Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”
One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.
- Is your repentance tied to belief? Jesus instructed people to repent and believe. Repentance is a letting go of sin and turning from sin. Belief in the Good News is what fills the hole when we turn from sin.
- How is your response time to Jesus? Is it “at once?” Or is it, “Let me consider?”
- How has God used your past and your gifts for his kingdom? Jesus made a great play on words when he told fishermen that he would show them how to fish for men. We all have a past filled with good and bad things. When we come to Jesus, none of that is wasted. He uses who we were in a new and redeemed way.