Matthew 4:19
And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
He didn’t have to promise them that they would be made fishers of men. Besides, they weren’t even sure what a fisher of men was. For all that it’s worth, it wouldn’t have made any difference if He had promised they would become governors or kings.
He commanded them to follow. “And they immediately left the nets, and followed Him” (Verse 20).
Years later it was apparent that the desire for status had been distracting them. They were arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven up until the last evening they were all together with Him.
The crucifixion changed things though. “Fishers of Men” suddenly took on a fresh new meaning. With Christ’s death and resurrection had come the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ purpose was so much clearer now. To become a “Fisher of Men” was never their goal in the first place.
Their only command was to follow Him.
Their status as “Fishers of Men,” the life of abundance, the promise of a future hope… All of this was dependent on following Jesus. It was natural inheritance of an obedient servant. It was a gift not gained by works, but by faith alone.