Fishers of Men: An Urgent Call to Proclaim the Good News

By Frank Padilla

Jesus said, The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest (Luke 10:2).

Today, the fields are ripe for harvest. God has prepared a massive harvest that can compare to the heady missionary days after Pentecost.

God is sounding a call to all His people to participate in bringing in this harvest. It is a call of the utmost importance and urgency.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490850191

Frank Padilla

Frank Padilla was all set to conquer the world after he graduated from Harvard Business School in the USA. Instead, he met Jesus and surrendered his life to him. Today he is the author of over 30 books on spirituality. He is the founder of The Live Christ, Share Christ Movement. He and his wife Gerry have five children and nine grandchildren.

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 Frank Padilla.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition© 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5020-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5018-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5019-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014915687

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/8/2014

Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Preparing the catch

Chapter 3 Assembling the Crew

Chapter 4 Putting Out To Sea

Chapter 5 Lowering the Nets

Chapter 6 Raising an Empty Net

Chapter 7 Relying on the Master Fisherman

Chapter 8 Forming a Fishing Cooperative

Chapter 9 Catching a Lot of Fish

Chapter 10 Seven Pitfalls

Chapter 11 The Extra Mile

Chapter 12 Repentance and Humility

Chapter 13 Awe of God

Chapter 14 Faith and Courage

Chapter 15 Sharing the Gift

Chapter 16 Leaving All for God

Chapter 17 Following Jesus

Chapter 18 A Final Word

To my parents, Ambrosio and Lily (de las Alas) Padilla,

the first couple for Christ I ever knew.

1

INTRODUCTION

Heard some really good news lately? You are fortunate if you have. For today we live in a world that is bombarded by a succession of distressing news. There is a daily fare of crime, grime and slime. There is crime—murders, rapes, robberies. There is grime—pollution, uncollected garbage, slums. There is slime—pornography, pedophilia, corruption. One top of all these, there is war, famine, violence, violation of human rights, abortion, drug addiction, natural calamities, and so on. Many people dread to face what each new day will bring. An ever-intensifying darkness looms over the world and over people’s lives.

But all is not hopeless. The growing darkness can be turned back. And what can do it is one piece of really good news that has been around for some time. In fact, for almost 2,000 years.

Here it is: the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

John the Baptist proclaimed it (Mt 3:2). Jesus himself proclaimed it (Mt 4:17). Then Jesus told others to proclaim it (Mt 10:7). Fully understood, what they proclaimed was, and still is, the best news we can ever hear.

But many do not know about this incredible piece of good news. Many, living in the midst of the sorry state of our world today, are so hungry for some good news that they have become desperate. For any little thing that might bring some light into their lives. But God, out of his mercy and love, not only has brought some light into people’s lives, but He has sent the One who is himself the light of the world. God sent His own Son Jesus, who became man, walked on the earth and ministered to people, and finally went to his death on the cross. But by his death and resurrection, he dispelled the darkness of men’s lives and he redeemed them from bondage to Satan. As men recognize his saving deed and respond by accepting him as Savior and Lord, then they are restored to their relationship to the Father and to their inheritance as children of God. And they become citizens of the kingdom of heaven. This is the good news. This is the gospel of salvation in Jesus. This is the only really essential piece of good news that men need to hear.

Many continue to be enslaved by Satan, when in fact they have already been set free by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Such good news needs to be heard. But it can only be heard if it is proclaimed. And so there is a need for bearers of the good news.

But here lies the problem. Many people simply have not heard of this good news. Many people in the world today continue to live in darkness, when the light of Christ has already come. Many continue to live powerless and ineffective Christian lives, when the power that conquered death itself is already available for their day-to-day lives. Many continue to be enslaved by Satan, when in fact they have already been set free by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Such good news needs to be heard. But it can only be heard if it is proclaimed. And so there is a need for bearers of the good news.

Here we have the other problem. Those who have already heard the good news have not passed it on. Those who know the gospel have not been proclaiming it. Those who have received God’s gift of salvation have not shared that gift with others.

God went to great lengths to bring salvation to men. And God wants those who have experienced this salvation to become instruments in bringing this salvation to others.

This situation is not as God intends. God went to great lengths to bring salvation to men. And God wants those who have experienced this salvation to become instruments in bringing this salvation to others. What God wants to do in the world today is to raise up fishers of men.

* * *

This book is about raising up those fishers of men. This book is about the call to every Christian to do the work of evangelization.

Evangelization is the bringing of the good news of Jesus Christ to people. It is proclaiming that Jesus came into the world in order to bring salvation to men, through his death and resurrection.

But evangelization is not just about looking to other people. It has to do with looking at ourselves. It has to do with our relationship with God our Father, with our obedience to Jesus, and with our living a truly Spirit-filled life. Thus evangelization is about bringing people, all people, into a deeper relationship with God and making them disciples of Jesus Christ.

Evangelization is something that is at that very core of the Christian life. It is about the very reason why the Church, the people of God, exists. It has to do with the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ himself.

Evangelization is our call, our duty and our privilege

Evangelization is our call, our duty and our privilege.

THE CALL TO EVANGELIZE

All four gospels give Jesus’ final instructions to his disciples. These were his marching orders to those he was entrusting with the work that he had started.

All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age. (Mt 28:18-20)

Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. (Mk 16:15-18)

Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. (Lk 24:46-49)

Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. (Jn 20:21)

These instructions were given by Jesus to his disciples. They were his important final instructions, given before he finally ascended into heaven. But these instructions were not only for those present at that time, but are for all who profess to follow Jesus. They are our marching orders as well. Evangelization is God’s call to every Christian.

Evangelization is God’s call to every Christian.

The Church exists for mission. And its basic mission in the world is to proclaim this good news of Jesus Christ to all, so that people may put their faith in him and thus receive the salvation that was won for them on the cross.

THE DUTY TO EVANGELIZE

As followers of Christ, it is our duty to evangelize.

But today many Christians neglect this call to evangelize. Many do not even realize that to evangelize is part and parcel of the Christian life. But this call of Jesus to us is not an option. Rather it is a command. As followers of Christ, it is our duty to evangelize.

There are also many who, realizing this call, are unable to respond fully, looking to all kinds of excuses as to why they cannot respond to the call. I’m just an ordinary Christian; what do you expect me to do? I need to grow first as a Christian myself; then perhaps I can think of helping others. That looks like demanding work; do we have adequate resources for it?

Before getting bogged down or discouraged with the seeming difficulties, we need to simply realize that Jesus commands us to evangelize. Not only when we have lots of spare time; not only when we feel like it; not only when the opportunity conveniently presents itself; not only when we have