Luke 5; Psalm 53
Good Monday everyone. This is Lynden writing for Jillian. When I volunteered to write for my wife this week I knew that we were returning to the gospels and was excited to revisit these teachings. I have been blessed and fortunate to write blogs for Biblejournal.net since January. During this time I have notice that the Spirit redirects my attention on a couple of specific themes. The theme that the Holy Spirit is refocusing my attention on this week is: How God Calls us for a Particular Purpose.
Reading Luke chapter 5 many times throughout my life, I have overlooked the beginning of the chapter and went directly to the miracles and healing. In this chapter, Luke being a physician and one of the most “learned” apostles goes into deep detail as he describes how the miracles were performed. In this chapter, Jesus heals a man with Leprosy and a paralyzed man. At the end of the chapter, his eating practices are in question: by eating with tax collectors and not observing fasting rituals.
As we read the beginning of the chapter, we see some “small”, yet impactful messages unfold.
Luke 5:1-11
On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”[a] 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
- Jesus gets on a boat, without a person in the boat. This boat belongs to Simon, later to be known as Peter. Verse 1-3
- Jesus asks Simon to pull his boat into the water to teach. Verse 3
- Jesus gives us clear directions to abundance and how to attain this wealth. Verse 4-7
- Jesus allows us to be vulnerable and still creates miracles in us, when we don’t feel that we are worthy of his love and acceptance. Verse 8-11
As I read through this passage the Holy Spirit echoes familiar teachings from John 21 after the resurrection.
John 21: 4- 8
4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?”They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards[a] off.
Reading and reflecting on these two passages together gives me hope that Jesus is always calling his children to him. He will always show up in the easiest manner that we can recognize him and his ways will never change. It is awesome to witness that his love and directions for us are consistent and gentle. As I close, I have an additional realization, in the passage of John 21:8 “The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards[a] off.” Even though the disciples were an entire football field (100 yards), they were still able to hear him and know his voice. No matter how far we are from Him, we are always able to hear him and follow him. Be Blessed this week.