This week I have been thinking through Biblical
Narrative (stories in the Bible) and explaining the different parts of the
stories. My first post pointed to the 5 main parts in the plot of every story.
I explained how we need to identify these points, so we can interpret and
understand the story correctly. Yesterday, I gave an example of the 5
points and a story in the Bible. I took the story of Jesus calling His first
disciples from Luke 5, laid out the 5 points in the plot, filled in the
skeleton with the actual text, and then created a big idea and intention
statements. Today I want to show another step in the process of understanding and
then teaching Biblical Narrative.
After the plot, big idea, and intention is created
(which I usually do on Monday), an explanation outline will be created. An explanation
outline is where I take the plot outline of a story and begin to insert
important points or ideas that need clarifying. In the explanation outline, I
also begin to insert where the application is found in the story. As I finish
creating an explanation outline, I begin to see the story take shape. I
consider the explanation outline, the beginning of my teaching outline (which
will eventually be turned into a homiletical outline, manuscript, and sermon).
An explanation outline is fuller than a plot outline. It will include specific
thoughts or truths that need stated. And lastly, I will sometimes even write
a concluding thought and attach it to the explanation outline. This outline begins
to focus the story both in the truth it brings, and in the clearest way to
communicate the truth. Here is my explanation outline for Luke 5:1-11
I. Act 1: Jesus preaches a message to the crowd and
showcases His power to Peter and a few other Apostles in a catch of fish.
(5:1-7)
A.
Jesus preaches a message to a large crowd on the shore of a lake. (5:1-3)
1. A large crowd is
pressing on Jesus to hear the Word he is preaching by the shore of Lake
Gennesaret (Galilee). (5:1)
2. Jesus sees a boat by
the lake that the fishermen (Peter and the rest) are no longer using. (5:2)
3. Jesus calls Simon
(Peter) to cast the boat out into the lake so the crowd can hear the message
better. (5:3)
4. Yes, Jesus is
preaching a message to the crowd, but this story is about Jesus and Peter.
B. Inciting incident:
Jesus challenges Peter’s response to the possibility of miracle being done and
the power of God on display. (5:4-5)
1. Jesus gives a command
to Peter to go back out and fish in the lake again after Peter has been fishing
all night. (5:4)
2. Peter responds to
Jesus in an act of “unbelief” by trying to explain Jesus has no clue what He is
talking about or asking. (5:5)
C. Growing Tension: Jesus’
power is on display through a miraculous catch of fish after Peter responded in
unbelief. (5:6-7)
1. So much fish have been
caught by the fishermen that the net is beginning to break and the boat is
beginning to sink. (5:6)
2. James and John help
come over to help the large catch of fish and are present for the power of God,
as well as the response of Peter to Jesus. (5:7)
D. We are exactly like
Peter in this story of Jesus’ power on display and the possibility of a miracle
happening.
1.
Sometimes we are just here to hear a good message and get fed the Word.
2. Sometimes we are just
here to be with Jesus and be around a magnetic situation.
3.
Sometimes we think we know best and do not trust what Jesus tells us to do.
4.
Many times we have the exact same unbelief that Peter shows in this story.
II. Turning Point: Since this story is about Peter, Peter’s
response to miracle is the focus and representative of the rest of the
disciples. (5:8-9)
A. Peter realizes through
the miracle of the fish catch that he is in the presence of the Divine and is a
man full of sinful unbelief. (5:8)
B. Peter’s response is
representative of the others who are around the catch of his, including James
and John and even Andrew. (5:9)
C. Many times we have the
same response as Peter when the power of God and His graceful miraculous nature
is on display.
1. The very first
response we ever have to Jesus (as one of His disciples) is a response of
repentance or realization that we are sinful people.
2. The response of sinful
man in the holy divine is not just a response we need now of conversion but a
response we need to have daily.
3. But as this story is
about to unfold, our response to Jesus can’t stop with a simple realization of
sinful man and holy God.
III. Reversal: Peter responded correctly to the power
of Jesus that is displayed but how will Peter and the rest respond to the call
of Jesus? (5:10-11)
A. The Call: Jesus
accepts Peter’s heart felt unbelief response to the miracle by issuing a call
to follow Him on His mission to expand the Kingdom. (5:10)
B. Resolution: The men
leave everything and follow Jesus as a response to Jesus’ miracle and Jesus’
call to fish for men. (5:11)
C. *Jesus still calls his disciples to respond in faith and follow Him
after they have seen His power at work in their lives*.
1.
Jesus is still calling us to follow Him as Lord and Master of our lives.
2. Jesus is still calling
us to respond in faith to not only follow Him the first time, but to follow Him
in faith daily.
3. Jesus is still calling
us to respond in faith in following Him to expand the kingdom by making
disciples. Matthew 28:18-20 is another example of this commission and calling
of Jesus.
Conclusion
This is a story about a faith response to follow Jesus
after His power is displayed. This story is the same as our story, as we have
seen numerous times throughout it. Our story is a story of a faith response to
follow Jesus after His power is displayed. The clearest place and most powerful
place the power of Jesus, in God, is displayed is on the Cross and in the
Gospel. And our response in faith is still called for to the Cross of Christ
and the Gospel message. Today and every day, we are still being called to
respond in faith by following Jesus when the power of God in Christ is made
known or reminding us in the Gospel message. Just like Peter we are sinful men.
Just like Peter we must turn from our unbelief. And just like Peter we must
begin in faith to follow Jesus. Let us all respond in faith to the power of God
in Christ and when we respond in faith, let us turn and go fish for men,
bringing the same Gospel power to others for them also to respond in faith and
follow Jesus. The Gospel message is the power. Let us respond in faith to it
this morning and every morning and respond by fishing for men.
This is my explanation outline for Luke 5:1-11, with a
concluding thought. This is a second step in the process of understanding the beauty
of a story from the Bible. Yes, studying the Bible is hard work. Yes, studying
the Bible takes a lot of time. Yes, studying the Bible seems to be very deep and
thoughtful work. But it is both our duty and delight to spend as much time as
we possibly can, studying God’s Word. Studying Biblical Narrative is like
mining. The more work you put in and the deeper you go; the more gold and precious
jewels will be found.
I hope my three posts this week on Biblical Narrative
have been helpful and inspire you to dig deep into stories from the Bible.
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