February 1. Luke 5:1-11
Well here we are, friends. Day one of our study. How did you do at keeping to your appointed time? I hope you were able to meet with the Lord in relative peace and quiet, depending on the season of your life and the relative chaos of your household currently! I’d love to share my thoughts with you in the commentary below, but I’d also love to hear yours! Share with us in the comments, if you wish, what verse stood out to you in this passage and what you wrote about it. We learn so much from each other in these studies! Read on to hear my thoughts and then see my verse and response below.
In this passage, we are introduced to John at the very beginning of his friendship with Jesus. In this account, John is an observer, like we are, of an encounter Jesus has with John’s friend and fishing partner, Simon (later to be called Peter by Jesus). Most likely, John heard Jesus preach from Simon’s boat. Perhaps he had even heard Jesus before. Today, however, was different. Today, Jesus was in a boat – one of their boats – and Jesus was directing their fishing. John witnessed the miracle of swarms of fish suddenly appearing in Simon’s nets and just about swamping the boats. He heard Simon’s despair at being unworthy of Jesus’ attention. And when Jesus said “Follow Me” despite Simon’s feelings of unworthiness … They all did. They up and followed Jesus. Just like that.
Mark’s Gospel adds some details to the story that fascinate me. Let’s read what Mark said about that day John was called: Mark 1:19-20: “A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.” John and James not only walked away from their livelihood, they walked away from their father. I suspect their father was okay with this decision, but whether he was or not, John’s loyalty switched to Jesus with that decision. Jesus became his authority and the one he followed. Don’t you want to know what John was thinking? Had he long listened to Jesus or perhaps John the Baptist and wished he could get closer to the Lord? Or, was this a fresh event, so amazing in what Jesus said and did with the miracle of the fish, that John could do nothing else but follow this One who called? In any case, John went. Immediately. With his friends and his brother. And nothing in his world would ever be the same again.
My verse: John 5:11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”
My response: Lord, it just occurred to me, that they got the largest amount of fish in their lives that day – perhaps enough to buy more boats or pay off debt and live more comfortably – and it is Right Then when their fishing career is at its highest point – where you tell them to fish for people instead. They left all the fish. They followed after you, the true Treasure. Lord, would I have left the fish? Would I have followed the “fish-Giver” and Creator of the fish? What tremendous faith they had. No wonder three out of these four became your innermost circle. They were passionately FOR You.
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The verse that caught my heart today was verse 1, “…While the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God,” That caught me. At first I thought, ‘Wow, a whole crowd wanted to hear and learn about God!’ But it was not written that they wanted to actually learn, just hear. Hmmmm… So, while there may be many, many people who flock to Jesus, they don’t actually want to learn and apply what He teaches, they just want to be noticed by the Teacher. Okay, so Jesus removed himself from them and went where? To the one’s whose hearts have been opened to His voice! How wonderful! Jesus knows exactly where His children are, where I am, and He reaches out to them… to ME! When Jesus calls, no one wants to run in the opposite direction, they want to run to Him, sit as His feet and take in everything that He is teaching.
I praise Him for being the name caller! I am so thankful He softened my heart and called my name!
Melissa, It’s true they might not have all been there to truly listen and learn. However, the four fishermen in our story listened and then left it all to follow Him. I like the challenge in your thoughts to “apply what He teaches” in our lives. Amen!