Read Luke 5 – Work, work, work – there is so much work to be done, and it is vastly different from the old ways. My daughter is on a team that launches new restaurants all around the country. They fly them in to come alongside the new staff to train them in the highly successful culture that has set her restaurant apart. Perhaps they got that idea from Jesus.
In Chapter 5, we see Jesus teaching and raising up his disciples. He teaches from Simon’s boat, and when he is finished he tells Simon to go to the deep waters and cast his nets. Simon is a fisherman. He fished all night and didn’t catch a thing, yet because Jesus said to, he would cast his nets again(:5). Simon has a crisis of faith when he realized what happened because he understood his sin in the presence of Jesus’ holiness(:8). Jesus used this situation to illustrate how they (James and John were there too), would become fishers of men (:10).
Beloved, be humble enough to do things God’s way, even if you are an expert.
A man with leprosy asked Jesus if he was willing to heal him and make him clean (:12). This shows resolute faith. The man knew Jesus could heal him, the only question was – was he willing? How do you pray? Do you know Jesus can change the impossible? Do you still love and trust him if he says no or not yet?
Jesus heals a paralyzed man as a two part miracle. He forgave the mans sins first off. This got the attention of the religious leaders. They called it blasphemy, stating only God could forgive sin(:21). Jesus used this miracle to bless the man AND to wake up the religious leaders.
Jesus sums up his purpose when he calls Matthew to be his disciple: I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent (:32). Beloved, may God bless your reading and show you many more things than this!!!
Judy in the Sky 