MARK 1:16-20
Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
10 POINTS TO PONDER
Jesus didn’t preach at them, He didn’t lay out a list of rules, He didn’t demand they clean themselves up. He simply invited them to follow.
Whomever or whatever we follow will determine our life’s direction. Following Jesus means allowing Him to dictate the direction of my life. I do this by staying close to Him and by imitating Him.
We stay close to Jesus by consistently being in His Word and in prayer.
We imitate Jesus by paying attention to what we say, what we do, how we think, and how we respond.
Jesus’ invitation is two-fold. First, it is an invitation to a new way of living. Second, it is an invitation to a new mission in life (fishing for men).
Fishing is a “bringing in” activity, not a “pushing away” activity. Therefore, fishing for men means intentionally seeking to bring people into a relationship with Jesus.
Jesus is able to use what we already have in order to bring more people to Himself through us.
Peter, Andrew, James, and John had no idea where following Jesus would lead, but they went anyway. We have no idea where following Jesus will take us, but we know it will ultimately be good.
Peter and Andrew left their nets. James and John left their work and their father. Following Jesus means letting go of one thing so that we can hold tightly to a better thing.
…put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
If you follow Jesus with your whole heart you will often find yourself in situations where you can point other people to Him.
FOLLOWING JESUS
Following Jesus is simple to understand, but not always easy to live. At its core, following Jesus means allowing Him to set the direction for our lives. We don’t just ask Him to bless our plans — we trust Him enough to lead us into His. That requires humility. It means admitting that He sees more clearly than we do and knows what we truly need.
Following Jesus also means change. Over time, we begin to look more and more like Him. Our attitudes shift. Our priorities mature. We learn to love what He loves and let go of what pulls us away from Him. This transformation doesn’t happen overnight. It happens slowly, through daily choices to trust, obey, and stay close to Him. The goal of following Jesus isn’t simply believing the right things; it’s becoming the kind of person shaped by His character.
Sometimes following Jesus leads us into uncertainty. We may not always know where the road is going or why He is leading us a certain way. But we can be confident of this: Jesus never leads aimlessly. He always takes us where we need to be — closer to God, stronger in faith, and more prepared for the life He has called us to live.
THE THREE “NOTS”
You can invite a person to join you for dinner, do a project for you, allow you to pray with or for them, to church, or into a relationship with Christ. The best time to invite someone is when you hear one of the “NOT” statements:
- I am NOT from around here.
- Things are NOT going well.
- I do NOT know what to do.
Click on the image to download the DiscipleQuest PDF
The DiscipleQuest PDF includes 7 days of verse study prompts. You can use these seven studies to dig deeper into the following verses about following Jesus:
- Luke 9:23
- John 10:27
- Luke 14:33
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
- 1 John 2:6
- Matthew 28:19-20
- Acts 1:8
Use these questions as journal prompts or as conversation starters with a group of friends or a Bible study group:
Read Mark 1:16-20. Summarize these verses in one sentence. What are the five most important words in these verses?
Why do so many Christians find it intimidating to be a fisher of men?
What gifts has God given you that you could use to help others find their way to Him?
Following Jesus is a matter of proximity, direction, and imitation. What do you do to stay close to Him?
What do you think it means to let Jesus set the direction for your life? How would you describe the direction He wants you to go?
Do you think it was easy or difficult for Peter, Andrew, James, and John to leave their nets, families, and boats behind? Why?
What have you had to give up in the past in order to follow Jesus more closely?
Is it possible to fully follow Jesus and not be a fisher of men? Why or why not?
To whom will you offer a spiritual invitation this week?
Lake Bible Notes 
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