Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

What does it mean to make Jesus your Lord and Master?

Our 21st century thinking is clouded with delusions that every man is his own master. The world tells us that anyone who would lord it over you is one denying your freedom to his own advantage. Even Almighty God is not allowed to be in charge.

Simon Peter and the Apostles had no delusions that God could not be in charge, yet like us they doubted if they could be worthy to serve a Holy God and Perfect Savior.

If Jesus called you, would a moment of humility shape your answer as the divinity of Jesus humbled Simon Peter?

Luke 5:

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

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, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 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. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 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. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

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Like Peter, I’m busy just trying to get by. What time do I have to think about Jesus? My own little world goes haywire all around me daily. Yet one encounter with Jesus makes me aware of one thing I know well: I am a sinful man.

I’m not worthy to approach Almighty God! I am most unclean, certainly unholy and more opposite of Jesus the Son of God in most that I do, even more so by the sin I conceive in my brain.

You might not have noticed that Simon Peter called Jesus “Master and Lord.” Simon’s humility in this moment bowed down to One greater than our everyday troubles. Peter stood face to face with the conviction of the judgment while yet in the flesh. Peter confessed his unworthiness to look into the loving eyes of the Lord.

… And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

1 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Do we have enough humility to fear who Jesus IS?

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. Hebrews 1:3a

Jesus Christ is the Very Face of The Eternity we can’t get our heads around. He Is Perfect Image of the One God who created the intricacies of a beating heart, breathing lungs, a brain free to choose humility and unable to control our
failing flesh. Jesus IS enemy of new age of man’s futile self-aggrandizement. He IS the old age before the measure of time and the Eternity beyond the bounds of men of dust and dust to be destroyed.

What do you think about? Is Jesus and God any part of your consideration of your soul? Is a resurrection body perfected in the love of God even something you desire?

What is the moment to moment motivation of your life?

Putting a positive spin on it may make it better (for a while), but it won’t make it positive. Take aging and death, for instance. The positive spin of the failing flesh will not affect a negative spiral toward hell.

What eventualities do you think about: not just positive, for some realities are negative? Death? Judgment? Eternal life?

Jesus interrupts the thinking and futile life of a fisherman with the catch of a few fish where all hope had been abandoned. Peter bowed down and the Lord smiles and assures, do not be afraid.

Are you a sinful man or woman?

Choose eternity with Christ.

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This is the sixth message in a Lenten series in preparation for Easter, 2016, to be continued with a short course on how to change our thinking once we have met Jesus Christ.