Dear Christian friends:

In our text we see how Jesus traveled around and preached the Good News from God. It also explains how Jesus called four men: Peter and Andrew, who were brothers, and James and John, who were also brothers. Jesus called these four and eight others, twelve in all, to become His helpers - to help Him preach the Good News from God.

Jesus still needs men, helpers, to continue to preach the Good News today in 1976. His Holy Spirit calls many young men to go to the Seminary and prepare themselves to become preachers of the Good News.

Jesus also wants you to be His helpers. He asks you to support the preaching of the Good News from God. So to today I want to preach about that idea:


Believe the Good News yourself, (verses 14-15)

That's why the 12 disciples were such good helpers. They really believed in Jesus with all their heart, soul and mind. Our text tells how Jesus came to the Lake of Galilee one day and saw Peter, Andrew, James and John mending their nets. Jesus told Peter to row out to the deep water and let down his net for a catch. Peter didn't want to do it because they had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. But nevertheless he obeyed Jesus and when he and Andrew pulled up their net it was full of fish, so many that the net was breaking and so many they could not pull all of them in their boat. So, they waved to James and John to come and help with their boat. They believed that Jesus was the Son of God and the promised Savior for sinners as He said He was.

So, when Jesus told them to come and be His helpers, they dropped their work and went gladly with Him. They had no doubts about Jesus. They made no excuses. They had strong faith and love for Jesus. (verse 17-18)

So we must have strong faith and love for Jesus, then we will have no doubts about Him and we will not delay following him and helping to do His work. And we will not make excuses. We, during this Epiphany season hear the many Gospel Lessons read to us in church each Sunday that tell of Jesus' many miracles: How He changed water to wine; commanded the stormy sea to be still; healed the sick, the deaf and the blind and made the dead arise and live. So, we should have strong faith in Jesus, too. We should have no doubt that He is the eternal and mighty Son of God who came from heaven to earth to save us from our sins.

Let us really believe in Jesus with all our heart and soul and mind. Then we will, like these four disciples, obey Jesus' call and gladly help preach the Good News.

In a hospital in China a medical missionary operated on the cataract of a man who was almost blind and restored his sight. A few weeks later that man came back to the hospital with 48 blind men. He led all of them by having them hold on to a long rope. They had walked 250 miles. The doctor operated on those who had cataracts and almost all could see better again.

Jesus has saved you and "healed" you. Therefore go, like that man, and find others. Your joy in your own salvation should lead you to gladly help preach the Good News.

Another thing which should encourage us to help preach the Good News is that we are helping in the most important work on earth. No other work is as important as preaching the Good News. Jesus said to the four fishermen, (verse 17), "Come, follow me! And I will make you catch men! Before their work was to catch fish. They were commercial fishermen, not sport fishermen. They helped to produce food for their city - a very important work and very honorable work. But now Jesus asks them to drop that important work and take up a more important work, fishing to catch men for God's service and glory.

When you help to preach the Gospel you are helping to catch men for heaven, save them from sin and sadness and eternal punishment in hell. When you help to catch men for God you are doing the most important work in the world. That should make you very happy and satisfied and one day you will receive much honor if you now join in that important work.

When I enter that beautiful city,
Far removed from earth's sorrow and care,
I want to hear somebody saying,
“It was you who invited me here.”
('Twas You Who Invited Me Here, Hymn)

Now that you are eager you may ask:
How can you help preach the Good News?
(See if the deaf can give some ways to help.)

A. Pray for your church. Pray for your pastor. Pray for persons who do not yet belong to any church or who may belong, but never come.

B. Help make our church service more interesting and more beautiful; Join the choir; come to choir practice; altar guild; Ladies Guild; Take your turn keeping our church clean and beautiful, inside and outside.

C. Invite others to come to church with you. Tell them about your joy in Jesus - how your faith helps you to live a better way.

D. Show love and kindness to other people. Help them when they have a problem or are in trouble or need.

E. Support your church with your offerings.

Amen.