At His Word...

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 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.
Luke 5:4-7ESV
Sometimes Christ calls on us to do things that just don't make sense. As a seasoned fisherman, Simon must have struggled with how irrational this seemed, and how crazy it would look to his family and friends. After all, everyone was watching him, because Jesus was on board. But Simon chose the wiser course and did what Jesus said; he trusted Him. And he was able to sing: "I;m so glad I learned to trust Him, blessed Jesus..." May we sing that, and live that, today.

Out of a boat...

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, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 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.(Luke 5:1-3 ESV)
Jesus was one creative Guy - making a pulpit out of a boat. But then again, He was a carpenter, but even more so, He was the Creator of all. He can take dust and make man, a boat and make a pulpit, and a rough fisherman like Peter and use him for His glory, using Him as His servant and spokesman. Think what He can do with you.

Sticking with the purpose...

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. (Luke 4:42-44 ESV)
Temptation, which was intense at the beginning of this chapter has not stopped here at the end. How tempting it must have been for Jesus to settle in and get comfy in Capernaum. After the rejection at Nazareth, this overwhelming approval must have been invigorating. But that was not His purpose, or ours. He was sent to share the good news. So are we. So Jesus pulled himself away, to spend time with the Father, keep His focus, and obey His will . May we do that today.

Let it out!

And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.(Luke 4:41 ESV)
This reaction to Christ and His message is recorded on more than one occasion in the Gospels. He doesn't have to do anything - just be there and speak, and the demons react. Usually, it says something like Jesus rebuked the demons, telling them to be silent, "for His time had not yet come." But the man delivered from the demons in Mark 5 was different - Jesus told him to stay and tell his countrymen. The same is true of us - Let others know He is the Son of God.

Touched by Truth...

Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.(Luke 4:40 ESV)
As John tells us, when Jesus came, He came "full of grace and truth." He indeed was truth in the flesh. His truth overwhelmed those who heard Him and overcame the demons in His presence. Now, moved with compassion, Truth touched those brought to Him. His grace overflowed with compassion as the poor, the captive, the oppressed came to Him. The same is true today: if we will only come and let Him touch us.

Prayer 101

And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.(Luke 4:38-39 ESV)
These people had just witnessed Jesus, the One who wows with words, speak and drive a demon out from someone they knew. They automatically apply what they knew to be true to a concern heavy on their hearts: Ask... Appeal... Request... Pray. Do we transfer what we learn about God in worship to every day life?
Secondly, it doesn't take some wow actions - simply His word. Do we look at life's challenges, then to His Wordsfor power and solutions?
Thirdly, when He answers, what does that move us to do? Focus on ourselves, or serve others?
Two short verses; lots of applications and challenges.

Amazing authority...

35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. 36 And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, “What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out (NASB)
In context, the word that sticks out is authority. Before this, it was the authority of His words that caught their hearts and minds. It is the same authority here - what He says, what He commands; His deeds confirm His words. We just need to make sure we always come back to what He says, and trust and obey them. If the demons obey... what does that mean for us?