Getting on the Same Page

Getting on the Same Page

Series: The Gospel Truth

Text: Luke 9:46-62

Introduction: (What?)

You are probably familiar with the phrase “getting on the same page”. It means that everyone involved in a conversation or project have a mutual understanding of the subject or the goal of the project. In this case the disciples were certainly not on the same page as Jesus. They had just experienced an epic failure by their inability to cast a demon out of a child. Then they were admonished by Jesus for their “little faith”. Finally, they witnessed Jesus doing what they were unable to do. One would think that by now they would understand the goal of the project. However, we find just the opposite to be true.

Examination: (Why?)

1. Object lessons

Luke 9:46-50 “An argument started among them about who was the greatest of them. But Jesus, knowing their inner thoughts, took a little child and had him stand next to him. He told them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes him who sent me. For whoever is least among you—this one is great.” John responded, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us.” “Don’t stop him,” Jesus told him, “because whoever is not against you is for you.””

Although the disciples had been with Jesus for some months and had witnessed Him healing the sick, casting out demons and other miracles and had experienced the power of God working through them as they were on mission, they failed to grasp what the purpose of Jesus really was. In the midst of admonishing them about their “little faith” and of doing what they had failed to do, Jesus reminded them of His impending betrayal, arrest, trial, flogging, crucifixion, burial and resurrection. One would think that they would understand what was at stake. However, in this passage we find them haggling over which of them was the greatest. And this wasn’t the first time for such an action. Earlier James and John’s mother came to Jesus and asked that her sons be given prime positions when Jesus came into His kingdom. Talk about missing the point! Jesus, as He often did, backed up to meet them at their level of understanding and presented an object lesson for them. Bringing a child from the crowd (I wonder if it was the one He just set free from the demon) Jesus made a point. A child is generally humble, not thinking more highly of themselves than they should. A child also likes to serve…to do things for their parents or others they respect. Jesus’ point was that they should understand that such humility is the catalyst for greatness in His kingdom. Servant-hood is the key to kingdom position. Look back at the Beatitudes, the description of those who will be in Christ’s kingdom… “Blessed are the poor in Spirit”… “Blessed are the meek (humble)”… “Blessed are the merciful”… “Blessed are the peacemakers”. All of these speak of humility and service.

But they still didn’t get it. As we often do when confronted with something we don’t get or don’t want to get, they changed the subject. John, the disciple who described himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (Jn 21:20 “So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them...” was the one who changed the subject. He pointed out that they had seen someone casting out demons in Jesus’ name and they tried to stop him because “he does not follow us”. You talk about haughty! Jesus quickly told him, “Don’t stop him,” Jesus told him, “because whoever is not against you is for you.”” In our day we are often quick to disparage people of other denominations even when they are doing God’s work. We put them down because they “do not follow us”. I decided a long time ago that if someone believed in salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone, he or she was my spiritual brother or sister, no matter what denomination they belonged to. I think that is the page Jesus is on.

2. Opposition

Luke 9:51-56 “When the days were coming to a close for him to be taken up, he determined to journey to Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead of himself, and on the way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make preparations for him. But they did not welcome him, because he determined to journey to Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village.”

At this point Jesus became resolute in going to the very place where He knew that those things He had reminded His disciples must happen, would take place. Most of us run from trouble. Few of us embrace it. And even if we do, and we encounter difficulty along the way, we are apt to consider that as a “sign from God” that we are on the wrong track.

One of the first things Jesus did was to send someone ahead to let people know that He was coming. As those he sent came to Samaria and urged them to get ready for Jesus, they were told in no uncertain terms that He was not welcome there. Remember that the Samaritans were descendants of Jewish mixed marriages from the days of captivity. The Samaritans and Jews hated each other. The Samaritans even came up with their own worship system which was a mixture of Judaism and paganism…and even built their own temple. Most of the time if a Jew had to travel from Galilee to Judah, the shortest route being through Samaria, they would go around rather than travel through. In John 4 we see that Jesus did not agree with this. He chose to travel through Samaria. However, in this instance, the Samaritans let His fore-runners know that Jesus was not welcome. James and John (the “Sons of Thunder” as Jesus called them) wanted to “call down fire from heaven to consume them”. It still had not dawned on them that Jesus was about love and redemption, not about revenge. The fact that Jesus rebuked them shows that He wanted them to get the message about grace and mercy. When we refuse to rebuke someone who obviously acts or speaks in a way not in keeping with Christian values, we are complicit with their behavior or words.

Interestingly enough, after Pentecost Peter and John actually preached in some Samaritan villages. (Acts 8:25 “So, after they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they traveled back to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.”) At last John learned to deal with opposition with love.

3. The Cost of Discipleship

Luke 9:57-62 “As they were traveling on the road someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Then he said to another, “Follow me.” “Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.” But he told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.””

There are always people who want to follow Jesus on their own terms. Jesus never sugar-coated the call to discipleship. He let people know up front what they could expect if they chose to follow Him and what He expected from them. Essentially He said, “You won’t have a roof over your head and you might have to miss your mom and dad’s funerals or the opportunity to have a send-off party. There is a job to be done, and I can’t have distracted people slowing Me down.” Plowmen who kept looking back plowed crooked furrows. Jesus wanted those who would face forward and make straight furrows for the gospel. His mission is so important that He can’t be dragging the dead weight of carnal believers with Him. Earlier in Luke’s gospel Jesus had spelled out the requirements for anyone wishing to follow Him.

Lk 9:23-26 “Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it. For what does it benefit someone if he gains the whole world, and yet loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and that of the Father and the holy angels.”

Saying “no” to your selfish desires to the point of considering yourself to be dead is required of a disciple. A dead person has not desires. Paul put it like this in Romans 6:11 “So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” The word “Christian” means “little anointed ones”. (Christ=anointed; ian=little one) To be anointed means consecrated or made sacred; dedicated to God, often in a ceremony that includes dabbing or sprinkling with holy oil. Failure to use your anointing results in losing it (see the parable of the talents).

Application: (How should I respond to this message?)

Are you a “little anointed one”? That happens only when you surrender to Jesus.

Have you been guilty of criticizing someone because they don’t serve Christ the same way you do? That is sin. You need to repent today.

Do you desire recognition for what you do in the church, or for your good deeds? That is also sin and requires repentance to be in right standing with God.