Daily Reading: Mark 1:17 & John 17:25-26
“Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have you’re your name known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
As believers in Jesus Christ, equipped with the good news of the Gospel we not only share a common mission, we succeed at our mission in the same way even though the mission might be accomplished in a variety of God lead ways.
In Matthew 28:19 Jesus very clearly, and plainly lays out our mission. Jesus had already resurrected from the grave at this point and is about to ascend into heaven and He has specific instructions to His disciples of what the mission is and who the mission is for.
When the mission began: right after Jesus ascension to heaven (see Acts 2).
Who is the mission for: His disciples- (mathétés) a follower of Christ who learns the doctrines of Scripture.
What is the mission? Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
The Promise of the Mission:
We partake in the mission with all authority in Jesus’ name. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
We do not go at it alone. “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
So, if you live after Jesus’ ascension into heaven (every single person living on this planet now) and you are a follower of Christ who learns the doctrines of Scripture your mission is Matthew 28:19-20.
Mark 1:17:
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
The promise for followers of Jesus, is that He will send you to fish for people (Mark 1:17).
The timing for a non-follower of Jesus to come to Him is now because “follow me” (deute) means come now (Mark 1:17).
“Follow me” is an invitation of grace to take Jesus’ offer by faith. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Our mission is a fishing one (Mark 1:17), but only time with Jesus will lead you to successfully fish (John 15:4-5).
The common denominator in the calling of the twelve is simply to follow Jesus. Because as we come to Christ He (poieō) make us, produces, bears, prepares, causes, carries out, forms or fashions us to fish for people.
Fisherman Need:
#1 Time with Jesus as this is what leads to fishing for people (Mark 1:17).
Which gives us a
#2 revelation that God is our Loving Heavenly Daddy (John 17:25-26).