A New Life
Luke 5:1-11 | Michael Steemson
Seeing ourselves in the story
Follow Me Series – three weeks engaging with three stories involving Simon Peter.
Simon Obeys Jesus (v1-5)
- The context – a crowd has come to listen to Jesus’ teaching. The fishermen are there by coincidence (v1-3).
- An unusual and audacious request (v4).
- Simon obeys (v5).
Reflection: Has Jesus given me an instruction that I am yet to obey because it was unusual, or surprising, or against my own better judgment?
Simon Bows Before Jesus (v6-9)
- Obedience brings immediate and immense results! (v6-7).
- Simon’s sudden realisation: rather than take action to save my livelihood, I need to take action to save my life! (v8-9)
- Simon’s confession actually becomes his resume for service
- We see our limitations and reasons why we would not be useful to God and his plans… Jesus sees who we can become by following him
Reflection: Do I truly, wholeheartedly, believe that Jesus delights in using an ordinary sinner like me to achieve his plans in the world?
Simon Leaves Everything to Follow Jesus (v10-11)
A New Life… from now on things will be different.
Jesus calls Simon to join him in his mission of rescuing people from the dangers of sin, death, and hell, and bringing them into eternal life in his kingdom.
Three Categories of People
- Never Followed Jesus Before
- Do you see something of yourself in the character of Simon?
- If so, be assured that you’re exactly the kind of person Jesus is looking for. So why not make today the day you begin your new life?
- Following Jesus half-heartedly / lukewarmly
- One foot on the boat… or one hand on the nets?
- Taking inspiration from the collective response of the fishermen. The catch was not as important as what it taught them about Jesus. So they leave everything to follow Jesus.
- Is Jesus calling you to be a ‘fisher of people’?
- All are called to do the good work of being caretakers and custodians of this world and the people within it.
- But some are also given the specific vocation of devoting themselves to Jesus’ mission of seeing the lost saved and the saved grown.
- What does it look like for me to be an ‘all-in’ follower of Jesus?
My One Thing...
What’s one thing that struck, challenged, or encouraged you today? Take 60 seconds to write it down. Then share it over morning tea.