A Purpose of God's Own Choosing • Luke 4:38-5:11

1:03:59 Teaching begins

Notes

An encounter is defined as a chance happening, it’s unexpected.

Jesus seems to be encountering Simon a lot. But it’s not random, Jesus does it on purpose. Jesus reveals Himself more and more until Simon gets it: Jesus is God.

And then Jesus reveals the purpose for Simon that He’s been leading up to, something better than Simon would ever hope for.

It’s a purpose of God’s own choosing.

I’m reading in Luke 4 beginning with verse 38.

1. Jesus has just taught at the synagogue in Capernaum.

A. He preached the kingdom of God with power and authority, and cast out a demon that screamed at Him.

B. The people are floored. They’re trying to figure out, who is this amazing guy?

C. Meanwhile the report is going around the whole locality, right now. There’s a guy in Capernaum who has power and authority like you have never seen.

2. Jesus leaves the synagogue to enter Simon’s home.

A. Jesus already knows Simon.

1. We know from the Gospel of John that Andrew and John saw John the Baptist say, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

2. Andrew found his brother Simon and brought him to see. Jesus says, “You are Simon, son of John; you shall be called Cephas (which is translated Peter).”

3. Before he knows who Jesus is, Jesus already knows him, and has a new name for him.

B. This is about a year after that encounter, and now Jesus is back in Capernaum, in Simon’s synagogue, he gets to see Jesus teach and cast out that demon. Jesus ends up staying at Simon’s house. They get to catch up, eat a meal. Wow, Jesus is in my house!

C. Simon is married, and his mother-in-law lives with him, and she’s really sick, she has a high fever. So they ask Jesus, would it be too much trouble?

D. No, it’s not. He rebukes the fever, something only God can do, remember, and she is completely recovered immediately. She gets up, she serves them. She doesn’t have to wait until she’s rested and regains strength.

E. Imagine Jesus in your house, taking care of people you love and are helpless to help. He helps small, unknown individuals. She wasn’t too small for Him. She’s important to Him.

3. Then people from all over show up, right at Simon’s door.

A. That’s a detail we get from Mark 1:33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. That’s Simon’s door.

B. It’s while the sun is setting. That means the Sabbath is over and the first day of the week begins, at twilight. You can carry burdens you weren’t allowed to carry on the Sabbath such as sick people. Sun goes down, boom, everyone is out the door and going to Simon’s house as fast as they can.

C. Jesus heals all of them and casts out demons when necessary, and rebukes them. He doesn’t need or want any kind of testimony from unclean spirits who are headed for eternal judgment. Away with them.

D. Simon gets to see this, healing after healing, there’s nothing that Jesus can’t do. How could you ever get tired of seeing this? But he’s beat, and so is everyone else.

4. After a long night of praying for people Jesus gets up early and seeks the Father privately. A lot of people from town seek Him, including Simon.

A. Seeking the Father is how Jesus lives life. It’s one of the habits that make Him who He is. It’s not negotiable. He lives in communion with the Father.

B. That determines that He get up early, find a place away from everyone, and not tell anyone that He’s going. Everyone else is asleep. No one makes demands on Him. All that time is available for Him and the Father.

C. When people wake up, eat breakfast, figure out what’s going on, start looking for Him, find Him, He’s had a good time seeking and worshipping the Father. Food can come later, if at all. But He hasn’t missed the best part of the day. If you want the best time with God, ask Him to wake you up when He wants you up. See what He does.

D. Simon and those who were with him searched for Him. That’s Mark 1:36

E. Must have been strange for Simon to answer his door early in the morning, “Hi, could we see Jesus?” He says, “Wait a minute,” comes back, and says, “He’s not here.” “Where is He, please?” “I don’t know!”

F. All these people try to keep Jesus in Capernaum. Why not?

G. Simon is among them and hears Jesus say, “Can’t. I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also. For this purpose I was sent.” Simon hears the humility and the obedience of Jesus. It’s not about Him, it’s about the Father.

H. So Jesus leaves for the other synagogues of Judea, including Galilee, and Simon might think, “Well, that was pretty cool seeing Jesus again, but it’s over and it’s time to go back to the grind. I hope I catch something today. Bleah. I miss Him already.”

5. Jesus runs into Simon again, and again, on purpose, vv. 5:1-11.

A. Jesus is back in Capernaum. Now He has a huge multitude following Him. Sometimes it surges when people think they want to get closer, just like hundreds of other people thinking, “Hey, I just want to get closer to Him.” So they’re in danger of pushing, shoving, someone gets trampled, maybe even Jesus.

B. Jesus solves His problem with those nearby fishing boats. Just get into one, which happens to be Simon’s, and push off a little way from land. No one wants to get wet, and it works acoustically like a theater so everyone can hear Him.

C. So He sits down and teaches the whole crowd and Simon, who is a captive audience. He is tired and beat, but it is Jesus after all, so it’s not a drag at all. It’s cool.

D. When Jesus is done Simon probably thinks, “Now for a bite to eat and go to bed.” Jesus says, “Go out there and let down your nets for a catch.” Those are commands.

E. Simon doesn’t want to do this.

1. This is not convenient.

2. There are no fish in the area. I know this because I stayed up all night and caught nothing.

3. But for Simon, Jesus is not the kind of guy you say, “No,” to. So Simon listens to Jesus and obeys Him.

F. Because he listens to and obeys, Jesus fills those nets with so many fish they begin to tear under the stress. The fish in those nets fill two boats until they start to sink.

6. Simon is overwhelmed at the revelation of God in Jesus.

A. Simon has encountered Jesus with John the Baptist, at the synagogue, in his house, watching Jesus heal from his house door, and just now preaching. He called Jesus “master” which is respectful enough, and he will call Jesus that in the future.

B. Now he calls Jesus, “Lord,” and that’s how you address God. Jesus is more than an amazing teacher, a healer with authority and power. It crashes in on Simon: He is God.

C. When you’re in the presence of God you become aware of your sin, your unworthiness to be in God’s holy presence. This is what happened to Isaiah. He saw the angels, saw the Lord, he said, “Woe is me because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips.” He is disqualified, he shouldn’t be there. There’s no place for me to go, so he says, “Depart from me.”

D. Jesus replies just like God. “Don’t fear, from now on you will be catching men.”

1. That’s what God says when He appears to someone, “Don’t be afraid. You’re not going to die.”

2. This is also just like God: “You’re working for Me now.”

E. Simon’s head just exploded. He’s the wrong guy for the job, but Jesus said, “Come.” Jesus wants him. And, He’s not the kind of guy you say “No,” to.

F. All those encounters with Jesus that seemed chance or random actually led up to this moment when Jesus says, “Come further with Me.” Jesus planned it that way.

7. So what? Jesus ministers to multitudes but He deals with one individual at a time—you.

A. Like Simon, you have had encounters with Jesus. He pops up from time to time. You think, that’s cool, but, I’m a normal person. That’s not my thing.

B. Then He gets hold of your life. It comes to a crisis and you give in. You realise that He’s God. Okay, I’ll follow You. I’ll be a Christian.

C. Jesus is not done. He calls you to serve Him in some way. It’s a demand on you. You might find it not convenient, you might think, this is not going to work, I know this. Is Jesus the kind of person you can say “No” to? Who do you say He is? Is He God? Even if you know He is God, you might respond, “I’m not the person. I’m not worthy. You shouldn’t even be with me.” But He says to you, “Don’t be afraid. You’re working for Me now.”

D. For some of you it will be radical, you’ll drop everything like Simon did and personally be with Jesus. He still does that. It will mean a different economic basis than most other people. You don’t have to be afraid. For others it will still be radical but you don’t drop everything. You stay where you’re at and serve Him in that situation. Everything you do from now on is with Him and for Him.

E. Listen for Jesus to call you, to go with Him, and to go further with Him.

1. On one hand it’s scary to say “Yes” to Jesus. You don’t know what you’re getting into. Simon really didn’t know what he was getting himself into. I think if Jesus told him he would have said, “Nah, too big. I’m not that guy.”

2. With the calling to follow comes the closeness and knowing Jesus personally.

a. Simon had Jesus with Him, in his house, and it was really cool. But then Jesus left. Letdown.

b. Jesus says, “Now you’re going to be with Me. You don’t have to leave and go home and go back to being normal.”

c. Your new normal is living with Jesus and learning Him and listening for His call. Being with Jesus doesn’t have to end. You get to live with Him. As you grow the calling becomes deeper and stronger and it becomes clearer.

F. Listen for Jesus’ calling. Let Him choose for you as He wills. You don’t live your life for yourself. You live it for the One who called you.

Let’s pray.