Luke 5:1-11
:2And He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them, and were washing the nets.
:3And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land.
Jesus had people pressing around Him, teaching them by the lake Gennesaret but He still noticed that Peter and his partners were through fishing for the day, they were done.
After He finished speaking to the multitudes, He told Peter to go into deep water and let the nets down.
Peter let Jesus know they had been working hard all night and hadn’t caught a thing.
In reading in Bible History.com about fishing and fishermen it clearly tells about the hard work that fishing in those times was. It was strenuous; they had to pull the nets, dive into the water to draw the net and haul the net on board the boat or drag to the shore; They were hardy and fearless yet had to have the patience with the weather and patience to try again when there was no catch.
These men were crude in manner, rough in speech and harsh in the treatment of others.
Not exactly the diplomatic type.
Peter had let Jesus know they had been working hard all night. Yet he obeyed Jesus because Jesus asked him to…“at your bidding (word)…”
When the Lord speaks to us it is always with purpose. Many times he requires us to simply obey without question.
Verse 8 says that when Peter saw the catch it took two boats to hold and then because there were so many fish the boats began to sink.
Peter responded by falling down at Jesus’ feet, saying "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"
What was he thinking? Maybe though he obeyed he realized the doubt that had been in his heart OR he had a deeper revelation of who Jesus was at that moment. This miracle was very personal to Simon, John, and James. They knew their trade and probably could not even have dreamed of such a catch as this. Surely they had never seen or heard of anyone draw a catch like this in all their years of hearing the great fishing stories told by their fathers and elders.
They had to know that they alone could never have made this happen; only God Himself could do this. Jesus is God!
They were all “seized with amazement” and then Jesus said to them “Do not fear from now on you will be fishers of men.” Fear in this context can mean “of those struck with amazement”. They were totally amazed!
He told them they would be fishers of men. These rough tough men were accustomed to fishing, not people. But they followed Him.
Father God, You are truly amazing the way You transform the believer’s heart to be what it needs to be to serve You. Whatever changes You make it is in conformity to the image of Jesus to work the purposes one is created for. No matter what we are at the point of salvation, an intimate walk with our Savior will transform the hardest heart! And in this we find hope!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Scribes
John 4:22 And they were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
I looked up scribes on line; Bible History.com says: They were men from all classes, merchants, artisans and laborers. Their authority did not come from ancestry or finances, but from their learning and studying for many years.
“By age 14 they had mastered the law and were thoroughly familiar with the scriptures. Thereafter they spent years in close association with scribal teachers, receiving lengthy instruction in personal conduct and application of the law in everyday situations.”
About age 40 they could be formally ordained as scribes.
Scribes were highly honored having the place of honor at important events; they were held in high respect and awe. They were thought to possess secret knowledge of the Lord’s power.
Father, you say that knowledge makes arrogant (1 Cor 8:1). These men had dedicated their lives to learning and teaching the law and the scriptures. They were considered as having this “secret” knowledge that no one else had.
With them being held in this kind of high esteem, it is truly amazing that the people in the synagogue when they heard Jesus, were “amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” They saw the difference in Jesus and the teaching of the scribes.
They saw authority in Him. Not just knowledge but authority. There is such a huge difference. Jesus spoke with the direct authority of the one who had sent Him, God the Father. This was the same God that these people worshipped but did not recognize Jesus as He who is the (Heb 1:3) “radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.” They worshipped God but did not know Him.
Father, you have revealed Your wonderful Son to us who have believed. You have gifted us with His Spirit to lead us, to teach us the Word, and to guide us unto righteousness.
Reading the Bible to gain knowledge of it is a good thing; but going further and reading it to find Jesus in it, to seek His face, to be in His presence and to develop an intimate relationship with Him is our ultimate goal. For Jesus is ALL.
Jesus has given His own authority to those who believe in Him. That is why when the Holy Spirit speaks through us, the truth spoken has the authority to be effective and have an impact on the listener.
Thank you for the grace, Father, that will enable your children to listen and obey when You prompt us to speak.
I looked up scribes on line; Bible History.com says: They were men from all classes, merchants, artisans and laborers. Their authority did not come from ancestry or finances, but from their learning and studying for many years.
“By age 14 they had mastered the law and were thoroughly familiar with the scriptures. Thereafter they spent years in close association with scribal teachers, receiving lengthy instruction in personal conduct and application of the law in everyday situations.”
About age 40 they could be formally ordained as scribes.
Scribes were highly honored having the place of honor at important events; they were held in high respect and awe. They were thought to possess secret knowledge of the Lord’s power.
Father, you say that knowledge makes arrogant (1 Cor 8:1). These men had dedicated their lives to learning and teaching the law and the scriptures. They were considered as having this “secret” knowledge that no one else had.
With them being held in this kind of high esteem, it is truly amazing that the people in the synagogue when they heard Jesus, were “amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” They saw the difference in Jesus and the teaching of the scribes.
They saw authority in Him. Not just knowledge but authority. There is such a huge difference. Jesus spoke with the direct authority of the one who had sent Him, God the Father. This was the same God that these people worshipped but did not recognize Jesus as He who is the (Heb 1:3) “radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.” They worshipped God but did not know Him.
Father, you have revealed Your wonderful Son to us who have believed. You have gifted us with His Spirit to lead us, to teach us the Word, and to guide us unto righteousness.
Reading the Bible to gain knowledge of it is a good thing; but going further and reading it to find Jesus in it, to seek His face, to be in His presence and to develop an intimate relationship with Him is our ultimate goal. For Jesus is ALL.
Jesus has given His own authority to those who believe in Him. That is why when the Holy Spirit speaks through us, the truth spoken has the authority to be effective and have an impact on the listener.
Thank you for the grace, Father, that will enable your children to listen and obey when You prompt us to speak.
Friday, November 19, 2010
The Truth Enrages
Luke 4:15-29
Luke 4:15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.
:16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.
This whole passage was amazing to me, Father.
After Jesus stood up and read from the book of Isaiah in the synagogue the religious leaders’ response was favorable toward Him….
: 22 all were speaking well of Him and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips, and they were saying “Is this not Joseph’s son”?
They were all amazed UNTIL He spoke the Truth about them. In just a moment’s time…
: 28 “all in the synagogue were filled with rage” at Him.
He knew that they had heard of the miracles He had done in Capernaum and wanted to see the same in Nazareth, His own hometown. But when he reminded them that the OT said there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah…”yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon,
“And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Eisha…and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian”
Luke 4:24 And He said, Truly, I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his home town. He was telling them that even the prophets of O.T. went outside of Israel where the non Jews were to do miracles. The religious leaders had studied the scriptures and for Him to reprove them using the scriptures, was intolerable. It infuriated them. They hated Him for it. The Truth will stir up emotions and show one’s true heart.
This is true today.
Luke 6:22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.
Many in the world hate Jesus and as stated above, a believer will be hated also for standing up for Truth. Truth makes people accountable. It enrages them just as it did the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. Today, following religion and its burdensome duties instead of the person and Spirit of Jesus Christ will only lead to resistance to Truth and the liberty that only a relationship with our Lord Jesus can bring to our life.
Jesus is life; He is our path to freedom…freedom to live with joy, freedom to love unconditionally as He has loved us, and freedom to give ourselves as He gave Himself for our sake.
We need not be surprised that the world does not receive the Truth when the Holy Spirit speaks through us. It will cause some to hate us. But the seeds of Truth are never in vain.
The cost may be high in the way of relationships and popularity but His word never returns void.
Help me Lord to stand up for Truth no matter the cost.
Luke 4:15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.
:16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.
This whole passage was amazing to me, Father.
After Jesus stood up and read from the book of Isaiah in the synagogue the religious leaders’ response was favorable toward Him….
: 22 all were speaking well of Him and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips, and they were saying “Is this not Joseph’s son”?
They were all amazed UNTIL He spoke the Truth about them. In just a moment’s time…
: 28 “all in the synagogue were filled with rage” at Him.
He knew that they had heard of the miracles He had done in Capernaum and wanted to see the same in Nazareth, His own hometown. But when he reminded them that the OT said there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah…”yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon,
“And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Eisha…and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian”
Luke 4:24 And He said, Truly, I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his home town. He was telling them that even the prophets of O.T. went outside of Israel where the non Jews were to do miracles. The religious leaders had studied the scriptures and for Him to reprove them using the scriptures, was intolerable. It infuriated them. They hated Him for it. The Truth will stir up emotions and show one’s true heart.
This is true today.
Luke 6:22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.
Many in the world hate Jesus and as stated above, a believer will be hated also for standing up for Truth. Truth makes people accountable. It enrages them just as it did the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. Today, following religion and its burdensome duties instead of the person and Spirit of Jesus Christ will only lead to resistance to Truth and the liberty that only a relationship with our Lord Jesus can bring to our life.
Jesus is life; He is our path to freedom…freedom to live with joy, freedom to love unconditionally as He has loved us, and freedom to give ourselves as He gave Himself for our sake.
We need not be surprised that the world does not receive the Truth when the Holy Spirit speaks through us. It will cause some to hate us. But the seeds of Truth are never in vain.
The cost may be high in the way of relationships and popularity but His word never returns void.
Help me Lord to stand up for Truth no matter the cost.
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