Pray Psalm 25.4, 5.
Show me Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

Sing Psalm 25.4, 5.
(Festal Song: Rise Up, O Men of God)
Make me to know Your ways, teach me Your paths, O Lord!
My Savior, all day long I wait and seek You in Your Word.

Read and meditate on Luke 5.1-3.

Preparation
1. What was Jesus doing beside the lake?

2. What did He ask Peter to do?

Meditation
Here we see themes continued which were “overtured” in chapter 4: Preaching and teaching, eager people, and a disciple in tow. We must never lose sight of the fact that, as dark as times may appear to be, there will always be people whose hearts God has prepared to hear His Word (v. 1). Indeed, they will “press” us to tell them about Jesus as they see Him and the hope He engenders in us (1 Pet. 3.15). We must be faithful like Jesus to go to them, ready to talk about Him and the Good News of His Kingdom.

The people were so many that Jesus needed some space. He could have just signaled for them all to sit down, as He would later when He fed them bread and loaves. Why get into a boat to continue the teaching?

The larger purpose of this involves Peter (as we will see in verses 5-8). Notice the disciple-making principle Jesus demonstrated here. He has commanded us to make disciples “as you are going”, that is, in all your daily situations and with the people in your Personal Mission Field (Matt. 28.18-20). Did Jesus not know how to “put out a little from the land” (v. 3) in a fishing boat? We can be sure He did. But the disciple-making principle is clear: When you are serving the Lord, never serve alone if you can draw someone else into the work. By getting Peter to handle the boat, Jesus engaged three disciple-making disciplines: He made sure Peter was close enough to hear His teaching; He led Peter to be publicly identified with Him; and He gave Peter a meaningful assignment to help in His work.

Disciple-making is not a class. It’s a way of life, and Jesus is the Master to Whom we look to learn this lifestyle for ourselves.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
Since we are to be followers of Jesus, I like learning practical things from Him. “As the multitude pressed about Him…He got into one of the boats” (Lk. 5.1). Jesus maybe didn’t like the press of people as much as I don’t. I don’t like crowds that make me feel claustrophobic and are loud. In this passage, for whatever reason, Jesus felt comfortable to step back from something, and step into something else.

In my generation, we were led to believe that the more uncomfortable and miserable a situation might appear, the more likely you would be called to serve the Lord in it. In other words, miserable translated into spiritual. No, we are not promised health and wealth, but we are also not doomed to circumstances that always make us feel uneasy. There might be other options. Like putting out a bit from the shore.

I find great comfort in the fact that Jesus didn’t stay pressed in by the crowds but had the freedom to step back a bit. Yes, He continued to minister to the people but in a way that He found more pleasing, and probably the acoustics were better.

We are most assuredly called to follow and serve Jesus, and minister works of goodness, mercy, and grace to those in our Personal Mission Field, but we can do it circumspectly and maybe change up a few details that make us queasy. Again, it is a matter between you and the Holy Spirit, and He will lead you into all righteousness. “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” (Jn. 16.13). And that “truth” may very well be to stay “pressed” in. But perhaps another option is available.

And if we are called to be “pressed about” we have God’s promise of “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12.9).

We also have Gabriel’s words of comfort from God, that with Him “nothing will be impossible” (Lk. 1.37).

In the same way that Jesus didn’t permanently stay in Capernaum to heal the sick and demon possessed (Lk. 4.42, 43), He also didn’t find it necessary to be “pressed about” by the multitudes (Lk. 5.1). We are to watch Him, and learn from Him, and find rest for our souls. He said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11.28, 29).

“…as you are going…”.

For reflection
1. How does the phrase “as you are going” describe your Personal Mission Field?

2. We don’t need to be miserable to be doing the Lord’s will. How can we do the Lord’s will with enthusiasm and joy?

3. In these verses, Jesus was working His Personal Mission Field at two levels. Explain.

Luke says, that Christ entered into a ship which belonged to Peter, and withdrew to a moderate distance from the land, that he might more conveniently address from it the multitudes, who flocked from various places to hear him; and that, after discharging the office of teaching, he exhibited a proof of his divine power by a miracle. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Luke 5.1-3

Pray Psalm 25.16-22.
Roll your burdens onto the Lord as you come to Him in prayer. Spread out your day before Him and commit yourself to serving Him with integrity and uprightness. What opportunities for disciple-making will you have today? Wait in silence as He ministers mercy and grace to you for all your times of need.

Sing Psalm 25.16-22.
(Festal Song: Rise Up, O Men of God)
Be gracious, Lord, to me; my heart is weighed with woe.
My troubles and affliction see; let my transgressions go.

Consider all my foes, who hate me all the day;
and rescue my poor soul lest I should stumble in the way.

Preserve me in Your way, redeem Your people, Lord!
We wait for You and refuge seek in Your own faithful Word.

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.