Adult Book Published by 21st Century Christian, Inc. 2809 12th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37204 2018 by 21st Century Christian, Inc. This publication may not be copied or reproduced in any form. Adult Manual written by: Dr. Michael Brown a division of 21st Century Christian, Inc. Illustrator: Jonathan Edelhuber ALL SCRIPTURE NKJV Scripture taken from New King James Version 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.
About the Author Michael Brown has served as Senior Minister of the Westview church of Christ in Huntsville, Alabama, from its beginning in 2008. He has previously served as minister for the Second Avenue church in Lewisburg, Tennessee; the North Clinton Avenue church in Trenton, NJ; and the Point Breeze Avenue church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Michael holds a doctorate degree from Harding School of Theology and a Master s of Divinity from Lipscomb University. In addition to his ministerial duties, Michael works as a Senior Software Consultant for NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS Lesson One...Page 5 Dedication Jesus Calls Four Fishermen (Luke 5:1-11) Lesson Two... Page 12 Repentance Jesus Forgives a Sinful Woman (Luke 7:36-50) Lesson Three... Page 19 Humility Jesus Teaches About Greatness (Luke 9:46-48) Lesson Four... Page 26 Mercy Jesus Tells About the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) Lesson Five... Page 34 Generosity The Widow Who Gave All (Luke 20:45 21:4) 3
Introduction The call of Jesus is the most unique call a person can receive. It is a call to a radically new view of life. It is a summons to interact with others in a profoundly different manner as we work to make a positive impact for the Lord in this life. In short, it is a challenge to function from a kingdom-oriented mindset. As we examine key episodes in the earthly ministry of Jesus, we will have an opportunity to find our place in the overall mission of God s kingdom agenda. Luke uniquely captures Jesus mission, and in doing so, he provides us with an awesome look into the roles we are to play. 4
ONE LESSON DEDICATION JESUS CALLS FOUR FISHERMEN Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Lesson Text Luke 5:1-11 Focus: Jesus ministry called for the selection and training of others. He had always intended a ministry inclusive of others. INTRODUCTION The earthly ministry of Jesus was never to be a solo mission. Upon beginning this ministry, Jesus recruited 12 particular men that He began to train and prepare for continuing His ministry once He was to leave this world. He called them to an extreme level of commitment. Examining this commitment forces us to think more soberly about the level of dedication we are called to have. KEY BACKGROUND INFORMATION The calling of the first disciples is similarly captured in each of the synoptic gospels (Luke 5:1-11; Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20). Among the 12 who would be His closest associates as well as those He would later commission to the world, Simon, Andrew, James, and John are initially referenced. 5
Luke s capture of the earthly ministry of Jesus is tailored to a Gentile audience. His account is addressed to Theophilus, a new Gentile convert who was having doubts about his association with a racially mixed and persecuted new community. The purpose of the writing was to urge him and all others whose faith was being challenged to maintain faithfulness. Luke was neither an eyewitness of Jesus ministry nor of Jewish heritage. He took great pains to write an orderly account of the life and ministry of Jesus (Luke 1:1-4). As a Gentile focused on Gentiles, he cast his attention on the message of inclusion that Jesus preached. Luke chose to present those instances in Jesus ministry that showed His concern for the outsider. The Sea of Galilee was also known as the Lake of Gennesaret and the Sea of Tiberias. It was known for its tremendous fish industry and for its frequent, violent squalls. Fishermen were either amateurs or professionals of the trade. It was here that Jesus met and chose Simon (who would be called Peter ), Andrew, James, and John (Luke 5:3; Matthew 4:18-22). Peter and Andrew were from Bethsaida, which was also known as Fishtown or Home of Fish (John 1:44). It is of little wonder that these men made their living in the fishing industry. LESSON: EXAMINING THE EPISODE Jesus had experienced rejection in Nazareth (Luke 4:18-30), but that did not stop Him from carrying out His mission. He had escaped the threat on His life and had moved down to Capernaum. There, He taught, performed an exorcism, and cured many of their diseases (Luke 4:31-41). By the time of our text, multitudes were after Jesus. As many had come out to hear His teaching, and doubtless, to witness more of His miraculous power, He began to choose His disciples. He started with some fishermen. 6
Jesus calling of disciples is radically different than that of the teacher/ disciple relationships of His day. It was customary for the would-be student to search out and select a rabbi to follow. He would then devote himself to the memorization of that rabbi s teaching. However, Jesus called the men He wanted as His disciples. He taught them His message, trained them in His mission, and sent them out to fulfill that mission. Jesus had never intended a solo ministry. Knowing that He would only be in this world for a relatively brief time, Jesus purposely selected men whom He would prepare to continue this mission. After Jesus taught the multitudes, He turned His attention to these fishermen. This probably was not Simon s initial encounter with Jesus (Luke 4:38), but it proved to be the meeting that turned Simon s world around. The same can be said of the others who had encountered Jesus. Simon and company were likely tired and frustrated - having had a long, fruitless night in plying their trade. They had caught nothing, and they were cutting their losses for the day. Jesus instructed these wellexperienced fishermen to go against the conventional wisdom of fishing close to the shore during the night. Though they thought it strange at best, they did what Jesus said. Humanly speaking, the results were astounding. However, from a divine perspective, the results were predictable. These fishermen found themselves in sinking boats because of the enormous catch (Luke 5:6-7). Simon s reaction to this miraculous power of Jesus is noteworthy. His reaction was both like and unlike the demon that Jesus had previously encountered (Luke 4:32-35). The demon spoke as a known enemy of Jesus. Simon spoke as a man knowing that he was a sinful man in the presence of a holy one. Just like at Isaiah s call, Simon s response was to result in blessing (Isaiah 6:5-6; Luke 5:10). Having witnessed the power of Jesus, these early disciples made quite an astounding choice. They left their profession for the sake of following Jesus. It would be a decision that would be challenged for the remainder of their lives. 7
APPLICATION: BRINGING IT HOME THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP What does it really mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Though our modernday context has changed, the essence of being called to follow Jesus remains the same. It s a matter that begins with the Lord s call. We are called to follow Jesus by means of the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14). This message of Jesus self-sacrifice for the sins of all humanity, of His burial and resurrection, and of the implications for those who accept Him by faith is our invitation to become lifelong students of Jesus. As followers, we learn of His ways and seek to model them in our own lives (Matthew 11:28-30). God initiates all of this, providing an opportunity for us to receive and respond to the good news of Christ. Like these original disciples, our call to follow Jesus did not occur by happenstance. God did not force us to accept the call, but He, in His sovereignty, so arranged our course of life so as to be encountered by the gospel. Further, He knew what our decision would be before we made it. This can be a difficult concept to grasp, but it is nonetheless true. Like these initially selected disciples, our call to follow Jesus involves more than a mere human element (John 15:16). What an awesome privilege it is to be called to be a student of Jesus! 8 LOWERING AND RAISING THE NET Most of us can quickly identify Simon Peter as one of the 12. This is for good reason. Peter is a prominent character in the Gospels as well as in Acts. He is known for speaking up and out, and on occasion, without positive results (Mark 9:2-6; Matthew 16:22-23; 26:33-34; Luke 22:54-62; John 21:20-22). Many Christians consider him to be the disciple they are most like. We have almost characterized him as the loveable, mistake-prone disciple who finally got it right in the end. John is also more commonly known by most Christians. He is the beloved disciple, the one who had a close connection with Jesus, and the one to whom Jesus entrusted Mary s care (John 13:23; 19:26-27; 20:2). However, we are not as aware of Andrew and James. There is not as much information revealed in the Scriptures about these two early followers. We know that Andrew was Peter s brother. We know that James and John were Zebedee s sons. We also know that they were all fishermen. Besides this, we don t know much more. Yet, they too are critical characters in the continuance of Jesus ministry.
We must always remember the value that each of us adds to Jesus mission. The strength and enduring success of the whole of the mission is equal to the sum contributions of individual disciples. We should note that it took more than Peter to pull in the huge catch as well as to cast it at the outset (Luke 5:5-7). They all had to do it together! The same applies for each disciple today. Our names do not have to be prominent, and our gifts are purposely different. Still, each of us is needed to effectively cast down and pull up the net. THE CRITICAL CHOICE At the heart of this episode is the lifelong commitment these disciples made to Jesus (Luke 5:11). We should give great thought to what they chose to do. Later, they certainly did (Matthew 19:27)! Though fishing was their profession and the core of their livelihood, following Jesus was of greater importance to them. They dropped everything for Jesus. None stopped to think about potential losses of income. They were ready to catch men rather than fish. We may wonder what would make these common, ordinary men make such an extraordinary choice. Were they thinking that Jesus was about to overthrow the Roman government and deliver the Jewish nation from tyranny? Were they enamored by the miracle(s) they witnessed? It is possible that an element of these things played a role in their choice. We know that the disciples were only progressively clear in their understanding of Jesus mission and teaching. They had to be corrected in their thoughts of the nature of Jesus kingdom (John 18:10-11; Mark 10:35-40; Acts 1:6-7). They needed the Holy Spirit to further instruct them in the person and mission of Jesus (John 16:12-15). Surely, along with others, they were greatly impacted by the miracles that were performed. 9
Regardless of the level of impact these two factors may have had on these initial disciples, these factors were not the sole reason for their dedication. Multitudes witnessed Jesus miracles, but masses did not dedicate themselves to following Him (John 6:61-69). Even if we think that these initial disciples had not initially counted the cost of their choice to follow Jesus, the fact that they never left off from walking with Him proved their dedication. His death shook their faith, but His resurrection enlivened that faith and dedication for the rest of their lives. Contemporary disciples are called upon to exercise this same degree of dedication. It is not enough to follow Jesus when this is the popular thing to do. We reveal our level of dedication in our reaction to the trials promised to all disciples (John 16:33). Though we must make the initial choice to follow Jesus, the cost must be considered (Luke 14:25-33). A fierce hunger for the Lord and His ways will result in lifelong dedication to His calling. 10 CONCLUSION Four ordinary men made an extraordinary choice to follow the most extraordinary man who will ever walk this earth. They gave up all they had, and, at one point, thought that all was lost. However, that dedication has already paid off, and it will have its ultimate reward in the eternal kingdom. The same promise awaits you and me! DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Why is God s call to follow Jesus not a matter of happenstance? 2. What does Judas s betrayal of Jesus teach us about our free will in following Him? 3. Why is it critical for us to value our individuality in Christ? 4. How do we avoid or eliminate jealousy and envy over another person s place in the kingdom? 5. Why is it significant that the disciples were ordinary men? 6. What are some additional reasons why these disciples may have been moved to follow Jesus? 7. What hinders contemporary Christians from the level of dedication exhibited by these disciples? 8. What are some personal obstacles you face in your level of dedication to Christ?