Person Quest
Let’s pretend we are going on an adventure together! Consider this picture of people that could be coming along with us.
They look friendly enough, but some questions you might want to ask about this group, or any group at first include:
Jesus speaks of a quest like this when he was preaching to a large group of people on a lakeshore (Luke 5:1-11). He saw a group of fishermen by their two boats cleaning their nets. One of them belonged a man named Simon, and Jesus 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.”
At first this request made no sense to these seasoned fishermen. It was the wrong time of the day to fish. Simon’s initial response was diplomatic: “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Do you think you would have had a similar response?
Then something very unexpected happened. They caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 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.
The disciples became eyewitnesses of a Jesus miracle. Once again he shows his supernatural capabilities. I am sure they were surprised, astounded, and perhaps confused. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” Does this surprise you? Why do you think he responded in this way?
Are there times when you and I respond to God in this way? Why?
Jesus knows their astonishment. He consoles them, and at the same time commissions them to be members of His mission team, and they followed Him.
4832 Ponderings:
Our Bible reading tells us the disciples “left to follow Him.” What kinds of things do you think they left? Do you think they ever regretted it?
Is there some way that Jesus is asking you to do something that doesn’t make sense? How does that feel?
Business guru W. Edwards Deming says: “Your system is perfectly designed to give you the results you are getting.” What things might you need to leave behind in order to “follow Him”?
- Who are these people?
- Will I be in or out of this group?
- Do these people like me? Do I like them?
- How much do I want to risk?
- What will it cost me?
- Can I really trust these people?
- Can I be myself and still be a part of this group?
Jesus speaks of a quest like this when he was preaching to a large group of people on a lakeshore (Luke 5:1-11). He saw a group of fishermen by their two boats cleaning their nets. One of them belonged a man named Simon, and Jesus 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.”
At first this request made no sense to these seasoned fishermen. It was the wrong time of the day to fish. Simon’s initial response was diplomatic: “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Do you think you would have had a similar response?
Then something very unexpected happened. They caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 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.
The disciples became eyewitnesses of a Jesus miracle. Once again he shows his supernatural capabilities. I am sure they were surprised, astounded, and perhaps confused. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” Does this surprise you? Why do you think he responded in this way?
Are there times when you and I respond to God in this way? Why?
Jesus knows their astonishment. He consoles them, and at the same time commissions them to be members of His mission team, and they followed Him.
4832 Ponderings:
Our Bible reading tells us the disciples “left to follow Him.” What kinds of things do you think they left? Do you think they ever regretted it?
Is there some way that Jesus is asking you to do something that doesn’t make sense? How does that feel?
Business guru W. Edwards Deming says: “Your system is perfectly designed to give you the results you are getting.” What things might you need to leave behind in order to “follow Him”?
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