I saw a giant luxury liner with lots of passengers and crew on board docked at a port. Then I heard:
The gang plank is down and the passengers have boarded, yet no departure time has been set for the ship to leave port and head out into the deeper waters where the fish are known to bite. And so tethered to the dock does she remain, for though the Captain has given the order to set sail, those charged with steering the vessel have little interest in leaving port as they have grown quite comfortable being nearer to the shore.
So then instead of pulling up anchor and preparing all those aboard for the vessel to launch, the crew would rather stay docked and wait for the fish to come to them. Thus have they settled for a much smaller haul than would be the case had they simply obeyed their Captain’s orders. As such, fish that would have been an easy catch are now far out of reach, as they have been dragged by the strong undertow of the current deeper into the abyss, that space where even the largest net, when cast, does not come near them. And so the number of fish caught by the crew remains relatively small in comparison to what could have been.
Although a few of the passengers and crew have decided to jump ship and head out into the deep on their own, most everyone else who boarded this luxury liner would rather not go fishing at all, and so have left that obligation entirely up to the crew and, as such, allow the fish who actually cross their paths to swim right on by, though they too have been called to be “fishers of men”. However, that call do they flatly reject, for while some think themselves unqualified to fish, the vast majority of those who boarded the ship can’t be bothered to even cast a line or bait a hook, for they simply want to enjoy the amenities that are offered by the luxury liner.
See then, in their deck chairs do the passengers sit idle and untroubled by the plight of the fish, for within do they lack the compulsion to attend to the matter of fishing, for in them has the fervency to save the lost been dulled. And so those who were meant to be actively fishing, have instead become quite passive, thereby hindering the Gospel’s spread, for silent are their tongues when it comes to sharing the Truth with anyone.
Then more like a luxury liner than a fishing vessel is the modern day Church. For her focus is centered upon creating a well-pleasing atmosphere for congregants, where they feel comfortable and are entertained, than she is with evangelizing surrounding communities. For surely inward facing does the Church sit and, as such is her perspective askew, as she has lost sight of her one true mission, which is to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation.
Ah then is the Church producing passengers instead of “fishers of men”, for little instruction is given on how to effectively share the message of My Kingdom with the unregenerate. For more attention is given to keeping the passenger seats filled than it is with the saving of the lost who dwell just beyond her walls. As such shall many who could have been born again perish for lack of understanding because their need for salvation was never made known to them.
Then with this generation of believers does the Great Commission seem to have been forgotten, for they have been taught that attending and serving at church is the priority, and so don’t even think to venture out into the deep where the fish can be found swimming. They are overly preoccupied with the happenings in their own lives and that of the Church, and thus do they barely cast even a glance towards the direction of the lost who are right before them.
So though the command to go and make disciples of all nations is still in effect, very few are those who have heeded its call. Therefore do I say to this generation of believers, “Get up out of your seats, and gather your nets, for the fish are biting and you too have been called to fish, for the Great Commission applies to all of My children. So then don’t think yourself unqualified to fish or that the task of fishing belongs to another, for that is simply not true.”
Thus do I say, “Stop making excuses as to why you aren’t able to fish. Instead, get up out of your seats and gather your nets.” For I say to you now, “You have indeed been called to fish!”