The Call Of A Disciple (Luke, Part 4) Series

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