Thursday, March 21

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019

 

“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, 10 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.”

 

(Mark 5:4-11)

 

 

Today, we read about Jesus’s burgeoning ministry, starting with His driving out evil spirits and healing many people.  Despite the acclaim and attention that He attracted, He didn’t concentrate on the crowds that flocked to Him.  Though He showed great compassion for the multitudes, Jesus ultimately nurtured and strengthened a much smaller group of core leaders, His disciples.

 

In this passage, we find the Lord’s calling of these disciples.  Through His sovereign power and knowledge, He demonstrated the worthiness of following Him to these exhausted fishermen.  They had labored all night without a catch, but they showed faith and recognized Jesus’s authority by being willing to try again.  God rewarded their faithfulness with a catch that overwhelmed them, physically and emotionally.

 

Have you ever experienced such a moment?  Exhausted, you appreciate anew and relish God’s amazing provision and power?  I find that these moments when my strength seems small that God’s strength and love appear much greater.  I love these opportunities!

 

From this point forward, Jesus devotes the coming three years to developing these core leaders.  He serves humbly and provides a template for their future of “catching” and discipling people.  Jesus therefore communicates a critical purpose and function of His Church:  to walk faithfully with Him as our Master; to reach out to those who don’t know Him; and to be built up and build up others as disciples.

 

Jesus’s curriculum would focus on life transformation and becoming fully human in Christlikeness.  It would not be merely instructional, but rather transformational by the power of the Word and the Spirit.  It would be straightforward enough that all could participate, but profound enough that the journey would never be predictable.

 

Have you received Jesus’s call to discipleship?  Are you following the Master?  Have you embraced His mission of helping others to know Him better?  Whom has He put into your life who you could mentor and encourage?  Maybe you could start with sharing a verse from today’s reading that might be edifying for your friend or family member?

 

 

Lord God, thank You for sending Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as our Master.  Thank You for showing us how to love and disciple others through His example.  Strengthen our hearts and minds so that we may honor You individually, and give us opportunities to pour into the lives of others so that we may all know You better.  Thank You for showing us Your sovereign power in our exhaustion and weakness.  We love You and worship You today.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

 

 

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