“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” Lk 5:5 NLT
I have been looking for a key to easy memorization of the book of Luke. It is not really memorization in that sense but something that helps to remember the stories or theme of each of the Chapters. For Chapter 5, I would like to caption it ‘If you say so’! Let’s try and test this to see how it works without trying to force anything.
The catch of many fishes
This is easy. It was during Peter’s encounter with Christ that this miracle was recorded. Peter and his friends had caught nothing all night. Then came Jesus asking to use his boat as a pulpit. After his ministrations, Jesus instructed Peter to go into deeper waters for a catch. Peter complained at first that they, as experts, had tried all night but they caught nothing. But If Jesus said so, he will give it another try. The result was amazing. His boat and that of his partners- James and John- were filled that they were almost sinking. It was faith and obedience to the Word of the LORD that led to this miraculous experience.
The Leprous man
Following this was the leper who came to Jesus and said, If you are willing, you can make me clean. Jesus responded, I am, be clean. That was it. The man was instantly healed of leprousy. No longer to be estranged from family and friends. It was like Jubilee cut short. His joy and that of his family knew no bounds. But it was just at the Word of Jesus.
The Paralytic and his friends
Oh, this was interesting. The man could not walk but was carried by his four loving friends. They could not get to where Jesus was because of the crowd so they did something dramatic; they opened the ceiling and lowered the man to where Jesus was sitting. When Jesus saw him, he saw the faith of his friends and his too, and he said, ‘Your sins are forgiving.’ That seems to be the first hindrance to his miracle. That was dealt with. Many times, sins are the barriers between us and God- what He wants to do. But how quickly the LORD wants to forgive our sins if we confess them. For this man to be healed, that barrier has to be removed. Thereafter, Jesus said to the man, ‘Take your bed and go home…’ Immediately, the man sprang up and began walking. Again, it was at the Word of Jesus.
Matthew- the tax collector
As Jesus was walking down the street, he saw Matthew at the tax office and said to him, Follow me and be my disciple. Without hesitation, this man, who probably was at a dilemma at that point in his life, left all and followed Jesus. He didn’t think about his salary or how his dependents will cope without his pay coming in. He left at the Word of Jesus. Today, we read his book as the first in the New Testament. His name has for centuries been called daily wherever the Scriptures are read. And for eternity he will be remembered before the LORD. But it was simply because He said so and he responded.
New Wine and new wine skin
Although Jesus used this analogy to describe the taste of men for old and new wine, the reality of what he was communicating is about the new life. The new life, the new way of life in Christ cannot be accommodated or sustained by the old system of the law. Both cannot work together. The system of the law must give way to being led by the Spirit- the higher way. This is what the LORD said and it must be received and believed by those who would experience God’s new offer in Christ. But for many believers, it is a swing between the old and the- law and the Spirit.
Closing
How will you respond to His Word? How have you been responding to it? What is your attitude to the Word of God? God created all things by His Word, has sustained all things by it and will continue to do so till the Kingdom comes. If you take His word lightly, you will miss what God wants to do. May your heart be filled with faith to believe His Word and not cast it aside- because of familiarity.