Lay Down Your Nets!
This week as we focus on the Baptism of Jesus and His calling as the Messiah, as we have been looking at other important figures in the bible and how they were called to follow God and Jesus. The Psalm today again reminds us that at the voice of The Lord all things have been created and shaped by his command. In a similar way when God calls someone they are meant to shape the world God has created.
First we see the handing over of the kingship from David to his Son, Solomon. David was the first great king of Israel and had faithfully served God for 40 years. Now as he passes the touch to Solomon he implores him to keep God's commands as written in the Law of Moses (the first five books of the bible called the Pentateuch) and faithfully follow all his decrees. David tells him if he does this he will prosper and God will keep his promise to David he made when he became king. The promise was that there would never fail to be a King in the line of David's blood. David died and Solomon's rule was firmly established.
Next, we see Jesus speaking to the people from the boats gathered by the lake. Peter, James, and John all friends had brought in their boats after a rough night of fishing. Jesus tells them to give it another shot and throw in their nets in the deep end. Reluctantly the disciples do so, and catch so great a catch their boats start to sink. Peter realizes who Jesus really is and falls down and says go away from me, I am sinful man. Instead of chastising them for their lack of faith, he invites them to drop their nets and follow him. For he says, "from now on you will be catching people!"
Yesterday we talked about calling and how we are all called to ministry using the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us. Today the theme is discipleship, which is all about laying down our nets and catching people. Being a disciple is simply learning how to live my life as if Jesus were me. We are apprentices of Jesus learning from how to live the best possible life from how he lived his life. After all if he is God, he might have some insight in the best way to truly live. There is a cost to following Jesus. For the disciples it was laying down their nets, everything that brought security and comfort to them. Just like David laid down being a shepherd boy, and became a King.
The point is God turns our ordinary lives into extraordinary ones, as we trust and follow Jesus. There is really no other plan the bible gives us to live our lives. So a question might be are you following Jesus as he has called you like his early disciples to fish for people? Discipleship is always about people. Another practical question might be what step can you take today to pursue being a more committed disciple? As you pray about that I am sure Jesus will direct you like he did his friends today.
Baptism of the Lord [1]
Psalm 29 (The voice of God upon the waters); 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12 (Solomon is designated king by David); Luke 5:1-11 (Jesus calls Simon, James, and John) (New International Version)
Psalm 29
A psalm of David.
1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.
1 Kings 2:1-4
David’s Charge to Solomon
2 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.
2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’
1 Kings 2:10-12
10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11 He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.
Luke 5:1-11
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, 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.
First we see the handing over of the kingship from David to his Son, Solomon. David was the first great king of Israel and had faithfully served God for 40 years. Now as he passes the touch to Solomon he implores him to keep God's commands as written in the Law of Moses (the first five books of the bible called the Pentateuch) and faithfully follow all his decrees. David tells him if he does this he will prosper and God will keep his promise to David he made when he became king. The promise was that there would never fail to be a King in the line of David's blood. David died and Solomon's rule was firmly established.
Next, we see Jesus speaking to the people from the boats gathered by the lake. Peter, James, and John all friends had brought in their boats after a rough night of fishing. Jesus tells them to give it another shot and throw in their nets in the deep end. Reluctantly the disciples do so, and catch so great a catch their boats start to sink. Peter realizes who Jesus really is and falls down and says go away from me, I am sinful man. Instead of chastising them for their lack of faith, he invites them to drop their nets and follow him. For he says, "from now on you will be catching people!"
Yesterday we talked about calling and how we are all called to ministry using the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us. Today the theme is discipleship, which is all about laying down our nets and catching people. Being a disciple is simply learning how to live my life as if Jesus were me. We are apprentices of Jesus learning from how to live the best possible life from how he lived his life. After all if he is God, he might have some insight in the best way to truly live. There is a cost to following Jesus. For the disciples it was laying down their nets, everything that brought security and comfort to them. Just like David laid down being a shepherd boy, and became a King.
The point is God turns our ordinary lives into extraordinary ones, as we trust and follow Jesus. There is really no other plan the bible gives us to live our lives. So a question might be are you following Jesus as he has called you like his early disciples to fish for people? Discipleship is always about people. Another practical question might be what step can you take today to pursue being a more committed disciple? As you pray about that I am sure Jesus will direct you like he did his friends today.
Baptism of the Lord [1]
Psalm 29 (The voice of God upon the waters); 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12 (Solomon is designated king by David); Luke 5:1-11 (Jesus calls Simon, James, and John) (New International Version)
Psalm 29
A psalm of David.
1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.
1 Kings 2:1-4
David’s Charge to Solomon
2 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.
2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’
1 Kings 2:10-12
10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11 He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.
Luke 5:1-11
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, 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.
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