THE SHEPHERDS OF ISRAEL

Luke 5:17

V:17            (A) The “Pharisees and doctors of the law” have come to investigate this JESUS this Rabbi from Nazareth.

(B) The scripture says very plainly – “the power of the Lord was present to

            heal them – the Pharisees and doctors of the law.

          (C)  JESUS wanted to heal them of their spiritual sickness and blindness to

                  release them from the prison Satan had them bound in. Isaiah 42:6-7.

                            Would they believe in HIM – their Messiah?

THE MAN WITH PALSY HEALED

        Luke 5:18-21

V: 18-19                      Such  simple faith should impress the shepherds of Israel. Will it?

V: 20                     Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. Psalms 78:38

V: 21           (A)    They could not believe that GOD, who had forgiven HIS people so

                             magnificently in the past, could forgive through a Rabbi from

                               Nazareth. John  1:46 & 7:52

                        (B)   Clearly, they reject HIS Messiahship and “speaketh blasphemies”.

                   (C)  JESUS was GOD! John 1:1, 14 & 14:9

THE MESSIAH’S POWER TO FORGIVE SINS

Luke 5:22-26

V:22-23     (A)  The prophet had linked the power of the coming MESSIAH to save (forgive    

                               sins) with HIS power to heal. Isaiah 35:4-6

(B)     Maybe they will put 2 & 2 together: if JESUS heals the man with palsy and                     

allow HIM to heal them. V:17

V:24                JESUS makes a clear claim of  HIS Messiahship as written  in the prophets.     

                        Surely these doctors of the law will believe when they see with their own eyes.   

V:25-26    (A) Even HIS enemies are amazed.

       (B) But they still did not believe because they “were filled with fear.” 

              1 John 4:18-19.

      (C) That they had “seen strange things today” should not surprise a doctor

             of the law. Isaiah 28:21-22

MATTHEW CALLED TO DISCIPLESHIP

Luke 5:27-30

V:27        (A)  A sinner – IRS agents are not welcome even today.

               (B)  Follow Me – the call to discipleship – then & now.

V28-29   (A)  Matthew first obeyed, then followed the fruit of obedience.

               (B)  Then Matthew told his friends.        

V:30       (A)  The Scribes and Pharisees must have come looking for JESUS to see some               

                      more “strange things.”  

(B)     But there HE was, sitting with publicans and sinners” – We can’t go in there, we’ll be unclean.

(C)    It’s obvious they are left out of the feast when they say: “Why do ye eat and drink with….”.

JESUS, THE SINNER’S FRIEND

Luke 5:31-32

V:31-32        JESUS is doing the very work these Shepherds of Israel should have been            

                     doing. Zechariah 11:17, Luke 19:10, John 1:9-12

SANCTIMONY

  Luke 5:33-35

V:33      (A)  Good answer JESUS (in V:31-32. BUT… The self righteous are always too  

                   busy asking more questions and never get the answer to the preceding one.

           (B)   Such public fasting and prayer was an outward show of righteousness.

         How could “doctors of the law” be so blind? Isaiah 58:1-7, 65:5-6,  

         Jeremiah 2:31-35. Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 and Hosea 6:4-7.

V:34           A wedding had a one week feast with no religious observances like fasting.

                   It would be considered rude, even by the Pharisees, to go to a wedding feast

                   during one of their fasts.

V:35            The early church practiced fasting (Acts 13:1-3, 14:23, 1 Corinthians 7:5),

                     but they practiced Christian fasting. Matthew 6:16-18.    

THE PARABLE OF NEW CLOTH ON OLD GARMENTS

                    and

                                                             NEW WINE IN OLD BOTTTLES

                                                              Luke 5:36-39

(A)        The Pharisees are the old shrivel up garment.

(B)        We need a whole new garment. Christianity won’t be tacked to your old worn out garment of showmanship. Galatians 5:1-6 & Colossians 2:16-17

V:37               Christianity won’t be added to your old bottle of  ritualism and showmanship. Hebrews 7:18-19, 8:6-13

V:38           JESUS, the Messiah, is doing a new thing. Isaiah 43:18-21 and Ezekiel 11:19.

V:39   (A)  Jesus is the new wine !

(B)  No Pharisee, having drunk deeply of self righteousness straightway desires Jesus.