Issue 1675 Toil February 19, 2025

It’s a celebration day in the Corbin household. Kathy and I were wed forty-eight years ago. It’s been an up-and-down journey, but she’s the greatest gift I ever received, other than freedom in Christ. Happy anniversary, Kathy.

This Sunday at our local assembly, we continued in our survey of the gospel of Luke with a look at Luke 5:1-11. We followed up at our Monday night community group gathering.

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 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. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. Luke 5:1-11

It’s a familiar passage, filled with meaning. It could easily fill a month of preaching. Jesus is calling some of his earliest apostles. We see the forgiveness of sin and miracles. The passage is impressive in so many ways. 

As we discussed the passage, one group member made an observation. I thought it was interesting at the time, but the more I thought about it, the more profound it became.  It isn’t the primary thrust of the passage, but still.

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”

We see the tension between grace and works. The Jewish people had been laboring under a rigid system of works for centuries. They toiled under the relentless pressure from the rabbis to conform to the Law and the fences around it. It was an impossible standard.

When Peter trusted and obeyed, he was blessed.

No matter how much we strive and toil, we cannot earn our freedom in Christ. No amount of good works can ever atone for our sin.

Trust in Him. It is so much more freeing than a life of endless, fruitless toil.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

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