Fishers of men?

[lagniappe]

I was given the assignment to give a talk this Sunday on Mark 1:17 and I'm feeling stumped for some reason. I thought it seemed like an easy enough topic until I started looking up talks on it and now I'm unclear on what exactly fishers of men means. I assumed it meant missionary work, and that seems to be what most of the talks on that scripture are focused on, but other times magnifying callings comes up, or being more Christlike, or enduring to the end. So what exactly does fishers of men mean? Anybody have any thoughts or insights?

It's been more than 10 years since I've given a talk in sacrament meeting (until about a year ago I was inactive off and on for 10 years) so I'm really rusty and I'm feeing stressed about it. I'm not a very good speaker. Singing or dancing in front of large groups of people I'm fine with, but speaking...not so much. I'm not the most articulate person in the world, and I have to have a talk completely written out in order to be coherent at all. I wish I was one of those people that could walk up there with bullet points and go, but sadly I'm not.

[jimuk]

Well as you can see below, Jesus used this terminology whilst looking for followers to help him in his ministry, these guys were fishermen but instead of gathering in fishes he wants them to gather people and preach the word of god to them, for their everlasting salvation.

Mark 1:16-20 "As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him."

[Moksha]

I'm unclear on what exactly fishers of men means.

Here are a few other thoughts:

Carers for the wellbeing of others

Lamp posts for the light of Christ

Spreaders of the Good News

Servants to the Multitude

Each of these aspects is a bit different, but I think they make up the Fishers of Men.

[Mykdiver]

I always thought it was fishing for people to share the gospel with.

[rameumptom]

It suggests that we must be willing to give up our current employment (fishing), fun, whatever; and become actively employed in the work of God (fisher of men).

Those who fish must actively be involved in casting their nets into the waters and pulling in the catch. In the catch, there will be both fish that are kosher and those not edible. So, of those we find, we must determine which ones are to be kept for the Lord's kingdom. This we can determine by their desire to follow, and not just be the type that enjoy having the missionaries come by once a week to visit.

[lagniappe]

Thanks for the thoughts. Still not sure what direction I'm going to go with this talk; based on what i've read the last couple of days there are several different interpretations. But I'm not quite as stressed about it.

[HoosierGuy]

Mark 1:16-20 "As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him."

Notice that they went with Jesus "At once." They did not ask why, who, where, when, this or that. That is an example we should all follow - Jesus and Father will never lead us wrong so there is no need to question their motives. We should have complete faith.

It's the same when Adam was sacrificing animals and the Angel asked him why he offering sacrifices and he said he did not know, he was doing it because he was commanded to do it. He did not ask Father or Jesus "why" or "for what purpose." He had full faith and followed the commandments. And he was blessed for his obedience when the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam.

[Hemidakota]

I was given the assignment to give a talk this Sunday on Mark 1:17 and I'm feeling stumped for some reason. I thought it seemed like an easy enough topic until I started looking up talks on it and now I'm unclear on what exactly fishers of men means. I assumed it meant missionary work, and that seems to be what most of the talks on that scripture are focused on, but other times magnifying callings comes up, or being more Christlike, or enduring to the end. So what exactly does fishers of men mean? Anybody have any thoughts or insights?

It's been more than 10 years since I've given a talk in sacrament meeting (until about a year ago I was inactive off and on for 10 years) so I'm really rusty and I'm feeing stressed about it. I'm not a very good speaker. Singing or dancing in front of large groups of people I'm fine with, but speaking...not so much. I'm not the most articulate person in the world, and I have to have a talk completely written out in order to be coherent at all. I wish I was one of those people that could walk up there with bullet points and go, but sadly I'm not.

Here are some Ensign articles that may help to articulate your talk:

To Become One of the Fishers

in Conference Report, October 1972 by James E. Faust

...To Become One of the Fishers Elder James E. Faust Assistant to the ... James E. Faust, A*To Become One of the Fishers,A* Ensign, Jan. 1973, 81 My beloved brothers ... repent. Now I shall try to become one of the fishers and help these brethren cast forth and ...

Straightway

in Ensign May 1983 by Marvin J. Ashton

...casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. "And they straightway left their ... perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge...

"Called to Serve"

in Conference Report, October 1991 by Thomas S. Monson

... the faces of this vast congregation of men assembled in the historic Tabernacle and ... casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. A*And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. A*And they straightway left their...

SECTION 2: The First Year of Jesus' Public Ministry

in Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles: New Testament Student Manual

..., the Savior chose by revelation twelve men whom he designated as apostles. These were ... at the well, he | | testified that men must be born again, and that he himself ... , while slaying the firstborn among the men and beasts of the Egyptians; and (2) That...

“Help Thou Mine Unbelief”

in Ensign Nov. 2001 by L. Whitney Clayton

...casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. "And they straightway left their ... we become the handmaids of the Lord and fishers of men and cast our nets on the right side...

Training from the Old Testament: Moroni’s Lessons for a Prophet

in Ensign Aug. 1998 by W. Jeffrey Marsh

...your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall ... because of superior intelligence possessed by men today over those who lived in ages that ... told Jeremiah that he would call for many "fishers" and "hunters" to gather the righteous ...

The Rewards, the Blessings, the Promises

in Conference Report, October 1973 by Spencer W. Kimball

...walls a most momentous conference of world men. The soldier appeared proud of his task ... stranger spoke. A*I wish to meet with the men who are in the castle.A* A* A*Preposterous ... casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. A*And he said unto them, Follow me, and...

To Touch a Life with Faith

in Ensign Nov. 1995 by Henry B. Eyring

...all the gifts of God. Some of you young men may feel uncomfortable with the thought ... earthly ministry. He called first humble men, uneducated, with less schooling and less ... casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and...

Keep the Commandments

in Ensign Jan. 1973 by Sterling W. Sill

...> 1973 >> January To Become One of the Fishers Elder James E. Faust Assistant to the ... James E. Faust, "To Become One of the Fishers," Ensign, Jan 1973, 81 Image My beloved ... repent. Now I shall try to become one of the fishers and help these brethren cast forth and ...

We Proclaim the Gospel

in Conference Report, October 1986 by M. Russell Ballard

...casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. A*And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. A*And they straightway left their ... lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, A* A*This Jesus hath God raised...

"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"

in Ensign Nov. 1974 by L. Tom Perry

...unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues ... casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. "And they straightway left their...

Christ’s Ministry and Miracles

in Ensign Jan. 2007

...there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them." Christ ... casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. "And they straightway left their...

"When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren"

in Conference Report, October 1974 by L. Tom Perry

...unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues ... casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. A*And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. A*And they straightway left their...

President Rex D. Pinegar Of the First Council of the Seventy

in Ensign Jan. 1973 by David Mitchell, Editorial Associate

..... Now I shall try to become one of the fishers and help these brethren cast forth and ... Master: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matt. 4:20.) [photo] The Faust...

[Hemidakota]

You can find this in Mathew 4:18-22 (See Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11.)

The process by which leaders become spiritual as those disciples were is set forth in a very simple admonition of the Master. The Savior called fishermen, and he called tax collectors and others in various occupations to constitute his chosen twelve. He gave to each of them the same simple promise: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men," or as another writer puts it, "I will make you to become fishers of men." (Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:17.)

To "come after him" is another way of saying, "Keep my commandments," for thus he had explained it when he said to the Nephites: "Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be?" And then he answered his own question, "Verily I say unto you, even as I am." (3 Ne. 27:27.)

To become "fishers of men" is just another way of saying "become leaders of men." So in today's language we would say to those who are so to teach: "If you will keep my commandments, I will make you leaders among men." (Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, Oct. 1960, p. 15.)

[rameumptom]

You could also consider the ancient and/or modern techniques for fishing, and applying them to how we need to become expert at seeking out and snagging converts today.

Of course, there's nothing better than fly fishing for rainbow trout. You use a very light, almost invisible filament line. The fly has to be dry enough to float above the water a couple inches, so that the trout will actually believe it is an insect landing on top the water. A smooth whisking of the fly back and forth on the line helps keep it dry, and really looks awesome. Gently dropping it into an area you suspect a fish to be in, and then flicking the fly in and out of that area will get the trout's attention and interest. When it bites, it takes only a small nibble, so you have to be ready to tug the fly firmly into its mouth. Then the fun begins, as a 6 ounce trout will fight as much as a 2 pound bass!

[lagniappe]

Thanks everyone. Especially for the links. Some of those I have bookmarked already and some I didn't come across. (Waaaayyyy too many show up in the search at lds.org to read them all unfortunately.) I'll definitely look those over. I had considered that Rameumptom, although I know nothing about fishing so I'd definitely have to do some research!

I have to speak for 15 minutes too. Ugh. I don't think I've ever talked more than 10 minutes before, if that. This ward generally only has 2 speakers a week, unlike most of the other wards I've been in where there are 3, sometimes 4.

[HoosierGuy]

I guess when I think of "fishers of men" I also think of nets. Some fish may pass thru those nets, some may get caught. The act is the same tho over and over - pick the net up and toss it out into the water, over and over. You don’t' give up on the first try if the net is empty. You don’t give up if you have caught one or two fish - there are lots more fish (men) than need to be caught. Maybe you will throw the net out at different times of the day, or take a break for a few days, but you do not give up.

Also, the boats that the fishermen use can face troubled waters some times, like storms. I guess that could be an example that no matter how bad things may get, no matter how dangerous the surroundings, we must never stop being fishers of men. Let Jesus be the captain of the boat and due your job. You must be a fisher of men in all waters (environments) – city, bad neighborhoods, boondocks, little towns, wealthy areas, etc…

[jimuk]

Hey HoosierGuy, I like that, great way of putting it.

[lagniappe]

Thanks for that, HoosierGuy. I was actually thinking of something along those lines and you summed it up very nicely.