Reflective Bible Study Gospel Adventure

Acting While Doubtful: Luke 5:1-11

Published January 30, 2026 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: Luke 5:1-11 (NCV)

¹One day while Jesus was standing beside Lake Galilee, many people were pressing all around him to hear the word of God. ²Jesus saw two boats at the shore of the lake. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. ³Jesus got into one of the boats, the one that belonged to Simon, and asked him to push off a little from the land. Then Jesus sat down and continued to teach the people from the boat.

⁴When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Take the boat into deep water, and put your nets in the water to catch some fish.”

⁵Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard all night trying to catch fish, and we caught nothing. But you say to put the nets in the water, so I will.” ⁶When the fishermen did as Jesus told them, they caught so many fish that the nets began to break. ⁷They called to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full that they were almost sinking.

⁸When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he bowed down before Jesus and said, “Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man!” ⁹He and the other fishermen were amazed at the many fish they caught, as were ¹⁰James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will fish for people.” ¹¹When the men brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Read Luke 5:1-11 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

While the gospel of John shares with us Jesus’ first encounter with some of the men who would ultimately become Jesus’ closest disciples, Luke’s gospel includes the details that prompted these four early disciples to leave everything to follow Jesus.

In this event, we see an amazing example of faith in the midst of doubt from the man who would become the most famous disciple of them all: Simon Peter.

The event begins one morning as Jesus is teaching by the lake. In my mind’s eye, the crowd was getting a little big, and the people kept crowding closer and closer to hear Jesus, and the space between Jesus and the water kept getting smaller and smaller.

Seeing a couple of boats and recognizing their owners, Jesus walks over and asks to use one of the boats to teach from. Jesus finishes His sermon while in the boat, and Simon (also known as Peter) and Andrew continue cleaning their nets from inside the boat.

After finishing the sermon, Jesus turns to the men and says, “Take the boat into deep water, and put your nets in the water to catch some fish.” (v. 4)

Here is where Peter gives us an amazing response – even before accepting the call to be a disciple. He answered, “Master, we worked hard all night trying to catch fish, and we caught nothing. But you say to put the nets in the water, so I will.” (v. 5)

It is like Peter is telling Jesus, “Hey, I’m the expert fisherman and you are the expert preacher. I didn’t catch anything last night during the prime fishing time. I don’t want to offend you, so I’ll try again, but if your plan doesn’t work, then perhaps you should just stick to preaching while I stick to fishing.”

But while Peter was doubtful of Jesus’ plan, he decided to try it out. By casting their nets into the water, these two early disciples displayed a willingness to test Jesus’ words with their actions. The result was the opposite of what they expected, and their catch was so large that it took multiple boats to drag it to shore.

Simon Peter was willing to act even though he was doubtful of the outcome. This shows way more faith than we might realize. Too many people today reject God’s plan because it doesn’t make sense in their mind, or because they don’t have all the answers for their questions. These people choose to skip testing Jesus because they are certain it wouldn’t work.

Peter’s decision in the boat is exactly like our decision is today: Do we test Jesus, even if we are almost certain of the results, or do we simply not put forth the effort and never know if things would have been different?

The call of these four disciples by the lake shows us that it is worth testing Jesus’ teaching, and seeing for ourselves – from our own experience – if following Jesus is worth it.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

Subscribe to this blog and never miss an insight.

Love and Forgiveness: Luke 7:36-50

Published January 29, 2026 in Audio Journal Entries

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iHeartRadio | RSS

Read the Transcript

One event that has always fascinated me in the gospels is the story of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet. Each of the four gospels includes a story describing an event like this. However, while Matthew, Mark, and John frame this event as one leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross, Luke’s gospel includes it early on, and Luke’s gospel draws out a parable Jesus shares at this event.

Because Luke’s gospel is so unique in the details and timing of this event and because Luke’s gospel doesn’t give the woman a name, part of me wonders if Jesus was anointed more than one time during His ministry.

Let’s read about what happened and about the parable Jesus shared during this event. Our passage is found in Luke’s gospel, chapter 7, and we will read it from the New International Version of the Bible. Starting in verse 36, Luke tells us that:

³⁶When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. ³⁸As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

³⁹When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

⁴⁰Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

⁴¹“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴²Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

⁴³Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

⁴⁴Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

⁴⁸Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

As I read this event just now, the parable didn’t stand out to me as much as the unnamed woman’s desire. In Jesus’ description of the woman’s actions, we could understand her motives to be one seeking salvation and forgiveness through her actions, or we could understand her motives as desiring some type of confirmation or affirmation that her past life of sin has been forgiven.

In the simple parable Jesus shared, forgiveness is a primary theme. However, is it possible to tell the woman’s motivation through this event? In my own mind, I think we can, especially if we are simply choosing between a works-based desire for salvation versus simply affirming God’s forgiveness.

The way I see this woman’s actions, everything we see described about her gives the impression she was humbly coming to serve Jesus. While this doesn’t sound significant at first, this is the key identifier for determining this woman’s motives. The motives of someone coming to Jesus with a works-based attitude would be more interested in building Jesus up, defending Him against His accusers, or doing something similar. While none of these actions are bad, they have more vagueness surrounding their motives.

In contrast, everything described about this woman is that she came seeking forgiveness and that she wouldn’t leave until she had received some type of confirmation that she was forgiven. This woman’s offering to Jesus was the best she had and Jesus honored her gift by affirming her forgiveness in God’s eyes.

If this event does not describe Mary anointing Jesus’ feet leading up to His crucifixion, then we know almost nothing about this woman except that she had a negative reputation before this point, that she anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume and her tears, and that Jesus tells her that her sins are forgiven.

However, in Jesus’ parable, we see an amazing idea that Jesus touches on afterwards. In Jesus’ parable, two unequal debts are forgiven. While Jesus calls the feelings that each forgiven person felt using the word love, we likely would focus the word more towards the idea of gratitude and thankfulness, which are types of love.

In this parable, Jesus connects the concept of forgiveness and love and this connection is worth paying attention to. Before turning to the woman to directly affirm her forgiveness, Jesus finishes His message to Simon by saying in verse 47, “Her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Jesus tells us that how loving we are to others shows how forgiven we are. When we are only forgiven a little, we only love a little, and when we see ourselves as being forgiven of a lot, then we will love a lot.

The last words Jesus shares are interesting. Jesus tells us that “whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

This is incredibly true, but it is a completely subjective idea that is based entirely on our perception. The truth of our human condition is that even one seemingly insignificant sin in our life is enough to rip our connection with God apart and distance us so far apart from God that it is impossible for us to return. While this sounds extreme, this perspective is the only one we should have when understanding God’s forgiveness.

Our sin is so significant in God’s eyes that Jesus needed to give up His life in order for God to demonstrate both justice and mercy. The littlest, least significant sin, gives us the gift of the death penalty, and through what Jesus did on the cross, we are given our lives back. Jesus’ gift pardons us from receiving the death penalty, and that is how forgiven we truly are.

The more we realize how sin-stained we are, the more we can appreciate what Jesus did for us on the cross and the gift of forgiveness He offers us. The way we show we are forgiven is by loving and forgiving each other.

As we move forward through life together, let’s intentionally be more forgiving towards each other as our way of saying thanks to God for how greatly He has forgiven us.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always open these challenges by saying, continue to seek God first in your life and take a moment to think about what He has truly forgiven you of. While your past might not be as bad as someone else’s past, I’m willing to bet that if you are anything like me, there are plenty of ways you have messed up and failed God. God has forgiven you because He loves you. Will we recognize how greatly He has forgiven us and reflect His forgiveness to others through our love?

Also, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself to keep your personal relationship and connection with God strong. Don’t let anyone get between you and God, and filter everything you study through the lens of what God teaches you through His Word, the Bible.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, or chicken out of where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

Year of Parables – Episode 5: At a meal with Simon, a Pharisee, Jesus is interrupted by a woman seeking something significant. While this woman had a very negative reputation, discover what this event teaches us about love, about forgiveness, and about how these two ideas are connected in what Jesus did for humanity.

Join the discussion. Share your thoughts on this passage.

Misunderstanding a Metaphor: Matthew 16:5-12

Published January 28, 2026 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: Matthew 16:5-12 (NCV)

⁵Jesus’ followers went across the lake, but they had forgotten to bring bread. ⁶Jesus said to them, “Be careful! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”

⁷His followers discussed the meaning of this, saying, “He said this because we forgot to bring bread.”

⁸Knowing what they were talking about, Jesus asked them, “Why are you talking about not having bread? Your faith is small. ⁹Do you still not understand? Remember the five loaves of bread that fed the five thousand? And remember that you filled many baskets with the leftovers? ¹⁰Or the seven loaves of bread that fed the four thousand and the many baskets you filled then also? ¹¹I was not talking to you about bread. Why don’t you understand that? I am telling you to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” ¹²Then the followers understood that Jesus was not telling them to beware of the yeast used in bread but to beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Read Matthew 16:5-12 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

During one of the many times that Jesus and His disciples crossed the lake, the disciples forgot to bring bread with them. While this probably already irritated the disciples enough, since they may have been hungry, an interesting conversation takes place. This conversation highlights one big challenge we all face in human nature.

In my imagination, probably about half way across the lake, the disciples realize they had forgotten bread. At about this very moment, Jesus gets their attention to say, “Be careful! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” (v. 6)

While it is pretty clear to us that Jesus is speaking in a metaphor about something that is below the surface, the disciples didn’t catch this at first. The disciples did grasp that there was something more to Jesus’ words, because they started talking amongst themselves about what this phrase meant. It seems like they concluded by coming to what must have been the plainest, most surface-level, rational answer they could imagine in their moment of hunger: “He said this because we forgot to bring bread.” (v. 7)

The disciples might have also came up with the thought that if they saw a Pharisee or Sadducee merchant (which would be unlikely) selling yeast, or even one of these two groups of people giving yeast away, then they shouldn’t even consider getting any from them.

However, we know from how Matthew frames this event that Jesus is speaking with a simple metaphor: yeast equals something else. The context for the statement and the frame of mind of the listener both matter. Had there been an abundance of bread on this trip, the disciples may have realized that Jesus was speaking about something not directly related to bread.

It is the same for us when we communicate. For us to communicate without the message being lost when it reaches the listener’s ears, we must pay attention to the context. Otherwise, when we are trying to share a metaphor to help people remember a concept, they could be too focused on taking it literally.

Subscribe to this blog and never miss an insight.

Communicating While Silent: Luke 1:57-80

Published January 27, 2026 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: Luke 1:57-80 (NIrV)

⁵⁷The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby. She gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her. They shared her joy.

⁵⁹On the eighth day, they came to have the child circumcised. They were going to name him Zechariah, like his father. ⁶⁰But his mother spoke up. “No!” she said. “He must be called John.”

⁶¹They said to her, “No one among your relatives has that name.”

⁶²Then they motioned to his father. They wanted to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³He asked for something to write on. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed. ⁶⁴Right away Zechariah could speak again. Right away he praised God. ⁶⁵All his neighbors were filled with fear and wonder. Throughout Judea’s hill country, people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶Everyone who heard this wondered about it. And because the Lord was with John, they asked, “What is this child going to be?”

⁶⁷John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. He prophesied,

⁶⁸“Give praise to the Lord, the God of Israel!
    He has come to his people and purchased their freedom.
⁶⁹He has acted with great power and has saved us.
    He did it for those who are from the family line of his servant David.
⁷⁰Long ago holy prophets said he would do it.
⁷¹He has saved us from our enemies.
    We are rescued from all who hate us.
⁷²He has been kind to our people of long ago.
    He has remembered his holy covenant.
⁷³    He made a promise to our father Abraham.
⁷⁴He promised to save us from our enemies.
    Then we could serve him without fear.
⁷⁵    He wants us to be holy and godly as long as we live.

⁷⁶“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
    You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare the way for him.
⁷⁷You will tell his people how they can be saved.
    You will tell them that their sins can be forgiven.
⁷⁸All of that will happen because our God is tender and caring.
    His kindness will bring the rising sun to us from heaven.
⁷⁹It will shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death.
It will guide our feet on the path of peace.”

⁸⁰The child grew up, and his spirit became strong. He lived in the desert until he appeared openly to Israel.

Read Luke 1:57-80 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

In this passage, I am impressed with what is implied from what happened. While Luke begins by drawing our attention onto Zechariah’s doubt and subsequent muteness, in this passage, by the time Elizabeth gives birth, it would seem that Zechariah has a restored faith in God, and a restored obedience to the angel’s instruction.

While he was mute, Zechariah would have written out what He wanted to communicate with his wife and family. This would have included his desire for the child to be named John. Zechariah and Elizabeth probably had this discussion on the child’s name, and they both had agreed what the child’s name would be.

We don’t have any idea if the baby’s name was communicated outside of the couple, but if it had been, in the excitement of the birth, the relatives and neighbors got caught up with a different idea: Name the baby after his father Zechariah.

In many ways this is a compliment to Zechariah. By naming the child after the father, these relatives sent the message that they wanted the child to continue with the father’s legacy, and to become every bit of the man the father had become. Their desire was to compliment Zechariah by suggesting that his son be named after him.

Here’s how Luke describes what happened, “On the eighth day, they came to have the child circumcised. They were going to name him Zechariah, like his father. But his mother spoke up. ‘No!’ she said. ‘He must be called John.’” (v. 59-60)

However, their response was, “No one among your relatives has that name.” (v. 61)

Perhaps because they believed Zechariah’s opinions to be closer to theirs, or maybe because they wanted to draw out what could have been a disagreement between Zechariah and Elizabeth, they motion to Zechariah to come over. They wanted him to break this tie. While the relatives ultimately had no say over what the child’s name would be, they didn’t want it to be a name that wasn’t already in the family. They hoped that Zechariah would side with them, but when given something to write on, he wrote, “His name is John.” (v. 63)

In these four words we uncover Zechariah and Elizabeth’s marriage. While it likely had been strained because of his muteness, Zechariah had moved past his failures of faith and focused his attention on helping with a smooth pregnancy. In these four words, we discover that Zechariah and Elizabeth had communicated, and in spite of Zechariah’s temporary disability, they had kept their marriage strong while things were likely very stressful.

In John’s birth, we see a glimpse into the sort of marriage that Zechariah and Elizabeth had, and a glimpse into the man Zechariah had become. Zechariah focused on communicating during a difficult time and that communication paid off during John’s birth when their relatives had a different name in mind.

Subscribe to this blog and never miss an insight.