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- Luke Chapter 5
Good morning from sunny Guatemala! ☀️
I hope you’re staying warm wherever you are!
Remember to read Luke Chapter 5 BEFORE you read my notes.
First and foremost, we must give honor to the Word of God. Also, my notes will make more sense AFTER you’ve read the chapter. AND, I’ll make it easy for you…
For reference, the lake of Gennesaret is also called the Sea of Galilee.
A photo I took at sunset in 2021
Regardless of how you feel about the TV series The Chosen, Season 1 helps you visualize the fishing scene in a spectacular way.
What can we learn?
Peter was a fisherman. He knew his business well. When Jesus asked him to put his nets out, against his better judgment, he obeyed.
Peter witnessed the miracle and fell to his knees, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Peter recognized his sinfulness.
After the miracle and what must have been an incredible blessing, Peter recognized his unworthiness. He didn’t feel unworthy of the catch but of being in the presence of the Lord.
This story isn’t about following Jesus so he can fill your nets and make you wealthy. It’s about following Jesus to break free from the grip of wealth.
And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Following Jesus = greater than wealth, greater than life itself.
The friends we need. The friends we need to be.
A couple of things stood out as I read about Jesus healing the paralytic.
The first was that he had friends who loved him. They couldn’t get through the crowd, which included the teachers of the law, so they desperately found another way. We all know the story.
Who first told you about Jesus? Maybe it was your parents? Maybe it was someone at school. Someone, in faith, brought you to the feet of Jesus.
For me, it was Eric Carlson. He invited me to his church, and that’s where the seeds were planted. I answered the altar call, but it would be YEARS before I would come to faith.
But I thank God Eric loved me enough to lower me down through a roof so I could eventually hear the words, “Your sins are forgiven.”
So now the question is, what kind of friend are you? Are you desperate to introduce someone to Christ?
Fear of Rejection: Some people worry that they’ll be made fun of or not accepted if they talk openly about their faith.
Negative Stereotypes: Believers sometimes hold back from discussing their faith because there's this fear that it might be misunderstood. They don't want others to get the wrong idea about Christians, thinking they're judgmental or not genuine.
Personal Sin or Hypocrisy: Sometimes, people might feel unworthy or hypocritical about sharing their faith because of a sense of personal sin or hypocrisy. They're afraid others will see them as not good enough or inconsistent. “I’m a sinner. Who am I to talk about the Bible?”
Lack of Confidence: Some feel unsure and not very confident about explaining what they believe. They might also be uncertain about what's written in the Bible, making them hesitant to talk about Christianity.
If you fix the last one, the rest take care of themselves. Get lost in the scriptures. Draw close to the Lord. Desperately study the Word.
The second thing I noticed was that Jesus was rewarding their faith with what He knew to be more important.
“Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
Walking is a temporary healing.
Sins forgiven is an eternal healing.
Radical decisions
For reference, Levi is also called Matthew, one of the 12 Disciples.
When Jesus called him, he immediately left everything and followed Him, showing a radical and immediate commitment to Jesus.
Here are a few examples of what radical decisions look like.
Paul's Conversion (Acts 9:1-19): Saul, later known as the apostle Paul, had a radical conversion on the road to Damascus. He met up with the risen Jesus, leading to a complete transformation of his life. Saul, who persecuted Christians, became a devoted follower and preacher of the gospel.
Peter and Andrew's Immediate Response (Matthew 4:18-20): Jesus called Peter and Andrew to follow Him. They immediately dropped their nets and followed Him. Their decision to abandon their livelihood and follow Jesus is a radical response to His call.
The Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17-22): Jesus tells him to sell all his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him. The young man, unwilling to part with his wealth, leaves sorrowful (saying no is also a radical decision.)
Weddings, garments, and wineskins
At a wedding celebration, everyone is happy because the bridegroom is there. Jesus is like the bridegroom, and when He's with His followers, it's a time of joy, not fasting. However, Jesus says there will be a time when He is taken away (referring to His death), and during that time, fasting will be appropriate.
The parables of the garment and the wineskins have always been hard for me to understand. I “generally” know what the meaning is so I just usually just read them and move on.
Not this time. I spent a solid hour researching this, and this is the most clear explanation I can give.
The "old garment" represents the existing religious traditions, and the "new patch" symbolizes the teachings of Jesus. If we try to blend them without making some significant changes, it won't go well, and we'll miss out on fully grasping what Jesus is trying to communicate.
The "new wine" symbolizes His message, and the "old wineskins" represent the established religious practices and traditions. Trying to fit the new teachings into the old rigid system won’t work.
These examples teach that new things, like Jesus' teachings, need fresh, open hearts ready for change. Old ways of thinking might not work well with new ideas.
In the book of Galatians, Paul effectively applies the parable to emphasize that Christianity does not require Gentiles to undergo the process of becoming Jews by following the Law of Moses.
“yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith (new patch, new wine) in Christ and not by works of the law (old garment, old wineskin), because by works of the law no one will be justified.”
The Law of Moses is often referred to as the Torah. The term "Torah" is a Hebrew word that can be translated to mean "instruction," "teaching," or "law."
Look for Chapter 6 early Friday morning. Start and end your week studying the Word.
If you’re getting value from this study, it would mean a lot if you shared it with someone you care about.
I love you.
George
Seeking after Christ
"The more we seek God, the more we discover how much He has been seeking us." - Aiden Wilson Tozer