Face It

Face It!

Text: Luke 9:51-56

51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”

55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.[1]

Face It!

· You cannot conquer what you refuse to face

· You will not overcome what you refuse to overtake

· If you refuse to face it… you will never fix it

Three times in the text I read Jesus set his face towards Jerusalem he was intent about making his way to the holy city called Jerusalem

· It’s a place where all the Jews would gather for festivals and celebrations. Jesus is making his way for the Passover but not only that… he has a date with destiny to secure our salvation.

The Bible is clear that he persistently set His Face towards Jerusalem

· set his face to go to Jerusalem This marks a major turning point in Luke’s Gospel, as Jesus’ ministry shifts from Galilee and advances toward Jerusalem and the cross[2]

· He had His eyes on Jerusalem

· He had a mission to complete

· He was staring Jerusalem down… Because there was something He needed to do in Jerusalem that only He could accomplish

· It was the assignment that was placed on His life, and no one else could fulfill that assignment.

The Bible says that He steadfastly set His face towards Jerusalem, and as they were on the way He sent messengers before His face and the Bible says vs 53: 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. [3]

· You must understand that He had to complete this assignment

· This is the reason that He had come into the world

· Some may have wanted Him to preaching sermons, healing people, and doing miracles, but that was not His primarily assignment.

His primarily assignment was to head toward Jerusalem because He had a date with destiny where His life would be given as a ransom for many. And Luke gives this long runway to Jerusalem from chapter 9… but he doesn’t get to Jerusalem till chapter 19

· That triumphal entry on Palm Sunday that happens in chapter 19

· And then in chapter 23&24 we find out that Jesus dies to secure our salvation

He started out in chapter 9

· He’s going to heal some people along the way

· He’s going to liberate some people from the sin debt along the way, but while He is going, He does not get sidetracked by those minor assignments because the major assignment is in Jerusalem.

And the Bible says He is ready to face it… He is going to face it and he does not do it for His own benefit… but He does it for the benefit of:

· Everyone who is listening right now

· Everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior

· He did it for you and for me

· And here he goes headed towards the holy city of Jerusalem

Here he goes in direction of His divine destiny and while he is going, he has to commit to the assignment

· It’s a tough assignment

· You do remember He has to lay His life down

His enemies want to take His life but I John 10:18 He says:

18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”[4]

· I like the Lord Jesus… He has made up in his mind that He is going to secure our salvation by the giving of His very life

I am glad that God demonstrated His love towards us Romans 5:8

· 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.[5]

But meet me at Luke chapter 9… Because it seems to me that the Lord Jesus has somethings to teach us on how to face certain things

· I know I have some challenges coming up and maybe you also have some challenges that you will have to face

· I don’t know what they are in detail… but all of us have somethings that we need to face!

And Jesus gives us clear example of how we can face it

· Even when the assignment is tough

· Even when it’s a difficult assignment

· Even when it seems like we are going to waste away in the process… He says you can still Face It!

First Point:

Jesus says we can Face It: Even When The Assignment Is Riddled With Adversaries

· I hope you haven’t gotten bored with me saying it… but nowhere in Scripture does it say anywhere that we would glide to glory

· Each of us are going to have some adversaries

· Each of us will have somebody trying to get in the way of the progress of our reality

· There’s always going to be somebody standing around

· There’s always going to be a nay-sayer

· There’s always a hater here and there… and yonder

· There’s always going to be somebody going into the situation sucking their teeth, and rolling their eyes, and rolling their neck… talking trash… all up in your Kool-Aid so don’t be surprised

And Jesus knew this well because it says in verses:

· 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. [6]

· They did not receive Him

· They were adversarial to the ministry of the Lord Jesus

They thought they were going to stand in the way

· Prevent Jesus the progress of the Lord Jesus Christ… isn’t it interesting that there is always somebody standing around thinking that since they don’t like you that you are not going to succeed

I wish you would understand: Romans 8:31

· 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God isfor us, who can be against us?[7]

· Just because someone don’t like you shouldn’t be a big deal… just move on

And that’s what Jesus does… the Bible says they are these adversaries, and they are putting up opposition towards the Lord Jesus Christ and two of His disciples James and John… His ride or die disciples says

· 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this,they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”[8]

· You always got to have some gangsters in your corner

· You always got to have somebody who is saved but still ready to say excuse me pastor I am about to put my Christianity on the shelf… I mean you may not need it… but as long as they are on stand-bye

And these men James and John want to call down fire from heaven… and Jesus has to slow them down… because these adversaries were trying to oppose the work of Jesus Christ

And although the Samaritans did not receive Him because He was a Jew… because the Samaritans and Jews had a long-standing feud with each other they don’t want to be bothered with each other… they never decided to have Jesus come through their village because they don’t like the Jews… so the last part of vs56 says: “And they went to another village.[9]”

· Jesus says since you don’t want me here… I will pivotjust go to another village

· And every now and then if you’re going to fulfill the assignment that God has on your life… you can’t expect Lottie Dottie and everybody to like you, to always to agree with you

· You better learn how to pivot

· If you don’t like me over here… I’ll move over there… if you don’t like me over there… I’ll move back here… Is there anybody this morning that believes that the assignment that God has on your life still has to be fulfilled… rather you like it or not…

· You better learn to pivot because your adversary wants you!

· And they went to another village.[10]… Stop being mad because your plan “A” didn’t work you better move to plan “B”

· Someone shout… Pivot…

You have to: Learn how to “Face It”

· Face It… when someone don’t like you

· Face It… when they talk about you

· Face It… when the adversary is after you

· Face it… when things get rough

· Face It… when all hell seems to break loose

· Face It… when the assignment gets hard

· You have to Face… your adversary

· You have to Face whatever is trying to stop you from achieving your assignment

Second Point

You have to Face It… Even When the Assignment is Filled With Agony

· Not only will you have some Adversaries, but you will have some Agony

· We all will have some agony in life… and you grow because of it…

Matter of fact James 1 says it like this:

· 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.[11]

· You’ll have tribulations in this life… you grow because of the trials and tribulations of this life

And Jesus himself had to face the agony of His assignment as He makes His way steadfastly to Jerusalem… But while he is on his way… He had to deal with some agony in the process

· The whole point of Jesus making His way to Jerusalem is… so He could die in our place

By the time He gets to Jerusalem in chapter 19… Jesus schedules His own parade and has them get Him a donkey, and they laid out palm branches on the street

· They were about to see… that Jesus was on His way to do something that no one else could do

· He needed everybody to see that He was about to turn things around for the better

· But to do that… requires that He dies… and if dying was only piece of it that would be alright but, in the process… Sunday was a high day… they were waving palm branches and laying their clothes in the street

Matt. 21: 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!

‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’

Hosanna in the highest!”[12]

· Can’t you hear them: “Ride On King Jesus”

But in chapter 22 of Luke, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray:

40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”[13]

Have you ever asked God to take something away from you?

· You knew it was going to cause you agony

· How you ever asked God to deliver you from something that was causing you pain in your inner being

· Have you ever had to ask God to get you out of something

· He says Father if it is possible

In the process of praying, they come to arrest him, because Judas had betrayed him

· The Bible says they beat Him and according to the song… the song says…He never said a mumbling word… and this shows us that sometimes in the fulfillment of your assignments there will be agonizing moments.

· There is nothing like agony when you are trying to fulfill your assignment

Is there someone who can testify who can testify

· Oh, it can get rough out here sometimes

· The agony is real… the pain is real… the beatings were real… the blood flowing was real… is there anybody who still believes the blood still works?

The Bible says: Isaiah 53:

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.[14]

Every assignment will have some agony with it…

· If your assignment is a divine mission your will have some agony

· You will have some adversaries

Aren’t you glad Jesus decided to Face It!

And you and I will have to Face It:

· Despite the adversary

· Despite the agony

The Third Point:

You will have to Face It… When the Assignment Will Result in the Amazing!

Look at the Text: Verses 54-55

54 And when His disciples James and John saw this,they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”

55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”[15]

· They wanted to mess up some stuff… But Jesus said you don’t understand my assignment

· My assignment is not to destroy people’s lives… my assignment is to save them!

· The reason I am going to Jerusalem is because when I get passed the agony there will be some victory on the other side.

Is there anybody who will say that… agony is not the end of the story… anybody want to get happy with me that agony is not the final piece of this puzzle… I want to thank God this Sunday morning that after He endured all the agony… after He died on Friday… The Bible says: He did all that so that we can be saved!

Jesus never told us to:

· Remember His miracles

· He never told us to remember when He sat down to eat at Martha’s and Mary’s table

· He never told us to remember His sermons

· But He did tell us to remember His death… because His death is the way we got saved

I just need a few of y’all this morning to get happy that Jesus died that Friday so that you and I might be saved!

· Is there anybody who will still get happy because He died one Friday on a hill called Calvary… He died didn’t He die in my place

The Bible says: 2 Corinthians 5:21

· 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.[16]

· That happened on Friday

But we can leave Him dead on Friday… But early one Sunday morning… there was something amazing thing happened on Sunday… Jesus didn’t stay dead

· He rose with all power in His hand

· He rose with all victory

· Is there anybody here who can help me celebrate that the amazing reality is that He saved me on Friday gave me victory on Sunday and now I walk like a conquer right now

I need some victorious saints… I need about ten of y’all who knows that the Lord has done some amazing things to lift up your hands… open up your mouth and testify that if it had not been for the Lord who was by my side where will I be

· I’m reminded what the psalmist wrote: That goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life… That’s some amazing stuff

· You haven’t told your heart to beat yet

· You didn’t tell your blood to run warm in your veins… He didn’t need your approval and That’s amazing

· There’s some of you who have had surgery and you are better today and that’s amazing

· And if that’s not enough look at yourself and see all that God has brought you through and say that’s amazing

I don’t know about you… But I want to thank Jesus that He took the time to “Face It” so that He could “Fix It”

Is there anybody here who knows that He is able to do exceeding, abundantly, above all you can ask or think

· Won’t He fight your battles

· Won’t He give you joy

· Won’t He give you peace

· Won’t He turn your situation around

· Won’t He put a smile back on your face

· Put joy in your heart

· Put peace in your soul

I need somebody who will help me testify He still does amazing things:

· 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,[17]

· Anybody grateful for the amazing things!

Somebody ought to thank Him for Saving you… that He looked beyond your faults and saw your need!

If He never does anything else, He done enough for me to celebrate Him for the rest of my life! We were guilty but Jesus took the blame.

Take the time to celebrate your Salvation and that you are saved!

[1] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 9:51–56. [2] John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Lk 9:51. [3] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 9:53. [4] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Jn 10:18. [5] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ro 5:8. [6] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 9:52–53. [7] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ro 8:31. [8] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 9:53–54. [9] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 9:56. [10] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 9:56. [11] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Jas 1:2–4. [12] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 21:8–9. [13] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 22:40–42. [14] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Is 53:5. [15] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 9:54–56. [16] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 2 Co 5:21. [17] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Eph 3:20.