September 15, 2026 - Luke 5-6

Before he left to return home to Auburn, yesterday, Dr. Jackson gave me a copy of his book The Joshua Mandate, in which he provides 52 Scripture memory verses with commentary, one per week over a year’s time, to encourage Christians to memorize Scripture.  Just one verse per week.  Throughout the Bible, we constantly come across brief statements, questions, phrases that, in such short compass, provide us with powerful meanings.  Consider the following from just one chapter, chapter 5 of Luke’s Gospel.

“On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God . . .” (5:1).  A great crowd, not merely “showing up for church,” but pressing to hear the word of God!

“They left everything and followed him” (5:11)

“Man, your sins are forgiven you” (5:20).

“And leaving everything, he rose and followed him” (5:28).

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (5:32).

“No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment . . . And no one puts new wine into old wineskins . . .” (5:26,27).

Wow!

Jesus calls us o’er the tumult

Of our life’s wild, restless sea;

Day by day his sweet voice sounding,

Saying, “Christian, follow me.”

Jesus calls us from the worship

Of the vain world’s golden store,

From each idol that would keep us,

Saying, “Christian, love me more.”

In our joys and in our sorrows,

Days of toil and hours of ease,

Still he calls, in cares and pleasures,

“Christian, love me more than these.”  --Cecil Frances Alexander (1852)