Day 49 – Monday, March 10, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Luke 5

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

The First Disciples are Called

1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, ² and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. ³ Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

⁴ When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

⁵ But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” ⁶ And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. ⁷ So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸ When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

⁹ For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; ¹⁰ and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” ¹¹ So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. 

Luke 5:1–11, NKJV

Points to Ponder:

• This version of the calling of Peter is unique to Luke. Whereas the other gospels link Peter’s calling narrative with Andrew, his brother, this version describes partners and others, but without any names being identified. In this passage, it appears that Jesus already knows Simon, if the gospel is written chronologically, as He stayed and ministered in Capernaum at Simon’s house.
• However, in this instance, Jesus sees Simon at the shore washing his nets. Jesus climbed into Simon’s boat and asked him to put out a little, so that Jesus had a little distance between Him and the crowds, and could be seen better.
• Once Jesus concluded His teaching, he asked Simon to launch out into the deeper waters and let down his net.
• Simon protested briefly, but then relented and did as Jesus suggested. Upon throwing out the nets, a giant school of fish happened to be under the net, and were caught. The fish were too heaving to draw up into the boat, so they called their partner boat to them and they both filled their boats so full that they were about to sink.
• Simon Peter was so overwhelmed that he fell down at Jesus’ feet and asked Him to leave, because Simon was a sinful man.
• The astonished fishermen did not know what else to say. Jesus then told them that He would make them fishers of men. When they got to the shore, the fishermen left their boats and followed Jesus.
• This reckless abandon was extreme, but they had never seen anything like this ever before. They meant to follow this man of miracles.

A Leper is Cleansed

Matt. 8:2–4; Mark 1:40–45

¹² And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

¹³ Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. ¹⁴ And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.”

¹⁵ However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. 

Luke 5:12–15, NKJV

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus’s came across a man full of leprosy. The man begged for Him to heal him, if he was willing.
• Jesus reached out and touched the man (absolutely not allowed) and told Him that He was willing, and He was immediately cleansed. He told him to do the normal thing of showing the priest and offering an offering, but not to tell anyone what happened.
• It was no use. The word got out and great multitudes gathered to hear Jesus teach and to be healed by Him.

A Paralytic is Healed

Matt. 9:1–8; Mark 2:1–12

¹⁶ So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

¹⁷ Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. ¹⁸ Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. ¹⁹ And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.

²⁰ When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

²¹ And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

²² But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? ²⁴ But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

²⁵ Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. ²⁶ And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!” 

Luke 5:16–26, NKJV

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus liked to spend time alone in the wilderness praying.
• On this particular day, though, Jesus was teaching in what some consider to be Capernaum. However, the exact city is not stated.
• Religious leaders and teachers were in attendance from Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. Jesus’ fame had all the leaders curious.
• The healing power of the Lord was present. Friends brought a paralyzed man to Jesus, but could not get inside the house (maybe Peter’s house). They climbed atop the house and tore up some tiles and lowered the man into the house near Jesus.
• Jesus observed their faith and told the man his sins were forgiven. The scribes and Pharisees immediately thought that He had blasphemed, claiming the ability to forgive sins.
• Jesus knew their thoughts (read their minds) and what was easier, forgiving sins or healing? But He then did claim the title of Son of Man and the power to forgive sins. And then He instructed the man to get up, take his bed, and go home.
• And he did! And everyone was amazed and filled with awe.

Matthew is Called

Matt. 9:9; Mark 2:13, 14

²⁷ After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” ²⁸ So he left all, rose up, and followed Him. 

Luke 5:27–28, NKJV

Points to Ponder:

• This incredibly brief account of the calling of Matthew simply shows the drawing power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus. Jesus called to Matthew to follow Him. Matthew left a lucrative life and income and followed Him. No questions asked. Radical obedience.

Jesus Eats with Sinners

Matt. 9:10–13; Mark 2:15–17

²⁹ Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. ³⁰ And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

³¹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luke 5:29–32, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Just like in Matthew, the religious leader ask why Jesus’ ate with tax collectors and sinners.
• Jesus here also says that the well do not a physician, but the sick. He came to call sinners to repentance.
• The Jews arrogance toward sinners prevented them from winning others to faith.
• Let’s be among the lost so that they can find Christ.

Jesus Teaches About Fasting

³³ Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

³⁴ And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.” 

Luke 5:33–35, NKJV

Points to Ponder:

• Again, nearly identical to Matthew, Luke records another round of questions from the Pharisees point of view, asking why they fast, but Jesus’ disciples did not.
• Jesus responded that the friends of the bridegroom should not feast with the bridegroom is present. But soon, He will be gone, and they will fast.

Parable of the Cloth and Wineskins

Matt. 9:16, 17; Mark 2:21, 22

³⁶ Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. ³⁹ And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ” 

Luke 5:36–39, NKJV

Points to Ponder:

• These analogies help describe the distinction between the covenant of law and the covenant of grace.
• Those bound to the law cannot accept the grace message of Jesus Christ. The old guard would not survive the new wine of Jesus’ gospel.
• Therefore, they rejected Christ and the gospel still went forward into new believers who were not bound by the law in an unhealthy way. Be open to the move of the Holy Spirit as He bears us up to new heights.

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.