Living Differently: The Wordy Life

Read Luke 5:1-11.

The followers of Jesus Christ are called to live a life that is directed and deeply rooted in the Word of God. Jesus said, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). A life that is established and is progressing upon the principles of the Word of God is fruitful and brings glory to God and fulfillment in the person. The influence of the Word of God is crucial for a godly life, a wordy life. Satan’s twisted, compromised word has corrupted the first human parents that brought curse and chaos in the world. But the true Word will bring credibility and cleansing in human beings. It transforms and sets apart people for the purpose of God.

Let us observe the following from the portion of Scripture from the Gospel of Luke: the impact of a word upon the fishermen.

1. Hearing the Word (Luke 5:1). The first step in becoming a person of the Word is to actively listen to the Word. Many are hearing but not actively listening for the Word to enter the heart and do what it is sent for. Paul the Apostle wrote, “Faith comes by hearing the message (the Word) and hearing through the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Luke tells us in his Gospel that the multitudes were pressing Jesus to hear the word of God. They were naturally desperate to hear some message of hope, security, and prosperity for them and their future generations. The entrance of the Word brings light in the heart of man (Psalm 119:130). In order to live differently, we must dedicate time and attention to hear and actively listen to the Word of God.
2. Receiving the Word. (Luke 5:2-4). The fishermen’s boat was empty and Jesus sought the entrance in it and used it as a platform for His proclamation of the message to the crowd that had gathered around Him at the Sea of Galilee. Peter’s welcome of Jesus in his boat was an indication of his acceptance of the word he was preaching. The Word is like a seed that sowed in the soil of human hearts. Receiving the essence of the Word of God and embracing it by faith is a very positive step in being a wordy man or woman. Rejecting and refusing to allow the Word of God to take root in us is the work of the enemy. If we do not receive the good Word, we will end up embracing the bad word.
3. Confessing the Word (Luke 5:5). The fishermen had a failed effort and an empty boat by the time Jesus entered their boat. Jesus instructed Peter to launch out into the deep for a catch. Then Simon Peter replied to Jesus and admitting their failure and efforts in vain. But after admitting their inability, he said, “nevertheless at your Word, we will let the net down”. In other words, Simon is saying “because you say so, I will let down the nets”. A wordy person is quick to admit his/her failures but also confident to confess the commandment of Christ. He/she is becoming dependent on divine direction instead of human wisdom and practical knowledge and experience.
4. Doing the Word (Luke 5:6). It is one thing to say “yes” with our mouth and affirm the word of God, and it is crucial that we be doers of the Word. This is acting upon the spoken, written, revealed Word of God that the Holy Spirit has illuminated to our hearts and minds. The Lord is looking for doers of the Word and not sayers only. “When they had done so, they caught a large number of fish that their nets began to break.” The Word works wonders when it is welcomed, believed, and confessed and acted upon. Shall we do the Word and see the results in spiritual and material prosperity? There are breakthrough miracles and freedom in the spirit waiting for the doers of the Word. We have readers, preachers, publishers, and dispensers of the Word, but how many doers are there?
5. Transformed by the Word (Luke 5:7-11). After the miraculous catch of fish, Simon Peter and his companions were astonished. He felt unworthy to be near Jesus and asked Him to depart from him. But Jesus always honours those who honours the Word. He gave Simon Peter a new mission and a mandate: “from now on you will catch men”. The field is changed from the Sea of Galilee to the lands wherever “human fish” is found. The fishing net he owned had to be given up for networking for the harvest of souls. Luke wrote, “ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him” (v.11) What a transfer and what a transformation! See what the Word can do in a man’s life? The same Word works in each person who hears, receives, trusts acts upon, and live out in our world today. The Word is settled in heaven forever (Psalm 119:89). Let us make the Word work as we live differently and become Wordy.

God bless you.

Pastor Joe Kurian