What Do You Need to Leave Behind?....

I generally read several chapters from Scripture in the mornings when I first get to my office at the church.  Today has been no different except I can't get through 11 verses.  I recently finished a several day (maybe week) journey through the Gospel of John during my reading time.  Beginning two days ago (Monday), I felt that I needed to begin a journey through the Gospel of Luke.  I read the first 4 chapters on Monday.  Yesterday I did some different things throughout Scripture (I like to change it up every now and then).  Places like John 14 and 1 Corinthians 3. 

This morning, I returned to Luke 5, but I just cannot get beyond verse 11.  Here is what it says in the English Standard Version:

And when they had brought their boats to land, they LEFT EVERYTHING and followed him.

(emphasis mine)

Hopefully you see why I cannot get beyond verse 11 of Luke 5.  They (Peter, James, and John) once they had an encounter with Christ, they left it all.  What specifically did they leave?  To answer this question you must look back at verses 4-6.  They read:

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."  And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!  But at your word I will let down the nets."  And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.

There are several things that I think we can see from theses three verses.  

First of all, the command of Jesus.  Jesus told three experienced fisherman how to fish.  Does this seem odd to anyone else?  

Second, notice the response from Peter.  Don't you realize that we have been fishing all night long and we have caught nothing?  Don't you realize that we are the experienced fishermen here, not you?  Don't you realize that we are in lots of trouble financially because we didn't catch anything?  After all, this is how we make our living.  Somehow, though, Peter (or Simon) obeyed.  We are not told why, but he did.  Peter and the others let down their nets.

Finally, notice what happened.  After putting their nets down into the deep, they caught so many fish that their nets could not hold it and their nets began to break.  If we were to read verse 7 we would see that Simon called for James and John to come over and help him.  When the three men finally got all of the fish in their two boats, the boats were so full that they began to sink.  

Now, back to the original question.  What did they leave behind to follow Jesus?  They left a fortune (think about how much they could have gotten for all those fish).  They left their jobs or professions.  They left their security.  They left their families.  They left their possessions.  They left themselves.  For what?  To follow Jesus and "catch men" (verse 10).  Christ is requesting the same of you and I.  

What do you need to leave behind?