{"id":2262,"date":"2021-04-14T18:30:48","date_gmt":"2021-04-15T01:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/?p=2262"},"modified":"2021-04-10T23:34:40","modified_gmt":"2021-04-11T06:34:40","slug":"abiding-in-the-lord-luke-ch-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/blog\/abiding-in-the-lord-luke-ch-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Abiding in the Lord: Luke Ch. 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

(Translated version, original article written in Chinese by Pastor Mickey Hsiao)<\/em><\/p>\n

Worship<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By singing praises and hymns, awake your soul, open your heart to the Lord, and prepare yourself to welcome the presence of God and receive the Word of God that will be given to you.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thanksgiving<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Petition with thanksgiving to God for a wonderful day and pray sincerely for a focused Scripture reading time! (Do not rush into reading the Bible without starting with prayers!<\/strong>) (e.g., you may start with a simple prayer like this: “Dear Lord, what will you be speaking to me today?)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Scripture Reading<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Get the following items ready in advance: your devotional notebook, paper, pen, and\/or electronic devotional articles so that you can easily write down the Bible verses, questions, and thoughts you have noticed! You are encouraged to open your Bible and vocally read out the scriptures (Try to practice this reading method daily or once a week)!<\/p>\n

Scripture Reading: Luke Ch. 5 (ESV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Meditation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Take a moment to quietly reflect on today’s Scriptures. Through such exercises, let God’s Word be gradually written into our hearts and be inscribed to our mind.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Devotional<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Read the devotional articles prepared by CBCLWA (*Read the Bible first before reading any devotional materials.<\/strong>)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(<\/span>vv.1-11)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>As written in this passage,\u00a0<\/span>a group of\u00a0<\/span>people were crowding around Jesus\u00a0<\/span>to hear the\u00a0<\/span>word of God<\/span>. At that time,\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0group of fishermen, Peter, James and John, were called by Jesus to follow him<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for \u201ccatching\u00a0<\/span>men<\/span>\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>It was by the Lake of Gennesaret, the seashore of Galilee<\/span>, where these\u00a0<\/span>three\u00a0<\/span>fishermen had f<\/span>requently appeared<\/span>, and\u00a0<\/span>it was\u00a0<\/span>during the time when they were working on\u00a0<\/span>their most familiar job<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u2013\u00a0<\/span>fishing.\u00a0<\/span>Jesus\u00a0<\/span>asked\u00a0<\/span>Peter<\/span>\u00a0to do one thing:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/b>Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>If you were Peter, how would you feel? Peter had been fishing there\u00a0<\/span>for\u00a0<\/span>more than just intermittently. Did\u00a0<\/span>Peter\u00a0<\/span>not know where and when to catch the fish?<\/span>\u00a0They had been toiling all night and took nothing. What<\/span>\u00a0w<\/span>as<\/span>\u00a0the point\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>Jesus asking them to put out into the deep water and let down the nets? Yet, praise the Lord<\/span>!\u00a0<\/span>They had done it\u00a0<\/span>follow<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Jesus\u2019 command<\/span>\u00a0and then<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>they were astonished at the\u00a0<\/span>catch of fish that they had taken. They\u00a0<\/span>enclosed a large number of fish<\/span>, filling both the boats so they began to sink.\u00a0<\/span>After seeing\u00a0<\/span>the true mighty power of Jesus<\/span>, Peter<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>suddenly realized what a person he himself truly was. Peter\u00a0<\/span>fell down at Jesus\u2019 knees, saying,\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.\u201d\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0This is a\u00a0<\/span>significant<\/span>\u00a0confession from Peter<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>And Jesus<\/span>\u2019\u00a0<\/span>kindly called such a man like\u00a0<\/span>Simon,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cDo not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Brothers and sisters,\u00a0<\/span>in which areas or fields are\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>most familiar with?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Peter and\u00a0<\/span>the other two\u00a0<\/span>fishermen\u00a0<\/span>had\u00a0<\/span>toiled\u00a0<\/span>all night<\/span>. Isn\u2019t this scene similar to our\u00a0<\/span>experience in\u00a0<\/span>real life<\/span>? Sometimes we r<\/span>ely on\u00a0<\/span>our o<\/span>wn experience and strength to work tirelessly<\/span>\u00a0at work<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>for\u00a0<\/span>our families<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>interpersonal<\/span>\u00a0relationships<\/span>, and\u00a0<\/span>in our\u00a0<\/span>social environment<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Perhaps\u00a0<\/span>many of us\u00a0<\/span>share\u00a0<\/span>similar experience<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in the past where we have\u00a0<\/span>invested much effort on som<\/span>ething<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>but haven\u2019t seen any success or results yet<\/span>. At those moments, do not forget to\u00a0<\/span>be still\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>come before the Lord<\/span>\u00a0for his guidance.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let me share<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>my own experiences<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>from my prior\u00a0<\/span>job in a lab. At that time,\u00a0<\/span>I was tasked to conduct my own experiments or to train new members in the lab. There<\/span>\u00a0had been several\u00a0<\/span>instances where I\u00a0<\/span>had not been\u00a0<\/span>able to make any progress in producing data results\u00a0<\/span>over\u00a0<\/span>numerous<\/span>\u00a0days<\/span>. And those were\u00a0<\/span>experiments\u00a0<\/span>that I\u00a0<\/span>had performed repeatedly in the prior years\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>procedures that I had been super familiar with. Several times\u00a0<\/span>I\u00a0<\/span>had to come before God, earnestly praying for myself and also\u00a0<\/span>asking my colleagues to join me in the prayers in the lab. Then we\u00a0<\/span>were able to make p<\/span>rogress in our research on that day. S<\/span>uch\u00a0<\/span>things\u00a0<\/span>occurred\u00a0<\/span>more than once to me and my\u00a0<\/span>scientific research<\/span>\u00a0group<\/span>!\u00a0<\/span>May we\u00a0<\/span>constantly remind\u00a0<\/span>ourselves\u00a0<\/span>to come before the Lord to proclaim\u00a0<\/span>His sovereignty<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>follow<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0him closely.<\/span>\u00a0In the areas or\u00a0<\/span>fields that\u00a0<\/span>we are familiar with, l<\/span>et us rely on the Lord, our<\/span>\u00a0Savior and believe in the mighty God<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>By doing so<\/span>, we may be able to experience the faithful God\u00a0<\/span>and know ourselves better.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(vv.12-16)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>A man full of leprosy was completely healed by Jesus and he was \u201cmade clean\u201d by\u00a0<\/span>the word of\u00a0<\/span>Jesus. This man was told by Jesus to go and show himself to the priest in accordance with the rules of the time so that he would no longer be separate<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0from\u00a0<\/span>his\u00a0<\/span>community.\u00a0<\/span>There<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are\u00a0<\/span>instances\u00a0<\/span>where we know some people\u00a0<\/span>have been\u00a0<\/span>touched, cleansed and healed by Jesus,<\/span>\u00a0yet<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>they are\u00a0<\/span>still hesita<\/span>nt<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>rejoin\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>community.\u00a0<\/span>What was the cause of this problem<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0Jesus or\u00a0<\/span>their\u00a0<\/span>personal issues? What are th<\/span>e personal issues we\u00a0<\/span>have not yet faced\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<\/span>dealt with even after we\u00a0<\/span>are\u00a0<\/span>cleansed by God?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(vv.17-26)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>On one of those days, as\u00a0<\/span>Jesus was\u00a0<\/span>teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there<\/span>. Some men were bringing a man who was paralyzed and laying him before Jesus. Jesus healed this paralyzed man, enabling him to rise up and walk,<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0he\u00a0<\/span>even\u00a0<\/span>said to this man in front of the crowd<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cMan, your sins are forgiven you.\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Whether Jesus was\u00a0<\/span>teaching, performing\u00a0<\/span>miracles,\u00a0<\/span>healing, or casting\u00a0<\/span>out\u00a0<\/span>demons,\u00a0<\/span>the focus\u00a0<\/span>of\u00a0<\/span>his\u00a0<\/span>ministry<\/span>\u00a0was to demonstrate\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>He ha<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>been given the\u00a0<\/span>authority from God<\/span>. And God\u00a0<\/span>wanted to save people from s<\/span>ins<\/span>!\u00a0<\/span>But\u00a0<\/span>when Jesus spoke on his forgiveness of sins,\u00a0<\/span>the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cWho is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Indeed, there is only one God. Who else can forgive sins but Him?\u00a0 If Jesus were not from God, his statements would have been blasphemies.<\/span>\u00a0As shown in verse 24,\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>But that you may know that<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins\u201d<\/span><\/b>., Jesus\u00a0<\/span>said to the man who was paralyzed<\/span>\u2014<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u201c<\/span><\/b>I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>And the fact that this man was able to rise up and walk proved that Jesus is from God and he can forgive sins.\u00a0<\/span>In contrast<\/span>, those who had questioned about Jesus actually spoke blasphemies\u00a0<\/span>because\u00a0<\/span>they\u00a0<\/span>even\u00a0<\/span>had doubt for the authority of God.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing that\u00a0<\/span>\u201cWho can forgive sins but God alone?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/b>is\u00a0<\/span>g<\/span>reat!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>God is in charge of all things<\/span>. God is<\/span>\u00a0righteous and holy, and\u00a0<\/span>He\u00a0<\/span>will not tolerate any filth and sin before Him<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Eventually<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>All sinners will\u00a0<\/span>be judged before\u00a0<\/span>Go<\/span>d<\/span>. Jesus has paid the price through his\u00a0<\/span>sacrifice\u00a0<\/span>on the cross, f<\/span>or you<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0for me<\/span>. Thanks to\u00a0<\/span>the salvation of Jesus<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>L<\/span>ike that paralyzed man<\/span>, may our sins also be forgiven and be able to rise up and walk.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(vv.27-39)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>This passage is about\u00a0<\/span>how\u00a0<\/span>Jesus\u00a0<\/span>had\u00a0<\/span>called Matthew, the tax<\/span>\u00a0collector<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0to follow him. This is the second\u00a0<\/span>time\u00a0<\/span>in th<\/span>is\u00a0<\/span>chapter that someone\u00a0<\/span>was noted to have\u00a0<\/span>“left everything<\/span>\u201d and followed Jesus<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>This passage also described\u00a0<\/span>Jesus’ view of fasting<\/span>, with an\u00a0<\/span>emphasis on interpersonal\u00a0<\/span>fellowship<\/span>. He spoke on\u00a0<\/span>the parable of<\/span>\u00a0mismatching old things and new things.\u00a0<\/span>Let us\u00a0<\/span>take\u00a0<\/span>a moment to\u00a0<\/span>remind ourselves not to\u00a0<\/span>be overly occupied by\u00a0<\/span>old ideas<\/span>\u00a0as\u00a0<\/span>those ideas may h<\/span>inder us from\u00a0<\/span>receiving\u00a0<\/span>Jesus\u00a0<\/span>in our new life<\/span>!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Note that Matthew, the tax collector invited\u00a0<\/span>Jesus to his house for dinner<\/span>. Let us now\u00a0<\/span>t<\/span>alk about eating!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>During fellowship time,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>would<\/span>\u00a0you\u00a0<\/span>normally s<\/span>it\u00a0<\/span>and eat\u00a0<\/span>with new<\/span>comers<\/span>\u00a0or<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>other\u00a0<\/span>church\u00a0<\/span>brothers and sisters?\u00a0<\/span>While it is\u00a0<\/span>wonderful to fellowship with brothers and sisters<\/span>, what would happen if\u00a0<\/span>new comers\u00a0<\/span>are left\u00a0<\/span>alone\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<\/span>sitting alone at a table<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Then our behaviors would be similar to the kind of b<\/span>ehaviors that the\u00a0<\/span>Pharisees and the scribes<\/span>\u00a0had complained about.<\/span>\u00a0(v.20).<\/span>\u00a0Even though we may not\u00a0<\/span>verbalize our preference<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>we show it in our actions<\/span>! Brothers and sisters, what\u00a0<\/span>if we were to make a table for Jesus today<\/span>, with one table full of only believers and another table with seekers only. W<\/span>hich table do you think Jesus would\u00a0<\/span>choose to sit at<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pray<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Give thanks to God for His enabling us to read the Scriptures and for our response for living out the Word of God today! (e.g., You may start with a simple prayer like this: \u201cDear Lord, what\/where are you going to lead me to today?”)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":2111,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[73,71],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abiding-in-the-lord","category-pastor-mickey-hsiao"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2262"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2262\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2263,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2262\/revisions\/2263"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}