I am a Jesus pusher!!! Peter and Andrew, two brothers, are busy casting a net into the sea (Matthew 4:18). The net was probably about nine feet in diameter, and the two brothers were skilled in its use. The Greek term for this particular net was “amphiblestron.” It is related to our English word “amphibious,” which is an adjective describing something related to both land and water. It is so named because the persons using the net would stand on or near the shore and throw the net into the deeper water where the fish were. This was not a hobby on the weekend or an enjoyable Saturday morning of “going fishing.” They were fishermen (Matthew 4:18). The Greek word (halieos) translated fishermen is used only a few times in the New Testament. It means one whose occupation is catching fish.
The call of Jesus upon the lives of these two men is a call to repent. They must give up a former thought which in this case is their occupation. That is what occupied their time. It was the support of their family; it was their way of life. It was in their thinking and life’s plan; they were comfortable and familiar with fishing. They invested in it; it was their security. This is not a call to professional ministry; it is a call to Jesus being their life. He now wants to be all that fishing has been in their lives. It is the same for you. I am a Jesus pusher!!!