Leave Everything for Jesus

Together, Matthew, Mark, and Luke are considered the “synoptic Gospels” which means “seeing together,” or “having a common view of.” It is used specifically of the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, which are similar in form, outline, and contents. Reading in Luke this morning as part of our Bible-in-a-year program, the Lord revealed an amazing nuance to me- but oh the difference it makes! As we know, Matthew and Mark both talk about Jesus’ calling of the disciples, but Luke (Chapter 5) puts in a way that absolutely underscores their dedication to Jesus Christ:

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:1-11 (NIV)

Can you imagine Peter hearing these words? He is completely overwhelmed with what his eyes see, but he initially he has trouble believing. He capitulates. I broke down this morning reading this because I could envision myself on the ground telling Jesus, “I’m not worthy!” When Jesus responds to Peter with His calming words of assurance He could have no more clearly and directly spoken to me!

Just a few verses later in this same chapter of Luke 5, Jesus approaches Matthew:

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi (Matthew) sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:27 (NIV)

Again, Matthew, like his fellow apostles and brothers in Christ, left everything to follow Jesus. Matthew and Mark tell of their calling; only Luke highlights the fact that they left everything. As tradition has it, 10 of the 12 original disciples were martyred (Judas Iscariot killed himself; John was banished to the island of Patmos where he eventually wrote, among others, the final book of the Bible, Revelation). Thus, it’s easy to affirm that, yes, the disciples left everything to follow Jesus. They surrendered their lives to Christ to follow Him.

So it must be with us – we are to leave everything behind: our old life; our old ways; our old habits; our old selves. Leave everything behind and embrace all that Jesus Christ is. In Him, and Him alone, we have new birth and new life. Jesus himself left everything behind, dying a sinner's death, so that we might have eternal life through Him!