34: Back to Work (Luke 9:37-50)

Here we are again. The Summer break for teachers & students is almost over and it’s time to get Back to Work. Vacations are now just memories and we look forward to future calendar events. Some people are already counting down the days to their next extended vacation. Some of YOU have seen and shared the pic on Facebook that said… “20 Fridays left until Christmas.” That’s crazy to think about isn’t it!

The best thing about Summer break coming to an end? It’s time for football players to Get Back to Work! - and for this we give God thanks!

Last week saw how Jesus gave Peter, James, & John a glimpse of KINGdom Come and we were challenged to ask the question: ‘When the KINGdom comes, will He be pleased with me?’ Today I have a slightly different question:

When the KINGdom comes, will He be pleased with US?

If Jesus were to speak to Fellowship, would He be pleased with US? As He knows our intentions & actions, what would He be pleased with…and what would He be displeased with? What course correction would He give us as a church?

That is a sobering question isn’t it.

PRAY Lord Jesus, help us to get back to work for You…

You’ll remember from last week that Peter wanted to stay on the mountain…to experience the joy of KINGdom Come. But they couldn’t stay there. It was time to get Back to Work. And like us, Jesus had to give them a course correction if they were going to accomplish KINGdom Work. And so…

Luke 9:37–39 (NIV)

37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him.

We have seen Jesus show mercy to many in the Gospel of Luke, including many parents who hurt for their children. This time however, Jesus doesn’t immediately agree - first He has a word of rebuke.

Luke 9:40–41 (NIV)

40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.” 41 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

Jesus was frustrated by this generation of people - they did not believe…and they were perverse. This Greek word (diastrephō) translated perverse is used of

causing something to be distorted or deformed - like an object that gets ruined in the hands of a clumsy workman.

to walk away from standard values - to pervert, twist, or make crooked the standard. instead of adjusting to the standard we change it to fit us.

* while Jesus was speaking of that specific generation…but this is certainly the case of OUR generation is it not? ‘unbelieving & perverse’. Perversion is the result of NOT BELIEVING God at His word.

The question our culture wrestles with is: Did God make Man…or did Man make God?

* Answer: God made Man in HIS image…then Man made God in his image…perverting & twisting the image of God.

Despite the unbelieving and perverse people, Jesus has mercy on the father for his son & commands the demon-possessed boy to be brought to Him. Mark gives us more detail of what happens next.

Although we are studying through the Gospel of Luke, we have been incorporating the synoptics to give even more clarity to the story. By Synoptics we refer to how Matthew, Mark, and Luke ‘see together’. Using the gospels together has been happening for quite some time.

In A.D. 170 Tatian, a Christian apologist, weaved the 4 gospels together calling it the dia tessarōn (Gk. meaning “through four”).

Today we will spend more time looking at Luke & Mark.

Mark 9:20–23

20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

I love the response of Jesus…’If you can?’ Who do you think you’re talking to?

This is like your child being unable to lift a heavy weight and therefore thinking it might be too heavy for you too. “Trust me…Daddy’s got this!” (Now we’ve GOT to perform, even if it means popping a chitlin)

Jesus encourages them, “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Remember, He has just rebuked them for being unbelieving and perverse.

Contrary to popular word-faith theology, this ISN’T about name-it-claim-it nonsense. This isn’t all about WHAT you SAY but WHO you put faith in…for with God all things are possible.

Do you Have trouble asking God for help? If so, it’s probably because of one of these reasons.

Sin in your life?…Why would God answer when you don’t obey Him?

Think God is disinterested? God has a universe to run…so would He care about your piddly problems? You are His CREATION! He knows You intimately & cares about you deeply! Ask Him for help!

Think God is unable? If so…then you don’t understand who you’re dealing with…’If you can?’

Have trouble trusting others? You’ve been injured by others you trusted. Maybe they haven’t followed through on what they said. Stop stiff-arming the sinless One because of how sinners have treated you.

Regardless of your reasoning for not asking and trusting…would you approach Jesus humbly…with the little bit of faith you have? Later in this story Matthew notes that Jesus talks about having faith as small as a tiny mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). That’s all this man has…and I love this man’s response to Jesus.

Mark 9:24

24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Lord I’m trusting you with the little I’ve got…can you help me fill in the gaps?

Mark 9:25-27

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

Luke says Jesus “gave him back to his father.” (Luke 9:42)

And then at some point…

Mark 9:28–29 (NIV)

28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

How does prayer make the difference? Prayer is asking God to intervene…and giving Him the credit when He does. Prayer is asking GOD to do what we CAN’T do. Evidently the apostles got a little cocky and lost their sense of dependence on God. And as we’ll see in a moment, it seems that some of the disciples were getting a little too big for their tunics.

If prayer communicates our DEPENDENCE on God, then what about lack of prayer?

Gregg Matte - pastor at FBC Houston:

“We don't pray not because we are too busy, but because we are too confident.” 

Hey Fellowship… are we attempting to do KINGdom work…?

without humbly & confidently asking God to do what ONLY He can do?

and look forward to taking the credit?

Is it possible that we continue to do what we do in our own strength…without the Spirit of God showing up?

A.W. Tozer wrote “If the Holy Spirit had left the early church, 95 percent of what they did would have failed. But if the Spirit were to leave most churches today, 95 percent of what we do would continue.”

But what if God’s people depend on His power, obey what He says, & give Him full credit? When God uses His people to be His hands & feet, kingdom work is accomplished. Or to put it more succinctly…

BIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom WorkBIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom WorkBIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom WorkBIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom Work

BIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom Work

BIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom Work

We depend on God, and He uses us.

While the apostles are corrected for their prayerlessness & lack of faith, the people who had seen this miracle…

Luke 9:43–44a (NIV)

43 [And they] were all amazed at the greatness of God. While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you:

Listen carefully is literally, ‘to put into the ears’. It’s a weighty expression that is meant to get their attention. As I might say, “Struggle to swallow what I’m about to tell you,” Jesus wants his disciples to listen carefully and not forget what He’s about to say.

Luke 9:44b-45 The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

There are only 3 options on HOW this is hidden from them.

God has hidden the meaning so that they won't understand these words until AFTER the resurrection & coming of the Spirit.

The disciples are unwilling to accept what Jesus says...it makes no sense to them because of their presuppositions. It seems that Jesus told them what was going to happen so the COULD understand.

The devil kept the truth hidden from their eyes, but this seems to be reading something into the text.

WHO hid this from them is not the point of the text. THAT this was hidden from them is the point. Mark says it this way:

Mark 9:32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

By the way, that might be where you are RIGHT NOW. You don’t know WHY you’re going through WHAT you’re going through. You don’t see the point or the purpose right now. But those who have more life experience can tell you. We now thank God for taking us through that moment of pain & frustration that we didn’t understand at the time. He used it to help us TRUST HIM more.

The apostles didn’t understand & they besides that - they were more concerned about something else.

Luke 9:46

46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.

Again, Mark gives us some more helpful information…

Mark 9:33–34

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

Are you kidding me?!? Jesus has just cast out a powerful demon and has been talking about His death…and these guys are jockeying for position!!! Do people in ‘church-world’ ever do this today? Lives are hanging in the balance and those who claim to be followers of Jesus are concerned with where they rank in the heavenly hierarchy. Jesus will have none of it…

Luke 9:47–48

47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”

Think about that for a second.

The one who matters the least…the one most people tend to see as socially insignificant, poor, or very young - the least…are actually the greatest.

As Jesus welcomes the child…the least…so should THEY…so should WE - treat them with dignity and care…the same way Jesus does.

Every parent with more than one child has experienced the frustration Jesus is talking about. You might have had this conversation recently: “Quit being so selfish! Stop treating your brother or sister like he/she is less important just because you are older & stronger.”

Is that how Jesus feels when His children fight over who is greatest instead of humbly serving each other. Is that how He feels when we tear each other down instead of build each other up?

But what if we tried to OUT-SERVE one another! What if we treated each other as more valuable than ourselves! What if we treated the least like the greatest! What if we treated each other like PARTNERS instead of OPPONENTS!

BIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom WorkBIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom WorkBIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom WorkBIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom Work

BIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom Work

BIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom Work

What if WE were seeking God’s hand while holding onto each others’ hand! THAT would be a great church!

But what if this was bigger than just OUR CHURCH? Believe it or not, there are people in some other local churches doing a good work for Jesus too!

What’s your tendency when you hear of another church doing a great KINGdom work? Let’s be honest…sometimes we get jealous…instead of CELEBRATING!

That’s nothing new. Look at what the apostles experienced.

Luke 9:49-50

49 “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.” 50 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”

There is no competition in the KINGdom.

Praise God when other churches reach lost folks & train young believers to walk with Jesus! Praise God when other churches are reaching children, teenagers, & adults!

May we THANK God & ask Him to use US…and OTHERS…to build the KINGdom!

BIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom WorkBIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom WorkBIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom WorkBIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom Work

BIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom Work

BIG TRUTH: Prayerful Partnership accomplishes KINGdom Work

Fellowship, it’s time to get to work! And here’s how we put FEET2FAITH this week.

Pray Daily that God will use us…to accomplish Kingdom work.

Partner with another believer…to accomplish Kingdom work. Where are YOU serving?

We need some adults to invest in our children & teenagers in the coming days.

We need to ramp up our HOME GROUPS - leaders, host homes, & each of you to join up.

Lastly, some of you need to surrender to Jesus today…

PRAY

Edwin Resigns

In the few short weeks before Sept will be rebooting AWANA & TeamKID on Wed. and preparing for ORANGE on Sundays. We need your prayerful partnership.

We love Edwin, Stephanie, Tyler, & Conner and we pray that God will greatly use them in the coming days.

Wed. night we will have a meal here at Fellowship at 6pm to honor them and enjoy each other - including some water games outside for our children & teenagers.