Introduction / Recap
- The study of Luke is an interesting one for several reasons
-- We can clearly see Luke’s genuine interest in people (career as a physician)
-- We also get to experience how Jesus interacts with society; critical lesson for us
- Last week, we unpacked the temptations of Jesus
-- From that lesson, we discovered several ways to overcome temptation
-- One of the most critical: James 4:7-8, “… submit to God and resist the devil”
-- KEY: Jesus has experienced everything we do, which is why He comforts
- At the beginning of the series I mentioned that we would move around a bit
-- It is still expository preaching, but not necessarily every verse/story
-- Many of the stories known & sometimes we focus on spectacular & miss others
-- Want us to see how this Gospel how it applies to us now – more than surface
- TR: Today, I’d like to focus on the early disciples: their calling and mission
-- Big Idea: It’s critical that we see ourselves here: their calling was NO different
-- If we will not share, are we any different than the religious pharisees?
- Read Luke 5:1-11 and 27-32; Luke 9:1-6 / Pray
Point 1 – How does Jesus call a disciple? (5:1-11)
- What Jesus sees is a vision of people who need to hear God’s encouragement
-- When the bible says great crowds, want you to understand the picture here
-- There is a massive group of people pressing in to see Jesus; “thousands”
- Why? There was a curiosity for what He provided; but again, WHY?
-- B/C within us is a spiritual calling to be drawn to God – people show this
-- Their hearts are drawn not to a show/event, but to who Jesus really is
- TRUTH: We must realize that what we need cannot be obtained from Amazon
-- Being receptive to God matters – we must hear it! They do and are drawn…
-- Jesus taught/promised this very same principle in the Sermon on the Mount:
-- Luke 6:21, “God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied.
God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.” calling ? receive
- So, what does the call of God look like? See three things from this event:
First call of Jesus – submit:
- Simon, a tired (working all night) fisherman, is asked to help
-- Jesus seizes on the opportunity to share a message with this crowd
-- But He needs a better acoustic setup – a better avenue to be heard
-- Simon provides a way, but to do this he must submit! Must take the boat out!
- Following the teaching (not mentioned what the subject was)
-- Jesus challenges his reluctance for obedience (this goes right to the heart)
Second call of Jesus – obey:
- “Let’s go out deeper and let down your nets” ? “We already did that all night”
-- Don’t miss this: Right off, Simon questions Jesus’ ways (repeated often)
-- APP: Ever notice how quick we are to confront change and argue against it …
-- Deeper: It’s like changing a long-standing tradition … we dislike it!
- FACT: Simon is no different than us – God asks, and we challenge
-- CH: Do we obey when God speaks to us to receive and move? (pause)
-- It’s an opp. for us to examine our hearts: “Am I receptive to God’s call?”
- Simon eventually obeys, but note, not without his own doubt
-- As if to say, “OK, I’ll do what you want, but I doubt anything will …” (v5)
-- Even though Simon is face to face with God in flesh, he still doubts
-- I believe Simon knows that Jesus is the Messiah, but doubt is powerful hurdle
-- APP: How can we not see ourselves in this? Obedience takes everything …
Third call of Jesus – to remove any barriers:
- Result of this calling is simple: Jesus demonstrates power that only He can
-- Consider this: Doesn’t he draw the fish to move to the nets … how about us?
-- Are we not to be fisherman? Shouldn’t we be willing to cast our nets?
-- The parallel here is uncanny … we must see where we fit into this story
-- APP: When we are called by God, we have to serve/share immediately
-- Romans 12:11, “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.” ? with joy, with pride, willingly giving of our time/resources
- And from this, look at what Simon does (read v7)
-- He calls others to help: demonstrating that he cannot do this on his own
-- And in doing so, he brings others to the same place that he is – before Jesus
-- Consider: He’s fished his whole life, and here, learns about true fishing
- Jesus stirs something in him that only God can: a deep confession (read v8)
-- Result: Jesus challenges men to discipleship – to go and catch other men
-- This event also draws James and John (sons of Zebedee) as early disciples
-- Why? Because they too saw what Jesus had done, and were moved to respond
- CH: Think for a moment: If others saw your faith, would they follow?
-- Have you not seen what God can do? Seen lives changed? Witnessed God?
-- Discipleship Challenge: If we have, how can we not share and bring others?
- TR: There is limit to who God can use; and we see that in the next point
Point 2 – Jesus even calls the undesirable! (5:27-32)
- FACT: Jesus has no restrictions on who is called (not specialized by skills)
-- He Jesus calls the outcasts, the forgotten, the burdened, the unwanted
-- The calling of Levi is a perfect example of this – tax collectors were hated
-- Yet, Jesus reaches for a rejected man to fellowship with (v27)
- The calling is simple: “Follow me” GR: Akoloúthisé
-- RE: Levi is an employee of Rome, cheating his own people out of money
-- Get up, right now, and follow because what you’re doing isn’t working
-- No note given to his supervisor, no word to his family, no excuses given
-- APP: Imagine for a moment if we would all respond like this?
- Now … don’t miss the result of this calling:
-- Levi (aka Matthew) invites his friends to a banquet with Jesus (v29)
-- Even the Pharisees show up to see what the fuss is all about
-- RE: Pharisees = party poopers, legalistic bondage to their own preferences
-- They even question those who Jesus would associate with … SINNERS!
- KEY REMINDER:
-- Religion says: That person isn’t like us, why are the even here?
-- Relationship says: I was just as broken I need to introduce them to Jesus!
- Must see this: Jesus’ clarity in his response shows us how to deal with noise:
1. He illustrates His primary mission
2. Calls sinners to repentance
3. Shows He’s here to bring joy and forgiveness for their (our) sins
-- Most remember John 3:16, but what about John 3:17, “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
- Jesus tells them the broken are who need saving; unlike devil who’s the opposite
-- RE: We saw devil’s purpose last week: to distract, twist, and mis-represent God
-- John 10:10, Jesus taught, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
-- APP: When Jesus called, even a sinner like Levi responded to change his life
- TR: So, obvious question … If I’m called, then what’s next?
Point 3 – We must have a mission to accomplish (9:1-6)
- Need us to see that the mission of the disciples is simple:
1. Come together for ministry (ministry is the sharing of Gospel) – WHY?
2. Because they rcv’d power & authority to preach and minister to all
- This is the end of the Galilean ministry – Jesus is setting eyes on Jerusalem
-- Many heard the Gospel, many accepted, but sadly still many turned away
-- But the mission given to the disciples was unlike any other seen prior
-- The orders they are given is the same that we have: just go, rem. who we serve!
-- Ephesians 6:12, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”
- Big question: How did the early disciples do this? (v3-5) Jesus taught:
1) Don’t seek after personal success and materials – it’s not about you
2) Learn to depend on God for what you need – be a witness to His provision
3) Minister house to house – be kind and gracious to those who welcome you
4) For those who won’t listen, dust yourselves off & move on – not about you
- See this: Salvation and repentance is not your job … we don’t own the results!
-- We are merely ones who call, lovingly, and continue forward because of Jesus
- There was no hesitancy, no conditions, and NO promise of success either
-- What they desired was to obey because they saw the result of God’s faithfulness
- TR: FACT: In 2022, the Gospel mission is no different!
-- Remember the big idea I gave you right at the beginning today?
Big Idea
- It is critical that we see ourselves in this: their calling was NO different
-- If we will not share, are we any different than religious pharisees?
-- Questioning, negative, slanderous, rebellious, disobedient – & not God-centered
-- Today, we are called, we are charged, to simply follow and share
- So, once we are called – how are we strengthened to continue forward?
- Disciples were called and bound together by a common mission: go and tell
-- And when they preached, people were brought to Jesus for salvation
-- Why? To receive forgiveness and eternal life (promise of eternity)
- Joining together is the first thing we must do to having a common mission
-- Starting point: A simple church, simply about Jesus! Liam, PHOTO?
-- If you are looking for a church home, we’d love to have you right here
-- This is NOT about religion – it’s about being strengthened together FOR Christ
-- Why? To share the gospel with our family, friends, coworkers, community
- But I also see another opportunity here for us to engage in … (real application)
-- Nothing happens without prayer, nothing successful for God, anyway
-- I believe that our church needs to be devoted to prayer (inside AND outside)
-- We have a great prayer team “outside” (and always willing to have more)
-- Like to start an internal prayer ministry; looking for volunteers to join
- So, what does it involve?
• Praying specifically for the church to draw/invite people to Jesus
• Need folks to pray before the service; possibly praying during the service
• Means coming early, hearing from God, covering service in prayer
• Ultimately, being willing to sacrifice your time to see God move
- These two challenges are before us, to see ourselves in the disciples calling
-- They were called to unify – and I feel that God is calling us to do the same
-- Question is: Are we going to get in the game and call others to Jesus? Pray
