A Woman of the City, Who Was A Sinner…

And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Luke 7:37-38

A pharisee by the name of Simon invited Jesus to his house for dinner one evening.  It was common at the time for people in the city to come and watch when prominent people ate together.  They would come in and line the walls and watch and listen to the more prominent people visit together.  On this particular night, a woman of the city – a sinner, came to Simon’s house because she had heard that Jesus would be there.  She came seeking the Messiah.  She came seeking transformation.  She came seeking forgiveness. She wanted out of her life of sin and into a life of forgiveness and freedom.  She came already grateful for what He would do for her because she was desperate, and she believed.  When she saw Him, she immediately began to weep at His feet because she knew that He was her Savior.  

Simon had not been a good host to Jesus.  He hadn’t offered Jesus the standard amenities that were normally extended to guests in a home at that time. It was customary for the host to offer water to wash the dust off their feet, give a kiss of greeting, and anoint the guests head with oil. Simon offered none of this to Jesus.  Simon was curious about Jesus but had no respect for Him. Then in comes this woman who was known for her sinful actions. Her reputation preceded her, yet she came anyway.  When she began weeping at Jesus’ feet, she noticed His feet that had not been washed and she began to clean His feet with her tears. Not having a towel, she let her hair down to dry them, which probably only made her lower in everyone’s eyes.  At that time, a woman’s hair was never let down except for their husbands. But she used her crowning glory to clean His feet. Then she went on to anoint His feet with expensive perfume, Alabaster, that she had brought.  It was the best thing she had, and she brought it as a gift for Him. She gave her best and poured herself out at Jesus’ feet. She was considered unrespectable, yet she gave Jesus the utmost respect when the respectable Pharisee gave Him nothing. 

Simon said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.  Jesus knew what Simon was thinking and responded with these words:    Simon, take a good look at this woman. I entered your house as an invited guest, yet you gave me no water for my feet. This grateful woman has washed my feet with tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave me no kiss of friendly greeting, but this woman, ever since she came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil you neglected to anoint, but she has anointed my feet with precious lotions.  Jesus knew all about this woman, and He knew about Simon too. He proceeded to use a short parable to show Simon his wrong thinking.  It was a parable about two people being in debt, one a large amount and one smaller. Both debts are forgiven so who is more grateful?  Simon answered correctly - the one who was forgiven the greater debt.  Simon had no grasp of the gratefulness of the woman who came seeking forgiveness for her debt of sin.  In Simon’s eyes, he had little or no sin, yet his treatment of Jesus showed the very evident sin of pride.  He had no clue about the grace and forgiveness of God.

Jesus showed extravagant grace to this woman who came seeking it and also to the Pharisee who wasn’t seeking it.  Jesus used this woman and her reputation to teach Simon a lesson.  If Jesus would have been concerned about his reputation like the Pharisees, then He would have never allowed this woman to touch Him. The fact that he not only allowed it but went on to defend her shows how much he truly cared about this woman. It was not enough to strictly obey the Old Testament Law, as the Pharisees believed. Jesus knew that He must love people. He showed true concern and love towards this woman.

Jesus had extravagant grace for this woman, whose sins were many.  She is looked down upon and considered unworthy by most.  She has nothing to offer except shame and sin.  Yet the Son of God Himself forgives her and restores her.  He does not condemn like the Pharisee. He makes her clean and new.  He has extravagant grace for you and me too.  He forgives and restores us when we come to His feet and pour ourselves out.  He is waiting for us to come in faith.   

And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.  Luke 7:50

The Eye in the Storm

Mark 4:35-41

The Sea of Galilee is a sparkling jewel in the northern part of Israel.  For the disciples who were caught in a sudden storm on the sea, Jesus did an astounding thing.  There are sudden storms that rock our boats in life as well.  From their experience we learn some things that can help us in the sudden storms that come in our lives. 

 

I.      Bad Storms Happen to Good People - v.37

Although the Son of God is on the boat, it is no guarantee against a sudden storm.

The fact that we live in a fallen world with fallen people means we will deal with trouble in life.

II.    Storms Bring Waves of Doubt - v.38a

Panic overrides reason and perspective.

When God does not act as we think He should our initial reaction is to question His power.

The Doubts of Fear and Panic

1.     They Doubted His Concern - do You not care

2.     They Doubted His Commitment - we are perishing

3.     They Doubted His Course - “Let us go over to the other side."

III.   Storms Serve to Turn Us to Jesus - v.38b

Storms Force Us to Choose; Fear or Faith? 

When fear comes, faith is challenged.

Fear and faith coexist.  Psalms 56:3

When the storm comes in our lives, the Savior is looking for us to look to him.

IV.  Storms Cannot Cover the Sound of Our Cries - Isaiah 59:1

Though the storm may cover the sound of our voices, it cannot silence the cry of our heart to God!

V.    Storms Don’t Last Forever - v.39

Every storm loses its power; especially when the Creator calls for it to cease.

“It shall come to pass” (Acts 2:17 KJV)

VI.  Storms Affect More Than Just Us - v.36

I love to hear a good testimony, but I hate to make one.  

VII. Storms are Subject to the Sovereign - v.41

That boat could not sink because God’s plan for the world was on it.

God’s purpose for our lives is not affected by whims, accidents, circumstances, illnesses, and evil. God works through these to bring about His will.

Fear turned to awe at the work of the Master.

Salty

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.  Matthew 5:13

Salt is one of the most common things of life.  It is from the common things that God brings glory to His name.  When God made man in the garden of Eden, what did He use? Gold? Silver? Iron? No, He used dust. He breathed into the dust the divine breath of life.  When God spoke to Moses in the desert to call him to come forth to be the deliverer of the people of Israel from Egypt, how did He reveal Himself? In a dazzling theophany? In an overpowering vision? No, in a burning desert bush. When God called David to deliver the Israelites from the Philistine tyranny, did He make use of Saul's armor? No, He used a sling and a few small stones.  God uses the small things and the small people. God uses you and me that He might do His work in the world.  

When Jesus said that Christians are the salt of the earth, that as Christians we have a responsibility to the people about us. We are to serve as salt to the whole earth; that is, we are to perform a service in and to the whole world. This entails a responsibility.  Salt is no good stored up in a room by itself. It must make contact with other substances if it is to have its effect in upon the substance.  Salt requires penetration...involvement.  This calls every person to invest some portion of their life outside their church and personal life.  We are the salt of the "earth", not just the "church."  Those who serve our community through active participation in clubs, agencies, boards and other activities can be much more effective as salt than those who only "salt the shaker" every week.  

When salt loses its flavor, it becomes tasteless, and dull.  It loses its effectiveness and that is what happens to us if we become lazy in our relationship with Christ.  We can lose our effectiveness and purpose.  In order to keep our “saltiness”, we have to make Christ and our relationship with Him the first priority in our lives.  We have to safeguard ourselves from losing our effectiveness by not allowing ourselves to be drawn away for any reason.  Salt is always salt, but its effectiveness can be compromised, just as our effectiveness as a Christian can be compromised as well.  It doesn’t change the fact that we are a Christian, but our testimony may not be as effective.  Good salt can and does make men thirsty.  Do people want your kind of life? Do you find your life being drawn on by others?  People will either walk on you or draw from you when you "show your salt."  

The responsibility of the Christian is not to judge, criticize, evaluate, condemn or denounce...but to give seasoning and purity to the world about him.  How much salt does it take to flavor food?  Only a little can make a great difference.  We are called to be that grain of salt that can make our world a better place to live

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption…  1 Corinthians 1:26-30

It's About Grace

The Scribes and Pharisees brought a woman arrested for adultery. They set her in the midst and said to Him: "Teacher, this woman was arrested as she was committing adultery-in the very act. In the law Moses enjoined us to stone women like this. What do you say about her?" They were testing Him when they said this, so that they might have some ground on which to accuse Him.   John 8:3-6a

There was a woman who was a sinner of the worst kind.  She was looked down upon by all society.  No one valued her or desired her in the way she wanted to be valued or desired.  No one would stand up for her or treasure her. She was an adulterous woman, and in that day, the punishment was death. She was a sinner, and she was caught in her sin.  

This woman lived during the days Jesus walked on this earth.  She was brought before Jesus by some Scribes and Pharisees of the day so they could trap Him and discredit Him.  They knew that if Jesus said she should die, He would no longer be the “Friend of Sinners”.  He would lose forever the name He had gained for love and for mercy. He would also violate Roman law prohibiting Jews to bring the death sentence. If He said she should be forgiven and pardoned, they would say He was teaching men to break the law of Moses and condoning people who commit adultery.  

These men sought to trap Jesus, but He turned it back on them. He stooped down and began to write something in the sand.  The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly what He wrote, but most believe it was the sins of the men who stood in judgement of this woman.  Then Jesus said, " Let the man among you who is without sin be the first to cast a stone at her.".  Not one man leaned down to pick up a stone, but instead, they all walked away.  No one condemned her.  Jesus was left alone with the woman and says to her, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said: " No one, sir." Jesus said: " I am not going to pass judgment on you either. Go, and from now on, sin no more."  

The important thing about this story that is overlooked is that this story is not really about this sinful woman.  It’s about Jesus and His grace and forgiveness.  It had to be a horrible feeling to be pulled out of a sinful act and put on display in front of everyone, with your most embarrassing secret yelled out for all to hear.  But these men didn’t really care about that woman or even that she was breaking the law.  They were seeking to discredit Jesus, but instead He turns it into a forgiveness fest.  He quietly points out that none of them are without sin, and He doesn’t condemn them loudly for all to hear.  He silently writes them in the dirt, bringing conviction. 

Jesus does the same thing for you and me.  He silently writes on our hearts bringing conviction in us and then He forgives with complete grace and forgiveness, just like He did for this woman.  It was never about her sin.  It was about His grace.  It is never about our sin either.  It is about His grace and forgiveness that covers all our sins.  He provides healing and restoration, that is life freeing. There is nothing we can do that is so bad that it will cause us to completely lose this benefit of His love. Like the story of this woman, it is easy to get caught up in the sin story and not see the grace story.  God’s grace story for us is the greatest story ever told, and it was written especially for you and me.  Don’t miss His grace and forgiveness in your life. 

One Last Thing

Do this in remembrance of me.  I Corinthians 11:24  

At the Last Supper with His disciples, Christ asked them to regularly recall His sacrifice on the cross.  He wanted them, and He wants us to remember what He did, but also what we did by accepting the gift He gave – the gift of salvation.

Memory is powerful.  In fact, we don’t really give memory enough credit for its power over us.  Our memories are rich because they are formed through associations. When we experience an event, our brains tie the sights, smells, sounds, and our impressions together into a relationship.  Basically, memories are a little bit of what makes us who we are.  They help form habits, values, and influence our hopes and fears as well.  

Salvation is an emotional moment and one of which most of us have a strong memory. Recognition of ourselves as sinners, confession of our sin, awareness of the gift of Christ, acceptance of Christ and the relief of salvation are the events that change our lives forever. Anyone who has recognized their separation from God knows of what he speaks whether they were saved at 9 or 90. We need to remember what it was like to know separation and condemnation.  Memory about the way life was or could have been can keep us from condemning and criticizing others who have not discovered the riches of Christ.  

Christ wants us to remember what He did, but also what we did.  Our commitment to Christ involved a promise to follow His Lordship.   Remembering our salvation, we are immediately aware of our confession and commitment. Jesus told His disciples to “never forget” the blood and the body. Never forget the power of sin and death.  Never forget the threat of the one who destroys.  Of all that He had done, the miracles, signs, and wonders He had shown them, it is the sacrifice that He calls them to remember. 

Remember who and WHOSE you are.  Through our salvation, we have been adopted by God. No more than an orphan can demand that he be adopted by a certain parent can we demand that God make us His child.  We are HIS children by HIS positioning and choice…not our own.  We cannot change who we are. But He can and did!  Remembering what God did for me and who I am because of Him, motivates me to serve Him out of my love and commitment to Him.  Serving helps me remember and keeps me in fellowship with Him. 

Not only do we need to remember the sacrifice and salvation He gave us, but we need to remember every good thing He has done for us in our life.  We need to share what He has done for us with others so they can know His goodness too. He has released us from the bondage of sin, He has regenerated us through His power in Christ, He has received us into His family with His inheritance, and He uses us for His glory and purpose when we allow Him to.  He has given us the best gift anyone could ever give us and every day we need to remember all He has done. 

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.  Isaiah 53:5

The Root of Idolatry

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group.
Galatians 5:19-20 NLT

We all struggle with idolatry.  You may think that is a strange thing to say because to you, idolatry may mean a middle eastern religion like Hinduism or Buddhism.  But idolatry is not only bowing to a statue. Idolatry is anything that means more to you than God does.  It shows up in our lives when getting what we want becomes more important that what God wants for us. 

I recently saw a quote that said something like Teach your children contentment because discontentment leads to idolatry. Discontentment is the seed that can lead us down a path of chasing one thing after another to find the contentment we are desperately seeking.  We go to what we know.  If we know that alcohol, or shopping, or drugs, or food will give us the good feeling we want, that is where we go.  Those good feelings only last for a short season and then we have to have more, or we move on to another thing.  This is idolatry because instead we should be turning to God to find relief from discontentment.  The problem is that we don’t know how to turn to God.  In this “quick fix” world we live in we want to feel better …and fast. Seeking contentment in God is not a quick fix but is a lastingfix.  Knowing God and being diligent in our relationship and growth in Him will help us to look to Him first when we feel discontent.  Finding that lasting contentment in Him takes time.  It takes sitting with Him and praying without ceasing. It takes faith over feeling.  

A lot of the issues that counselors face in counseling people are rooted in idolatry because it affects our heart, thoughts, beliefs, desires, mind, will, and emotions.  It is reflected in the choices we make, what we spend money on, and what we spend time on.  If we look at all the areas of our life where we feel discontent, we will realize that weare the common denominator.  Satan is always ready to provide us with anything besides God to make us feel good.  The more he can take our eyes off God, the happier he is.  He wants our hearts and he will work hard to get it.  Idolatry can lead us right into his hands. 

Contentment is the feeling of not needing anything else to make you happy.  Not one more drink, another new pair of shoes, a chocolate cake, a person, or anything else but the presence of God in our lives. Everything goes back to what we know about God.  Our contentment is in direct proportion to our knowledge of God.  When we know Him and know about Him, we know that He is all we ever need and the only thing that will ever bring true and lasting contentment to our hearts. 

Our idolatry takes many forms. Some people idolize money and possessions. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 1 Timothy 6:9 NIV

Glowing

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. Exodus 34: 29-30

Glowing

You know when someone is really, really happy because you can see it all over their face.  They literally glow.  It comes from the inside and radiates off their cheeks.  There are many things in life that can make us glow, like love, family, and health.  But nothing makes us glow like being close to God.  

Moses had the unique opportunity of speaking with God face to face on more than one occasion.  When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, Moses was with God for 40 days and 40 nights on Mt. Sinai.  When he came down the mountain, he was glowing so much that Aaron and all the Israelites were afraid to get close to him.  That must have been such a sight to see.  

Anyone who experiences the Lord will be changed.  Moses’ 40 days and 40 nights in the very presence of God changed him.  He was never the same after that experience.  Neither can we be the same after an encounter with God.  We should be changed, and everyone should be able to notice – like the glow on Moses’ face.  If we want to experience transformation, we have to position ourselves for it, like Sam Nobles said: In order to experience transformation, you have to position yourself for transformation. Spiritual transformation begins in the presence of God. If you are not regularly in the presence of God, you will never experience any kind of transformation that gives you noticeable victory in your life.

Moses covered his face to hide some of the glow because the people were afraid of him.  Do we hide the glow of God’s presence in our lives too?  As the glow faded, he kept it wrapped so the people would not see his glow fade.  Do we not do that also?  When we have moved away from the Lord don’t we hide that from other people?  Don’t we try to keep them from seeing how much our glow had faded?  We veil ourselves to keep the world from knowing who we really are.  We hide our weaknesses, sin, shame, and secrets but the veil doesn’t hide all this from God.  He sees straight through.  He knows it all, and He still loves us.  

The closer your proximity to God, the more your face glows.   Moses came down the mountain and the glory of the Lord was shown on his face.  When we have been in the Lords presence, our faces glow.  Our lives glow.  The longer Moses was away from the presence of God, the less his face shined.  The glow dulled as he was away from God.  The further away from God we are, the less we shine.  People will notice a difference when you shine, and they will notice a difference when your shine starts to fade.  

Only being in the presence of God can get us glowing. Only staying in the presence of God will keep us glowing.  The good news is it is readily available for all of us because of Jesus! Christ can get us face-to-face with God. No door, no curtain, no veil.  Just our unveiled faces with His.  

Today, will those you come into contact with see the glow of God on your face?  Will it be evident to them that you have been with God?  We need to take a trip up the mountain with God, hear His word, honor and bless His wonderful name so that when we come down from the mountain, we can make Him known to those in our life.

When Shame Meets Grace

John 7:53 - 8: 11

The Scribes and Pharisees were out to get some charge on which they could discredit Jesus.  They brought to Him a woman taken in adultery in an attempt to trap Him.  But Jesus turned their attack in such a way that it recoiled against themselves.  What they do is trap themselves so that both they and the woman are caught red-handed in their sin.  But Jesus is able to demonstrate the characteristics of real authority and grace.

I. A Story of Adultery, Power, and Compassion

The law condemns not just the guilty, but onlythose who are judgedguilty…those who are caught.  

TheDilemmaof Jesus: 

·       If He said she should die, He would no longer be the “Friendof Sinners”.  He would also violate Romanlaw prohibiting Jews to bring the deathsentence. 

·       If He said she should be pardoned, it could immediately be said that He was teaching men to break the law of Mosesand condoning people who commit adultery.  

Instead of pointing at the failureof the woman, Jesus turned to the weaknessesof the men who stood in judgement.

Jesus claimed no civilauthority to judgeher but the moralauthority to recognize sin. 

Jesus provides this woman what we all need…a SecondChance! 

It's not stonesthat help the sinner. It's only a relationshipwith a Savior.

The real issue in people’s lives is not their pastin sin but their futurewith God.

You cannot ruin your life by a singleact even though it may take away some options.  Why? Because of RedemptiveGrace!  

Get comfortable being uncomfortable????

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  2 Corinthians 5:17

Once upon a time, long ago when I actually did exercise, the celebrity trainer said that we needed to get comfortable being uncomfortable.  I thought that was an interesting thought.  We live in a society where we are constantly seeking comfort.  We get into our comfort zone and we don’t want to budge. We can then become toocomfortable.  When we are too comfortable, we are not changing, not growing.  We settle for good enough and don’t push ourselves.  When we become too comfortable, we stay on stay on the beaten path instead of blazing a trail.  We can become complacent instead of encouraging progress and changing the world.  

When you get uncomfortable, you pushyour boundaries, step outof your comfort zone and this is where change begins to happen. Uncomfortable leads to growth and it may be painful and scary, but the results are worth it.  

Sometimes in our Christian walk we need a metamorphosis. That is what it is all about.  Transformation.  God takes our lives and He bends and sometimes breaks us to bring about the change in our life that He has purposed.  If we fight Him, we miss out on the blessings He has planned for us.  

In a physical workout, being physically uncomfortable is where we gain increased strength, speed and agility; In relationships, being vulnerable and uncomfortable is where we create true bonds with others; In career or business, taking uncomfortable risks or doing work outside of your “comfort zone” is where we can advance yourself to the next level, all of these examples being well worth the pain of change.

I am qualified to say this because no one likes their comfort zone more than me.  I stand at the boundary armed, daring any intruder to advance and challenge me to grow! Fortunately, circumstances of life (circumstances or God?) have forced me from my comfort zone and I have been grown due to stepping out of my comfort zone and allowing Him to bring a transformation in my life.  He is not done yet and yes, I still fight sometimes because change is scary and uncomfortable.  But I know that He has a plan and a purpose in everything, and my life will be better for it in the long run.  

 Maybe you have not reached the full potential God has for you.  Are you comfortably stagnating, accepting the status quo, aspiring for nothing more in your life?  Perhaps God is calling you out of your comfort zone to a new direction. Teaching, mission trip, feeding the homeless?  What has He laid on your heart that you are shoving aside because it makes you uncomfortable to think about it?  

To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.  Ephesians 4:22-24

Fishermen

But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' feet, saying, "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which 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 fear, from now on you will be catching men."  Luke 5:8-10

Jesus offered the fishermen a change. Secondly, He offered them a challenge. And finally, a calling to follow. They knew their lives would never be the same again. 

Robert Fulghum, in his humorous book It Was on Fire When I Lay Down on It, tells the story of Alexander Papaderos, a doctor of philosophy, who worked for many years trying to bring peace between the bitterly divided countries of Europe after WWII.  His motivation for doing so stems from his childhood and a very odd event which took place. 

"When I was a small child," he said, "during the war we were poor and lived in a remote village. One day, on the road, I found the broken pieces of a mirror.  A German motorcycle had been wrecked in that place.... I kept one, the largest piece.  By scratching it on a stone, I made it round.  I began to play with it as a toy and became fascinated by the fact that I could reflect light into dark places where the sun would never shine - in deep holes and crevices and dark closets.  It became a game for me to get light into the most inaccessible places I could find.  I kept the little mirror, and as I went about my growing up, I would take it out in idle moments and continue the challenge of the game.  As I became [mature], I grew to understand that this was a metaphor for what I might do with my life.  I came to understand that I am not the light or the source of light.  The light [or truth] is there, and it will shine in many dark places only if I reflect it."  He concluded: "I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know.  Nevertheless, with what I have, I can reflect light into the dark places of the world...and change some things in some people.  Perhaps others may see and do likewise."

That’s how it happened to Alexander Papaderos.  Listen to how it happened to Peter.  Late into the evening Jesus finds Peter fishing on the sea of Galilee.  They had caught next to nothing. Jesus astonishes the fishing crew by telling them exactly where the fish are.  Peter falls to his knees and asks Jesus to leave.  He pleads, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"  

·     When Abraham pleaded with God to spare Sodom, he said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes.”

·     When Job finally got his audience with God, he realized then his error, “I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

·     When Isaiah stood before God in his throne room, he cried out, “Woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips.”

The closer we get to God the more our sinfulness is revealed to us.  But Jesus did not go.  Instead He extended an invitation and accepting it meant their lives would never be the same again.  They will continue to fish but the tackle will be adapted.  Net’s will be cast aside for the Word. And fish will no longer be the goal. From now on, said Jesus, you will be fishers of men.  

Jesus lays claim to our lives by His act on Calvary.  He calls on us to accept not only His salvation but His purpose...to bring in the Kingdom of God.  He offers us change, a challenge and a calling to follow Him.

When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. Luke 5:11