Luke 5:1 Fishers of Men. I. This passage reminds us that discipleship comes before apostleship. Peter had been, for at least some months, a docile learner in the school of Christ before he was called here to forsake all, and follow Him as an Apostle. They who would teach others about the Lord must... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 5:5 I. The great multitude of fishes was the reward of the disciples' ready and willing obedience. It was the justification of their unshaken confidence in Jesus; none ever relied on Him and was deceived. It was their remuneration for placing their time and their boat at Christ's disposal, to... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 5:5 Obedience to the word of Christ, and the success with which it is crowned. I. Obedience to the word of Christ "Nevertheless at Thy word." It is wise to have authority for every work we undertake. To know that we have authority, and a sufficient one, is more than half the inspiration of our... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 5:6 What was the teaching of this miracle for the Apostles and for us? I. To Peter, indeed, and his fellows it was the Divine assurance that henceforth their life was to be spent for Him alone. No more fishing on the Lake of Galilee; henceforth they must toil night and day to save souls alive... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 5:8 It is easy to trace the way by which Peter's thoughts had travelled to this conclusion. The miracle such a thing as had never been seen before on those familiar waters had taken a wonderful hold upon the fisherman's mind. His veneration for the mighty Stranger who had done it at once rose... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 5:12 _(with Luke 5:20)_ I. So long as there is any religion at all in the world it will, of course, busy itself with the eternal question of the difference between right and wrong. It will, in some sense, make itself the champion of right and the enemy of wrong. But then wrongdoing may be very... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 5:16 I. When we read in this and in so many other passages that our blessed Lord in the days of His flesh offered prayers unto God, it greatly concerns us that we do not accept an explanation only too commonly suggested of these His prayers. It is sometimes said that Christ our Lord prayed by w... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 5:27 The text tells us of the power which Christ exercised over the mind, the will, and the affections. "Follow Me, follow Me," and immediately he rose up, and followed Him. There was power power over the mind, power over the will, power over the affections; and that is the demonstration beyond... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 5:27 How was it that a man like Levi, with aims so low and pleasures so earthly, was found to listen, not only with willingness, but with profit and attention, to the teachings of the Lord Jesus? We cannot explain that difficulty away by saying that our Saviour spoke seldom or leniently of thi... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 5:29 Our Lord's example teaches us what sort of employment is always, perhaps so far as we can pursue it, the most useful to our souls; it shows us, at any rate, what business there is which we can none of us safely neglect altogether; for that which Christ did _always,_Christ's servants canno... [ Continue Reading ]