09: Calling Sinners to Be Disciples & Cleansing the Leper (Luke 5:1–16)

Jesus called fishermen who confessed their sinfulness to become His disciples. He willingly touched a leper and cleansed him. Through these acts, Jesus revealed that His ministry is to forgive sinners and to make the unclean clean.

👉 Read Luke 5:1 - 16

Q1. When the people gathered to listen to Jesus’ word, Simon and his fellow fishermen were washing their ( ). Jesus got into Simon’s boat and asked him to put out a little from the shore so that He could ( ) the crowd. After He finished teaching, He told Simon to let down the nets in ( ) water. Trusting Jesus’ word, Simon obeyed and caught a great number of fish.

ANS: nets, teach, deep.

Notably, Simon was not among the crowd listening to Jesus, likely because he was occupied with his work to earn a living. Yet Jesus implicitly called Simon, not from the crowd, but from his ordinary labor, to become His disciple.

Q2.  What was his response when Simon (later named Peter) caught many fish? And what did Jesus say to him? (Please compare Matthew 4:18 -22)

ANS: I am a sinner. Leave me. (not in Matthew)

Don't be afraid; you will be catching people (Matthew: I'll let you be a fisher of men)

‘Don’t be afraid’ Though Jesus is holy and blameless, he is not accusing but forgiving.

Q3. In those days, they thought leprosy came from one's sin. A leper came to Jesus and said, "Lord, (                 ), you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hands and (           ) him and said, "(           ), be clean!"

In those days, they thought leprosy came from one's sin. A leper came to Jesus and said, "Lord, ( If you are willing ), you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hands and (touched ) him and said, "( I am willing ), be clean!"

If the Lord is willing, He can forgive our sins and raise us from the dead—and He is willing.

He did not need to touch the man. But He did. He touched the man’s broken heart, which had long endured people’s insults and deep self-abasement.

Q4. Jesus did not want people to focus on (     ) rather than on the (    ) of the kingdom. Therefore, when crowds gathered and came to Him seeking healing, Jesus often withdrew to the (    ) to pray.

Jesus did not want people to focus on (healing) rather than on the (gospel) of the kingdom. Therefore, when crowds gathered and came to Him seeking healing, Jesus often withdrew to the (wilderness) to pray.

It is remarkable that Jesus intentionally withdrew from the people who came to Him seeking healing, and even from those who came to hear His word. He did this because He did not want people to focus on healing rather than on the word of God. If we were in Jesus’ place, we might use healing as a means to preach the word of God. However, Jesus did not want to mix the gospel with healing miracles, in order to preserve the purity of the gospel. He even stop the preaching ministry when miracles get attention.