Fishing For Men – Expedition One

Jesus is now ready to begin what will be another year and a half of fishing-for-men expeditions with his disciples. We will be looking at the first six expeditions—outreach events where Jesus trains his young ministry team to reach the masses with the Good News that he is the Messiah. There is a clear progression to these fishing trips, a helpful pattern for us to follow, and much to learn about fishing for people. Read the story from three different points of view—or better yet, print them out and try to piece the event together chronologically. Jump right in and learn to fish Jesus-style.

Questions from your reading

• Where is Jesus fishing?
• Who is Jesus fishing for?
• What is Jesus modelling about fishing for people in a religious setting?
• How is Jesus fishing?
• What other questions do you still have?

Reflecting on your reading

Jesus begins these fishing-for-men expeditions in the religious centre of his day—the Jewish synagogue. After calling his new disciples to follow more closely so he could teach them to fish for people, Jesus takes them back into Capernaum. His first fishing expedition is held at the synagogue on the Sabbath. It's likely he offered some preparatory teaching at a home beforehand.

He enters the synagogue ready—ready to model how to fish for people, and ready to reveal to the crowds who he is. He begins teaching, using the same strategy he often employed with the religiously lost: he goes straight to the Torah, the books of Moses, and shows how they point to him (Luke 24:27). At the same time, he preaches that the time has come to repent and believe the Good News, because the kingdom of God is at hand.

The crowd is amazed. Why? First, because he teaches with authority—as someone who believes and lives what he is saying—unlike the scribes, whose delivery feels half-hearted (Mark 1:22). Second, they’re struck by the newness of his teaching—its clarity and power (Mark 1:27). And third, they are astonished by his authority over the spiritual realm when he commands an evil spirit to leave a man.

How many demons has Jesus cast out so far? None—this is the first. After more than a year and a half of ministry, this marks a new and public demonstration of power. Jesus performs this miracle in a synagogue to confirm the authority of his message.

Pay close attention to what the demon says in Mark 1:24. He jeers, calling him “Jesus of Nazareth” and “the Holy One of God.” That’s significant. The title “Jesus of Nazareth” highlights his full humanity—he had a real name, a hometown, and a family. But “Holy One of God” signals something else entirely—even this demon recognises Jesus' divine origin and holiness. It's likely a reaction to what Jesus has just been teaching: that he has come from God, that he is equal to God, and that he is God in human form.

So, how successful was this first fishing expedition? How would you measure it? Here's a framework to help you evaluate outreach efforts—Jesus-style:

1. Were there non-believers present?
2. Was Jesus clearly and compellingly presented as the Messiah in a culturally relevant way?
3. Did anyone respond by putting their faith in Jesus, or move a step closer to doing so?

Take a moment to reflect on how Jesus and his team did using these questions.

Applying what you’ve read

Start praying about planning a fishing expedition of your own this week. It doesn’t have to be large—not a stadium concert, but something small, simple, and intentional. What could you do? Who could join you?

Gather a few friends and begin praying together for those around you who don’t yet know Jesus as the Saviour of the world. Think creatively about how you might present his claims in a way that makes sense to the people in your context.

Your assignment today is to start forming a discipleship group of friends and dream together about what you might do. Keep watching how Jesus conducts these early expeditions—you’ll learn more each day. But don’t wait. Get started. Pray. Make a list of names. And prepare to fish.