Thursday, June 29, 2017

JESUS and Master (Luke 5)

Just to set the scene...

(Luke 5:1-3)  Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret;  and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.

After everyone had heard a message from Jesus, including the fishermen...

(Luke 5:4-7)  When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered and said, “Masterwe worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.

Just thinking about this for a moment, we know God has command over nature and the animals...

(Genesis 6:20)  Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive.

God brought the animals to Noah (FYI, two of every KIND... not ever single specie of every kind).  So, Jesus could have very easily had all those fish swim to where they were.  If one wanted to try to talk their way out of a very supernatural event - at the very least Jesus knew that "suddenly" there were NOW many fish at that spot.  One could even try to say that Jesus saw something the fishermen missed - but Jesus' earthly career was a carpenter - and these men were experienced fishermen - AND SO - Peter recognized that he was not with just some ordinary man...

(Luke 5:8-11)  ...when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which 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 fear, from now on you will be catching men.” 11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

Interesting first reaction.  How many people think that they are just too sinful and therefore God would not want anything to do with them?  But we see Jesus inviting those men to join Him, and they do - they leave everything to follow Jesus...

(Luke 12:34)  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jesus should be our everything!  Why would we not want Jesus to be our everything?

(1 Timothy 6:6-16)  ...godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all [g]sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,  14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of [l]lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.  

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