"Luk 5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. "
This is the account in the gospel of Luke where Jesus uses Simon Peter's boat as a vehicle in which to teach the multitude (no doubt the Lord was preaching and teaching the gospel of the kingdom of God - the previous chapters easily confirms this point). He ends his preaching and teaching, and demonstrates the applicability of His message. He who is LORD of all (or not at all!), took charge of Peter and his 'partners' sustenance, and that in a miraculous way too. Beyond the encouragement that those who work in His vineyard will be sustained by Him, the key point is in Luke 5:10, 'And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men."
The work and outcome of evangelism ('thou shall catch men') is miraculous, and only at Jesus' word - not the 'sinner's prayer', or the sinner 'deciding for Christ'. So what is our part and portion?
We are to faithfully preach and teach the word of Christ with all wisdom (Col 3:16), enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the word, and produces faith in the heart of the hearer.
And for those who would labor in His vineyard, the call and expected effect is very clear, Luk 5:11 "And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him."
In this age of easy-believism, and of pastors and preachers who are only out there to obtain 'decisions for Christ', and to 'close the sinner's prayer deal', Jesus stands in opposition to say that unless ALL else is forsaken, HE cannot be followed.
Have you forsaken ALL for Jesus' sake? He demands nothing less and nothing else!
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