Ready or Not, You’re On!

Reflections on Luke 5 and the Disciples’ First Steps into Ministry

The disciples’ first introduction to ministry? A man with an extreme case of leprosy. His condition was unmistakable—his extremities rotting away. Yet the disciples, who had only just quit fishing (with a pungency all of its own), were still reeking of nets and mackerel. And it was the leper who wrinkled his nose!

To those watching, leprosy said one thing loud and clear: sin. Think of Miriam, Moses’ sister, struck with leprosy by God. In that world, illness meant guilt—yours or your parents’. That was the assumption.

Peter had already said to Jesus, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.” And Jesus had called him anyway—demonstrating forgiveness. Then came the leper. Jesus healed him—again, a sign of forgiveness. And just to make the point even clearer, Jesus healed a paralysed man after saying, “Your sins are forgiven.”

But Jesus didn’t stop there. He turned to Levi—a tax collector, a collaborator with the occupying Roman forces, a betrayer of his own people—and said, “Follow me.” The message couldn’t be clearer:

“I forgive sins, and I give you work to do—rescuing other sinners.”

And Jesus didn’t ease them in gently. There was no onboarding process. No eight-week discipleship course. No “let’s just shadow someone for a bit.”Nope.Jesus threw them straight into the deep end.Still smelling of fish, they were suddenly face-to-face with everything they’d been told to avoid.

Contrast That with Today

I love coaching—I’ve done some training and enjoy the process. But let’s be honest: modern coaching is often slow. It’s methodical. It’s careful. Jesus? Not so much. He didn’t treat his disciples with kid gloves. He didn’t stroke their egos. He didn’t ask, “How did you feel being inches from a man with leprosy? I sensed some tension in the room.”None of that.

Jesus shocked them—again and again—with his actions, his words, and the people he gave responsibility to.

And why? Because their only qualification was this: they were forgiven.

No degrees. No aptitude tests. No references. Jesus wasn’t waiting on HR.They weren’t especially resilient. They weren’t proven leaders.But they were forgiven. And that was enough.

Forgiven and Called

I’ve done four years of theology college—I’m all for it! Paul’s call to “study to show yourself approved” is vital. But that’s not the starting point. God’s expectation is simple:

Are you forgiven?Have you asked me to forgive your sin?If the answer is yes—then let’s get on with it.

Yes, Jesus trains them. But never before the work begins.He says, “I am with you always.”That’s apprenticeship.And when he ascends, he says, “Wait for the Holy Spirit.”Clean hands. Supernatural help. That’s the model.

So Here’s the Challenge

What have I delayed?Where have I said, “I’m not ready”?

You’re not ready. The disciples weren’t ready.If you feel ready, you probably don’t need supernatural help.

But if you’re forgiven—you are ready.

So go serve.Go give.Go live.Because your sins are forgiven.