Launch Out With Jesus

Day 21

Today I don’t want to give you some sort of commentary on Luke chapters 3-5; instead let me just share some thoughts born from today’s reading. Let me just put my fingers to the keyboard, try not to think too much and see what happens. Here goes…

Jesus is launching His ministry, cousin John is preparing the way. Everybody thought Jesus of Nazareth was just a carpenter, but now He reveals He’s much more than that. Many are attracted by the miracles and they find new lives and new hope from this thirty year old Galilean carpenter turned rabbi. They are enthusiastic about Jesus. Others aren’t so happy. There are those from Nazareth who have known Jesus since He was a little boy. They are offended by Jesus’ new found fame and influence. Who does He think He is? As Keith Green sang, “Prophets don’t grow up from little boys, do they?” What’s that? He seems to be saying that the God of Israel is also interested in being the God of the Gentiles. God forbid! Jehovah is our God! How dare Jesus try to share Jehovah with the Gentiles! Let’s throw this heretic off the cliff and have done with this madness. Wait a minute, where did He go?

These people trying to throw Jesus off a cliff aren’t strangers. These are the people He has known all of His life. He’s lived with them, worked with them, went to school with them, worshiped in the synagogue with them. Their rejection must have been a bitter disappointment. The rejection in Nazareth was so severe that Jesus moves to another city, Capernaum.*

In Capernaum Jesus finds His first disciples: Fishermen who are willing to launch out with Jesus. Fishermen whom Jesus will turn into fishers of men. These fishermen from Capernaum will change the world. All because they dared to launch out with Jesus.

Jesus, I want to launch out into the deep with You. I don’t want to play it safe hugging the shore. I’m ready for deep waters. I want a life full of surprises and challenges and purpose and miracles and new things and adventure and depth and significance and growth and truth and noble causes and mystery and transformation and supernatural experiences and discipline and learning and love and more and more and more of YOU!

Amen

* Capernaum is perhaps my favorite place in Galilee. The ruins of Peter’s house and the synagogue where Jesus taught are still there. It is a beautiful place. Come to Israel with Peri and me this year and we’ll take you there.