Questions that guide Luke & us

Questions that guide Luke & us • I propose that most of us are wrestling with two major questions: • “Do I really belong among the people of God since I am so _______________?” • “How am I supposed to live intimately with all these people who are so different than me?”

Questions that guide Luke & us 3. “How do I continue Jesus’ mission to heal the sick?”

Luke 5:31b-32 31b“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

The Dr. is in Luke 5:1-32

BIG IDEA: Those who are well have no need of a doctor, but those who are sick. Jesus has not come to call the “healthy” but the “sinners” to repentance. The Dr. is in Luke 5:1-32

Luke 4:40 40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them…

Luke 4:42-43 42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

Luke 4:42-43 42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” Luke arranges his material to highlight Jesus’ radical, inclusive love for all who embrace Him.

1. Peter = A Mainstream Sinner • Luke 5:1-2 1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.

1. Peter = A Mainstream Sinner • Luke 5:3-4 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

1. Peter = A Mainstream Sinner • Luke 5:3-4 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” The Profile of a Mainstream Sinner

1. Peter = A Mainstream Sinner • Luke 5:3-4 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Do you know anyone like this?

1. Peter = A Mainstream Sinner • Luke 5:5-7 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

1. Peter = A Mainstream Sinner • Luke 5:8-10b 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid…

1. Peter = A Mainstream Sinner • Luke 5:8-10b 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid…” The Process of Healing

1. Peter = A Mainstream Sinner • Luke 5:10c-11 10c“…from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

1. Peter = A Mainstream Sinner • Luke 5:10c-11 10c…from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. The Post-Healing Period

2. The Leper = A Reject Sinner • Luke 5:12 12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

2. The Leper = A Reject Sinner • Luke 5:12 12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” The Profile of a RejectSinner

2. The Leper = A Reject Sinner Leviticus 13:45-46 45 “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ 46 He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp. The Profile of a RejectSinner

2. The Leper = A Reject Sinner • Luke 5:12 12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” Do you know anyone like this?

2. The Leper = A Reject Sinner • Luke 5:13-14 13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

2. The Leper = A Reject Sinner • Luke 5:13-14 13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” The Process of Healing

2. The Leper = A Reject Sinner • Luke 5:15-16 15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

2. The Leper = A Reject Sinner • Luke 5:15-16 15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. The Post-Healing Period

3. Levi = A Terminal Sinner • Luke 5:27a 27a After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth.

3. Levi = A Terminal Sinner • Luke 5:27a 27a After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. The Profile of a TerminalSinner

3. Levi = A Terminal Sinner • Luke 5:27a 27a After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. Do you know anyone like this?

3. Levi = A Terminal Sinner • Luke 5:27b-28 27b And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

3. Levi = A Terminal Sinner • Luke 5:27b-28 27b And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. The Process of Healing

3. Levi = A Terminal Sinner • Luke 5:29 29And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.

3. Levi = A Terminal Sinner • Luke 5:29 29And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. The Post-Healing Period

4. The Pharisees = Unaware Sinners • Luke 5:30 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

4. The Pharisees = Unaware Sinners • Luke 5:30 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” The Profile of an UnawareSinner

4. The Pharisees = Unaware Sinners • Luke 5:30 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Do you know anyone like this?

4. The Pharisees = Unaware Sinners • If there is anyone whom you have called, who by responding to your summons has avoided those sins which he finds me remembering and confessing in my own life as he reads this, let him not mock me; for I have been healed by the same doctor who has granted him the grace not to fall ill, or at least to fall ill less seriously. Let such a person therefore love you just as much, or even more, on seeing that the same physician who rescued me from sinful diseases of such gravity has kept him immune. • St. Augustine, The Confessions

4. The Pharisees = Unaware Sinners The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope. -Tim Keller, The Meaning of Marriage

4. The Pharisees = Unaware Sinners Jeremiah 17:9 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

4. The Pharisees = Unaware Sinners • Luke 5:31-32 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

4. The Pharisees = Unaware Sinners • Luke 5:31-32 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” The Process of Healing?

4. The Pharisees = Unaware Sinners • Luke 5:31-32 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” The Post-Healing Period?

Reflections Questions: “Do I really belong among the people of God since I am so _______________?” “How am I supposed to live intimately with all these people who are so different than me?” “How do I continue Jesus’ mission to heal the sick?”

Questions that guide Luke & us