Old Testament Reading: Amos 6:4-7

“Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile, and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away.” (Amos 6:4–7, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 6:17-26

“And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:17–26, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

We come now in our study of Luke’s Gospel to what has been called, Jesus’ Sermon on the Plane. This sermon is very similar to the sermon of Jesus that is recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, which is called the Sermon on the Mount. In fact, I misspoke last Sunday when, in passing, I referred to this sermon in Luke’s Gospel as the Sermon on the Mount, and only realized my error after the fact. To set the record straight, Luke records for us the Sermon on the Plane, for in Luke 6:17 we read, “And he [Jesus] came down with them and stood on a level place…”, and then in 6:20 we read,  “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20, ESV), etc. So, Luke records for us a sermon that Jesus preached in a level place, or a plane.

As I have said, the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew 5:1-7:27, and the Sermon on the Plane, as recorded here in Luke 6:20-49, are very similar, but they are not the same. And one might wonder why are they different. The answer is simple, I think. Jesus preached a lot. He had standard sayings that he would repeat over and over again but with some variation. Matthew and Luke were both concerned to record for us the sayings of Jesus. But that does not mean they were both recounting the exact same sermon. In Luke, we appear to have an abbreviated version of the sayings of Jesus. It seems that Jesus delivered an abbreviated version of, what we call, the  Sermon on the Mount when he came down from the mountain to this level place with his disciples.

As we turn now to Luke’s Gospel, let us pay special attention to Jesus’ audience. Some have errored in their interpretation and application of these sayings of Jesus, and I think that many of these errors can be traced back to a failure to identify Jesus’ audience. Who was Jesus preaching to? That is the question.

Back in Luke 6:12 we read, “In these days he [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles” (Luke 6:12–13, ESV). After this, the apostles are named. And then in verse 17 we read, “And he came down with them”, that is to say, with the twelve, “and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon…” (Luke 6:17, ESV). 

Can you picture the scene? You have Jesus with the twelve apostles. And it is not only the twelve who were with him, but many other disciples of Jesus were there too. A disciple is a learner or follower. So there were twelve main disciples of Jesus. These are called apostles. But there were many other disciples too. Luke describes them as being a “great crowd”. And Luke also mentions “a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases…” (Luke 6:17–18, ESV). One thing that should be acknowledged is that those who came from Tyre and Sidon were most likely Gentiles. And this fits with the theme that has been building in Luke – Jesus is the Savior, not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles too – he is the Savior of the world. And so it was not only Jews who followed him in the beginning, but some Gentiles too. 

This “great multitude” came from “ Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon… “to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.” (Luke 6:17–18, ESV). So, they did not only come to be healed physically and spiritually but to hear him. We have already witnessed this in Luke’s Gospel. The miraculous healings Jesus performed were, in part, a demonstration that his word was true. And in verse 19 we read, “And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.” Finally, in verse 20 we read, “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God”, etc.

So, if I were to ask you the question, to whom did Jesus preach in his Sermon on the Plane, what would you say? Answer: he was speaking to his disciples. And by the way, the same may be said of the Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5:1 says, “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:1–3, ESV).

So, Jesus spoke these words to his disciples. Stated negatively, he did not direct these sayings to the non-believing world. He was not preaching to the poor, in general, to the hungry, in general, or to those who weep and are hated in general. No, he was speaking to his disciples when he pronounced these blessings on them. You see, these people were blessed, not because they were poor, hungry, mournful, and hated, but because they were disciples of Jesus. And it was because they were disciples of Jesus, that Christ could say to them, “for yours is the kingdom of God”, “for you shall be satisfied”, “for you shall laugh”, and “for behold, your reward is great in heaven”.

Please understand, there is no inherent blessing in poverty. There is no inherent blessing in hunger, mourning, or persecution. But there is blessing (happiness) in Jesus. Those who are poor, hungry, mourning, and persecuted in Christ are blessed, for in Christ we have inherited a kingdom. In Christ, we shall be satisfied and laugh. In Christ and through faith in him,  we have a great reward in heaven. And it should also be said that those who are poor, hungry, mourning, and persecuted because of their allegiance with Christ or, to use the language of Luke 6:22, “on account the Son of Man!”, are especially blessed. You see, that was the reality for many who followed Christ in those days. They left everything to follow him (see Luke 6:11, 28), and they became outcasts. So poor were they that they had to pluck grain from the fields even on the Sabbath day to satiate their hunger.    

I wonder if you are beginning to see why it is vital for us to identify Jesus’ audience. This teaching, friends, is not directed to the world. Yes, some things are said about the non-believer in these sermons. And yes, there are truths stated in these sermons that may be applied to the non-believer. But the sermons are directed to the disciples of Jesus. 

This teaching is not directed to the non-believing world, and neither is it directed to civil governments. I do not want to spend too much time on this, but I have heard some say that Jesus’ teachings found later in this sermon regarding loving your enemies, being kind to the evil person, judging not, and forgiving, should be applied by our civil governments. The idea here is that Jesus provides civil government nations with a new, kind, and gentle civil law or ethic to replace the old, harsh, and judgemental civil law given to Old Covenant Israel. This view must be rejected. In fact, retributive justice is one of the only things that civil governments are to be concerned with (see Romans 13). Also, civil governments are to defend the nation against enemies. Jesus is not revealing a new civil law, here. He is not telling governments to judge not in a civil sense or to love their enemies in a civil sense. In fact, there are no civil laws given to the New Covenant people of God, for the New Covenant people of God are not a nation but are sojourners and exiles on this earth. Christ’s kingdom is not of this world. Common civil governments today have the moral and natural law of God as their guide, just as they always have. And civil magistrates are to use the sword that God has entrusted to them to punish wrongdoers and to reward those who do good. They are to concern themselves with retributive justice as it pertains to crimes against persons. And it is God’s moral law that informs us concerning what is just. So, while the Sermon on the Plane or Mount might apply to individuals who serve within civil governments in a personal way, it is certainly not a new civil law.  

And there is one more thing that I should say, even if it is just in passing. Jesus’ Sermon on the Plane and his Sermon on the Mount are not a replacement for the moral law of God as revealed in nature and summarised in the Ten Commandments. Yes, it is true. When Jesus goes up on the mountain to pray, when he calls his disciples to come up with him, and when he comes down and begins to teach, this is to remind of the book of Exodus and of Moses’ activities on Mt. Sinai. There Israel entered into a covenant with God. And there God’s Old Covenant people were given law to govern them – first the moral, and then civil and ceremonial laws. Jesus is presented here as a second and greater Moses. And yes, having called his disciples to follow him, and having appointed the twelve apostles (which is reminiscent of the twelve tribes of Old Covenant Israel), he does present them with kingdom ethics. But it is ridiculous to assume that these ethical teachings of our Lord were intended to replace the moral law of God which was written on Adam’s heart in the beginning, on stone at Sinai, on the hearts of God’s people in regeneration (Jeremiah 31), and by which all men will be judged on the last day, if not in Christ (Romans 1-3). The rest of the Scriptures are very clear that the moral law of God, which is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments, is ever binding. Christ did not relax the moral law in the least – not in his way of life, and not in his teachings. These sermons of Jesus are not opposed to the moral law. They are not meant to replace it but perfectly agree with what the Ten Commandments state. 

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The Christian Faith Is A Way Of Life

So what is the Sermon on the Plane? 

Here we find ethical teachings from Jesus for his disciples as it pertains to life in his kingdom. Here Jesus tells his followers how they are to live in this world as members of his New Covenant and citizens of his eternal kingdom. 

Dear friends, please hear me. The Christian faith is a way of life. This is the first principle that I want you to draw from our passage. The Christian faith is a way of life.

Now please do not misunderstand. The Christian faith is not merely a way of life. Before we can live in the way that Christ has called us to live, we must believe the truths that Christ has taught. We must believe the truths contained within Holy Scripture – truths about God, creation, man, sin, and salvation in Jesus Christ. We must believe what the Scriptures teach concerning who Jesus is and what he has done to accomplish our redemption. And we must also turn from our sins to trust in Christ as our Lord and Savior. And so I say, the Christian faith is not merely a way of life. It is a system of doctrine that must be believed. And it begins with heartfelt repentance, personal trust in Jesus, and a confession that he is Lord. But after that, the Christian faith is a way of life. 

Those who follow Jesus – those who believe his words, trust in his work, and say that he is Lord –  are called to walk in his ways. They are to obey God’s moral law, which is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments, just as Christ did. Indeed, it is this law – the moral law – that is written anew and afresh on the hearts of God’s people by the Spirit in regeneration. And those who follow after Jesus are to live according to his kingdom ethics as communicated here in the Sermon of the Plane, and in the Gospel According To Matthew, in what is called the Sermon on the Mount. The Christian faith is a way of life.

As a bit of an aside, did you know that the first Christians called themselves followers of “the Way”? This name for the early Christain church is used in Acts 9, 19, and 22. Why would the early Christians refer to themselves as the Way? For one, they believed in Jesus Christ who claimed to be “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and “the door” through whom all must enter to be reconciled to God (John 10:7, 9). Jesus is the way, and Christians trust in him. Secondly, Christians do not only trust in Jesus, who is the way, they are also committed to walking in the way (or on the road or path) that Christ has modeled and commanded. Therefore, to be a disciple of Jesus is to be a  follower and learner of the Way. 

The Christian faith is a way of life.     

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To Live According To The Way, Christians Must Know They Are Blessed In Christ Jesus

Here is the second principle that I want you to draw from our text: According to Jesus, walking in this Way will require a particular perspective, outlook, mindset, or philosophy. 

And what is that outlook? Well, according to our passage those who follow Jesus are truly blessed. They are truly blessed, even if they are poor, hungry, sorrowful, despised, and rejected in this world. And conversely, those who are rich, full, happy, and highly esteemed now and in this world, are in fact in a miserable condition, if they do not have Jesus as Lord and Savior. It seems backward and upside down, doesnt it? But Jesus is here teaching that those who wish to follow him and walk in his Way must have this mindset.

Notice that in verses 20-23, Jesus declares his disciples to be blessed. Notice what I said. I did not say that Jesus tells his disciples how to be blessed. Rather, he declares that his disciples are blessed. Can you see the difference? It is a matter of fact that those who have faith in Christ are blessed. 

Look at verse 20: “And [Jesus] lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor… Blessed are you who are hungry now…  Blessed are you who weep now…  Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!” Here Jesus declares that his followers are blessed.

Listen to what the commentator, J.C. Ryle, says about this. 

“Let us first notice in these verses, who are those whom the Lord pronounces blessed. The list is a remarkable and startling one. It singles out those who are ‘poor,’ and those who ‘hunger,’ – those who ‘weep’ and those who are ‘hated’ by man. These are the persons to whom the great Head of the Chruch says, ‘Blessed are ye!’ We must take good heed that we do not misunderstand our Lord’s meaning, when we read these expressions. We must not for a moment suppose that the mere fact of being poor, and hungry, and sorrowful, and hated by man, will entitle anyone to lay claim to an interest in Christ’s blessing. The poverty spoken of, is a poverty accompanied by grace. The [lack] is a [lack] [prompted] by faithful adherence to Jesus. The afflictions are the afflictions of the gospel. The persecution is persecution for the Son of Man’s sake. Such [lack], and poverty, and affliction, and persecution, were the inevitable consequences of faith in Christ, at the beginning of Christianity. Thousands had to give up everything in this world, because of their religion. It was their case which Jesus had specially in view in this passage. He desires to supply them, and all who suffer like them for the gospel’s sake, with special comfort and consolation. 

Those who follow Jesus are blessed. This is true even if they suffer greatly in this world. And this is especially true if their suffering comes as a result of their leaving everything to follow Jesus. 

The question is, do you believe this? Do you have this perspective, outlook, mindset, or philosophy? Do you agree that the followers of Jesus are blessed – that they have every reason to rejoice and to be happy – even if they suffer many afflictions in this life an account of Jesus, the Son of Man? 

Brothers and sisters, with the passing of time I have grown more and more convinced that if a Christian is to walk faithfully in the Way,  then they must have this mindset. Stated negatively, if a disciple of Jesus lacks this mindset, or if they are uncertain about the fact that followers of Christ are blessed even if they suffer for his namesake now, then they will have a difficult time walking faithfully in the Way. They will definitely have a difficult time walking in the Way happily and with peace and joy in their hearts. 

At this point, we must observe that Jesus did not merely declare his followers to be blessed, he also gave the reasons. So these are not empty words of blessing being uttered by our Lord. Rather, these are true pronouncements based upon facts.   

Let’s read verses 20-23 again and pay special attention to the phrases that begin with the word “for”. The word “for” indicates that the reason for what has just been said is about to be given. “Blessed are you who are poor…” Why? we might ask. “…for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets” (Luke 6:20–23, ESV).

In this passage, Jesus demands that his disciples adopt this mindset. They are not to root their happiness and joy in the here and now and in their present circumstances. Instead, they are to remember the past, and they are especially to look to the future and root their happiness there. They are to set their hope and happiness on Christ and on the eternal reward that Christ has earned for them. 

First, Jesus urged his disciples to look to the past when he said, “for so their fathers did to the prophets.” We should remember that Jesus and his disciples were being severely criticized by the Pharisees and their scribes – the religious elite of Israel. And so Jesus reminds his disciples that their fathers – the people of Israel who lived under the Old Mosaic Covenant – often treated the prophets like this. The prophets old – the true ones – were often mistreated. They were despised and rejected even by their own people – the people of Israel. For an example of this, you may read of the trials of the prophet Jerimiah, how he was beaten and imprisoned by his own people, in Jerimiah 20 and 37. Jesus reminds his disciples of this history to show them that they are in good company when they are mistreated on account of Christ. And we who live now after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ may add Christ himself and his apostles to the list. They all suffered. Christ warned his disciples that they would suffer for his name’s sake (see Luke 21:17). It is no wonder, then, that Christ began his ethical teaching by demanding that his disciples adopt this mindset. Without this mindset, they could not endure. So look to the past, brothers and sisters. Rember that Christ, the apostles, and the prophets were all despised and rejected in this world. And yet how do you view them? Do you consider them to be blessed or miserable people? If you have faith, you will say that they were and are the most blessed people! And so Jesus reminded his disciples of the faithful and blessed prophets of old to show us that we are in good company when we suffer for his name’s sake, just as they did. 

In this Sermon on the Plane Christ taught his disciples to not root their happiness in their present circumstances but to remember the past, and he especially directed their attention to the future and to their eternal reward. He reminds us that if we are united to him by faith, then we are truly blessed, for ours is the kingdom of God. Here is a reference to the eternal kingdom of God, the new heavens and earth. He is telling his disciples that this kingdom is theirs through faith in him. Christ came to establish this everlasting kingdom (see Daniel 7:27 and Luke 1:33). Those who have faith in him and follow in his way are brought into that kingdom, even now. And they will be brought safely into that eternal kingdom when Christ returns at the consummation. And there, in eternity,  we shall be satisfied. There, all of our mourning will be turned to laughter and everlasting joy.

Look to the future, brothers and sisters. Look to Christ and to the eternal reward that he has earned for you. Root your happiness in that! The soil of your present circumstance is dry. It cannot nourish you with true happiness. And if it is not dry now, it soon will be. But the soil in Christ’s eternal kingdom, which he has earned through his shed blood, will never dry, for it is watered by “the river of the water of life [which will flow, forever and ever,] from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1, ESV). Look to the future, brothers and sisters. Look to Christ and to the eternal reward that he has earned for you. Root your happiness in that!

So, does this mean that Jesus’ disciples will experience nothing but sorrow in this life? Does this mean that all of our comfort and joy will be experienced only in the life to come? Certainly not! Indeed, disciples of Jesus do enjoy many wonderful blessings and comforts in this life. I suspect if we were to pause now and ask everyone to testify concerning the blessings they in enjoy in this world, all of you would give thanks to God for many good things: food, water, clothing, shelter, family, and friends, not to mention a great measure of peace and prosperity. God does often pour out many earthly blessings on his people in addition to the blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus. But here Christ shows that even when his disciples suffer poverty, hunger, and persecution, they are still truly blessed, for their greatest rewards and enjoyments are not here, but are in heaven.  In fact, Christ teaches his disciples that they are to have this perspective and believe these things so strongly that they will be able to rejoice in the day of persecution.  

It’s interesting, this text is filled with adjectives that describe the reality of things. “Blessed are you… Blessed are you… Blessed are you…” These are not imperatives (or commands), as if Christ said, “be blessed”, but adjectives that describe reality. Blessed are my disciples, Jesus says. These adjectives are not to be obeyed but believed. But there is a string of imperatives (or commands) found at the end of this passage in verse 23. “Rejoice in that day…” What day? On the day mentioned in verse 22 when “people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!” (Luke 6:22, ESV), “Rejoice in that day”, Christ commands. The word rejoice is in the imperative mood in the Greek. It is a command.  And “leap for joy”, Christ says. This too is a command.  

Can we just pause for a moment and acknowledge the fact that to the non-belive this sounds like the behavior of a crazy person? Why in their right mind would rejoice, and even leap for joy, on the day when they are hated, excluded, reviled, and spurned as evil by others? The reason that this sounds like the behavior of a crazy person to the non-beliver is that the reaction does not seem to fit the reality of the circumstance. 

But as I have said, Christ is calling his disciples to see things differently. He is calling (even commanding them) to take a different perspective. And it is not an imaginary perspective that they are to take. Christ is not commanding his disciples to detach from reality and to live in a fantasy world so that they might respond to persecution with rejoicing. No, he is calling them to see how things really are and to respond thus. 

I said there is a string of commands found in verse 23. The first is the word “rejoice.” The second is the word “leap”. And the third is the most important, for it is the foundation for this behavior. It is the word “behold”. Here Christ commands his disciples to “look and see” that their “reward is great in heaven” (Luke 6:23, ESV). This reality is the reason for our rejoicing, always, and even in the face of persecution. “Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven…” (Luke 6:23, ESV). This is about mindset. Here Christ commands his disciples to have an eternal mindset. They must if they are to walk faithfully with him. They must if they are to have his joy and peace. 

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To Live According To The Way, Christians Must Remember That Those Who Do Not Follow Christ Live Under God’s Wrath And Curse 

There is one more point that needs to be drawn out of this passage before we move to some suggestions for application. This point will be brief. To live according to the way of Christ, Christians must see that they are truly and eternally blessed in him, and they must also see that those who do not follow Christ are, in fact, under God’s wrath and curse. 

This perspective is clearly set forth in Luke 6:24-26. Here Jesus pronounces “woes” upon the non-beliving. The first word is a word of contrast. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:24–26, ESV).

I need not say much about the particulars of this passage, for the meaning should be clear to you as you contrast it with the “blessings” passage we have just considered. In brief, Jesus declares those who do not follow after him, perhaps out of a fear of losing the wealth and status they now enjoy in the world, as being in a state of intense hardship, distress, disaster, and horror (Johannes P. Louw Nida,  242). The Greek word translated as “woe” is very strong. When Jesus used it he was exclaiming that those who do not follow after him are in a very pitiful, hard, and horrifying state of being, even if they be very rich, comfortable, and highly esteemed in this world.  

And just like with the pronouncement of blessings, the pronouncement of woes are rooted in reality. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.” In other words, you have experienced the hight of your comforts. “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.” The hunger that Christ speaks of here is an eternal and spiritual hunger. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.” Again I say, this is eternal.  “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets”. So then, these rich and highly esteemed ones who refuse to align with Christ out of fear of losing their worldly riches and honor, are in bad company, historically speaking. For it was the false prophets that were often honored within Old Covenant Israel. 

Please listen again to J.C. Ryle’s: 

“Here, however, no less than in the preceding verses, we must take care that we do not misapprehend our Lord’s meaning. We are not to suppose that the possession of riches, and a rejoicing spirit, and the good word of man, are necessarily proofs that people are not Christ’s disciples. Abraham and Job were rich. David and St. Paul had their seasons of rejoicing. Timothy was one who had a good report from those that were without. All these, we know, were true servants of God. All these were blessed in this life, and shall receive the blessing of the Lord in the day of his appearing. 

Who are the persons to whom our Lord says, ‘Woe unto you?’ They are the men who refuse to seek treasure in heaven, because they love the good things of this world better, and will not give up their money, if need requires, for Christ’s sake. – They are the men who prefer the joys and so-called happiness of this world, [over] joy and peace in believing, and will not risk the loss of the one in order to gain the other. – They are those who love the praise of man more than the praise of God, and will turn their backs on Christ, rather than not keep in with the world. – These are the kind of men whom our Lord had in view when he pronounces the solemn words, ‘Woe, woe unto you.’ He knew that there were thousands of such persons among the Jews, thousands who, notwithstanding his miracles and sermons, would love the world better than him. He knew well that there would always be thousands of such in his professing church, – thousands who, though convinced of the truth of the gospel, would never give up anything for his sake. – To all such he delivers an awful warning. – ‘Woe, woe, unto you.”

Friends, things are not always as they appear. Though the rich and highly esteemed ones of this earth may appear to be the happiest of all people, in fact, they are in a miserable condition, if not in Christ, for they remain under God’s wrath and curse, and they will have his wrath poured out on them at the final judgment unless they turn from their sins to trust in Christ and follow him. But of course, their perspective would need to change if they are to follow Christ. They would need to come to see Christ and the kingdom of Christ as being far more precious than the pleasures of this world.   

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Conclusion

I’ll conclude now by making five brief suggestions for application. 

Firstly, I wish to speak directly to our young people, and to those who are new to the faith. I want to ask you, do you have this perspective that Jesus commands? To you see the world according to the truths that Christ has here revealed. To be very direct, when you think of the rich, powerful, and famous in the world, what do you think? How do you perceive them? Do you think of them as being the most blessed – the most happy and satisfied – people in the world? Or do you think of them as being in a miserable condition, if they are not followers of Jesus? And what do you think when you consider someone who is poor and unpopular, and yet strong in the faith? Do you see them as pitiful? Or do you see them as blessed and happy? I’m pleading with you, young person, to see the world according to the truth of Christ. To be a faithful and happy follower of Jesus requires this perspective.

Secondly, I wish to speak to those who are more advanced in years and mature in Christ. Do not let your guard down, brothers and sisters. Even if you gained this heavenly and eternal perspective in the past, do not think that it won’t be challenged. It may be that you or someone you love comes under affliction in the future and the Evil One will tempt you with evil thoughts to question the goodness of God towards his people. Even the Psalmist Asaph was troubled by thoughts like these. In Psalm 73 he says,  “Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…” (Psalm 73:1–3, ESV). And after a long description of the prosperity of the wicked, he says, “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!” (Psalm 73:16–19, ESV), etc. So here in Psalm 73 we have an example of one who was mature in Christ who was tempted. He almost lost the heavenly and eternal perspective that he once had. And how did he regain it? By coming in the temple of the living and contemplating these truths again in light of God, the final judgment, and eternity. To those who are mature in Christ I say, be sure to maintain the heavenly and eternal perspective that you now have. 

Thirdly, I wish to speak to those who are suffering affliction now to say, if you are in Christ Jesus you are blessed. It is fact. But you do need to perceive it. You are blessed in Christ, for yours is the kingdom of God. You shall be satisfied there. You shall laugh there. Indeed it is true, Your reward is great in heaven. Those who are suffering on account of their devotion to Christ especially need to be reminded of this truth. 

Fourthly, I wish to speak to those who experiencing prosperity and comfort in this life. What should I say to you? Oh yes, the Apostle Paul told me what I am supposed to say to you. He wrote to Pastor Timothy, saying, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:17–19, ESV).

Fifthly, and lastly, I wish to speak to those who are listening who have not yet believed upon Christ to follow him in the Way. I pray that you would come to see yourselves as being in a most miserable and woeful situation. Apart from Christ, we remain in our sins and under God’s wrath and curse. Apart from Christ we will be judged on the last day and go to eternal punishment. But in Christ, there is the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and the sure promise of life everlast in the new heavens and earth which Christ has earned. I plead with you to turn from your sins, to trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, confessing that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.

Old Testament Reading: Joshua 1:1–9

“After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.’” (Joshua 1:1–9, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 5:1-11

“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, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 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. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.’ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 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. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’ For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.’ And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.” (Luke 5:1–11, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

I do love the story of Luke 5:1-11. Clearly, it is about the calling of the first disciples of Jesus. Jesus called three common men – fishermen – to follow him as his special disciples. Simon, who is also called Peter, is highlighted in this story, but James and John, the sons of Zebedee, are also mentioned. And as you can see, Jesus called in them in a miraculous way. They had toiled all night and had caught nothing. Jesus commanded that they put out their nets once more. This, by the way, would have been a hassle. They had packed everything away and were ready to go home. But they obeyed Jesus’ command, and they pulled in an amazingly large number of fish. Clearly, Peter and his business partners considered the haul of fish to be miraculous, for it provoked Peter to fall down at Jesus’ feet and to say, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” In fact, the text says, “all who were with [Peter] were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken”, and this included James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Jesus called Peter and his associates, saying “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And this call, coupled with the miracle performed, compelled these three men to leave everything and to follow after him. So then, most basically, this story is about the calling of Jesus’ first disciples  – three men who would soon become the core of Jesus’ band of Apostles – Peter, James, and John.

But there is a lot more to this story, brothers and sisters. I would like to suggest to you that this miraculous event involving a great catch of fish, coupled with the calling of Jesus’ first disciples (who would soon serve as Apostles) is meant to be interpreted in a metaphorical way. And by that I mean, this historical event involving the miraculous catch of fish at Jesus’ command, was intended by Jesus to symbolize things. 

The text itself points us in this direction when, after the miracle is performed, Jesus speaks to Simon Peter, saying, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” So then, the miracle of the great harvest of fish was meant to function as a sign or symbol of the great harvest of men that would be accomplished through Peter, James, John, and the other Apostle – indeed, the whole church – through the preaching of the word of Christ. You should know that many of the older commentators – ancient and Reformed – do not miss the symbolism of this passage, but faithfully draw it out. I hope to do the same with you this morning. So let us take some time to draw out the riches contained within this passage. 

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By This Miracle, Jesus Demonstrated That He Was The Lord’s Messiah Who Had Come To Establish God’s Eternal Kingdom. 

One, please see that by performing this miracle, Jesus demonstrated that he was the Lord’s Messiah who had come to establish God’s eternal kingdom. 

Remember that Jesus had been healing the sick and casting out demons throughout the region of Galilee. This he did while preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, as Luke 4:43 says. The miracles he performed functioned as a sign, therefore, that the message he preached was true, that the kingdom of God was, in fact, present with power, and that he was indeed the Lord’s promised Messiah, the King of this eternal kingdom. Here Jesus performs a different kind of miracle. He demonstrates that he has authority even over the fish of the sea. Brothers and sisters, I think it is right for us to see this miracle – like all of the others – as being connected with the theme of Christ’s preaching, namely, the good news of the kingdom of God.

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By This Miricle, Jesus Showed That His Kingdom Would Expand Through His Apostles

Two, by this miracle – the miracle of the great catch of fish at the hands of Peter – Jesus showed that his kingdom – the kingdom that the proclaimed and came to establish – would expand through his Apostles. 

Think of it. Up to this point, Jesus had ministered alone. He alone (with the exception of his forerunner, John the Baptist) preached the good news of the kingdom of God. But here he begins to call disciples to himself. And not only does he call disciples to himself, he works through them, and promises to work through them in greater ways in the future. 

Notice that Jesus did not haul in the great catch of fish with his own hands but by the hands of Peter and his associates. It was Peter, James, and John who were commissioned by Christ to go out into the sea and cast their nets. And it was the hands of Peter, James, and John who cast the nets into the sea and gathered them in again after the word of Christ filled their nets with a superabundance of fish. 

If you and I were reading this Gospel for the first time, and if we were unfamiliar with the story of the New Testament, we would probably ask, what is the significance of this? Who is this character, Simon? Who are his associates, James and John? And why did Jesus decide to work this miracle through their hands? These are the questions we should ask. And the answer is that this miracle worked through Peter, James, and John, signifying what was to come. The kingdom of God that Christ preached – the kingdom he came to build – the kingdom of which he is King – would be built, not by him only, but by his word and through his Apostles. It would be through his Apostles that Christ would expand his kingdom.

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By This Miracle, Jesus Showed That His Kingdom Would Expand Through The Preaching Of The Gospel And The Ingathering Of His Elect Into The Chruch

Three, by this miracle Jesus showed that his kingdom would expand through the preaching of the Gospel and the ingathering of his elect into his church. 

Jesus preached. He preached the good news of the kingdom. And his preaching was primary. The miracles he performed were a support to his preaching. They were a demonstration that his words were true, that he was the Lord’s promised Messiah, and of what he came to do. 

In this instance, Jesus preached, not in a synagogue, but from a boat. The boat of Simon Peter became his pulpit. Some have noticed that up to this point, Jesus’ custom was to preach in the synagogues of the Jews, but here he preaches out in the open – in the world, as it were –  and in the boat of Simon Peter, who would become the leader of the Apostles and one of the foundation stones in Christ’s church. Perhaps this transition from preaching in the Jewish synagogue to preaching in Peter’s boat is meant to signify the great change that was about to take place. The Old Mosaic Covenant was about to give way to the New Covenant. The kingdom of God was about to spread to the ends of the earth. And it would spread, not by the Jews only, but through the church, consisting of all who have faith in Jesus, Jew and Gentile alike. Some have wondered if Peter’s boat symbolizes the church. I think it does, given how the story of the expansion of the kingdom of God will develop from here. 

Jesus preached the good news of the kingdom to the people from Peter’s boat. And then to signify how things would go from here, he commanded Peter to “Put out into the deep and let down [his] nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4, ESV). The command to “put out into the deep” has to remind us of the Great Commission, brothers and sisters, and the command to go to all nations. 

“And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!” (Luke 5:5, ESV). Some have suggested that the words, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!” are meant to signify the fruitlessness of the Old Covenant era as it pertains to the salvation of the nations. The Hebrews were set apart from the nations, and through them, the nations of the earth were to be blessed (see Genesis 12). But from the days of Abraham to the days of Jesus, the nations were largely left in darkness as it pertains to the light of the gospel and the kingdom of God. The thought is that Peter speaks for Old Covenant Israel when he says, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!” 

But then Peter says, “But at your word I will let down the nets” (Luke 5:5, ESV). This symbolizes how Simon Peter, and the other Apostles with him, would answer the call to “Go… and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19, ESV). And so Simon Peter and his associates obeyed the command of Christ. They cast out their nets, “And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking” (Luke 5:6, ESV). 

So what does the letting down of nets signify in this miraculous metaphor? It signifies the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ to all nations. And what does the large haul of fish signify? It signifies the success of the gospel of the kingdom. In due time, the gospel of the kingdom would be preached by Peter and others. God’s word will not return empty  (Isaiah 55:11). Christ’s church will be built, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). Christ’s kingdom will certainly advance, prosper, and be established for all eternity. God’s elect, from every tongue tribe and nation, will certainly be brought into Christ’s kingdom and kept in it. Christ will catch his fish. And this he will do through his Apostles, by the preaching of the word of God. 

So then, the sea is the world. The casting of nets is the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The fish are those who respond to the gospel in faith. And who is commissioned to preach this gospel? The Apostles of Jesus were commissioned to preach it. And through them, we, the church, are commissioned to preach it. But who will fill the nets? It is Christ who will fill the nets by his word and through the miracle of regeneration as the Spirit works. And where will these fish be gathered? Not into Moses’ synagogue, but into Peter’s boat, that is to say, into the church of Jesus Christ.

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Conclusion

Peter got the message. So too did James and John. 

The text tells us that Peter “fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8, ESV). He knew what this meant. He knew that Jesus was the Lord incarnate, the Holy One of Israel come in the flesh. And he also knew that he was a sinful man – “depart from me, for I am a sinful man”, he said. This reaction from Peter should remind us of the reaction of Isaiah the prophet when the Lord called and commissioned him under the Old Covenant. Isaiah said, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5, ESV). Indeed, if a man is going to serve the Lord as a minister of the gospel, this must be his disposition. He must be humbled. Peter was humbled by this experience. And he would be humbled even more in the years to come. 

Peter, James, and John also understood the symbolic force of the miracle. “Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.’ And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him” (Luke 5:10–11, ESV). So, these men knew that this miracle wasn’t about boats, nets, fish, and the sea. It was about preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to lost souls, urging them to turn from their sins and to trust in Jesus the Messiah. “When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.”

Peter, James, and John had a lot to learn. This marked the beginning of their walk with Jesus. They became disciples of Jesus on this day. And Jesus would teach them a great deal so that they would be effective fishers of men. He would humble them too, which, as I said, is an essential characteristic of a minister of the word. 

There is one more observation that I would like to make before concluding with some suggestions for application. Jesus called Peter to follow him in the beginning of his earthly ministry by sending him out into the sea to cast his nets and to fill them with fish so that he might bring them into his boat. And do not forget that Jesus re-commissioned Peter in the very same way at the end of his earthly ministry, after his death, burial, and resurrection, and before his ascension. 

Peter was severely humbled by his threefold denial of Christ on the night before Jesus’ crucifixion. And Jesus took special care to restore Peter and to send him out with boldness before he ascended to the Father. 

This story is found in John 21, where we read, “After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will go with you’ They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.” Had Peter and the others given up on the way of Christ? Did they intend to go back to their old way of life? It seems so. The text goes on to say, “Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, ‘Children, do you have any fish?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ He said to them, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved [John] therefore said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn” (John 21:1–11, ESV).

Now, this story found in John’s gospel deserves to be considered on its own terms, but it is also worth comparing with the story found in Luke’s gospel. Both stories are about commissioning. In Luke 5 Peter is called and commissioned by Jesus to be a disciple so that he might become a fisher of men. In John 21 Peter is re-commissioned (after stumbling) so that he might be the fisher of men that Christ had called him to be. Rember, it is in John 21 that Jesus restores Peter by asking him three times, “Do you love me?”, and then commanding him to “feed my lambs”, “tend my sheep”, and “feed my sheep.”  The threefold questioning and the threefold commissioning were certainly meant to counteract Peter’s threefold denial of Christ. 

Peter and the other Apostles were to be fishers of men. They were commissioned by Christ to go out into the deep, to cast the net of the gospel into the waters, and, in full reliance upon the blessing of Christ, to bring into the church all who believe the gospel and profess that Jesus is Lord. The events at the beginning and end of Jesus’ earth ministry make this very clear. Notice one difference between the stories, though. In the first event, the nets broke as Peter and his partners hauled them in. But in the second occurrence – the one recorded in John 21 – we are told that the nets did not break. Why? Because only after the resurrection of Christ were the disciples fully prepared to “go and to make disciples of all nations.”

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Suggestions For Application

I’ll conclude now by making a few suggestions for the application. And we should be careful here, for none of us have been called to do what Peter, James, and John were called to do, exactly. These men were set apart as  Apostles. Peter, in particular, was to function as a leader of that Apostolic band. Nevertheless, there is application to be made. 

Firstly, if any here wish to be a part of Christ’s kingdom, and if any wish to be used to further his kingdom, then we must come to Christ as Peter did. He humbly fell at Christ’s knees and honored him as the great King that he is. To have Jesus as Savior, we must have him as Lord and honor him as King. 

Secondly, we should give thanks to God for the way in which he has brought the good news of the kingdom of Christ even to us who live nearly 2,000 years after the kingdom was inaugurated, and on the other side of the world. Truly, the boat of Peter has sailed a long way off into the deep, and the nets of the gospel have been cast very far, in order to gather us in. God had been merciful to us Gentiles to bring us the good news about Jesus the Messiah. More than this, God has been merciful to us to catch us in his net and to gather us into himself by the preaching of his word and the effectual calling of the Holy Spirit. 

Thirdly, though it is true that Christ Peter to cast out his net, and though it is true that he commissioned his Apostles to “Go and make disciples of all nations…”, it is also true that this commission belongs to us too. The command to “Go and make disciples of all nations” has been handed down to the church from generation to generation so that it might be said of all of us that Christ desires to make us fishers of men. Some have been particularly called to minister the Word of God. But collectively, we are all called to be concerned to see the nets of the gospel spread abroad so that more and more of God’s fish might be gathered in until Christ returns. 

Though it is true that only some have been called to preach and to teach, all are to pray for the success of the gospel. All are to give of their treasures and talents to support the preaching of the gospel. And all of God’s people are to “hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in [them]… with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV).

You see, brothers and sisters, it is not you or I alone who have been commissioned by Christ to “Go… and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:18–20, ESV), but the church collectively has been entrusted with this mission. It has been passed down to us from Christ and the Apostles. And so we are to labor together, using the various gifts and resources that God has given to each one of us, to see this mission succeed. 

Together, we must continue to cast the nets of the gospel out into the deep. We must cast them, not according to our own wisdom or strength, but in obedience to the word of Christ and with the strength that he supplies. We must trust that he will fill the nets of the gospel according to his will, by his word, and by the working of the Spirit. And when he fills our nets, we must be faithful to bring these disciples which Christ has caught into the church through the waters of baptism, teaching these to observe all that Christ has commanded, knowing that our Lord is with us even to the end of the age.  Christ will further his kingdom. Christ will build his church. But he has determined to do it through his disciples – first, Peter, James, John, and the other Apostles, and now us. May the Lord make us faithful and fruitful servants of his. Amen.