One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.
He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,
and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.
Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.
When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?
Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.
Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him,
and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”
Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?
But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”
He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old.
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.
No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.
And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!!
Content source: New International Version (NIV) of the Holy Bible
Image source: Our media Team
God knows our thoughts, and not only sees our faith, but the faith that family and friends can have in a time of crisis.
In this chapter, very helpful in showing faith, I am going to specifically refer to what Jesus wanted to show his disciples.
Peter's doubts about Jesus' abilities as a fisherman become doubts about himself. The first one is defeated by a miracle; the second is overcome by a promise.
The Greek word for fisherman means "catch something alive", and his verbal tense suggests continuous action. From now on, Peter and the others "will catch humans for the kingdom of God ..
God multiplies your seed so that you have even more than what you need.
Jesus taught a great lesson, about the sowing of the seed and the importance of sowing in good soil, then as if to illustrate, he told this group of tired and discouraged fishermen to throw with faith the net for a miraculous capture of fish.
These men had just planted their boat as a seed in the ministry of Jesus. They had given Jesus, his greatest possession, as a platform from which he could preach the gospel. They had served Jesus' greatest need at that time, and Jesus responded to their need.
As professional fishermen, they had the need to fish in order to earn a living and the daily sustenance of their families. They also needed to see God at work in their lives, that is, to see that Jesus was who he claimed to be, and that his faith was working effectively. Jesus responded to both needs!
When you give something to God He returns it multiplied; and, moreover, he will do it with all his grace and power.
Beginning we see how our Lord is a God of abundance, prosperity ... what they could not get all night they got just as the Lord was with them ... So is the Lord in our lives, when it comes, all that lack, He provides it, He restores our life and prospers ... but we must be like Peter, who recognized that he was a sinner.
We see how the paralytic was taken by his friends at all costs. They looked for a way to be able to be in the presence of Jesus so that he could heal him. So we must seek God fervently until we achieve his miracles in our lives.
I love verse 34-35,
It was because Jesus was with his disciples always and has been their shield that was why they don't need to fast, but when He is no more,they would have to fast and pray for His presence.
Though He is not here physically, but in spirit. So as Christians, we need to always pray and fast for His presence in our lives
From v18 I have discovered that the paralyzed man on the mat was paralyzed not because the witches and wizards of his paternal or maternal family were at work but it was because of his sin, Jesus understood it, that's why he first of all forgave the paralytic man of his sins, and you see immediately his sin were forgiven him, Jesus needed not to pray for him to get well, he just got his healing immediately because for him to be healed he needed forgiveness of sins, most of the sickness people pass through is because of the sins they commit. I pray may God help us not to commit sin that will incure the wrath of God on us.
Stay bless belove.
Simon had faith in Jesus that was why he obeyed Jesus when He told him to launch his net and because he obeyed Him,he caught many fishes that day. We need to obey His word and stand by it with faith. He is ever ready to do all what He needs to do in our lives.
Jesus came for the sinners,He never wanted anyone to perish but wants all to be saved and gain eternal life. The sinners are those who need physician because they must be made whole through salvation
The first 11 verses of this chapter of Luke teaches ame a great number of lessons.
We see in the opening verse as people had gathered around Jesus to hear him, yet, others around (Peter and partners) were not interested perhaps due to the disapointment of a fruitless toil. I see Jesus having to deliberately involve them by opting to use one of their boats. Not just being sensitive of their initial uninvolvement, Christ was sensitive to their fruitless toil and called for a catch. This ministers that we should be deliberate and conscious of our environment and the people so that we can deliberately put them in the way of righteousness. This singular act of Christ did not only win Peter, but James and John were added to the discipleship fold. Having caught their attention, they could grasp the depth of the message.
I pray God helps us to be sensitive.
Thank you @reliquary for sharing.
vs 12 and 13 if properly understood and internalized, would give us a proper outlook of God and how we make our demands to Him.
I've seen people pray and they seem like they are begging God or trying to convince Him to intervene in their issues.
Vs 12 said
He said if Jesus is willing to help him, check out Jesus reply in vs 13..
So you see, Jesus is always willing to help us and provide a solution to that issue of ours, so instead of talking to Him as a servant we should come as a heir and son as represented in Hebrews. 4:16 which says
So this should our outlook in prayers, GOD IS WILLING AND ABLE.
God bless us all.
If you want a good wine then prepare yourself so that nothing spills.
This story of Jesus encounter with Peter at the lake side after toiling day and night without nothing to show for it reminds me of a song we usually sing in our children ministry then:
I will make you fishers of men.....If you will follow me......
Jesus told Peter
When we follow Jesus,He will make us fishers of men indeed. Thanks @reliquary for this day to day Bible reading. I really love reading the Bible,and this also will make people lovers of the word
Amen! I love the Bible!