“They Straightway Left Their Nets”

Lesson 6 – Luke 4:14-32; Luke 5; Luke 6:12-16; Matthew 10

Introduction

Mosiah 27:31 “Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God;…” At Jesus Christ’s Second Coming, everyone will recognize him as the Savior. This was not true at his first coming. The Jews had studied prophecies about the Savior’s coming for centuries, but many of those who heard Jesus failed to recognize him as the Savior. Because Jesus did not free the Jews from Roman control, as they expected the Messiah to do, many of them rejected him and his message. The first part of today’s lesson will discuss what happened when Jesus first announced that he was the long-awaited Messiah. Other parts of the lesson will discuss Jesus’ calling of Apostles to help spread his message.

Jesus revealed that came as the Messiah.

Jesus was invited to read a passage of scripture and comment on it during the service in the synagogue in Nazareth.

Luke 4:16-19 (note: verses 18-19 are a quotation of Isaiah 61:1-2. Isaiah is called “Esaias” in Luke 4:17) These verses are a prophetic description of things the Messiah would do.

Luke 4:21 When Jesus finished reading the passage from Isaiah, he declared that he was the Messiah of whom Isaiah prophesied and for whom the Jews had been waiting for centuries.

Luke 4:22-29 records the people in the synagogue’s response to Jesus’ declaration.

Luke 4:22 Obviously, the people in the synagogue had difficulty accepting Jesus as the Messiah. They knew him and had watched him grow up, so they could not see how he could be the great Messiah they were expecting. Some people today have difficulty accepting Jesus Christ as the Savior. Our challenge is to strengthen our testimonies that Jesus is the Savior.

Jesus called his Twelve Apostles

Apostles are called to do what Jesus himself did in the synagogue in Nazareth—declare that he is the Messiah, the Savior.

Luke 5:1-2 Simon Peter, James, and John were pursuing their livelihood as fishermen when Jesus came to them.

Luke 5:10 Jesus told them that their lives would change if they followed him and they would catch men rather than fish. Think about how your life has been affected because of your decision to follow Jesus Christ.

Mark 1:17 records that Jesus told Peter, James, and John that they would toil as “fishers of men”. In Luke 5, he demonstrated his power and taught them a symbolic lesson about the experiences they would have with him:

• Luke 5:5: “At thy word I will let down the net.” Taught that they would work where Jesus directed them.
• Luke 5:6: “They inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.” taught that they would find many people who would accept the gospel.
• Luke 5:7: “They beckoned unto their partners … that they should come and help them.” foretold the truth that they would call others to assist in the work.

Luke 5:1-11 records that Jesus called Peter, James, and John to be his disciples. Later he would call them to be Apostles. The difference between a disciple and an Apostle important. A disciple is any follower of Jesus Christ (Bible Dictionary, “Disciple,” 657). An Apostle is a disciple who has been called to be a special witness of Christ (D&C 107:23). The word Apostle means “one [who is] sent forth” (Bible Dictionary, “Apostle,” 612). The members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are sent forth to testify to the world that Jesus is the Savior and Redeemer of mankind.

It important that Jesus call Apostles.

Matthew 9:36-38 teaches that more laborers were needed

Matthew 16:19 - the Apostles would hold the keys for directing the Lord’s work on earth

Mark 3:14-15 – they would preach the gospel, work miracles, and cast out devils

John 20:19-21 they were sent by Jesus as messengers of peace

John 20:23 –they were sent as judges in Israel with power to forgive sin

Ephesians 4:11-15 – The Apostles would work on perfecting the saints and edifying the Church; teach correct doctrines that unify the faith and teach the true nature of God; help the saints avoid false doctrine and the wiles of Satan; and spread the gospel of truth and love.

They would help Jesus preach the gospel while he was in his mortal ministry and would lead the Church and carry on priesthood authority after Jesus was gone. For those same reasons, the Lord has called Apostles today.

Luke 6:12-13 shows that Jesus chose the original Twelve Apostles by inspiration and prayer. Just as Jesus prepared himself to call them, people are chosen today to be Apostles and to serve in other Church callings by prayer and inspiration.

Luke 5:5, 8, 11, 27-28 The scriptures tell us about the background and character of the men whom Jesus called as Apostles: they had no formal training for the ministry, but they were humble, obedient, hardworking men who were willing to sacrifice everything to follow the Lord.

Modern day revelation explains how a person becomes qualified to serve the Lord:

D&C 4:3, 5-6: “..if ye have desires to serve God…”; “And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.”; “Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, and diligence”

Articles of Faith 1:5. “…called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority…”

Jesus ordained and instructed the Twelve Apostles

After Jesus called the Twelve Apostles, he gave them priesthood power and instructed them in their responsibilities. We learn about the powers and responsibilities of Apostles from Jesus’ counsel in Matthew 10:1, 6-8, 11-14, 19-20, 39

• They have power to heal the spiritually and physically sick (verse 1).

§ They are sent to the lost sheep of Israel to preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand (verses 6-7).

• They are to use their priesthood power to bless and heal people (verse 8).
• They are to seek out those who are prepared to hear the gospel (verses 11-14).
• They are to teach as guided by the Spirit (verses 19-20).
• They are to give their lives entirely to the Savior’s work (verse 39).

We can compare the powers and responsibilities given to the original Apostles to those given to latter-day Apostles in these scriptures:

• D&C 107:23, 33, 35 - “special witnesses”; “a Traveling Presiding High Council, to officiate in the name of the Lord…to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations…”; “…sent out…holding the keys, to open the door by the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ…”
• D&C 112:14, 19-22, 30-31 – “…unto all the Twelve: Arise and gird up your loins, take up your cross, follow me, and feed my sheep.”; “…withersoever they shall send you, go ye…that they may receive my word”; “..I have made counselors for my name’s sake…”; “…shall have power to open the door of my kingdom to any nation…”; “Inasmuch as they shall humble themselves before me, and abide in my word, and hearken to the voice of my Spirit.”

Matthew 10:40-42; D&C 124:45-46 promise blessings to those who follow the Apostles: “He that receiveth a prophet…shall receive a prophet’s reward…shall in no wise lose his reward”; “..they [my people] shall not be moved out of their place”.

Elder Spencer W. Kimball said: “No one in this Church will ever go far astray who ties himself securely to the Church Authorities whom the Lord has placed in his Church. This Church will never go astray; the Quorum of the Twelve will never lead you into bypaths; it never has and never will” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1951, 104).

Conclusion

Jesus Christ is the true Messiah and theTwelve Apostles are special witnesses of him.