new people to Christ. Sometimes it is best to let someone help you bring someone to Christ, especially if you are not up to snuff yet for the tough questions.

            4. Andrew is an example of how the least of us can make a big difference, Lets take a Sunday school teacher as an example

               1. Sunday School teacher Edward Kimball helped lead Dwight L. Moody to Christ;

               2. J. Wilbur Chapman received personal counseling from D. L. Moody that helped strengthened his faith in Christ enabling him to boldly evangelize the Gospel

               3. William Ashley "Billy" Sunday assisted J. Chapman in his evangelizing meetings, learning all he could and strengthening his faith Sunday became probably the best known American evangelist of the first decades of the twentieth century.

               4. In Charlotte N.C. Billy Sunday held men’s prayer and fellowship meetings that helped bring in Mordecai Ham to hold meetings in 1934. At this evangelical meeting a young man named Billy Graham gave his life to the Lord. Billy Graham has personally preached the Gospel to over 210 million people in more than 185 countries and territories. He has reached countless other millions through his television and radio programs.

               5. We can never know who or how God will use us, or the souls we bring to Him. When we follow the great commission and preach the Gospel, Gods moves in great ways. 

         3. The 4th century historian Eusebius, says Andrew preached in Scythia in Greece; 

         4. Jerome the author of the Latin Vulgate, wrote in his papers that upon his arrival at Edessa he was taken and crucified on a cross, the two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground making the shape of an X. 

      2. Peter was introduced to Jesus by his brother Andrew, (John 1:41) did not become a follower yet

         1. In all four lists of the apostles, Peter is mentioned first

         2. Called Simon (Greek), Symeon (Hebrew), Cephas (Aramaic) and Peter (Greek for Rock)

         3. Like when he was called by Christ, on the Day of Pentecost he preached boldly, casting his net of the Gospel winning 3000 souls for Christ, Peter would become bold and evangelistic

         4. Peter was told by Jesus He will call him Cephas

         5. Syriac for “rock”, in Greek it was Petros, and in Latin it was Petrus.

         6. Only Jesus (John 1:42) and Paul (4 times in 1Corinthians and 4 times in Galatians) referred to Peter as Cephas

         7. Peter was part of Jesus’ inner circle with John, James, 

         8. The name of Peter and Andrews father was Jonah, in Hebrew Jonah means dove, destroyer, or he that oppresses

            1. Instead of being Peter the son of a dove he will be called a rock, firm and steady in character

            2. Instead of being Peter the son of one that is a destroyer, he will be rock upon which to build a church

            3. Instead of being Peter the son of one that oppresses, he will be a rock to defend the faith with

            4. Remarkably all these are traits Peter will show more and more after the ascension of Jesus to heaven.

         9. Peter preached in the east and was eventually crucified upside down by Nero in Rome

         10. Peter wrote two letters, 1 and 2 Peter

         11. It is widely held that Mark’s Gospel is actually Peters account.

   3. John and James were mending their fishing net with their Father when Jesus called them

      1. Known as "sons of thunder" because of their fiery temperaments. (Luke 9:51-56)

      2. John implies that his mother Salome is Mary's sister, cousins to Jesus. (John 19:25)

      3. James and John were apparently from a higher social level than the average fisherman. Their father could afford hired servants (Mark 1:20)

      4. John, a disciple of the Baptist, left to spend day with Jesus. Was not yet called (John 1:37-40)

         1. Known as the "the disciple whom Jesus loved" and “The Apostle of Love”.

         2. Of all Christ's followers, John conveys the majesty of Christ the most clearly.

         3. Just as he was mending nets when Jesus called him, John would later write epistles that would mend the church and the hearts of men.

            1. Gospel of John, written at or shortly after his release from island prison Patmos

            2. 1, 2, 3 John, and The Revelation of Jesus Christ

         4. It is said by some of the ancient fathers of the church that John owned a home in Jerusalem, and it was his home Nicodemus met with Jesus.

         5. Being from a wealthy family John had connections with the high priest (John 18:15).

         6. John stands out as the only apostle to witness the crucifixion of Christ

         7. Later he took Jesus' mother home to live with him (John 19:25-27). 

         8. He was the first disciple to see the empty tomb, Peter went in though as John stood by 

         9. Grew in prominence in the church , after Jerusalem sacked by Rome he moved to Ephesus

         10. Under Domitian he was said to have been boiled in hot oil and banished to Patmos

         11. Released after Domitian’s he lived till he died of natural causes in Ephesus about 100 AD.

         12. Church tradition says that when John was an old man in Ephesus, he had to be carried to the church in the arms of his disciples. 

             He said no more than, ------- "Little children, love one another!" 

             They asked him once, ------- "Master, why do you always say this?" 

             He replied, ------------------- "It is the Lord's command, if this alone be done, it is enough!"

         13. He was the last disciple to die and the only one to die of natural causes.

         14. John's followers, Polycarp, Papias, and Ignatius, would become pillars in Christ's church.

      5. James, Son of Zebedee and Salome and the elder brother of John

   4. Known as James the Greater to distinguish him from the apostle, James the Lesser

      1. Of the inner circle three we know the least about James

      2. Jesus called him and John Boanerges, i.e., “sons of thunder.” (Mark 3:13-19)

      3. It is said that James visited the Jewish colonist and slaves in Spain to preach the Gospel

      4. He was the first martyr among the apostles. By order of Herod Agrippa I, he was beheaded in Jerusalem just before the Passover feast in 44 AD. (Acts 12:1-4)

      5. Church tradition holds that the man who brought false witness against James was allowed to walk with him to the executioner. Expecting to gloat like a conqueror over the condemned apostle, instead he became a convert to Christ himself. James boldness in the face of death convinced him that only the true Messiah of God could give a man such cheerfulness and courage in the face of death. With his conversion complete, the man was condemned to die with the apostle. (Both were consequently beheaded on the same day and with the same sword.)