DEVOTIONAL 1/31/2023
"AND THEY FOLLOWED JESUS"
So in the first few chapters of the Gospel of Luke we read about the birth of Jesus, how John the Baptist actually baptized Jesus and we see Jesus start his ministry by teaching and healing those who were sick and doing miracles which leads us to
OUR SURVEYED SCRIPTURE TODAY which is OUT OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE CHAPTER 5 starting in verse 1 “So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him (Jesus) to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s Peter and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.”
So picture a couple fisherman like deadliest catch and Jesus asked if He could stand in the boat and teach as the people all gathered in front of him on the beach
4:When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”
So I can see Simon kinda with this attitude like “ Dude, are you serious, we were just fishing all night and we ain’t caught nuttin c-mon man, but ok I will go”
Let’s see God blow their minds haha
6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So 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.
This is so good haha they caught so much fish they needed help bringing them on the boat, then they started to sink, I can almost see Jesus standing there holding back from from breaking out in this joyful laugh haha
look what happens
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
These guys knew at that moment that Jesus is who He said He was while preaching in that boat that He was indeed Lord, God in the flesh
9 For he and all who were with him (Simon Peter) were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”
Catch men? That means they will from then on share the Gospel to whoever would listen
And that leads us to our last verse
11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.”
Luke 5:1-11
Guys, this is so powerful, could you imagine owning a business and one day your at work and somebody shares the gospel with you and a light goes on in your head and you suddenly realize there is a much greater purpose for living and you just walk out the door and leave it all behind My tendency would be to say look at what we brought in, look at all this fish, I’m gunna make a lot of money in fact I’m gunna buy a bigger boat and expand the business and with all the blessings I’m gunna probably buy some Jett skies and for sure a new 2023 KTM 450 haha but lord I for sure will tithe my 10%
Are you guys kidding me!!!
These guys said “who cares about the gifts, like the boat full of fish, when you can follow the gift giver” These guys fell down and worshiped the Lord and said Lord we will follow you, wherever you lead we will follow It says “they forsook all and followed Him” no matter the cost, no matter how unpopular, no matter what there friends said, They wanted Jesus and nothing but Jesus not so much all the blessings He bestows upon us although those things come with following Jesus, That’s what these guys did, they left their boats, their nets their jet skies their motorcycles haha ok ok maybe not the jet skies and motorcycles but they left everything to follow the king of kings and Lord of Lords!
Hopefully I can sum this up with this,
Peter wasn’t caught up with the fish, the blessings, fish stink, sometimes all these blessings we receive can distract us from what it is to truly follow Jesus
What is it that is holding you back from really following Jesus? What is distracting you
Guys I’m guilty, I’m no different than you, I have wasted so much time thinking lord how can you bless me so I can just live a comfortable Christian life and everybody will like me, I’m done with that, I want to be like Simon Peter and just follow Jesus
Guys this is it, let the example of the these disciples challenge us to not worry about all the distractions, not worry about what others may think or say, let our affection be towards Jesus, let us leave our boats and nets behind and follow Him I’m thinking it when be a incredible ride, Amen
Pastor Jeff
OUR SURVEYED SCRIPTURE TODAY which is OUT OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE CHAPTER 5 starting in verse 1 “So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him (Jesus) to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s Peter and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.”
So picture a couple fisherman like deadliest catch and Jesus asked if He could stand in the boat and teach as the people all gathered in front of him on the beach
4:When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”
So I can see Simon kinda with this attitude like “ Dude, are you serious, we were just fishing all night and we ain’t caught nuttin c-mon man, but ok I will go”
Let’s see God blow their minds haha
6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So 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.
This is so good haha they caught so much fish they needed help bringing them on the boat, then they started to sink, I can almost see Jesus standing there holding back from from breaking out in this joyful laugh haha
look what happens
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
These guys knew at that moment that Jesus is who He said He was while preaching in that boat that He was indeed Lord, God in the flesh
9 For he and all who were with him (Simon Peter) were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”
Catch men? That means they will from then on share the Gospel to whoever would listen
And that leads us to our last verse
11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.”
Luke 5:1-11
Guys, this is so powerful, could you imagine owning a business and one day your at work and somebody shares the gospel with you and a light goes on in your head and you suddenly realize there is a much greater purpose for living and you just walk out the door and leave it all behind My tendency would be to say look at what we brought in, look at all this fish, I’m gunna make a lot of money in fact I’m gunna buy a bigger boat and expand the business and with all the blessings I’m gunna probably buy some Jett skies and for sure a new 2023 KTM 450 haha but lord I for sure will tithe my 10%
Are you guys kidding me!!!
These guys said “who cares about the gifts, like the boat full of fish, when you can follow the gift giver” These guys fell down and worshiped the Lord and said Lord we will follow you, wherever you lead we will follow It says “they forsook all and followed Him” no matter the cost, no matter how unpopular, no matter what there friends said, They wanted Jesus and nothing but Jesus not so much all the blessings He bestows upon us although those things come with following Jesus, That’s what these guys did, they left their boats, their nets their jet skies their motorcycles haha ok ok maybe not the jet skies and motorcycles but they left everything to follow the king of kings and Lord of Lords!
Hopefully I can sum this up with this,
Peter wasn’t caught up with the fish, the blessings, fish stink, sometimes all these blessings we receive can distract us from what it is to truly follow Jesus
What is it that is holding you back from really following Jesus? What is distracting you
Guys I’m guilty, I’m no different than you, I have wasted so much time thinking lord how can you bless me so I can just live a comfortable Christian life and everybody will like me, I’m done with that, I want to be like Simon Peter and just follow Jesus
Guys this is it, let the example of the these disciples challenge us to not worry about all the distractions, not worry about what others may think or say, let our affection be towards Jesus, let us leave our boats and nets behind and follow Him I’m thinking it when be a incredible ride, Amen
Pastor Jeff