KBM A Call To Discipleship

Having looked, with the last couple of podcasts, at how Jesus’ ministry got it’s start, we now turn our attention to Luke 5:1-11 where we find what it means to be “a disciple of Christ.” The word disciple simply means someone who follows a teacher, in this case Jesus, and what he teaches. In Luke 5:3 we read…

Luke 5:3 ESV

3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

Here we see if we want to be a disciple of Jesus “We Must Learn Something.” This means first, we have to make sure we realize “we don’t know everything.” We all know people that have the attitude of “no one can teach me anything.” While Peter was cleaning the fishing nets he was, as Luke 5:1 puts it, “hearing the word of God.” Simply put we cannot be a disciple of Christ without listening to God’s word, which is why Jesus said in Matthew 11:29…

Matthew 11:29 (ESV)

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Secondly, to be a disciple of Jesus “We Must Understand Something.” In Luke 5:3-8 Jesus has Peter take them out into the Sea of Galilee a little bit because the crowd was pressing closer and closer to Jesus. After Jesus finished teaching he ask Peter to go into the deeper water and throw out his net. Now, Peter knew what every fisherman new of the sea and that was the time to fish was at night not during the day. The place to fish was in the shallow water not the deep. Not to mention Peter was exhausted from fishing all night long. It was perfectly normal for Peter to respond with doubt like he did. However, Peter called Jesus Master. This word is only found of Jesus here in Luke and it means to “stand over” to have “complete authority over.” Peter knew Jesus was in charge, which is why he agreed to do what Jesus asked. How did Jesus reward Peter’s willingness to obey, by having his nets overflow. Here we find the difference between “learning and understanding.” Learning something means we gain knowledge about something while understanding something means to have a complete grasp of that knowledge. Peter had knowledge Jesus was his Master but he was just starting to understand what all that actually meant, hence Peter’s response to the situation, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Thirdly, to be a disciple of Christ “We Must Acknowledge Something.” In Luke 5:8-10, we find Peter acknowledging or realizing something and that something was that Jesus is Lord of “everything.” This miracle happened to him, it involved his work, and was done where he lived. As Peter is struck with this new realization he also realized something else, we are nothing in comparison to our Creator. When the created, in other words us people, finally realize who God is compared to us their reaction is the same. With Abraham we read…

Genesis 18:27 ESV

27 Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.

The great prophet Isaiah said…

Isaiah 6:5 ESV

5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

To be a disciple of Christ we must acknowledge Jesus is Lord of everything and we are nothing without Jesus.

Lastly, “We Must Change & Give Up Something.” In Luke 5:10-11 we find Jesus changing these men’s direction in life, from seeking physical gain to spiritual gain. When we obey the gospel and become a child of God we are changed into a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) so that we will, like Peter, become fishers of men. This means we will also have to “give up something” also. Peter and the rest of the disciples there that day, had met Jesus before but had left and gone back to their homes and jobs. And they had a very profitable job as well.

(1) They were able to hire workers (Mark 1:20).

(2) James 7 John’s mother financially supported Jesus and his disciples (Matthew 27:55-56; Luke 8:3).

(3) John was even known by the High Priest (John 18:15).

Jesus was asking these men to leave a very profitable business and follow him, which is exactly what Jesus asks all of us to do as well. To live for Christ means to be willing to “give up” everything for him.

Luke 14:33 ESV

33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Yes, these men left a profitable business with a good retirement plan but they did so to follow God who offers the “greatest” retirement plan anyone could have or want. Let’s make certain we place our treasures in heaven and trust in our Creator.