Word of Jesus Part 30
Here is the beginning of the words of Jesus study from the book of Luke.
I'm including only those not covered in Matthew and Mark. The actual words
of Jesus is in bold.
Here is another one of the many passages of scripture that really touches my
heart. The key words being, "Nevertheless at thy word."
Luke 5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the
word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
Luk 5:2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out
of them, and were washing their nets.
Luk 5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him
that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the
people out of the ship.
Why the Lord chose to teach out of a ship, I don't know, but we can trust Him to
have a purpose in everything He did. This may have been a lesson for Peter.
Perhaps Peter may have been considering leaving all to follow Jesus but as yet
had not made that decision.
The main thing here is that Jesus taught. He made use of what was available and
taught from the ship. The word of God doesn't have to be taught only in large
cathedrals or churches. We can teach on the streets, on the beaches and whatever
is made available as the Lord would lead us. I use the Internet. Several years
ago that means was not available but it did not stop the word of God from being
preached.
Luk 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the
deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Perhaps this next acts of the Lord is to convince the fishermen that He
(Jesus) was the actual Son of God. Fishing is a great industry but God had
better plans for the lives of these ordinary fishermen.
Luk 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night,
and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
I love this part of scripture. Peter knew that it wasn't of any use to go back
out since they worked all night trying to catch fish but they had no success.
AT THY WORD.
How many of us can say that?
We may not understand why God may require certain things, make certain
commandments and stress certain truths but at His word, we will obey. Is that
our attitude? Are we the type that try to explain away what we don't
understand and try to change it to suit our understanding.
Nevertheless Lord, at your word I will try again. Peter listened to the word of
Jesus and received a great harvest of fish for his accepting of just the word of
Jesus.
There are some beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord who do not recognize
those that speak with tongues as being "right". Some believe us to be in error.
Some even discount it as not of God because they do not understand it and have
never experienced speaking with tongues as the spirit gives utterance.
Some of us have the attitude that if the bible speaks of it and it is the
gift of God that accompanies the Holy Spirit indwelling, then at His word, we
will receive this gladly. Whatever He has for us we will receive.
Then some believe tongues are not given to all when they are baptized with the
Holy Spirit but some may receive another of the gifts of the spirit. No matter
how we believe on that score though my emphasis is on the fact that tongues are
spoken of in the word of God and was received by the apostles first on the day
of Pentecost and later to the house of Cornelius.
Act 10:42 And he commanded us
to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of
God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
Act 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever
believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Act 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them
which heard the word.
Act 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many
as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of
the Holy Ghost.
Act 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered
Peter,
Act 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which
have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
When Peter saw that the house of Cornelius received the Holy Ghost he
immediately wanted to baptize them in water in obedience to the word of God.
The sign that he saw which convinced Peter that these received the Holy Spirit
may have been the speaking in tongues.
Yet to those who may not understand tongues and why God uses tongues as a sign,
our attitude should be, nevertheless at thy word, I will accept it or at least
accept those who speak in tongues as fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord.
It is in the bible. This did not end with the days of the apostles. Peter said:
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are
afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
To all that are afar off means us.
Act 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on
them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
The apostle Paul also imparted the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands. Prophesying
is delivering a message by speaking in the Spirit either as an interpretation to
tongues or without the tongues. It is a prophetic utterance by the spirit. It
may or may not contain a message about the future but a message of comfort,
correction, or exhortation. It should never be opposite what the word of God
teaches.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
If there was nothing in the word of God about speaking in tongues then I too
would question it as being real or of God.
Before I received this baptism of the Holy Ghost myself, I searched the
scriptures to see if this was so. I didn't understand it but at His word, I
believed. One cannot say that I was just worked up in a church service with
music and loud praying for I was in the back seat of a car. One cannot say that
I heard someone else and mimicked them because no one else was praying or
speaking. One cannot say that I was excited and speaking real fast and got my
tongues twisted because I was not. I was thinking about God and just said, a
simple praise the Lord when I started speaking in the most beautiful language
that I had ever heard.
I have not ceased to speak in tongues. I did not understand previously what
tongues were for but at His word I believed. Sometimes we have to accept God at
His word and believe; first making sure that we got the correct understanding.
There has been many translations from original Hebrew and Greek, so we need to
search and make sure we get things right but when we do, we must accept Him at
His word to receive His promises.
I will add a few lines here of my own opinion. I do understand why some refuse
this good way. I do understand that some have heard and seen Charismatic and
Pentecostal people not living right, teaching false doctrine, making merchandise of
the people of God, getting rich and getting into scandal. Some do not understand
the modern music, dancing and stuff that goes on in Charismatic churches. If we
can't find any scripture to authenticate what we see and do, don't accept it. I
don't. I have not gotten into the dancing, prosperity teachings and other
questionable things I don't see in the word of God. Tongues though is in the
word of God and the apostle Paul taught a whole section in the book of Corinthians on the
proper use and place for speaking in tongues. If it was not real or of God, he
would surely have mentioned it.
If what we believe is in the original word of God and it is apparent that it is
part of the new covenant of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, then we can
accept it but if not, reject it no matter what big name evangelists preaches it.
There is no new revelation apart from what God has already given to us. He may
send revelation knowledge to remind us, teach us, correct us and encourage us
but it will not contradict the original word of God. Let us quit trying to either
explain away God's word or add to it.
Luk 5:6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes:
and their net brake.
Luk 5:7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship,
that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships,
so that they began to sink.
Luk 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart
from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
When Peter saw all this, he knew that he was in the presence of God. He knew
then that Jesus was the promised one sent from God and immediately he feel down
to acknowledge his sins.
This is what the presence of God should cause us to do. If we are still in our
sins and not yet come to Christ for salvation, we should feel condemned and
guilty before God if we come into His presence. We should not feel comfortable.
What I'm saying here is that if God is in our midst, sinners should be made to
feel welcome but not comfortable. They should not be able to come around an
assembly of believers and not feel guilty of sin unless they have heard the
gospel so much and refused it so much that they come to the point of being hardened against
it.
Luk 5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the
fishes which they had taken:
Luk 5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were
partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
Luk 5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and
followed him.
Now we see why all this big demonstration of the draught of fish. Jesus wanted
them to know that from now on they were to preach the gospel and gather as many
as possible into another kind of net, that being the safety net of salvation from sin and entering into
the kingdom of God.
