Let's go Fishing

Just Ordinary Men

In Chapter 10 of Matthew's Gospel we read about the commissioning by Jesus of his twelve disciples. Simon Peter was a fisherman; Andrew, James and John were also fishermen; Matthew was a tax collector and Simon was a Zealot, an active group in the political scene. The rest had occupations unknown to us. But you can be absolutely certain that they were just ordinary working class men with the will to go wherever Jesus sent them.

They were given specific instructions. They must, on no account, visit any gentile places and not go to any Samaritan town. Jesus said, "Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven is upon them. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. You received without cost; give without charge."

I find an interesting point here. Jesus said, "As you go proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven is upon them." This reminds me of a story about St Francis. He had a pupil and the pupil said to him, "Master shall we go down to the market place and preach?" "Good idea" said St Francis. So they set off to the market place. On the way there they met people they knew and stopped to speak to them. On arrival at the market place they mingled with the shoppers, checked out the goods that were on sale, chatted to the stall holders and also to the customers who mingled about.

Then St Francis said to his pupil, "Shall we go back now?" "But master, we have not yet preached to the people." St Francis then spoke quietly to the young man. "My son, we have spoken to people we know, we have been friendly with them and they have seen our demeanour. Remember that it is no good going to preach unless you preach as you go."

I was once in conversation with a nun and related this story to her. "Yes," she said, "St Francis also once said,'Preach, using words if necessary.'" So the disciples were give their tasks by Jesus and they went off to do the work. His parting words to them were, "I send you out like sheep among wolves; be wary as serpents, innocent as doves.

Christians accept that they too are sent out in the same way as the Twelve. We too are to be "wary as serpents, innocent as doves." Just as Jesus sent out ordinary, non scholarly men to do his work so he sends us. The Gospel we preach is a very simple affair and the Christian way of life equally simple to understand. So we are not involved in rocket science. The message is easy to understand and the preachers are just ordinary folk. Those who hear the message are equally ordinary types. If the message were complicated, requiring a great mind to understand it then the movement would have failed on the first day.

It is because it is simple and based on easily understood priciples that it is effective. We Christians enter the world of blogging to make contact with ordinary people like you. There is nothing complicated about what we have to say. It is simply about Jesus that we speak. We have come to know him as a personal friend who can and will sustain us through life's problems and challenges. He does this as an expression of His love. We seek to reflect that love and hand it on to you.

In the eyes of Jesus there are none who are less important. In other words, he does not see you as lower than someone who might head a great blue chip company. In your workplace the boss may be higher than you but he is is not higher to Jesus. Jesus died for all people everywhere. Therefore we bring you good news: "Jesus showed how effective and influential is the way of love. He showed how great His own love is by dying on the cross for us. Take his yoke upon you and you will not be disappointed."