Mission

Knowing Jesus PART II
Rev Leo Schuster
16 March 2014

Luke 5:4-25
4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."  5Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything.  But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.  7So they signaled 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.

8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"  9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10and 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 people."  11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

12While 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."  13Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.  "I am willing," he said.  "Be clean!"  And immediately the leprosy left him.

14Then 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."  15Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sickenesses.  16But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

17One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there.   They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem.  And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.  18Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.  19When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

20When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."  21The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

22Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?  23Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?  24But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins."  So he said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."  25Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.

WHAT IS OUR MISSION?
--Fish for people (extending line of mercy and compassion to others)
--Leave everything to follow Jesus (Christianity isn't an accessory)
--Reordering priority.
--Peter had trouble submitting to Jesus because he considered himself and expert fisherman.
--Leper didn't allow his shame to distance himself from God.

RESOURCES TO EXECUTE MISSION
--Jesus was ostracized and mocked
--We're flawed, like his disciples.
--Our strength is in our desperation and weakness, as this is when we are most prone to surrendering to Jesus.