Calling – Luke 5:1-11

As a fisherman, this passage had me at first cast. In this case it was a last cast. Jesus persuades the fishermen to make one last cast of their nets. (I prefer 10 pound mono with a Pop-R but I am a catch-and-release guy.) Simon & Associates caught and kept fish. Their last cast, prompted by a preacher with a huge audience, netted a windfall. Peter’s response was quite odd. He didn’t say “Praise Adoni, we’re going to make payroll!” He said, “Please leave me alone, I’m a sinful man.” Profits producing conviction? What manner of Teacher was this! He was a very persuasive one, because …

               When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

Can you be a follower of Jesus and not leave everything and follow him?”  My story explains why I personally answer, “No” to this question.

When I came to Christ in 1976 I was lost and alone. I was without hope. This will sound over dramatized but I knew I was being stalked by something dark and very powerful and I knew it was going to catch me. I was scared. But a master fisherman was about to make a strategic cast. For a 23 year old boy, his choice of bait was not surprising. I was lured into a church by a girl I was trailing. There I was bushwhacked by a man with a very direct question, “Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?” I responded, “I have no clue what you are talking about.” Before he could launch into the Four Spiritual Laws, I added, “I know I am ruining my life and I am willing to give it to Jesus to do anything he wants with it. I had never been more sincere. The gentleman led me in a prayer which I don’t remember. All I recall saying to God is, “Here is my life. It is now yours.”

I had no idea what I had just signed up. There has never been a more shocked human being than I was as Jesus, the new title holder of my life, started doing anything he wanted. The demon trailing me was now off the job. The foreboding was replaced with a peace that freaked me out. For months I lived in a state of blissful shock, “This just cannot be! Frogs do become princes!” The dramatic changes Jesus had made in my heart stunned me. I could not account for them outside of the new arrangement between God and I.

I discovered quickly mine was not the conventional path into God’s family. As I spoke to others who identified themselves as Christians I discovered I was missing many standard “conversion” features; I had not heard a clear presentation of the gospel. I had not felt an overwhelming conviction of sin. I had no fear of hell (other than the one I was living in). I had no thoughts of heaven. The Bible had not been opened. No scripture was quoted. I did not pray a conventional sinners prayer. I did not publicly walk down the isle.  Even though Jesus had obviously moved into my life, people wanted me to back up and cover these bases! It appeared at the time that Jesus had made a very unusual cast to catch me.

My experience was outside the church’s sanctioned protocol. I hadn’t invited Jesus into my heart because I was afraid of hell or because I believed God had a wonderful plan for my life. I had simply given my life away to God and he took it. Right or wrong, I had always equated my surrendered to God as the same “leaving everything and following Him” we saw with our fishermen.  I didn’t know you could invite Jesus into your heart – get saved – then pursue the life of your choosing. I didn’t know there were other paths allowing varying degrees of devotion. As void of orthodoxy as my experience was, I have never questioned its validity. I have never regretted how I came into God’s family. I gave my life to Him and He gave His Life to me, in Christ. 

Being young and semi-pliable, I was quickly equipped by sanctioned persons with sanctioned ways. They had to shut me up. I was going crazy telling people about what Jesus had done for me. Since muzzles were not allowed they taught me how to refine my story. I learned The Roman Road, The Four Spiritual Laws, Evangelism Explosion and The Bridge Illustration to share Christ with others. Experience is a powerful thing. To this date though, I cannot share Christ without telling them that one must leave everything to follow Jesus. Surrendering title is just part of the deal.

Many souls see God as a tough owner, one who would sheer you of all you have and keep you shorn if you ever did anything so radical as leave everything and follow Him. This is enormous B.S. Think about it. If the Owner, who chose you and loves you, happens to have a radical pathway for you, it would only be because that is the path where he plans to fulfill his part of the deal. This is the path where He plans to reveal himself to you. That is the big deal! Seeing God as a hard man (Mat 25:24) will lead one to the tragic idea of burying their talent.

If you have been this fearful person, renew your mind. Repent of misshapen ideas of God. Surrender your life to him with no strings attached. He is the Good Shepherd. He is trustworthy. Thinking of yourself as Christian, knowing you have never given your life to God is not a safe place. Surrendering is sound advice. There is really no other way.

He is no fool who gives away what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot loose.” Jim Elliot

It is never too late. If you want to visit with me personally about this gospel, I’m always available to give an account of the hope that is in me.

Father, let the sifting and sorting begin. Draw our hearts to you. Captivate our loyalties. May we season this world as with salt where needed. May we overthrow it where it is killing people’s souls. Awaken us to our callings as sold-out sons and daughters that we may see the kingdom of darkness flee in fear. In Christ, let us reclaim the ground our enemy has stolen which is rightfully yours. May your majestic name be revered and honored at the core of our beings and to the ends of this earth. In Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap