Luke 5:27-39

Observations:

vv. 27-28, After the healing of the paralytic man and the leper, Jesus goes on from the house to notice Levi the tax collector, sitting in a tax booth. He tells Levi to follow Him and immediately he left everything behind to follow Jesus.

v. 29, Levi gave a big reception for Jesus in his home where there were many other tax collectors and “other people” reclining

v. 30, The Pharisees and their scribes are pretty indignant at what Jesus and his disciples eating and drinking with tax collectors and “sinners”

vv. 31-32, Jesus responded to their grumbling by saying that He, the Physician, has not come for the healthy (righteous) but for the sick (sinners), calling them to repentance.

vv. 33-35, The Pharisees respond by noting that John the Baptist and his disciples fasted and prayed often, just as the disciples of the Pharisees, but Jesus’ disciples eat and drink. Jesus states that just attendants of the bridegroom don’t fast while the bridegroom is with them, neither do His disciples fast. There is, Jesus notes, a day that is coming where He will be taken away and then His disciples will fast.

The OT required people to fast only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. The Pharisees required fasting twice a week, but Jesus disregarded this innovation.

vv. 36-39, Jesus tells the parable of the wineskins (research this)

The messianic wedding imagery is followed by the first two crisp parables in the Gospel of Luke. Both parables emphasize the uniqueness of Jesus, and are thus generally rather than specifically related to the preceding teaching on fasting.

Exegetical Idea/Big Idea:

Jesus calls Levi (Matthew), a tax collector, to follow Him; Levi does so, leaving everything behind.

Being received by Jesus, Levi receives Jesus into his home, honoring Him before his friends and acquaintances. The religious leaders grumble at His eating with tax collectors and sinners and His celebrating instead of fasting

Jesus responds by noting that as a physician comes to to the sick, so has He come to call the sinners to repentance. Furthermore, He tells the religious leaders that His ministry is not a ministry of mourning, but celebration, for with Him comes a certain kind of newness that is not intermixable with the old traditions of the Pharisees and the religious leaders want nothing to do with this newness.

Big Idea:

Christ has come to call sinners to Him who will repent and follow Him. To abide in His presence, to be a part of His ministry, is to partake in something completely new, a kind of newness that is absolutely something to celebrate.

Homiletical Idea

Let us not miss the point that life in Christ is a reality worthy of utmost celebration and this attitude of celebration should manifest itself in every aspect of our lives, for as partakers of His ministry of newness, we are new creatures, separated from the old ways, as Christ has brought in the new. (2 Cor 5:17)

Liturgical Idea

What should we praise God for? (Rejoice)

Praise God for the newness of all things that He makes in Christ (Rev 21:5)

What should we confess to God? (Repent)

Unlike Matthew, we have at times rejected Christ’s call to follow Him in repentance.

Like the Pharisees, we too have rejected the new way of Christ to cling to our old ways

What should we ask God for? (Request)

A heart that celebrates the presence of the Bridegroom.

Exposure to and discernment of any old way we still cling to.

What should we lift up to God? (Sacrifice)

The old ways we still cling to.

What should we live out for God? (Service)

Let us not miss the point that life in Christ is a reality worthy of utmost celebration and this attitude of celebration should manifest itself in every aspect of our lives, for as partakers of His ministry of newness, we are new creatures, separated from the old ways, as Christ has brought in the new. (2 Cor 5:17)

Intro:

Recap:

Luke 5:12-26, If we expect to participate in the life and works of Christ, first know that it is the faith that responds in obedience, regardless if it is pitiful and small, that is a faith sufficient for the good works prepared beforehand by the true Master and Lord.

Prayer

Read Luke 5:27-39,

Head- What does it mean?

(10-15 min.)

v. 27-39, Celebrating the Newness of Jesus’ Ministry

vv. 27-29,

vv. 27-28, After the healing of the paralytic man and the leper, Jesus goes on from the house to notice Levi the tax collector, sitting in a tax booth. He tells Levi to follow Him and immediately he left everything behind to follow Jesus.

v. 29, Levi gave a big reception for Jesus in his home where there were many other tax collectors and “other people” reclining

Summarize:

Jesus calls Levi (Matthew), a tax collector, to follow Him; Levi does so, leaving everything behind.

vv. 30-32,

v. 30, The Pharisees and their scribes are pretty indignant at what Jesus and his disciples eating and drinking with tax collectors and “sinners”

vv. 31-32, Jesus responded to their grumbling by saying that He, the Physician, has not come for the healthy (righteous) but for the sick (sinners), calling them to repentance.

Summarize:

Being received by Jesus, Levi receives Jesus into his home, honoring Him before his friends and acquaintances. The religious leaders grumble at His eating with tax collectors and sinners and His celebrating instead of fasting. Jesus responds by noting that as a physician comes to to the sick, so has He come to call the sinners to repentance.

vv. 33-39,

vv. 33-35, The Pharisees respond by noting that John the Baptist and his disciples fasted and prayed often, just as the disciples of the Pharisees, but Jesus’ disciples eat and drink. Jesus states that just attendants of the bridegroom don’t fast while the bridegroom is with them, neither do His disciples fast. There is, Jesus notes, a day that is coming where He will be taken away and then His disciples will fast.

The OT required people to fast only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. The Pharisees required fasting twice a week, but Jesus disregarded this innovation.

vv. 36-39, Jesus tells the parable of the wineskins (research this)

The messianic wedding imagery is followed by the first two crisp parables in the Gospel of Luke. Both parables emphasize the uniqueness of Jesus, and are thus generally rather than specifically related to the preceding teaching on fasting.

Summarize:

Furthermore, He tells the religious leaders that His ministry is not a ministry of mourning, but celebration, for with Him comes a certain kind of newness that is not intermixable with the old traditions of the Pharisees and the religious leaders want nothing to do with this newness.

Big Idea:

Christ has come to call sinners to Him who will repent and follow Him. To abide in His presence, to be a part of His ministry, is to partake in something completely new, a kind of newness that is absolutely something to celebrate.

Heart- Do I buy it?

(20-30 min)

Open the discussion for any questions.

(Let group answer these questions)

What should we praise God for? (Rejoice)

Praise God for the newness of all things that He makes in Christ (Rev 21:5)

What should we confess to God? (Repent)

Unlike Matthew, we have at times rejected Christ’s call to follow Him in repentance.

Like the Pharisees, we too have rejected the new way of Christ to cling to our old ways

What should we ask God for? (Request)

A heart that celebrates the presence of the Bridegroom.

Exposure to and discernment of any old way we still cling to.

What should we lift up to God? (Sacrifice)

The old ways we still cling to.

What should we live out for God? (Service)

Let us not miss the point that life in Christ is a reality worthy of utmost celebration and this attitude of celebration should manifest itself in every aspect of our lives, for as partakers of His ministry of newness, we are new creatures, separated from the old ways, as Christ has brought in the new. (2 Cor 5:17)

Hands- So What? How then should I live?

(10-15 min)

Walk with God: What does celebrating newness in Christ look like personally in your walk with God?

Keep Christ first: What does celebrating newness in Christ look like personally when we keep Christ first?

Keep sin out of your life: What does celebrating newness in Christ look like personally when you are keeping sin out of your life?

Personally, to celebrate the fruits of newness that are rooted in Christ, my mind must be renewed by constant engagements with the truths surrounding this reality.