Sermon: Reality C.V. Summary: Jesus makes the call to be fishers of men and demonstrated the meaning of this by showing compassion to a sick, social outcast, by bringing salvation to a cripple, and by accepting a sinner and welcoming his friends. These stories teach us that our job is not to get results, but to be obedient and humble while following him in touching social outcasts, sharing the good news, and welcoming sinners and not worry about appearing “respectable” by the world’s standards, but by God’s standards. Know: Holiness is not about be set apart from the world, but about being set apart in and among the world to reach out with the Gospel. Feel: Security in Christian identity enough to feel free to rub shoulders with the most hardened sinners and not worry about what people will “think” by your associating with them. Do: Identify people in your life that you might have been avoiding because of their lifestyle, and pray for guidance on how you might befriend them in a way that you can demonstrate God’s love to them in order to draw them to Christ. Text: Luke 5:1-32 Scripture Reading: Galatians 6:2 Intro: 1. Reality T.V. - All kinds today a. Members of a team work together, then eliminate someone b. Sometimes scheme, every man for himself ultimately c. What a picture of the world we live in 2. But I want to talk about reality C.V. a. C.V. - Christian vision b. Jesus has a deferent vision for us that the world gives us c. We don’t eliminate the weak, but bear each other’s burdens - Gal 6:2 d. This fulfills the law of Christ 3. Jesus demonstrates his vision in this mornings text 4. (Luke 5:1-11) The Call - Become fishers of Men a. Jesus is about to teach an object lesson after he preaches b. Imagine the scene 1) Fishing all night long - Night supposed to be best time - But they caught nothing - Now it is day, they tired, in a daze, maybe napping 2) Jesus tells them to put out into deep water and fish! - I not fisherman, but 90% of fish in 10% of water - There were no fish, they tried all night c. Let’s say you are a mechanic/carpenter/computers, etc. 1) I know very little about your trade, but here’s technical advice - Idea... if you do this, you have great success 2) Would you invest all your assets into my idea? 3) Jesus is a carptenter, not a fisherman - Made no sense to fish in the daytime - Especially made to sense since there were no fish! 4) You know rest of the story, took two boats and bursting nets! d. Lessons from this 1) Results are not our job, it is his 2) Our job is to be obedient, even when it doesn’t make sense - Just like the march around Jericho - Just like Namaan washing in the Jordan - Just like our baptism 3) Results are his job, our job is to trust and obey 4) He will make them fishers of men - What does that mean? I. (5:12-16) - Welcome the untouchables A. Imagine the life of one “covered” with leprosy 1. Leprosy a general term for many skin diseases 2. Probably looked hideous a. Kids look at him and probably start crying b. No one would ever touch him 3. (Lev. 13:45-46) a. Had to wear torn clothes b. Had to cover mustache and shout “Unclean” c. Had to live outside the campe alone B. Imagine this scene 1. If shout “unclean!” everyone backs away 2. Everyone except for Jesus a. Jesus touches him! b. Could have been years since being touched C. ILL: Had a study with a freind then his parents 1. Were dirt poor, stuffing coming out of couch 2. He always had old clothes in school, few friends 3. Was nearly invisible to all 4. Started coming to church, and all that changed D. Who are the untouchables in your life? 1. If you slow down to notice, will see there are lonely people 2. What can you do to reach out and touch them? a. Complement to let the know you notice b. Introduce them to your Christian friends c. Invite them to life group II. (5:17-26) - Welcome the lost A. Here was a cripple and friends looking for healing - Imagine the desperation, dug through the roof B. Jesus recognized something that crippled him in deeper way 1. There was a greater need - reconciliation 2. Because of his faith, Jesus offered forgiveness 3. The healing was to demonstrate his authority a. Which is easier? To say forgive b. Jesus did what they thought was “harder” c. If he have authority to heal, then also to forgive 4. If all Jesus did was heal, man still be crippled where it counts a. Person’s greatest need is restoration b. Jesus was passionate about restoration C. ILL: My Dad passionate about the lost 1. Goes across country doing we care campaigns 2. Just baptized someone at home congregation last week 3. He is not trained professional, no Bible degree, etc. 4. Person’s rough appearance, background, etc. never other him a. Person could be social leper, he never noticed b. Everyone felt comfortable around him c. Like Jesus, he welcomed everyone D. We need to welcome the lost as well 1. Taking care of financial, food, etc. all well and good 2. But haven’t done much unless take care of spiritual need 3. At some point, want to turn attention to spiritual need - Reconciliation with God III. (5:27-32) - Welcome Sinners A. Tax collectors were not like our IRS auditors 1. There were several kinds of taxes a. Most of them a fixed amount, like the Poll Tax 2. But there taxes on roads a. Way Roman hire tax collectors - went to highest bidder b. System open to abuse c. If couldn’t pay, then they give loan with high interest d. Tax collectors often well to do 3. Can see why Jews despised tax collectors a. Not only did have reputation of dishonesty, b. But they were seen as traitors, lackeys of Rome B. Imagine the scene 1. Jesus invites Levi to follow him a. He follows, so now a tax collector among Jesus followers b. What is more shocking is the company Jesus now keeps - Jesus is “reclining” with Levi’s freinds, tax collectors - Not like “sitting” at a table - Reclining on left elbow, no shoes - Share a couch with another person - Eating together intimacy, implies acceptance 2. This looks really bad for Jesus a. Pharisees believe salvation by separation - Law said to distinguish between holy and profane - They kept self clean and holy - They did not associate with gentiles or sinners b. These were good, upstanding, respectable citizens c. He should have preached to them, but not eat with them d. Did Jesus make a bad move for his “image” here? 3. (Luke 11:39) - Pharisees look good on outside a. They were respectable looking b. But God’s view of respectability not the same c. (1 Cor 5:9-10) - No instruction to stay away from sinners - Paul lists who specifically in this passage - Would you associate with immoral person? C. ILL: The type of fishing they were doing is significant 1. Not use rod and reel, but a drag net 2. Drag net scoop up everything indiscriminately 3. Jesus reached out to everyone, lepers, tax collectors, sinners 4. Even ate with Pharisees too - Luke 7:36, 11:37 D. Holiness is not about being set apart from the world, but about being set apart in and among the world 1. Don’t think this means we are to “blend in” 2. But don’t think we to be divorced from it 3. Don’t be afraid of being seen with sinners a. Doesn’t mean participating in their sin b. Does mean associating with them 4. Know someone who cusses too much? Sleeps around? Drinks too much? Cheats? Lies? Fights? a. May want to stay away from them, we are Christians b. People may get the wrong idea about us c. That’s not what Jesus did! d. His drag net reached all people! Concl: 1. That’s reality C.V. a. We don’t eliminate the undesirable, the lost the weak sinners b. Ours is a rescue mission 2. Have you been rescued? If not converted, you need to be (Invitation) 3. If you have been rescued, are you following his calling by casting out the drag net? Questions for Small Group Discussion