The Kingdom of Imperfect Fishermen

Someone once said, "God still uses cracked pots." - referring to the utilization of broken people to accomplish His will. I believe this with all my heart.

To acknowledge we are not perfect I think is one of the major steps of great wisdom in life. The next step is ascribing who is perfect and lived the perfect life - God in the flesh, Christ Jesus, Father God's only Son.

Because of Christ and His life, believers are victorious in and through the many challenges that life presents, even when death arrives. Because of His perfection, our striving for perfection is not necessary. Christians find their everything, their perfection in Christ, The King of The Kingdom of Imperfect People.

However, within this imperfection and in spite of it - God uses His believers. Writing in his second letter to the believers in Corinth, Paul stated the idea like this - 

"But he [Christ] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." - 2 Cor. 12:9

When anyone performs a study on Team Jesus, commonly known as the disciples, they will discover many of these cracked pots, these people with weaknesses or imperfect individuals. 

The twelve disciples that Jesus called to be close to Him during His ministry were not top notch scholars of Scripture with great insight on the signs of the time and full disclosure on who Jesus was and what His plan would entail. The individuals Jesus selected were normal, flawed people with regular jobs. 

The Disciples had all kinds of differing personalities and occupations ranging from fisherman to businessman to tax collector to zealot or political revolutionary and treasurer.

However, one particular job attracted Jesus in His pool of selection. At least seven out of the twelve belonged to the Guild of Fisherman. Among these fishermen were Andrew, Peter, James and John, the sons of Zebedee according to Matthew 4:18-22. After the resurrection of Jesus - Thomas, Nathaniel and Philip were found fishing, so they also may have been fishermen (John 21:2-8). At least they knew how to fish.

Why fishermen as a focus trade to pull from the possible candidates of disciples? Recall the Lord's summoning of Simon and Andrew in Matthew 4:18-20 -

"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'And I will send out you out to fish for people.' At once they left their nets and followed Him."

Why would Jesus need people with a fishing mindset? Because when Jesus used this occupation in a spiritually metaphorical manner, the true disciple of Christ and his duties comes to life and can be understood. 

Disciples are active believers of Christ Jesus, living out the lifestyle of Jesus and spreading His good news of His kingdom to the uninformed while helping equip the saints for better living. 

As Christ Jesus ascended to the right hand of Father God in Heaven, His believers, His disciples became His hands, feet, voice and ministry - His Fishermen. Said another way, Jesus is the Carpenter King who is building a Kingdom of Imperfect Fishermen. These fishermen then fish for or recruit more souls into the Kingdom, who in turn get added to the Guild and Kingdom of Imperfect Fishermen.

Let us place one of these imperfect fishermen, one of the disciples under the microscope to examine. Let us observe Peter. This disciple struck me as a bold person who always wanted to experience the new thing with Jesus.

He tried walking on water with Jesus and was successful for a bit, but failed when fear took over. He declared Jesus, the Son of God and the next minute was influenced by Satan trying to stop Jesus' plan of salvation. Peter was one of the three men who witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus but then suggested three booths of honor for - Moses, Elijah and Jesus - instead of just one for Jesus. He denied Jesus three times, yet Jesus restored him.

All this from a disciple who was a major role in the Jerusalem church, wrote new testament letters and requested to be crucified upside-down. This was certainly a tried, true and beloved cracked pot.

Jesus used a bunch of imperfect people whose majority occupation was fisherman to change the type of bait, type of tackle, type of waters and fish to that of human souls.

Christ's heart has always been for the next person to come into an intimate relationship with Him. This happens through the disciples of Christ. The power in the sacrificial blood of Christ and the testimony of the believer are the main instruments the Imperfect Fisherman for Christ will use (Revelation 12:11). Whether you like or dislike physical fishing, disciples must spiritually apply this fishing imagery process for more men and women of the Lord.

Similar to the motif of farming (the planter, waterer and reaper) the duties of fishing can be divided up. Some can carry the fishing pole. Some can carry the bait. Some can bait the hook. Some can cast the line into the waters. Some can scoop up the fish with a net. All of us, from all walks of life, inadequate as we come, have a role to play alongside the perfect King in The Kingdom of Imperfect Fishermen.

Consult The Coach (The Holy Spirit)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I find that as I age, along with the world beside me, not only do the problems that are guaranteed in life come but they seem to transform or at least jump a level to that of "Woes".

The results of the "Woes" of life are a very bad attitude and even worse perspective on everything. Our focus, my focus, is not only turned from the "silver lining" in people, places and things, but God is missing from the beginning in the picture also.

Like a batter in baseball who has gone into a slump and finally emerges from that slump with the realization that all along he was not consulting his coach on the third-base line who was there throughout the slump - so should Christians turn to the Holy Spirit all the time, but especially during their "woes".

"Woes" in life, like slumps in baseball, have a powerful influence, they place us in a "woe is me funk". There is that negative turn of perspective and attitude again. Remember, before this occurs and anytime the slump begins or you start to really feel the woes of life - Consult The Coach (The Holy Spirit).

His Creative Mind

In Job's life the devil was a major influence, but God was sovereign over all the details. God used the Behemoth and the Leviathan in His discussion with Job to display His power over everything. Pointing out the incredible, descriptive details about those creatures, God naturally asked Job and all of humanity - Who then can compare to me as The Creator and Sustainer? If humans cannot stand against such fearsome and awesome creatures as the Behemoth and Leviathan, what success does one think he/she might have with The Creator and Sustainer of these beasts and all creation?

Later in the New Testament, Paul would echo this strong declaration of Creator and Sustainer-God when he said -

"For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:16-17)

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." - Genesis 1:27

Only Yahweh is Omni or All. But God has always been and still is personally invested and involved with His creation. He was so invested He made us in His image, originally like Him in character and desire to create.

The human has been doing this throughout history up to the present - they create. There have been Christians and non-believers that have made major contributions to inventions throughout history that have not brought God any glory. There have been others that do give God the credit for their inspiration and creativity of the idea. 

Whether acknowledged or not, humanity cannot escape the evidence of God in the details of creation and life. Scripture speaks to God being in the details of nature and humanity when it says -

"In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." - Job 12:10

"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." - Romans 1:20

And ever since God placed man in the Garden of Eden, He has been guiding humanity visibly or invisibly, audibly or by inspiration to bless us with the inventions that have changed and made such an impact on the entire world throughout the ages.

Just some of the areas of jumps in creativity that we have made are - travel, cooking, city/home plumbing, washing and making of clothes, electricity and the lightbulb, the phone, trains, flight and automobiles.

Much of this has come in a rush of time - the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. I believe Daniel was told about the times we are living in now when the angel said to him - "But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge." (Daniel 12:4)

Everything can always be improved upon. People, places and things are in an eternal state of a work-in-progress. The moment we believe we have plateaued or arrived, that is the moment we have lost. The question is - what will humanity now use their creativity to make?

For the believer in Christ, we have a helper - the Holy Spirit. He was sent after Christ ascended to the right hand of Father God to be our advocate, counselor and help. He is the one that will continue to develop the inventions in us and bring out His Creative Mind.