If You Say So! - Luke 5:2-7

Jesus saw two boats at the shore of the lake. The fishermen were washing their nets. Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Simon. Jesus asked Simon to push off a little from the shore. Then Jesus sat down in the boat and taught the people on the shore. Jesus finished speaking. He said to Simon, "Take the boat into the deep water. If all of you will put your nets into the water, you will catch some fish." Simon answered, "Master, we worked hard all night trying to catch fish, but we caught nothing. But you say I should put the nets into the water; so I will." The fishermen put their nets into the water. Their nets became so full of fish that the nets began to break. They called to their friends in the other boat to come and help them. The friends came, and both boats were filled so full of fish that they were almost sinking. (ERV)   Full Text

The followers of Jesus heard this. Many of the followers said, "This teaching is hard {to accept}. Who can accept this teaching?" Jesus knew that his followers were complaining about this. So Jesus said, "Is this teaching a problem for you? Then will it also be a problem for you to see the Son of Man going back to the place where he came from? It is not the body that gives a person life. It is the spirit that gives life. The things I told you are spirit. And so these things give life. But some of you don't believe." (Jesus knew the people that did not believe. Jesus knew this from the beginning. And Jesus knew the person that would turn against him.) Jesus said, "That is why I said, 'If the Father does not let a person come to me, then that person cannot come.'" After Jesus said these things, many of his followers left him. They stopped following Jesus. Jesus asked the twelve apostles, "Do you want to leave too?" Simon Peter answered Jesus, "Lord, where would we go? You have the things that give life forever. We believe in you. We know that you are the Holy One from God." John 6:60-69 (ERV) You believe in God through Christ. God raised Christ from death. Then God gave glory to him. So your faith and your hope are in God. Now you have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. Now you can have true love for your brothers and sisters. So love each other deeply--with all your heart. You have been born again. This new life did not come from something that dies. It came from something that cannot die. You were born again through God's living message that continues forever. 1 Peter 1:21-23 (ERV) The Scripture says, "People {don't live forever; they} are all like grass, and all their glory is like a wild flower. The grass dies, and the flower falls. But the word of God will live forever." And this is the word (teaching) that was told to you. 1 Peter 1:24-25 (ERV)