Jesus' Non-negotiable - "Preaching the Good News" Applied
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Jesus’ Non-negotiables - “Preaching the Good News” Applied
Jesus’ Non-negotiables - “Preaching the Good News” Applied
Luke 4:42 - 5:11 -
Introduction:
- Dr Egerdie - physician, urologist, professor
Prostrate issues, occasional problems, occasional medication required, some procedures including biopsies (no cancer) and eventually at TURP procedure (Trans urethral re-sectioning of the prostrate)
A while after the TURP procedure - final visit with Dr Egerdie - had been told running a bit late because of an emergency.
“I am sorry that you had to wait, but when you have to wait, the good news is worth it.” - I hadn’t realized that there was potentially bad news. I had naively thought that the 12 or so biopsies would have eliminated any question of cancer cells.
News that is “good” must be shared.
“Good News” usually first associate with the birth of Jesus was shared to be shared.
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
Responses to the good news were mixed but that did not change the fact that the Gospel was good news and those who have by faith received that good news tell others, in word and in deed.
Generally, good news is acknowledged as good only by those who are all too aware of the bad news and its implications.
When there is good news, it goes without saying that there is also bad news. That bad news is not only bad it is fatal.
For many “sin” has lost much its meaning. In fact, sad as it is, with truth being seen as relative, perhaps we need to take a step back in our increasingly pluralistic society and following the example of the apostle Paul when he visited Athens and came to the Areopagus. To them, Paul graciously explained,
Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for
“ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Some mocked. Some would hear him again. Some believed. Paul kept preaching. He followed Jesus’ example.
In today’s text we see that sadly, and perhaps ironically, those who first responded the good news were not those who gathered in synagogues but those on the edge of the crowd near the lake of Gennesaret.
Some time, sooner rather than later, we probably need to search the Scriptures to see why those who are most responsive to the Gospel are those who for a while seem to be a bit slower to respond. Perhaps that is because for the word to truly takes root takes time.
The good news preached/taught - 4:42-5:3
After leaving the synagogue (Sabbath) in Capernaum Jesus:
Healed Simon’s mother-in-law of a high fever - 4:38-38-
When sun was setting:
Healed all who sick of various diseases -4:40-
Demons came out of many but He would not allow them to speak - 4:41-
While still dark, Jesus departed for a secluded place to pray
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
The people sought Him and came to Him and would have kept Him from leaving them. This was understandable. Jesus had the power to deliver them from disease and demons.
Jesus did not rebuke them. While He performed miracles, He was a preacher of the Gospel. He repeatedly affirmed that He came not to demonstrate power over the effects of sin in our mortal bodies but His power over sin’s eternal consequences.
I MUST PREACH THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD - 1st of 32 times that term is used by Luke (6 times in Acts) to express what happens when by faith repents believing in the Gospel - Lk 6:20; 7:28; 8:1, 10; 9:2, 11, 27, 60, 62; … 12:31, 32 …
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
This comes only through faith Christ and the Gospel.
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
In other towns:
In the synagogues of Judea - regional population of about 3 million - Josephus
Jesus a gifted communicator
The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!”
And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Lake of Gennesaret/Sea of Galilee - crowd pressing in on Him to hear the word of God
Not a synonym for the Bible, but word directly from God.
Luke 1–5: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Jesus Is the Source of Truth
When Jesus spoke, they literally heard God speaking
Good news of salvation/entering the kingdom of God.
The spiritually poor could become rich.
Spiritual prisoners could be set free.
The spiritually blind could receive their sight.
The spiritually oppressed could be delivered from their bondage.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
From Simon’s boat - 5:2-3 -
Luke 1–5: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Jesus Is the Source of Truth
The Lord’s decision to enter that particular boat was not a random one; Jesus did nothing without a purpose. The time had come for Him to move not only into Peter’s boat, but more intensely into his life, along with the other two who would become His inner circle, James and John, to lift them to the highest level of commitment
Having chosen to follow Jesus - Jn 1:41-42 - there was coming the call to be full-time disciples.
Response to John the Baptist’s message - Lamb of God, sin of the world, revealed to Israel, baptism, have born witness - Andrew/Simon, Philip/Nathanael.
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Sat down & taught.
2. The good news applied - 5:4-7
Every time we open the word, every time the word is opened in our presence, the Spirit of God continues to teach us and further mold and shape each of us into the image of Christ.
As only the Spirit of God can do, each of us will hear some common truths from the same portion of Scripture, but if we are listening carefully and prayerfully, each of us will also come understand what our individual next steps of discipleship are. Those next steps are individual and at collective.
That being the case, there will usually be those who are hearing the Gospel for the first time and those who repented some time ago and are prayerfully considering what their next step if obedience. When all involved are sensitive to what our Lord is doing in the hearts of all involved we pray that we will have Paul’s & Paulina’s on their road. And by God’s we will disciples at Faithway like Ananias or Anocia in Damascus who hear God’s call to come alongside that new believer.
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”
The greatest challenge facing fishermen, even experienced fishermen is finding and catching fish. Sometimes, the tried and the usually most effective methods provided little or no results. For the sport fisherman that can be disappointing. For the commercial fisherman that can eventually be devastating.
Jesus, who created everything, knew all creatures. He knew when one sparrow fell.
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Christ - 2 commands:
“Put into the deep” - 2nd personal singular - Peter
“Let down your nets for a catch.” - 2nd personal - entire crew
Large nets, hard work
Nets had been washed and if necessary mended
Simon - “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! BUT at your word I will let down the nets.”
Master - epistates - chief, commander, one who stands over, superintendent - respectful for one in authority, but not an affirmation of deity - used repeatedly by Simon
And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm.
And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!”
Worked hard as best they knew but failed
Jesus, no ordinary carpenter
BUT at your word, I will let down the nets.
Jesus had healed his mother-in-law
They
Let down nets
Enclosed a large number of fish
Their nets were breaking
Their partners came
Both boats filled and began to sink
3. The bad news acknowledged - 5:8-10a
This remarkable catch of fish was a miracle. BUT rather celebrate the good news, Simon Peter acknowledged the bad news, not that their boats were sinking, but:
“Depart from me, Lord.”
Lord - kurios/God - divine power & omniscience - first of many times - Nathaniel, non-saving professions of faith, man who led Peter & John to the upper room
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)
Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”
“I am a sinful man.”
Luke 1–5: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Jesus Is Holy
When Simon Peter saw the evidence of that in the miraculous catch of fish, he was overwhelmed with the realization that he was face-to-face with Holy God. Peter, fully aware that if he saw deity, deity saw him too, and realizing that the One who could see the depths of the lake could see the depths of his heart, felt exposed.
Luke 1–5: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Jesus Is Holy
He immediately fell down at Jesus’ feet (lit. His knees), saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” No longer did Peter use the respectful term epistatēs as in v. 5, but kurios, by which he means, “God.” As a devout Jew, Peter knew that God alone was to be worshiped (4:8; Deut. 6:13)
Attitude similar to that of the repentant tax collector, Abraham & Job etc.
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees you;
therefore I despise myself,
and repent in dust and ashes.”
And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.”
Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.”
And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.
Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,
FOR HE AND ALL WHO WERE WITH HIM WERE ASTONISHED - at the catch of fish
James & John - partners, Andrew not mentioned but inferred
While there are a few who would suggest that this confession of his sin was when Peter came to true saving faith, the Scriptures instead make it clear that confession is the beginning of ongoing instances of seeing Christ’s divine glory and confessing it, as on the Mt of Transfiguration.
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
4. The good news amplified & appropriated - 5:10b-11
When Peter felt most sinful and unworthy, Jesus graciously embraced and encouraged him.
David understood that. So did Isaiah. So must we.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things came to be,
declares the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word.
And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people:
“ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
There was no need to fear the Lord.
They would catch men. They had caught fish to kill them. Now they would catch men to give them life.
At probably the high point in their careers, of their own volition, they left everything to follow Jesus. Those who fully follow Jesus will not add Jesus, but commit to Jesus only.
Jesus does not ask all of us t leave all, but all of us must be willing to leave all.
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
Applications:
We must preach the good news of the kingdom of God, especially where there are those who press to hear the word of God.
We must preach the Gospel in new towns.
What is our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and uttermost parts of the world?
What are we called to do ourselves and what must we partner with others to do?
Are we continuing to make disciples who make disciples.
Are we training teachers who are able to teach others also?
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
2. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.” - Rom 10:17 -
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Do we and those with whom we partner keep the word of Christ central?
That does not mean that we don’t have fun. That does not mean that we do not address social. But it must always come back to the word and the Gospel communicated in ways and places where there are those who are pressing to hear.
3. In both preaching the Gospel and discipleship we dare not forget that we continue to be sinners saved by grace. That is to say, those who have been saved by God’s grace continue to transformed by God’s grace.
The Gospel must always be good and bad news. The good news never sounds as good as it really is when we do not know how bad, eternally bad the bad news of our sinfulness really is.
Most of the world’s “ism’s” and religious systems teach that man is intrinsically good and can save and renew himself if given half a chance and enough information.
Looking around him, the apostle Paul noted that mankind repeatedly rejects what is good and God.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Those who have repented have not arrived. They are continued need of God’s transforming grace.
4. True faith is demonstrated by obedience, leaving all and following Christ.
What is your, my, our, Faithway’s next steps of obedience?
What is God calling us to leave to follow Him.
In some cases that means serving Him in newer more fruitful ways.
Farming and retail has changed will continue to change.
Where is the Lord calling us to go 5 years from now?
One step at a time.