From Pastor Perry

Luke 5:12–16 (ESV)

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

¹² While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” ¹³ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. ¹⁴ And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” ¹⁵ But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. ¹⁶ But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

Jesus cleanses a leper by touching him and sends him to fulfill the Law of Moses. He still touches lives today and has mercy according to His good and gracious will. Bring your requests to Jesus, and trust in His good purposes for you. Even now, your Savior is interceding for you in heaven.

I pray Cleanse me, dearest Jesus, and make Your will known in my life, that I may fulfill Your Word and fill the world with the report of Your goodness. Amen.^[1]:

Luke 5:1–11 (ESV)

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

5 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.” ⁹ For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, ¹⁰ and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” ¹¹ And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

A miraculous catch of fish shows the disciples that Jesus is more than a great teacher—God is working mightily through Him. Like the disciples, the mundane struggle for daily bread, and the sin and doubt it fosters, may make you feel distant from God. But He is ever near and also ever prepared to forgive your sins.

I pray: Stay with me, Lord, for I am a sinful person. Grant me repentance and a new life in service to You. Amen.^[1]

Luke 4:42–44 (ESV)

Jesus Preaches in Synagogues

⁴² 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, ⁴³ 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.” ⁴⁴ And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

People chase after Jesus as though they could possess Him and keep Him for themselves. Do we blame them? They had never before witnessed God’s blessings so greatly. Yet, with His blessings, Jesus would also teach us His generous ways, that He belongs not only to us but to all. His kingdom knows no human boundaries.

I pray: “Son of God, eternal Savior, Source of life and truth and grace, Word made flesh, whose birth among us Hallows all our human race, You our Head, who, throned in glory, For Your own will ever plead: Fill us with Your love and pity, Heal our wrongs, and help our need.” Amen.^[1]

Luke 4:38–41 (ESV)

Jesus Heals Many

³⁸ 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. ³⁹ And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

⁴⁰ 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. ⁴¹ 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.

Jesus had cast out a demon in yesterday’s reading and the people were astonished.  In today’s reading, he heals Simon’s mother-in-law (Peter’s mother-in-law) and heals many more.  He also is casting out demons who are crying out “You are the Son of God!” and knew that he was the Christ. 

I pray: O Lord, our world is turning away from you like in the days of Babylon when Israel was worshiping other gods.  Help us to keep our eyes focused on you.  Amen.

Luke 4:31–37 (ESV)

Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Demon

³¹ And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, ³² and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. ³³ And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴ “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” ³⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. ³⁶ And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power, he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” ³⁷ And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

Two things strike me as amazing in this passage.  First, the people are “astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.”  They were astonished!  Yet in today’s world, people ridicule his teachings… which brings me to the second thing.  The demon-possessed man (a man with an evil spirit), knows Jesus.  The demon-possessed man states “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”  Jesus casts out the evil demon!  Jesus not only preaches and teaches with authority, but He has power and authority over the Devil and his many demons.  The world could learn from the demons that Jesus is the Son of God!

I pray: O Lord, help me to not be ashamed of the Gospel, but to proclaim it to the world around me.  Help me to spread Jesus!  Amen.