It has always impressed me to learn what it was that Jesus did so that the disciples would make the decision to leave it all to serve Him and this is what I found. Every Decision has a Father Calling= Emotion and each emotion = a descendant of a thought (good or bad).
For example, if i do not decide to cut the thought that took me to a negative emotion, the emotion that will take me to a mentality because each emotion comes from an impulse.
What impulse made the disciples leave it all and follow Jesus?
Luke 5:1-11 Jesus calls His first disciples.
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 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.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 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. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 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.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
To leave it all to follow Jesus seems to me a very strong decision but also a very dramatic change. Because when we say "all" we mean it all and nobody leaves everything all at once. They left fishing supplies, boats, their way of getting food and maintaining themselves. They are details that maybe we overlook but have lots of weight. I am sure that these people worked hard to get their boats and supplies as it was an investment for their lives.
When they left everything, they did not know that they would gain it all. And this act would produce a chain of events because these boats were full of fish and and fishing was what they did to live.
By human calculations and for many people this was an odd and foolish decision! This meant to give everything up to follow someone that they didn't even know if what he was saying was true.
- What gave them the confidence to make such a daring decision?
When you understand the plot of the story, you understand the decision.
- He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
- He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
Receiving Christ is an event but to decide to be His disciple is a decision for all of your days. And it all starts with how by leaving it all they demonstrated something small but valuable.
He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore.We must understand that before He takes us to deep waters, God doesn't ask for a little. Before giving us more, God asks us for a little. And that is where we understand that what God works with is the little. Remember, the 5 breads and 2 fishes, a bit of oil and a bit of flour.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Peter says it's fine that you use my boar but to tell me how to fish is another thing. One thing is when you let Jesus borrow your boat ad the other is when Jesus takes control of you.
The first thing that we learn is that we must separate from the shore. The second this is to go out into the deep. When we understand this revelation we know that our purpose is greater than that which we imagined. The bigger fishes are at high sea and that is where God is calling us.
All of the "Greats" of God start with the little and end in the grand. Today I invite you to little by little you give over the control of your life to God. May God bless you! Pastor Jose D. Martinez
