three responses to Jesus

Luke 5 give an interesting review of the three ways Jews responded when they encountered Jesus.

In verse, after Jesus provided fish for the fishermen, this was Peter’s reaction: “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’” Peter didn’t even want to be near Jesus; his shame at his own sinfulness was too great to bear.

A few verses later, a leper saw things a little differently, in verses 12 and 13: “While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’” This leper saw a savior when he saw Jesus; he hoped for mercy, and he got it.

In contrast to Peter and the leper, look at the response of the religious leaders, in verse 21: “The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, ‘Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’” They were disdainful and dismissive; Jesus didn’t meet their standards or fit into their expectations of a rabbi, so they labeled him a blasphemer.

These seem to me to be examples of three ways we can respond. We can deny who Jesus is and defy his lordship over our lives. We can run away in shame, thinking our sin is too much even for the Savior. Or we can turn to him in hope.

At times, I think I’ve done all three. Right now, by the grace of God, I’m able to follow the example of the leper.