The following is from OBC’s daily devotional for today:
One of Luke’s emphases is on following Christ. here in chapter five two instances of following Christ are given, first when Jesus called peter, James, and John to follow him (vv. 1-11) and then when he called Matthew (vv. 27-28). These followed Jesus to be his particular helpers and representatives in ministry; that is why they abandoned their occupations and devoted themselves full-time to following Christ.
Two miracles are included here—healing a leper (vv. 12-16) and a paralyzed man (vv. 17-26). These miracles substantiated Jesus’ teaching that he is God in the flesh, Israel’s promised King, the Savior.
Included in the events of this chapter are two times when Jesus was opposed by Pharisees (vv. 21-24, 30-32). While the Pharisees adhered to the Mosaic Law they added hundreds of additional man-made commands to it which blinded them to the truth of who Jesus was.
John the Baptist’s disciples fasted and prayed for the messiah to come and thus wondered why Jesus’ disciples didn’t (John the Baptist’s disciples asked this question in v. 33; see Matt 9:14). Fasting and praying for the Messiah to come when he was present is as foolish as not eating at a wedding feast when the bridegroom was present (v. 34) and in the two examples Jesus mentioned in verses 36-39.
Truths to Nail Down and Meditate On
- Sin is not conforming to God’s holy character (Rom 3:23) and disobeying his Word (1 John 3:4). The consequences of sin are separation from God (Eph 2:1), separation from physical life (Jam 2:26), and eternal separation from God in the lake of fire (Rev 20:14-15). The effects of sin are seen throughout this chapter and mankind is unable to escape/save themselves from it.
- Jesus—the eternal Son made man, Israel’s Christ, the promised Savior—came to save sinners! Sinners must receive and rest on Christ alone for salvation (“faith”) and must turn from sin with sorrow for and hatred of it (“repentance,” cf. v. 32).
