In this chapter we find Jesus collecting disciples and healing the sick. he encounters Simon on the Sea of Galilee. preaches from his boat and leads him to a miraculous life changing catch of fish. Peter's reaction is like the reaction of Isaiah in the Old Testament. When Isaiah encounters the Lord in the Temple he is made more fully aware of his own brokenness. Peter's reaction is similar, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" Luke 5:8 NRSV. I wonder what my reaction to Jesus would be? Perhaps i would worship, but very likely I would be like Isaiah or Peter and be conscious of my sin.
Three people in need of healing follow - a leper, a paralytic, and a tax collector. Jesus touches and heals and befriends them. The religious leaders of the day are horrified that Jesus would be sullied by these actions. Jesus still touches the unclean and eats with sinners, I know because he has touched me and still walks and talks with me everyday!
The chapter closes with the parable of the new wine in old wine skins and the new cloth sewn into an old garment. Change is the only constant in the life spent walking with Christ. I have often been guilty of forgetting this truth and I have lagged behind the movement and tempo of the Spirit of God in my life. Lord, help me to embrace the vitality and unpredictable nature of life in your Kingdom.
About Me
- Pastor Bill
- I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ, a happy husband, father and grandfather!
6 comments:
The exciting things that Jesus does tend to get a lot of attention because they really are exciting! In Luke 5, after Jesus heals a man with Leprosy, everyone finds out about it even though that wasn't Jesus' intention. In the midst of the crowd's excitement and longing to hear him preach, it says that Jesus went out into the wilderness for prayer. Jesus certainly had his priorities straight. Of course he wanted to help and heal people but he also knew that his number one goal was to let people know about salvation and set things straight. Furthermore, he knew he needed the Father to be with him through everything. He sets an ultimate example of prayer as he slips away from the crowds to pray quietly and spend time with God.
Great comments, Bill and Sara. I think it's interesting that the first miracle in John is the changing of water into wine, and the first miracle recorded in Luke is the miraculous catch of fish for his future disciples. He's big on getting our basic necessities fulfilled, and it takes stories like these to help us to understand that this guy has things under control!
I love the healing stories. He's so cool to heal people. It's his big heart. He was able to refrain when people asked him to "do tricks," but when people were really in need, he always helped them. That's my Jesus.
The paralytic story is an incredible testament for his friends, who believed. I hope someone would do that for me if I were paralyzed. They had the faith to take him up through the roof in order to have Jesus heal their friend. They must have known he could do it! That's faith.
Jesus is eating with who!? I'm trying to picture who would be the "tax collectors" of today...like an equivalent on the totem pole. Would it be like people in jail or something? If people needed saving, Jesus would be there for them - and that's the example we need to learn from.
"Lord, let me too embrace the vitality and unpredictable nature of life in your kingdom."
Such exciting things!
God bless!
Marshall
Sara,
You are right on rack as usual - I also noticed jesus getting away and it strikes me that if he needs to get away and refuel - why do I so often avoid that?
Bill
Hi Marshall,
Who would todays tax collectors be? Well, they were hated and Jewish popular law even allowed for cheating a tax collector as a non-sin! They were also feared because of their power. I think the issue for me comes down to any prejudice that shuts people out Jesus went around or through and let people in.
Bill
Hey, did you hear the one about three people going into a bar?
There was "a leper, a paralytic, and a tax collector..."
Sorry, PB - I couldn't resist.
If you don't mind my take on these categories of people...I have been ALL of them at one point in my life.
As a leper, I have caused other people to sin with me by my actions and poor example.
As a paralytic, I have "frozen" and failed to do what was right when I was supposed to.
And sadly, as a tax collector I have held debts over people's heads - not just monetary debts, but other debts as well.
Who are the unworthy people Jesus dines with?
That answer would be me.
Thank you God, for making me worthy through your grace.
Hoo Rah!
I have very vivid memories of learning the story of the paralytic man being lowered through the roof in Sunday School in Westernville. I just immediately associate this story with SS there. Isn't that funny?
New wine and new wineskins. Just seems to me that this imagery is so apt for church and change and how we struggle.
I love Jesus saying, "I do choose." to the leper.
I love how immediately the disciples follow Jesus, and wonder if I could ever respond so quickly and readily.
Post a Comment