Calling the Outsiders Luke 5v1-32

So Luke chapter 5, which is on page 1032, Luke chapter 5, starting at verse 1.

Luke 5 · chapter mention Luke 5 · chapter mention

One day, as Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, which was also known as the lake of Galilee,

with the people crowding round him and listening to the word of God,

he saw at the water's edge two boats left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.

He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore.

Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,

Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.

Simon answered, Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything.

But because you say so, I will let down the nets.

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.

And they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said,

Go away from me, Lord.

I am a sinful man.

For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken.

And so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, Don't be afraid.

From now on you will fish for men.

So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

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.

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.

I am willing, he said, be clean.

And immediately the leprosy left him.

Then Jesus ordered him, Don't tell anyone,

but go show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded

for your cleansing as a testimony to them.

Yet the news spread about him, spread all the more,

so that crowds of people came to hear him

and to be healed of their sicknesses.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law

who had come from every village in Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem

were sitting there.

And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.

Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat

and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.

When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd,

they went up onto the roof and lowered him on his mat

through the tiles into the middle of the crowd

right in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said,

Friend, your sins are forgiven.

The Pharisees and teachers of the law began thinking to themselves,

Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?

Who can forgive sins but God alone?

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked,

Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

Which is easier to say,

Your sins are forgiven?

Or to say,

Get up and walk.

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,

he said to the paralysed man,

I tell you,

Get up, take your mat and go home.

Immediately he stood up in front of them,

took what he had been lying on,

and went home praising God.

Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.

They were filled with awe and said,

We have seen remarkable things today.

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth.

Follow me, Jesus said to him.

And Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house,

and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.

But the Pharisees and teachers of the law who belonged to their sect

complained to his disciples,

Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?

Jesus answered them,

It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Well, let's keep that open before us.

Amazing, incredible encounters with Jesus Christ.

Let's pray before we look at it together.

Our Father God, we marvel and wonder

at these people who met Jesus.

And it is our prayer

that we would meet and encounter Jesus afresh today

through your word.

That the pictures and the understandings that we might have,

we would surrender them to you afresh.

And that you would paint before us

a portrait of Jesus.

That we would see him as he really is.

And we would understand his work

and his calling.

And that we too

would leave everything

and follow him.

Help us, we pray.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

The Apprentice,

that TV show,

is best known for the catchphrase

you're fired.

You're fired.

The host, Lord Shuker,

looks to select various business partners

from about 20 candidates

and only the best person

is chosen.

The people that are there,

well, they're all very successful,

very talented,

confident, popular,

and they all appear very good looking.

And out of this group,

Lord Shuker,

must select one person

to be his partner.

And if you show any sign of weakness,

failure,

or incompetence,

you're fired.

You're out of the game.

Well, that's how life works,

doesn't it?

If you're clever and talented

and popular,

well, you get to go places.

But if you live with some kind of impediment

or you can't quite hold things together

and you struggle to fit in

and you've got this label,

outsider,

well, then you get ignored

and overlooked.

You're fired.

Only the best

are chosen.

Well, it seems that in the kingdom of God,

it's only those

who know they are weak

and only those

who know they fail

who do get hired.

Look what Jesus says

in verse 31.

It is not the healthy

who need a doctor,

but the sick.

I have not come to call

the righteous,

those who think they are good,

but sinners to repentance,

those who know they fail

and mess up.

Chapter 4,

Jesus had just identified himself

to be God's chosen king.

Remember,

as he read from the prophet Isaiah,

the spirit of the Lord

is upon me

to proclaim the year

of the Lord's favour,

to bring grace

to the world.

And Jesus stood up

and he said,

I am the Messiah.

I am the one

who has come

to bring favour

to people.

And as he begins

his public ministry,

as he goes out

meeting people,

Jesus is seeking

mission partners.

calling people

to be with him.

First,

the outsider sinner.

So as we march

into chapter 5,

we are introduced

to a number

of different kinds

of people,

all who encounter Jesus.

And they all have

something in common.

I wondered if you noticed it

as we read through.

They are all outsiders.

First,

we are introduced

to the leper.

If you look in verse 12,

while Jesus was in

one of the towns,

a man came along

who was covered

with leprosy.

Now,

it could be any kind

of skin disease.

It could be leprosy

or it could be something

even as basic

as ringworm.

And people

who had

the skin disease

like leprosy

were considered

a danger

to society.

If you had

a skin disease,

well,

you were contagious

and you were

considered ritually

or ceremonially

unclean.

That meant

you couldn't go

to the temple

to worship God.

You were barred.

You weren't allowed

in there.

You weren't even

allowed into

the local synagogue.

You weren't even

allowed in the

marketplace

where everybody

gathered.

So long as you

had a skin disease,

you were on

the outside.

God was

off limits.

You were

an outsider.

And then we meet

the paralytic.

Verse 17.

One day,

as Jesus was

teaching,

Pharisees and

teachers of the law

who had come

from every

village,

so obviously

news about

Jesus was

spreading and

they were

coming from

Judea and

Jerusalem and

were sitting

there and

the power of

the Lord was

present for him

to heal the

sick.

Some men

came carrying

a paralytic,

a man who

couldn't walk,

and tried to

take him into

the house to

lay him before

Jesus.

Now,

literally,

this guy,

we don't even

know his name.

He's on the

outside.

He can't

get near to

Jesus.

He can't

walk.

The crowd is

too big and

no one is

making room for

him to get

in.

In fact,

the religious

leaders who

are in the

inside,

who are all

able-bodied,

have taken up

the best of

seats.

And he and

his friends are

left on the

outside.

And then we

meet Levi,

don't we,

in verse 27.

After this,

Jesus went

out and saw

a tax

collector by

the name of

Levi,

sitting at

his tax

booth.

Levi, of

course, is

also known

as Matthew,

who would

later write

Matthew's

gospel.

But for

now, we

see him

here as

Levi, and

he's a tax

collector.

And they

were the

worst of

the worst.

They were

scum.

As a tax

collector,

Levi worked

for the

enemy, the

occupying

Roman

authorities.

They acted

as informants,

traitors of

their very

own people.

And to

make matters

worse, not

only would

they charge

a certain

amount of

tax, but

they would

always add

on a little

bit extra

and keep

it for

themselves.

Levi was

not just

on the

outside.

Outsiders

considered

tax collectors

on the

outside of

them.

So here

we're

introduced to

all these

outsiders, but

there's one

more.

We met

him at the

very beginning

in verse

four.

When Jesus

had finished

speaking, he

said to

Simon,

Simon of

course would

become

Peter.

He

says, put

out into

deep and

let down

the nets

for a

catch.

Simon

answered,

Master,

we've

worked hard

all night

and haven't

caught

anything, but

because you

say so, I

will let

down the

nets.

Fishing was

always done

in the

evening time

when the

sun was

down.

That was

the best

time to

go fishing.

Here they

are having

fished all

night.

And then

Jesus, a

carpenter, I

mean, what

does he

know about

fishing?

Let down

your nets.

When they

had done

so, verse

six, they

caught such

a large

number of

fish that

their nets

began to

break.

So they

signaled to

the partners

in the

other boat

to come

and help.

And they

filled the

boat so

full that

they began

to sink.

Now you

picture yourself

as Simon

the fisherman,

a tough

job.

you've

worked hard

all night.

You're not

going to get

any pay

because you've

got no

fish.

In fact,

it would be

quite common

to go for

days, even

weeks, with

no money

at all because

you catch

no fish.

And then

all of a

sudden, your

boat, and

not just your

boat, but

your mate's

boat, is

full with

the weight

of fish.

They're

falling out

over the

sides.

Ching,

ching.

You can

see the

dollar

signs flash

or whatever

currency they

used, I

don't know,

in Simon's

eyes.

I'm rich.

Look at all

this money.

Look at what

we're going

to make when

we go down

to the

market today.

But that's

not how he

responds, is

it?

Look at

verse 8.

When Simon

Peter saw

this, he

fell at

Jesus'

knees and

said,

go away

from me,

Lord.

I am a

sinful man.

You see,

encounters

with Jesus

is an

encounter

with the

living God.

Because

only God

could make

fish swim

into your

net at a

time of the

day when

you don't

catch fish.

fish.

For Simon,

as he was

just about

his business

washing his

nets, he

is confronted

with the

power and

the purity

of the

Creator

Almighty

God.

And knowing

what God

is like,

that God

is perfect

and pure,

and that you

cannot even

look upon

God without

being struck

down.

And knowing

what Peter

is like,

what Simon

is like,

that he's

weak and

failing,

that he has

been confronted

with the

living God,

he falls

down on

his knees.

He can't

even bear

to look.

Go away

from me,

Lord.

I am a

sinful man.

I can't

be with you,

Jesus.

I am not

worthy.

I am a

broken,

sinful mess.

I can't

come near.

I am an

outsider.

You see,

when we

truly grasp

and understand

who Jesus

is,

and as

Luke

orders his

material in

such a way

that we begin

to meet him

and hear his

words and

see what he

does,

we realise

that when

confronted with

Jesus,

us,

we are

all

outsiders.

To other

people we

might appear

to be

successful

and popular

and confident

and live in a

certain place

and have a

great job

and we

might appear

to have it

all together

and that we're

morally good

and religious

and life

goes well

but an

encounter

with the

God-man

Jesus

Christ.

Hearing his

words,

seeing what

he does,

we see that

we are not

like him

at all,

but that he

is powerful

and he

is pure

and we

are not

good enough

for him.

We are

all on

the outside.

We are

all sinners

just like

Simon,

just like

Levi,

just like

the man

who is

lame

and just

like the

leper.

How

would

Jesus

respond?

Get away

from me

Simon,

you dirty

rotten

sinner.

Stay away

from me.

I don't

want to

have

anything

to do

with

you.

Amazing

grace.

Look at

verse 10,

the second

part of

verse 10.

Then Jesus

said to

Simon,

don't

be

afraid.

Don't

be afraid.

Peter

knew his

old

testament

that when

people

met

God,

they fell

down

dead.

Don't

be afraid.

From

now on,

you will

catch men

or literally

you will

fish for

people.

So they

pulled up

their boats

and shore

left everything

and followed.

Simon

is a

sinner.

And Jesus

knows what

Simon is

like.

And Jesus

knows what

I am

like and

what you

are like.

And we

can come

here and

we can

have masks

on and

we can

hide the

things that

are deep

down in

our hearts.

But Jesus

knows exactly

what we

are like.

But when

he sees

Simon,

he sees

not just

confession,

I am a

sinner.

He sees

one who

is humble

and completely

dependent on

God.

Look again

at what he

says in

verse 8.

He fell

at Jesus'

knees and

says,

go away

from me,

Lord,

I am a

sinful man.

Simon is

dependent.

As he

falls on

his knees,

he is

looking for

mercy and

grace.

And grace

and mercy

he receives

from an

outsider to

an insider,

from catching

fish to

now fishing

for people.

His whole

life in an

instance has

been changed

and transformed.

He's not

fired.

He's hired.

Jesus is

saying to

Simon,

I want

you now

to tell

people about

me.

Tell them

about the

grace and

the mercy

that you

have received.

Treat people

as I have

just treated

you.

You see,

Jesus calls

outsiders to

follow him

and to

join him

in his

great mission

of welcoming

outsiders so

that they

too can go

and welcome

others.

Well,

how is

Jesus going

to do

that?

How does

he just

suddenly see

Simon in

one way and

then say,

listen Simon,

it's okay,

you can come

and catch

people now?

Well,

I think the

following stories

illustrate what

actually is

going on in

Simon's life.

First,

cleaned.

if we look

at the story

in verse 12

of the leper,

we saw that

he is an

outsider.

He is

unclean.

Now,

if you were

to touch

someone or

to come

into contact

with someone

with a skin

disease,

well,

then you

became

contaminated.

So,

just even

sitting within

their vicinity,

the law

said,

well,

you've now

become

unclean.

In other

words,

you are now

an outsider

as well.

The law

was very,

very clear

to those

who had

a skin

disease.

This comes

from Leviticus

13.

The law

said,

anyone with

such a

defiling disease

must wear

torn clothes,

let their

hair be

unkept,

cover the

lower part

of their

face and

cry out,

unclean,

unclean.

As long

as they

have the

disease,

they remain

unclean.

they must

live alone.

They must

live outside

the camp.

So,

you see,

you had

to be

very,

very careful

about coming

into contact

with a

leper.

If you

saw one,

you ran

the other

way.

You avoided

them at

all costs.

Well,

look at the

middle of

verse 12.

When this

leper saw

Jesus,

he fell

with his

face to

the ground

and begged

him,

Lord,

if you

are willing,

you can

make me

clean.

Well,

what would

Jesus do?

To be

near a

leper runs

the risk

of being

contaminated,

becoming

unclean.

To engage

with this

leper means,

well,

other people

would see

you and

you could

become

ostracised

and pushed

to the

outside and

you would

be treated

like him.

Jesus,

amidst the

crowds,

reached out

his hand

and touched

the man.

I am

willing,

he said.

Be

clean.

And

immediately

the leprosy

left him.

I mean,

the miracle

is incredible.

Something

extraordinary

has just

happened.

Instead of

Jesus being

the one who

becomes

unclean,

it goes

into reverse.

The leper

becomes

clean.

Everybody

else the

leper had

touched,

they became

unclean.

But now

as Jesus

reaches out

and touches

him,

Jesus doesn't

become unclean,

but the leper

does become

clean.

Instead of

his uncleanliness

being passed

on to Jesus,

Jesus'

cleanliness

is passed

on to him.

And by

a simple

word of

command,

be clean,

the leper

has his

life

restored.

He's no

longer an

outsider.

He now

can walk

into the

marketplace,

he can

now go

to the

temple,

that's why

Jesus said

to him

in verse

14,

go show

yourself

to the

priest,

go show

them that

you're

clean and

that you

can go

and worship

God.

It's

just a

brilliant

picture.

of the

compassion

and love

of God

towards

people like

you and

me,

of God

reaching down

and touching

unclean

people like

us.

And through

Jesus,

our uncleanliness,

all our

impurity,

all our

sin is

removed,

and we

instead are

covered with

his purity.

So that

people like

you and I

can come

and stand

in the

presence of

God.

Jesus has

come to

clean us

so that

we can

be welcomed

into his

mission.

But not

just

cleaned,

forgiven.

Remember the

lame man?

we left

him in

verse 18

on the

outside.

Verse 19,

when they

could not

find a

way to

do this,

that was

to get

to Jesus

because of

the crowd.

Well,

they went

up onto

the roof,

which would

have been

flat roofs,

and they

lowered him

on his

mat through

the tiles,

easy to

take apart

and drop

somebody

down,

into the

middle of

the crowd,

right in

front of

Jesus.

Now he's

on the

inside,

right in

front of

Jesus.

Now Jesus

can heal

him and

make him

walk.

walk.

But what

does Jesus

say,

verse 20,

when Jesus

saw their

faith,

their

dependence,

their

humility,

he said,

friend,

your sins

are forgiven.

Well,

this guy,

he can't

walk and

he wants

Jesus to

make him

walk again.

That's why

he's there.

But Jesus

sees past

the physical

and he

sees the

heart and

he sees

the life

and he

sees a

greater need

for this

man.

The need

to be

forgiven,

yes,

physically

he's on

the inside,

he's right

in front

of Jesus,

but he

needs to

be brought

to the

inside.

He needs

to be

made clean.

He needs

to be

forgiven.

You see,

unless we

experience

forgiveness,

we remain

on the

outside.

Without

being made

clean,

we cannot

be part

of his

mission.

Verse 21,

the Pharisees

and the

teachers

of the

law

began

thinking

to

themselves,

who is

this

fellow

who

speaks

blasphemy?

Who does

he think

he is?

Who can

forgive sins

but God

alone?

Jesus'

claim to

forgive sins

is sending

out another

clear message.

I am

God.

I have

the authority

to forgive

to forgive

your sins.

Yes,

only God

can forgive

sins,

but don't

you realise

who I

am?

I can

forgive

your sins

and I

can wipe

the slate

clean

and give

you a

fresh start

so that

your sins,

past,

present and

future,

are remembered

no more,

no longer

held against

you.

And to

prove it,

look at

verse 23,

Jesus says

to them,

which is

easier to

say,

your sins

are forgiven

or to

say,

get up

and walk?

Well,

it's easy

to say,

your sins

are forgiven.

I mean,

I could say

that to

any one of

you.

I could

say,

your sins

are forgiven,

your sins

are forgiven.

How do

you know

if your sins

are forgiven?

How do

you prove

it or

disprove

it?

Anybody

can say,

your sins

are forgiven.

It's much

harder to

say,

get up

and walk

because it

must be

proven by

that person

getting up

and walking.

Verse

24,

but so

that you

may know

that the

Son of

Man

has

authority

on earth

to forgive

sins,

He said

to the

paralyzed

man,

I tell

you,

get up,

take your

mat and

go home.

Jesus

heals

the man

physically

to prove

he can

forgive sins

spiritually.

He does

a greater

work,

more than

this guy

ever thought

or imagined.

he takes

him from

the outside

and brings

him into

the inside.

And unless

we have

come to

experience

this forgiveness

from God,

we remain

on the

outside.

And the

point is

clear,

it's only

when we're

forgiven

and cleaned

that we can

be part of

his mission.

because

his purpose

is to

call us

to his

mission.

Look at

the story

of Levi.

The

encounter

with Jesus

is just

stunning.

It's a

brilliant

little story.

Verse 27,

after this

Jesus went

out and

he saw

a tax

collector

by the

name of

Levi

sitting at

his tax

booth.

Follow

me,

Jesus

said to

him.

And

Levi

got up,

left

everything

and

followed

him.

It's

astounding.

Tax

collectors

are

outsiders

and

they

should

stay

outsiders.

They're

meant to

be

condemned,

not

welcomed.

But

these are

the people

that Jesus

calls.

He

cleans

them,

he

forgives

them,

and he

says,

follow

me.

Verse 28,

and Levi

got up,

left

everything,

and

followed

him.

Well,

Simon's

response was

pretty much

the same,

wasn't it?

Verse 11,

they pulled

their boats

up on

shore,

left

everything,

and

followed

him.

Now,

we know

that Simon,

as we read

through the

Gospels,

that he did

continue to

fish.

and it's

very possible

that Levi

continued to

be a tax

collector,

although

an honest

one.

So,

what does

it mean

that they

left

everything

and

followed

him?

Well,

in following

Jesus and

leaving

everything,

it's the

same call

that goes

out to

us.

Jesus is

saying,

look,

your

priorities

in life

have now

changed.

I am

your

priority.

Their

whole

life was

now

reorientated

around the

mission and

the plan of

Jesus,

who was to

call people

into his

mission.

Jesus has

become central.

Their life

was all about

now serving

his purpose,

whether they

were fishing

or tax

collecting or

whatever they

did,

their mission

was about

serving his

purpose.

Jesus was

now their

Lord.

God

that is

what and

how Jesus

was referred

to, a

title that

was reserved

for God

alone.

In other

words, there

is no longer

any I

or me.

It's no

longer what

I want or

what I want

to do.

But what

does God

say in

his word

and what

should I

obey?

He is my

master.

I must

follow

him.

And that's

the call

of Jesus

when he

cleans us

and forgives

us.

He is

calling

outsiders

like you

and me

to follow

him and

to join

him in

his mission

of welcoming

outsiders.

So third,

outsider

sinners

welcome

others.

Levi

immediately

understands

that because

he has

been

welcomed,

brought

from the

outside to

the inside

by Jesus,

he now

welcomes

other people.

Look at his

response,

verse 29.

Then Levi

held a

great banquet,

this massive

party in his

house,

for Jesus

and a large

crowd of the

tax collectors

and others

were eating

them.

Levi

sends out

an invite

to all his

other tax

collector

friends.

all the

other

outsiders.

He says,

come to

my house,

come and

have a

party.

Because he

wants them

to meet

Jesus.

He wants

them to

experience

what it

is to

be cleaned

and forgiven

and called.

And here

we see

mission at

its simplest

but at

its best.

Sitting

down with

his friends,

eating and

drinking and

talking about

what Jesus

has done

in your

life.

But not

everyone is

happy.

Verse 30.

The Pharisees

and the

teachers of

the law

who belong

to their

sect,

remember they've

come from all

over the

places.

We read that

in verse 17,

wanting to

know who

this Jesus

is.

faith.

And they

complained to

the disciples,

why do you

eat and

drink with

tax collectors

and sinners?

Remember tax

collectors were

like traitors.

They were

working for

the occupying

Romans.

For the

Pharisees,

God's Messiah

was meant to

come in in a

blaze of glory

and get rid of

the Romans and

overthrow the

enemy and set

up and establish

God's kingdom

and restore

everything and

everybody to

their rightful

place.

But here's the

Messiah,

sitting down in

the middle of

these outsiders,

sitting amongst

these traitors,

sitting amongst

the outsiders,

eating and

drinking.

And in case

we're missing

the point,

that's precisely

the mission of

Jesus.

He says,

verse 31,

it is not

the healthy

who need

the doctor,

but it's

the sick.

I haven't

come to

call the

righteous,

but sinners

to repentance.

As we

finish,

I want to

ask ourselves

some questions.

How are we

doing at

welcoming

others?

sinners?

Do you

sit down

and eat

with tax

collectors

and sinners?

Let me

ask a couple

of questions.

Who are the

people that

you intentionally

socialise with

and chat to?

I don't

mean the

people who

you kind of

bump into

at work or

in college

and kind of

they're there,

but who do

you intentionally

take time

out with

and socialise

with?

Or do you

just like to

keep it

safe and

hang out

with the

good

Christians?

After all,

we don't

want to

become

contaminated

by those

who live

in moral

lives,

do we?

Who do

you invite

into your

homes?

Or who do

you invite

out if you

go out for

dinner or

a drink?

The nice

people?

The ones

that believe

the same

kinds of

things that

you believe?

After all,

we don't

want to

become unclean

by those

who hold

different views

about abortion

or gender

identity.