Yes, there is a school in Grand Marais, Minnesota where you can learn how to make your own fishing net. It looks like a lot of detailed, knotty work.
So, maybe it wasn’t so difficult for Peter, Andrew, James, and John to leave their nets and follow Jesus. Initially, it might have looked easier than net-mending and all the other things that go with fishing for fish (Matthew 4:18–22)
Mending (nets) is translated from the same root New Testament Greek word (katartízō) as Equipping God’s people (Ephesians 4:12). Thus, equipping may be primarily about preparing relationships toward being a saving network of love.
Discussion Question: How might fostering relationship-repair be the key to winning others to Christ?
1. The God of the Bible is fundamentally a relationship restoring God. He has undertaken the challenge of restoring a broken relationship with every human being in history. The only relationship he has not had to restore is his own among the tribe-unity of God.
2. The gospel is the core restoring message and life display of God’s work to restore relationship with man. Jesus commanded that those who preach the gospel are to live the gospel. 1 Cor. 9;14. God has assigned his own people, whose lives have been restored to him, to be his key “ambassadors”. 2 Cor. 5:20.
Thank you, Tim! The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit lead the way in unity. They give us great hope and clarity!
Additionally, I would make the case that EVERY gift is an equipping or net mending gift. It’s not reserved for only the 5 listed in Eph. 4. Clergyism falsely restricts net mending – equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry, to only themselves. This is why church is dominated the pulpit and pew separation where only the alleged solo equipper does all the talking and all the other gifts are silent.
Thank you. Well put, Tim. – John