It had been a long night on the lake for Peter and his partners.  The two boats and four men had fished all night and caught zero fish.  That was bad enough, but the worse part was having to clean the nets the next morning.  It wasn’t too bad, when they had caught fish, it was sort of worth it.  But when they got skunked it seemed pretty pointless.  And to make bad matters worse, Jesus showed up on the one morning they didn’t catch anything.  You don’t want Jesus to think you are completely incompetent.  Most nights they caught fish, but not the time Jesus shows.  That is kind of the way life is.

But to make even bad matters even worser.  Jesus asked to go fishing and he knew where the fish were.  He had been preaching while they were cleaning the nets and just about the time they were done, he wants to go fishing and he knows where the fish are.  He is a great preacher and wonderful teacher and certainly powerful, but does that make him a fisherman too?  “You stick to the preaching and let us do the fishing,” Peter thought to himself.  But that is not what he said out loud, “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything…  But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 

Andrew was willing to do whatever, that was Andrew. But James and John gave Peter dirty looks which said, “Are you kidding me? We are tired and the nets are clean and he wants us to fish some more? He’s a carpenter. No thanks.  You go on without us.”  There was no point in getting all the nets dirty again.   So, Peter and Andrew shrugged their shoulders and put out into the deep water and let down the nets where Jesus was pointing. 

What happened next changed Peter, Andrew, James and John forever and I mean eternity-forever.  The first bump of a fish on the net surprised Peter.  But it was followed by a few more and then a whole bunch.  It was as if Jesus had a fish call and all the fish in the lake were anxious to be get into the boat. I remember a Sesame Street episode where Bert and Ernie went fishing and Ernie would say, “Here fishy, fishy.” And the fish would jump in their boat.  It was like that.  Jesus said, “Here fishy, fishy.” All the fish in the lake were wanting in the boat.  Peter hollered at James and John to come help and when they saw what was going on they joined their partners and filled both boats until they both were about to sink.  They couldn’t hold another fish without going down.  As I said, it was life changing.

That is not where the story ends.  Notice Luke 5:8.

Luke 5:8-10  When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"  For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.

 

Peter realizes what has just happened.  It wasn’t a coincident.  It wasn’t that Jesus was an excellent fisherman.  It wasn’t beginner’s luck.  Peter realized the truth of the situation.  He was in the presence of someone really powerful.  He realized he was in the company of someone awesome, not simply above average, but awesome.  Peter realized he was in the presence of God?  And his response was the same as your response would be if you knew you were in front of God.  Peter feel to his knees unable to look divinity in the eyes and said what you would say, “Go away I am a sinful man.”  And that is the right response!  Read the rest of verse 10 and 11. 

Luke 5:10-11  Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."  So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Jesus says, “I know you are a sinful man, Peter. That’s okay I can use you anyway.  Come and follow me.”  Peter knowing who Jesus is and knowing who he is, and knowing that Jesus knows who he is, cannot turn down the offer and he and his buddies leave everything and follow Jesus.  Wow, isn’t that a wonderful story?  It kind of makes me wish I was Peter.  “Yes, I’m right there with you, Jesus.  Forget these stinking fish.  We’re after people now!”
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Now put that story on hold for a minute and let’s look at another story from Luke; this one a few verses later.  This scene is Sabbath Day in a synagogue.  Jesus has had, according to Luke 5, a series of escalating encounters with a religious group called the Pharisees.  They are not an official religious organization.  They are more of a movement of people who want to get back to following the Torah.  They believed that if they followed all the laws, of what we call the Old Testament, they could create an atmosphere for God to act.  If they could get the people to observe the Law of Moses then God would save them.  The very name “Pharisee” means “to separate.”  They were a separatist group who insisted on holiness.  You had to do all the right things in order to be right with God and they were proud of the fact that they did everything right. 

Anyway they had several problems with Jesus which are outlined in Luke 5 and 6:
®Jesus claimed to be able to forgive sins.  That was blasphemy.  That didn’t fly with the Pharisees. 
®Jesus associated with sinners even tax collectors. That was unholy.  You did not do table fellowship with tax collectors. That for sure gave you the cooties.
®Jesus’ disciples did not fast. This was obviously an important thing you had to do. No fasting, no righteousness. 
®Jesus’ disciples ignored the Sabbath day.  That was way too much. 

This Sabbath observance was the kicker.  That was the Pharisees’ thing.  That was important to God and Moses and Jesus was way wrong in working on the Sabbath and letting his disciples do whatever on the Sabbath. That was a real problem for them.  So, when on the Sabbath Jesus worked, by healing, it was too much for the Pharisees.

Luke 6:6-8  On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled.  The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.  But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there. 

Wow.  Imagine you are there in church that Saturday morning and you see standing in front of you this guy with an obviously crippled and deformed hand.  The tension begins to build.  It was showdown time.  Could Jesus do it?  Would Jesus do it?  Should Jesus do it?

Luke 6:9  Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"

Jesus is asking the “should” question.  Is it okay to help people on the Sabbath?  Is it right to do good on this holy day?  But the Pharisees just kept their mouths shut.  They didn’t want to answer.  There was a glitch in their theology. Healing on the Sabbath, how could that be a bad thing?  But it kind of was work.  The Sabbath was their thing and you better treat it with respect; no working.  If you were there you would be watching this showdown with your mouths open.

Luke 6:10-11   He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored.  But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

He did it.  Right there in front of everyone.  He did it in the face of the Pharisees. There was no hocus-pocus. This wasn’t a trick.  He actually healed the guy right it front of everyone.  It was amazing.  But the Pharisees were not impressed. Instead they were furious.  Ultimately, they decided that Jesus must die.
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Let’s compare the two stories; the fish and the hand stories.  In both stories Jesus performed spectacular miracles.  Was the fish or the hand any more impressive, than the other?  They were both impressive.  Could anyone there deny that one was a miracle and the other was not?  They both were miracles. Both were done in public. It wasn’t a secret sort of thing.  So, here is the question, “Why the opposite responses?”  Why did Peter and his associates leave everything and follow Jesus and the Pharisees and their associates decide to reject Jesus and ultimately kill him?  Why did one miracle instigate faith and another incite fury? 

What I want to explore this morning is why do some choose to follow and others reject Jesus.  It actually began in Nazareth last week with the year of Jubilee.  Jesus’ hometown rejects the good news of God’s favor and attempts to pitch him off a cliff.  Then as we follow the action in Luke 5
®Man with leprosy accepts Jesus and is healed.
®A paralytic is brought to Jesus by his buddies and walks out the door a believer, but the Pharisees question Jesus.
®Levi and his shady associates throw a feast and rejoice in Jesus but more negative allegations from the Pharisees, “Why do you eat with those sinners?’
®Then Jesus calls twelve to be apostles but ultimately Judas betrays Jesus. 

Here is the first point I want to make this morning; Jesus forces a choice.  Where ever Jesus goes he forces a decision.  There is no middle ground with Jesus.  It is hard to be indifferent towards Jesus.  He forces everyone to pay a nickel and make a choice.  But why do some choose to follow and others choose to reject?    
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I think the answer is in verses Luke 5:36-39.

Luke 5:36-39  He told them this parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.  No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.  And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.'"

Some like old wine and some like new wine.  There you go. That is the answer. Some like old wine and some like new wine.   But what does it mean?  What does old wine taste like and what does the new?  Why do some reject Jesus because they like old wine? 

®Old wine is prestige.  New wine is humility.
®Old wine is recognition and praise of men. New wine is submission.
®Old wine is legalism and black and white and following the letter of the law.  New wine is freedom and release and joy.

The Pharisees rejected Jesus because they loved the old wine. They had too much to lose if everything changed.  They had it right and didn’t want to be confused with the facts.  Their hearts were hard because they loved the worthiness they felt by being better than everyone else.  They did not like the taste of new wine because the old wine was too sweet.

But Peter had the kind of heart that loved the bitter taste of new wine.  He recognized his own sinfulness and loved the taste of Jesus’ forgiveness.  What are the first words on Peter’s lips in the book of Luke?  “But because you say I will let down the nets.”  “I am a sinful man.”  He humbly bowed before Jesus and loved the commission Jesus gave him; fisher of men.  Jesus was freedom, release, and the way Jesus looked at him.  Peter loved the new wine because it was the wine of Jubilee. It was the wine of the Year of the Lord’s favor!
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I guess that leads me to one last question, what kind of wine do you like?  Do you enjoy thinking of yourself as religious?  Do you like the taste of people thinking you are holy?  Do you go to church because it is the law?  Do you do what you do, to be seen of men?  Legalism and arrogance are the taste of old wine. 

Do you remember the Soup Line from last year?  If I follow the law then I am going to be further up the line of worthiness than you are.  I will get more recognition than you.  Surely, God will love me more because I keep the laws.  The laws and being at the front of the line is the sweet taste of old wine.  Do you like it?

The new wine is longing to be free from the poverty of sin.  The new wine is letting go of the sinful chains of pride and hypocrisy.  The taste of new wine is wanting to see Jesus; to be on your knees before Jesus, to be Jesus. Do you long to be released to be who God wants you to be?  The new wine is the bitter taste of surrender. 

Jesus actually continues the same thought in the sermon on the level place.  Matthew has the Sermon on the Mount.  Luke has the sermon on the level place. Watch as Jesus, himself, tells us why some choose to follow and some choose to reject.

Luke 6:20-23  Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.  Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.  Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.  "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.  

When your attitude is like Peter’s, “I am a sinner,” then you can choose to follow Jesus and experience the Year of Jubilee.  It is the bitter taste of surrender that leads to the wonderful experience of Jesus. 

Luke 6:24-26  But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.  Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.  Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.

Those who love the recognition of riches, the full belly of arrogance, the satisfaction of people speaking well of you, may be unable to make the choice of Jesus.  They like the sweet taste of old wine too much.

What are we to see, Lord?  Jesus forces a choice.  The choice you make will be determined by the kind of wine you prefer; the sweet taste of pride or the bitter taste of surrender.  What kind of wine do you prefer?

Prayer: Lord, I am a sinner.  I want the new wine.