@FirstChurchofJerusalem
Today's Early Church Wisdom
“I shall not hesitate also to put into ordered form for you, along with the interpretations, everything I learned carefully in the past from the elders and noted down carefully, for the truth of which I vouch. For unlike most people, I took no pleasure in those who told many different stories, but only in those who taught the truth. Nor did I take pleasure in those who reported their memory of someone else’s commandments, but only in those who reported their memory of the commandments given by the Lord to the faith and proceeding from the Truth itself. And if by chance anyone who had been in attendance on the elders arrived, I made enquiries about the words of the elders—what Andrew or Peter had said, or Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples, and whatever Aristion and John the Elder, the Lord’s disciples, were saying. For I did not think that information from the books would profit me as much as information from a living and surviving voice.
~ Papias of Hierapolis (c. 60–130 AD) From the Preface to his lost ‘Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord’
This week's Psalm is Psalm 31 'My Rock, My Shield, My Song'

Obedience & Breakthroughs

Expect the unexpected!

In Luke chapter 5:1-11, we read about a moment that changed the course of history, not just for a few fishermen on the Sea of Galilee, but for all of us who are seeking meaning, purpose, and hope. In this story, Jesus climbs into a simple fishing boat, owned by Simon Peter. Jesus was teaching, and the crowds were pressing in, so He chose to board the boat, no doubt so that he could get a little distance from them. And after teaching the people, He turned to Peter and said, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." God will direct you, if you are open to it. But sometimes His guidance may be a little different to what we might expect. There may even be times when it runs completely counter to it – as here in this story. Whatever form it takes, we can be sure that Jesus’ guidance will always agree with the spirit of God’s written word, the Bible, assuming, of course, that we take the whole counsel of God and not some narrow view. Peter had been fishing all night. He was tired. He was discouraged. He had caught nothing. Maybe that’s how you feel today: exhausted by life’s burdens, discouraged by failure, overwhelmed by uncertainty. But listen to Peter’s words: "Nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net." That simple act of obedience, trusting when it didn’t make sense, opened the floodgates of a miracle. What breakthroughs are waiting for you as you dare to obey Jesus’ directions for your life and work?