WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:06.480 To be gathered this morning to lift your name high, to sing together to you. 00:00:06.959 --> 00:00:19.920 Thank you for making it possible for us to uh gather together as your church through sending your son Jesus to die on our behalf, to rise from the dead, in order to gather us back to yourself. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:28.640 Father, thank you for your word that you've chosen to speak to us in order that we might know you savingly. 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:45.520 God, I ask that this morning we would hear you speak through your word to us all so that we might know you more and love you more, and that we might um take uh your glory, take your message out into the world in order to love and serve those around us. 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:48.399 For Jesus' sake, we pray all these things in his name. 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:49.280 Amen. 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:52.079 You can go ahead and grab a seat. 00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:55.600 Good morning. 00:00:56.799 --> 00:00:58.799 Um should I back up? 00:00:59.920 --> 00:01:02.079 If I haven't met you yet, my name is Jeremiah. 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:12.640 I'm the College Ministry Director here, and I am super grateful for the privilege of getting to open up God's Word with you all this morning. 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:23.760 Um we have been uh walking through the gospel of Luke, the book of Luke, and um we're gonna continue that today. 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:35.599 And um here at Skyline Church, we talk quite a bit about following Jesus, which seems like a good thing to do if um you're a church. 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:40.879 Uh so we talk a lot about following Jesus because the Bible talks a lot about following Jesus. 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:45.040 Um I'm a big fan of simple, basic questions. 00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:54.480 Um, and and the question that I want us to ask this morning is um if I follow Jesus, uh where am I following him to? 00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:56.879 Like where where is he gonna take me? 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:00.560 Where would he take me if I followed Jesus? 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:12.240 It was a pretty simple question, but I think sometimes the simple, basic questions um sometimes have the most uh insight or spiritual um benefit for us. 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:29.120 And um to kind of give some context for that question, maybe, maybe, you're uh sitting here this morning and you're in high school or college and you've grown up a Christian and you've been a Christian as long as you can remember. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:37.039 And the older you get, the more you uh are starting to reflect on what you believe, not just what your family believes. 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:42.800 And in your mind and heart, you are weighing if you think this whole Christianity thing is true. 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:49.360 And if it's true, uh is it worth following in your own life as you head into adulthood? 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:54.639 Like where, if I if I followed Jesus myself, where might he take me? 00:02:54.960 --> 00:03:01.039 Or maybe you finished uh college a few years ago and you're now a young professional in the city of Denver. 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:09.759 Um and as you spend more time in contact with the real world, um, you're starting to reflect on your faith in ways that you haven't before. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:21.919 And the the farther you go down the road of following Jesus, the more visible the differences are between you and your non-Christian friends or family or coworkers. 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:33.840 It might even be the case that you feel your Christian faith is causing hardships and difficulties and struggles in your life that your non-Christian friends and family and coworkers don't seem to have to worry about. 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:49.680 Or you may see a lot of other people your age or in your stage of life who are not Christians but who are doing well professionally, who are popular socially, who have a wider dating pool to swim around in, and who don't have a church that's constantly competing for their time and attention. 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:55.439 Um you might start reflecting on your faith and asking, why am I here? 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:57.520 Um, why am I following Jesus? 00:03:57.680 --> 00:03:59.360 Where if this where is he taking me? 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:06.159 Is this where he's taking me to to uh in comparison to where other people are going? 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:17.439 Um or maybe maybe you're a little bit farther down the road, and maybe you're a few more decades into your adult life, and at some point in your past you decided to follow Jesus and you genuinely gave it your best shot. 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:32.560 Um you you haven't been perfect by any means, but you've you've trusted him, you've trusted God's word, you've sought to follow him, um, you've you've uh done your best to fight against sin in your life, to be faithful to your spouse, to love your children. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:40.240 Um but nevertheless, uh you look at your life around you, and maybe your professional life has taken some hits that you didn't think it would take. 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:43.600 Maybe your family life has taken some hits that you didn't think it would take. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:47.040 Maybe your health has taken some hits that you didn't think it would take. 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:57.040 And um and uh in many ways you might look at your life and think, I followed Jesus because I trusted him, and I'm not sure where he's taking me. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:04:59.360 I'm not sure where he's taken me. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:06.560 Um why did I follow him if things have panned out the way that they have currently panned out? 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:15.680 Um so each one of those uh kind of contexts uh is is it can lead to this question of like why follow Jesus? 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:20.079 Like, where will Jesus take me if I follow him? 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:23.680 And I want to explore that question um this morning. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:28.480 Uh if we follow Jesus, where can we expect him to take us? 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:32.560 Um do we want to go where he's going? 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:34.079 That's what it means to follow somebody. 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:35.360 You go where they're going. 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:37.519 Do I want to go where Jesus is going? 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:40.480 Um if so, then we can follow him. 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:42.319 If not, then we can't. 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:44.399 It's that simple. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:53.600 Um, last week Jesus went up on a mountain and uh with a select group of his disciples, and he was transfigured. 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:59.439 Um, his his divine majesty became visible, he shone bright. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:12.240 Um, these two influential Old Testament prophets, Moses and Elijah, popped up and they started to speak with him, quote, of his departure, of Jesus' departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:14.959 Um there are a few keywords. 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:16.879 This is just situating context for our text today. 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:23.759 There's a few keywords used where uh that that kind of draw the whole book of Luke together. 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:36.879 If you're looking for a big picture of the book of Luke, um, those words, uh, Jesus is going to accomplish his departure at Jerusalem, um, kind of give us a picture of the whole book of Luke as as one giant narrative. 00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:46.879 Chapter 1, verse 1 refers to what Luke is about to write as a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us. 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:53.360 The NIV translates that as an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us. 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:55.199 So that's chapter 1, verse 1. 00:06:55.360 --> 00:07:18.720 And then at the end of the book of Luke, in chapter 24, verses 44 to 48, after he raises from the dead, Jesus says, These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:34.319 It is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:44.639 So the book of Luke is an account of what Jesus, the Christ, would accomplish at Jerusalem through suffering and dying and rising from the dead. 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:46.879 That's the whole that's the big picture of the book of Luke. 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:55.120 He's going to fulfill or accomplish something at Jerusalem through dying and rising from the dead. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:08:10.720 And last week we saw that he is transfigured on this mountain, his divine majesty is put on display, Moses and Elijah pop up and they start talking about his departure, which he is going to accomplish, the NIV will say fulfill at Jerusalem. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:13.920 So that's the that's the narrative, that's the plot of the book of Luke. 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:20.480 Jesus is on his way to accomplish something at Jerusalem through dying and rising from the dead. 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:25.920 And then every part of the book of Luke finds its place in that bigger story. 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:27.199 Does that make sense? 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:31.360 Each piece finds its place in that larger story. 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:36.000 So now our passage today, and I apologize, I didn't have slides. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:39.600 So if you if you want to see it, it's in Luke chapter 9, verse 37. 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:41.919 Luke chapter 9, verse 37. 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:48.320 Our passage today picks up where last week left off. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:53.120 Last week, our passage ended with Jesus going up a mountain where he was transfigured. 00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:57.840 Moses and Elijah talk about his departure, that he's going to accomplish at Jerusalem. 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:08.559 And now our passage says, um, on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, this is chapter 9, verse 37. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:15.039 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, so picking up where we left off, a great crowd met him. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:26.720 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:30.960 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:36.799 It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth and shatters him and will hardly leave him. 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:41.679 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not. 00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:50.000 Jesus answered, O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and to bear with you? 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:52.080 Bring your son here. 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:56.000 Okay, let's focus on Jesus' words here. 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:58.720 That's normally a good place to focus, the words of Jesus. 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:03.919 In the book of Luke, when Jesus refers to his generation, he's the faithless twisted generation. 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:10.799 When he refers to his generation, it's an expansive term referring to the whole of Israel at that specific time. 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:16.799 The whole kind of group of Israel as one lump sum at that specific time. 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:21.200 A similar way of speaking is how today we'll use the word culture. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:26.480 We'll say, our culture is obsessed with financial security and comfort. 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:32.399 Jesus would say, this generation is obsessed with financial security and comfort. 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:41.279 Or if we say this is an entertainment-driven culture, Jesus would say, this is an entertainment-driven generation. 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:56.960 So the word generation and the word culture are ways of referring to large groups of people as kind of one whole, and of characterizing those large groups with certain qualities or characteristics. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:03.759 There was something, so Jesus uses the words faithless and twisted to refer to his generation. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:11.120 There was something about the situation that we just read about this crowd and this man with his son and his disciples being unable to cast it out. 00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:17.440 Something about that led Jesus to say, O faithless and twisted generation. 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:20.159 This is what we call a lament. 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:24.320 It's an expression of grief, of pain. 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:37.440 Though the need for this boy to be healed was urgent, Jesus pauses and gives us a glimpse into his internal world, into his thought life, into his emotional life. 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:42.879 He gives us heavy and painful words, faithless and twisted generation. 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:51.279 When Jesus uses the words faithless and twisted, he's borrowing from an Old Testament book called Deuteronomy. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:59.120 In Deuteronomy chapter 32, Moses uses several similar words to refer to Israel. 00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:03.679 I'll actually give you a list of the words Moses uses to refer to his generation. 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:13.120 He calls them a blemished, crooked, twisted, perverse, and faithless generation who had sold themselves out to idols. 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:14.559 That's Deuteronomy 32. 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:15.120 You can read it. 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:20.000 All of those adjectives are there in connection with this generation, this generation, this generation. 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:35.120 And in Deuteronomy 32, Moses said that because of the twistedness, the crookedness, the faithlessness of that generation, God would heap disasters upon them. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:45.840 So when Jesus used the words faithless and twisted to refer to his generation, he was doing two things. 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:57.120 Number one is he was comparing the Israelites of his day with the Israelites of Moses' day, and he was foreshadowing their impending judgment. 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:10.320 Jesus repeatedly throughout the book of Luke prophesied about the coming judgment of this generation. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:12.399 This will pop up over and over in the book of Luke. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:16.639 Jesus refers to the judgment coming upon this generation. 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:24.480 And he always ties their judgment to their unbelief and their moral twistedness. 00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:43.200 So believe it or not, entire generations or entire cultures can become so deeply shaped by sin that it's possible to refer to them as characterized by sin as a whole. 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:56.159 In fact, the Bible tells us that this kind of large-scale generational or cultural sinfulness is not the exception, but is actually the norm for large groups of people. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:14:04.000 That the basic human tendency, both individually and collectively, is toward sin. 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:19.840 The sinfulness and twistedness of each generation or culture may look different, but just because sin takes a different shape in one generation or culture doesn't make it any less sinful. 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:37.519 And just like with the Israelites of Moses' day, and just like the Jews of Jesus' day, God remains committed to judging sin at the level of the individual and on much larger scales as well. 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:59.840 And fundamental to the call to follow Jesus is the call to recognize how entrenched sin is in our particular world and renounce it, repent from it, and be washed from it, following after Jesus instead of the world. 00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:01.120 I'm gonna say that again. 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:18.159 Fundamental to the call to following Jesus is the call to recognize how entrenched sin is in our particular world and renounce it, repent from it, be washed from it, following after Jesus instead of the world. 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:23.759 If we do this, what should we expect? 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:26.159 That's the question that we're asking this morning. 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:33.759 If I repent and follow Jesus, where is he gonna take me? 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:39.600 Let's pick up in verse 42, where Jesus says, Bring your son here. 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:41.120 Verse 43. 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:48.320 While he was coming, that's the boy, while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:55.200 But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:59.519 And they were astonished at the majesty of God. 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:11.759 But while they were marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, Let these words sink into your ears. 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:17.759 The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men. 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:27.120 So Jesus healed this boy, returned him to his father, but the crowd was much more impressed than he was. 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:36.159 All were astonished at the majesty of God, but Jesus doesn't pause and take a moment to bask in the praise of the crowd. 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:46.000 He's locked in on a mission, and he turns to his disciples because he wants his disciples to be locked in on the same thing that he's locked in on. 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:48.799 While they were marveling, that's the crowd. 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:58.960 While the crowd was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, Let these words sink into your ears. 00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:08.240 When the Lord Jesus Christ prefaces something that strongly, we should really lean in and listen. 00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:13.279 Let these words sink into your ears. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:19.359 The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men. 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:30.640 So while the crowd is marveling, Jesus locks in with his disciples and tells them that his life is going to be put into the hands of men. 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:41.599 Jesus wanted this, he wanted this to sink into his disciples' ears. 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:45.519 He wanted it to be seared on their minds and hearts. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:20.799 Miracles are nice, but there is a priority here. 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:24.000 We read this earlier in the same chapter. 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:31.359 The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected and be killed and on the third day rise. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:42.559 Jesus wants us to know, Jesus wants us to know that if we follow him out of our sinful generation, he is taking us on a path that leads to death. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:54.240 We are on a road that goes to a cross. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:57.759 Let these words sink into your ears. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:01.920 The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men. 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:14.559 I think there's a lot for all of us to learn here about where Jesus would have us focus our time, attention, devotion. 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:15.839 We'll keep moving. 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:17.200 Verse 45. 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:21.279 But they did not understand this saying. 00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:22.960 That's his disciples. 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:24.960 His disciples did not understand this saying. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:30.319 And it was concealed from them so that they might not perceive it. 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:33.920 And they were afraid to ask him about this saying. 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:37.680 So they don't get what Jesus just said about his upcoming death. 00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:39.039 It was concealed from them. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:41.359 They're too afraid to ask him what it meant. 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:51.039 And their ignorance about where Jesus is taking them is put on display in an argument that follows. 00:19:51.279 --> 00:20:00.240 Their ignorance about where Jesus is taking them, which he just said, I'm about to be delivered in the hands of men, their ignorance about that is put on display in the argument that follows. 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:01.599 Verse 46. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:09.599 An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:15.599 Do you see the sharp contrast there between what Jesus just said and what they're arguing about now? 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:19.359 An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:35.920 But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side and said to them, Whoever receives this child in my name receives me. 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:40.880 And whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:46.559 For he who is least among you all is the one who is great. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:52.960 So Jesus is taking his disciples to death on a cross at the hands of men. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:57.119 The disciples think he's taking them on a road to greatness. 00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:00.960 I would say this is an understandable mistake. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:08.240 Last week Jesus asked his disciples the all-important question, Who do you say that I am? 00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:11.759 And Peter gave the answer, you're the Christ of God. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:19.279 The Christ, we learned last week, was an exciting, long-awaited figure for the Jewish people. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:34.319 At the beginning of the book of Luke, the angel Gabriel, a messenger from God, shows up and says to Mary, The Lord God will give to him, that's to the Christ, the throne of his father David. 00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:44.880 And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:49.680 So there's a throne and reigning and a kingdom. 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:56.559 So that means the Christ is going to be a very powerful person. 00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:58.799 That's exciting. 00:21:58.960 --> 00:21:59.759 Because the disciples. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:02.640 Are in Jesus' inner circle. 00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:04.640 That's not a bad place to be. 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:12.880 In the inner circle of the next ruler of the country, in the inner circle of very powerful people is a great place to be. 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:20.480 They think they're on their way to greatness because they're with Jesus. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:21.680 They're with the Christ. 00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:28.240 They're with the up-and-coming prime minister or president or king or whatever you want to call it. 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:34.720 It's time, the disciples think, it's time to save the world and get the glory. 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:41.599 Now the only thing left to find out is which one of them is going to be the greatest. 00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:46.000 So they're all going to be great because they're with Jesus, but which one of us is going to be the greatest? 00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:47.920 That's what they're arguing about. 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:58.160 But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side. 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:03.359 So the reasoning of his disciples' hearts was sinful. 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:05.839 It was morally wrong. 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:17.119 Jesus knows their morally corrupt thinking and takes a child and sets the child next to him to teach them a lesson. 00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:22.400 He says, Whoever receives this child in my name receives me. 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:31.680 And whoever receives me receives the one who sent me, for he who is least among you all is the one who is great. 00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:34.559 What is Jesus saying here? 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:43.200 How is what Jesus said an antidote to a misguided grasp for greatness? 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:49.759 Jesus begins by identifying with this child. 00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:55.359 Whoever receives this child in my name receives me. 00:23:57.519 --> 00:24:09.599 If you feel like Jesus portraying himself as a child is disrespectful or offensive, then I would say you're actually understanding what he's saying. 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:12.400 A child is not impressive. 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:16.559 A child has nothing of worldly value to offer you. 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:20.160 And Jesus did not come to be impressive. 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:24.000 Jesus did not come to offer you things of worldly value. 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:32.319 By identifying with a child, Jesus identifies with someone who is not impressive and who offers you no worldly benefit. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:47.279 So if we think that Jesus is a way to become impressive and to gain stuff that we want from this world, it reveals that we don't understand who he actually is and where he's actually taking us. 00:24:49.359 --> 00:25:02.319 If we think that Jesus, receiving Jesus as a way to becoming more impressive or to gaining something from this world, it reveals that we don't understand who he is and where he's actually taking us. 00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:09.680 Jesus did not come to increase your greatness according to the world's measurements for greatness. 00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:15.200 So if that's not where he what he came to do, then where is he taking us? 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:17.200 Where is Jesus taking us? 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:31.759 Well, if we truly renounce sin and the world, he is taking us first to a humiliating death on a narrow road of following him. 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:35.599 But that's not all. 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:39.039 Is Jesus, is that the end goal? 00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:42.160 Jesus just wants us to suffer and die. 00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:44.480 Is that that the end goal? 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:50.559 No, he tells us in this passage that there's actually way more that he's bringing us into. 00:25:50.960 --> 00:26:04.480 He says, Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:20.720 So Jesus came not just to strip us of worldly greatness, but he came that we might know him and his father, the one who sent him, savingly. 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:25.839 The one who receives me receives the one who sent me. 00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:37.839 So we do need to let go of the idea that Jesus came to increase our worldly greatness, whether status or wealth or popularity or reputation, career, family goals, whatever. 00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:54.079 We do need to let go that Jesus came to, of the idea that Jesus came to increase all those things, but we also need to grab a hold of the idea that Jesus came to bring us into a relationship with Him and His Father. 00:26:54.559 --> 00:27:09.200 That renouncing worldly greatness and embracing God the Father and the Son are so tightly connected that you can't have the Father and the Son without renouncing the world. 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:26.160 Because the value system of the world by which it measures greatness and the value system of God and intimacy with God are diametrically opposed to each other. 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:38.319 The value system of the world and what looks like friendship with the world and the value system of God and what looks like closeness and relationship with God are diametrically opposed to each other. 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:48.240 I'm going to read one passage that says this very explicitly, and I want us to have in the back of our minds the argument among the disciples as we read this passage. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:49.599 They're arguing about who's the greatest. 00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:50.000 Ready? 00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:53.279 James chapter 4, verses 1 through 4. 00:27:54.640 --> 00:27:59.680 What causes quarrels among you, and what causes fights among you? 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:06.480 Is it not this that your passions are at war within you? 00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:11.519 You desire and do not have, so you murder. 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:16.799 You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. 00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:18.079 Think about the disciples. 00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:18.880 Who's the greatest? 00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:21.440 You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:24.079 You do not have because you do not ask. 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:31.359 You ask and don't receive because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions. 00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:40.319 You adulterous people, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:48.960 Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:58.640 The value system of the world and a relationship with the Father and the Son are very, very, very opposed to each other. 00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:06.559 Jesus says, whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. 00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:15.839 It contradicts the person and work of Jesus to spend your time trying to make a big deal about yourself. 00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:32.319 Why would we spend our time trying to make a big deal about ourselves when Jesus spent his time humbling himself in order to welcome, receive, and serve the very people who rejected and failed him? 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:42.240 The pursuit of greatness is incongruent with the person of Jesus Christ. 00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:54.559 So the disciples' argument about who's the greatest on the surface is kind of funny, but the more we think about it in light of the gospel, the more twisted we see it really is. 00:29:56.480 --> 00:29:59.359 So, what's the point of following Jesus? 00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:06.480 It's not to get worldly greatness, but it's also not just to suffer. 00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:12.079 It goes through suffering into intimacy with God. 00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:23.759 Jesus is taking us through suffering into a deep relationship with Him and the Father who sent Him. 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:26.400 So what should we do? 00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:30.079 Rather, here's what we should do. 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:58.160 Rather than climbing the ladder, whatever worldly ladder you're tempted to climb, whether that's money, beauty, power, reputation, social status, fame, etc., rather than climbing that ladder, we can descend the ladder in order to identify with, welcome, and serve those whom we can gain nothing from. 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:03.920 Jesus said, Whoever receives this child in my name receives me. 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:21.680 This starts by receiving Jesus as the one who made himself the least among us, living a life that by all worldly metrics looked pitifully weak and ended with him hanging alone on a cross. 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:31.920 But this also then extends to receiving those people who have nothing to offer you, whether socially, politically, career-wise, financially, or otherwise. 00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:37.839 In Matthew 25, Jesus will talk about whatever you did to the least of these, you did to me. 00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:42.640 And whatever you did not do to the least of these, you did not do to me. 00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:48.079 So we welcome, we receive the least of these in Jesus' name. 00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:51.359 And in doing so, we receive Jesus Himself. 00:31:52.240 --> 00:32:02.799 So if we live our lives cozying up to people who have things to offer us, we're living our lives in step with the world and not in step with the Spirit. 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:18.960 Because you're aligning yourself with the heart and character of God. 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:29.920 If you receive the one who offers you no worldly benefit and do so because you love Jesus and you love those whom Jesus loves, you will be great in God's eyes. 00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:42.400 You may not have a reputation, you may not have money, you may not have power, you may not have social standing, you may lose the world, but you will have the smile of God, and that's better than the whole world. 00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:52.960 You will have a real relationship with God the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, and that is way better than it is way better than the whole world. 00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:56.720 Okay, verse 49. 00:32:57.599 --> 00:33:00.720 John answered, so this is an answer to what Jesus just said. 00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:09.440 John answered, Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he does not follow with us. 00:33:10.640 --> 00:33:12.559 This is crazy ironic. 00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:19.839 The passage starts off with the disciples' failure to cast out a demon, and then John says, We saw someone casting out demons in your name. 00:33:19.920 --> 00:33:22.319 We tried to stop him because he's not following with us. 00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:27.759 But Jesus said to him, Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you. 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:29.119 Okay. 00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:37.359 In light of what immediately proceeds, I think it's reasonable to assume that there's quite a lot of pride at work in John's words here. 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:44.160 The simplest way to put this is John wants to be special. 00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:48.319 Jesus, we're the ones on Team Jesus. 00:33:48.880 --> 00:33:51.519 We're the ones on Team Jesus, that guy's not. 00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:57.599 Um We're on the inner circle, we're the ones that you gave the power and authority to. 00:33:57.759 --> 00:34:00.880 Uh so we stopped that guy because he doesn't follow with us. 00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:05.440 The NIV translates this: we stopped him because he's not one of us. 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:11.920 Um they don't want other people stealing the privileges of being Jesus' followers. 00:34:13.119 --> 00:34:26.400 We don't have time to go super deep into this one, but the bottom line of this is you will start sabotaging other people's ministry if you need to feel special. 00:34:27.039 --> 00:34:35.440 Um, you'll find a million reasons to defame, discredit, and damage their reputation because you feel like you need to matter. 00:34:35.679 --> 00:34:39.599 That you're following Jesus because you feel like you need to matter. 00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:54.320 And when somebody else is successfully doing something in Jesus' name that you maybe have been failing to do in your own walk with Christ, you'll begin to disparage that person because it makes you feel like you're not important. 00:34:55.440 --> 00:34:58.639 Um it's crazy that they try to stop this guy. 00:34:58.800 --> 00:35:05.599 Jesus has not given us the duty of discerning the motives of other people who are doing things in Jesus' name. 00:35:05.760 --> 00:35:13.199 Jesus has not given us the ministry of critiquing every Christian affiliated church or organization or individual. 00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:24.079 Um it is wrong to discount the ministry of others based on your perception of their motives, who they belong to. 00:35:24.320 --> 00:35:28.239 Jesus says, whoever is not against you is for you. 00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:31.840 If they're not opposing you, they're for you. 00:35:33.440 --> 00:35:37.760 Okay, this brings us to verse 51. 00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:51.280 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 00:35:52.000 --> 00:36:06.079 So remember, we said the big picture, the big overall story of the book of Luke is Jesus the Christ is going to fulfill or accomplish something at Jerusalem through dying and rising from the dead. 00:36:06.239 --> 00:36:12.800 And here we see Jesus, when the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:21.599 From this point forward, every step in the Gospel of Luke traces an aspect of that journey on the way to Jerusalem. 00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:30.880 The world and even his closest disciples don't understand who he truly is and where he's really going. 00:36:31.360 --> 00:36:50.159 The disciples are more concerned about benefiting politically or socially from their affiliation with him and the faith, but their faithlessness and twistedness does not jeopardize Jesus' mission or his identity or his commitment to them. 00:36:50.960 --> 00:37:00.400 In chapters 10 through 19, Jesus will gently and patiently instruct them on his way to Jerusalem. 00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:08.320 When they start having an argument about who the greatest is, Jesus doesn't say, You guys are idiots. 00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:11.920 I just told you I'm going to be delivered into the hands of men. 00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:14.079 I chose the wrong twelve. 00:37:14.320 --> 00:37:15.280 I'm out. 00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:29.920 Jesus' commitment to his disciples is not contingent upon what they understand or how virtuous they are or if they've got it all figured out or if they look a lot like him. 00:37:30.320 --> 00:37:35.039 They look like the faithless and twisted generation that they're supposed to be exiting. 00:37:35.519 --> 00:38:04.320 But Jesus remains committed to them and through the chat through chapters 10 through 19 will patiently and gently instruct them on his way to Jerusalem, where he will accomplish, through suffering and dying on a cross, the purchasing of their forgiveness of sins, rising from the dead, he will then depart to be with the Father and then pour out the Spirit upon all people from all nations who repent of their sins and trust in him. 00:38:04.559 --> 00:38:15.440 And that's that's those of us in this room today are here because Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem despite the sin of his disciples. 00:38:16.719 --> 00:38:35.679 Where we'll land the plane here, actually, before we land the plane, Psalm 25, chap verses 8 and 9, um say this Good and upright is the Lord, therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:45.440 Good and upright is the Lord, therefore he abandons sinners and throws them out as soon as they sin? 00:38:46.159 --> 00:38:46.480 No. 00:38:46.719 --> 00:38:52.559 Good and upright is the Lord, therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 00:38:52.800 --> 00:38:54.239 This is what we see in Jesus. 00:38:54.400 --> 00:39:00.159 The disciples are arguing over who's the greatest, they're trying to exclude people who are doing real ministry in Jesus' name. 00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:03.440 Jesus doesn't cast them off, he instructs them in the way. 00:39:03.599 --> 00:39:05.199 He takes a child to teach them a lesson. 00:39:05.280 --> 00:39:08.079 He says, Whoever's not against you is for you. 00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:15.840 Verse 9 of Psalm 25 says, He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble his way. 00:39:16.559 --> 00:39:27.039 So Jesus demonstrates relentless commitment to pay for his disciples' sin and to see them grown up into Christ-likeness. 00:39:27.280 --> 00:39:30.960 And the same is true for every one of you in this room who is a believer in Jesus Christ. 00:39:31.119 --> 00:39:36.800 He is relentlessly committed to seeing you grown up into Christ-likeness. 00:39:37.599 --> 00:39:44.239 And he made that possible because he was relentlessly committed to forgiving you for your sins through dying on the cross. 00:39:46.159 --> 00:39:52.639 Where we'll land the plane now is with Jesus' lament that we started with. 00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:57.519 He said, Oh faithless and twisted generation. 00:39:58.719 --> 00:40:01.119 And then we didn't look at the second part of his lament. 00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:08.159 How long am I to be with you and bear with you? 00:40:08.480 --> 00:40:09.840 Those are Jesus' words. 00:40:10.079 --> 00:40:13.920 How long am I to be with you and bear with you? 00:40:16.159 --> 00:40:19.039 Jesus does not think sin is funny. 00:40:20.000 --> 00:40:21.920 He's grieved by our sin. 00:40:22.719 --> 00:40:26.159 Our sin is something that he must bear with. 00:40:27.679 --> 00:40:36.000 It was hard for the sinless son of God to be entrenched in a sinful world. 00:40:37.599 --> 00:40:53.599 I was given recently the book, The Brothers Karamatsov, to read, and there's a the young, if you ever read this book, the youngest son is portrayed as this very innocent, spotless child who's just grieved at all of the wickedness of his classmates and the world around him. 00:40:53.679 --> 00:40:55.280 He's just devastated by it. 00:40:55.440 --> 00:40:59.199 As that book progresses, you find out he's actually not as pure as you thought he was. 00:40:59.599 --> 00:41:01.119 That's not true with Jesus. 00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:03.920 Jesus genuinely was sinless. 00:41:04.960 --> 00:41:11.840 His conscience hadn't been seared by exposure to sin like all of ours have. 00:41:12.079 --> 00:41:16.239 He wasn't numb to constant exposure to sin like all of us are. 00:41:16.480 --> 00:41:23.440 He was constantly exposed to the wickedness and difficulty and foolishness and pain of sin. 00:41:24.239 --> 00:41:29.760 It was hard for him to be with us and to bear with us. 00:41:30.960 --> 00:41:34.239 And many times in the Gospels we see that he is not having a good time. 00:41:34.400 --> 00:41:41.840 He weeps, he gets angry, he gets frustrated, he cries out, oh, faithless intuition, how long am I to be with you and to bear with you? 00:41:44.079 --> 00:41:46.800 And yet he bears with us. 00:41:47.760 --> 00:41:50.000 He doesn't say, How long am I to be with you and bear with you? 00:41:50.159 --> 00:41:53.840 And then Batman like grapple hooks out into heaven again. 00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:55.440 Like he stays. 00:41:56.960 --> 00:41:58.159 He doesn't leave. 00:41:58.880 --> 00:42:03.760 Then he continues being with them and bearing with them. 00:42:04.079 --> 00:42:14.960 He chooses to be with them and bear with them, even though it's hard, even though it grieves him, even though sin is difficult for him to be around. 00:42:16.079 --> 00:42:18.000 He chose to immerse himself. 00:42:18.639 --> 00:42:20.000 When he was born, he wasn't surprised. 00:42:20.079 --> 00:42:22.400 Oh my goodness, I didn't realize it was this bad. 00:42:22.639 --> 00:42:31.679 He knew when he was in eternity past with the Father dwelling in unapproachable light and glory, he knew what was going on down here. 00:42:31.840 --> 00:42:36.559 And he chose to immerse himself in a world of faithless and twisted people. 00:42:36.880 --> 00:42:41.920 He chose to call sinful men and women to follow him as his disciples. 00:42:42.079 --> 00:42:50.000 And he chose to patiently instruct them in the way as he went to a cross where they would all abandon him and he would die alone. 00:42:50.800 --> 00:42:52.880 He sets his face to go to Jerusalem. 00:42:53.119 --> 00:43:01.760 Ian brought up this quote, Ian Burke, very well-read man, brought up this quote by Frederick Nietzsche, who is definitely not a Christian. 00:43:02.000 --> 00:43:03.119 But he did say this. 00:43:03.280 --> 00:43:09.840 He said, He who has a why to live can endure just about any how. 00:43:10.400 --> 00:43:12.800 If that sounds confusing, all this means is this. 00:43:13.039 --> 00:43:20.480 If you have a strong enough reason to live, you can make it through just about anything. 00:43:20.719 --> 00:43:27.760 If you lose your why for living, then you won't be able to endure the pain and difficulty of life. 00:43:28.079 --> 00:43:37.840 The only reason why Jesus bears with a sinful and twisted generation is because he had a strong enough why. 00:43:38.159 --> 00:43:39.440 He had a why. 00:43:39.760 --> 00:43:43.519 He who has a why to live can endure just about anyhow. 00:43:43.679 --> 00:43:44.480 He had a why. 00:43:44.559 --> 00:43:49.920 He sets his face to go to Jerusalem to pay for your sin and my sin. 00:43:51.519 --> 00:44:11.840 And therefore, the grief and difficulty of being with and bearing with sinful disciples who don't understand what he's trying to get across, who look a lot more like the world than they look like him, he was able to make it through because his love for you was greater than his grief over sin. 00:44:13.199 --> 00:44:18.239 It is true that it was hard for Jesus to be with and bear with sin. 00:44:18.400 --> 00:44:25.840 It is true that sin genuinely grieves God, but it's not true that your sin is unendurable for God. 00:44:26.079 --> 00:44:35.360 His love for you and commitment to you is greater than his grief over your sin, or else none of us have a chance of being saved. 00:44:35.679 --> 00:44:39.599 God's love overcomes your sin. 00:44:40.079 --> 00:44:49.360 And uh that's the whole reason Jesus went to the cross is to pay for your sin so that you could be saved from it, and his commitment to you remains. 00:44:49.599 --> 00:44:55.679 It's not like now that now that we're in 2026, he's like, oh, now I I don't realize they're still gonna be this sinful. 00:44:55.760 --> 00:44:59.920 Now that they've been following me for five years and they're still a sinner. 00:45:00.079 --> 00:45:02.559 It's like, forget it, I wish I hadn't died on the cross. 00:45:02.800 --> 00:45:04.000 That's not how Jesus feels. 00:45:04.079 --> 00:45:07.679 He the whole reason he went to the cross was because you're a sinner. 00:45:07.920 --> 00:45:17.360 Because he wanted your sin to be removed so that you could enjoy relationship with him and slowly be conformed to his image over time. 00:45:17.599 --> 00:45:22.079 Good and upright is the Lord, therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 00:45:22.639 --> 00:45:26.320 Um that's where we'll land the plane today. 00:45:26.400 --> 00:45:29.119 Um I'm gonna close this in prayer, and then I think we have communion. 00:45:29.440 --> 00:45:29.599 Okay. 00:45:33.440 --> 00:45:38.480 Father in heaven, thank you for your word. 00:45:39.280 --> 00:45:40.320 Thank you for your son. 00:45:41.599 --> 00:45:43.679 Thank you for your steadfast love. 00:45:45.360 --> 00:45:50.159 Thank you that you are merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. 00:45:50.320 --> 00:45:53.360 That you forgive iniquity and transgression and sin. 00:45:54.000 --> 00:45:58.880 Thank you that you have cleared us who are guilty by visiting our iniquity on your son. 00:45:59.760 --> 00:46:10.400 Um thank you that we get to enjoy knowing a God who is committed to um making us more like your son Jesus. 00:46:10.719 --> 00:46:23.760 We ask that you would help us to rid ourselves of worldly pride that would cause us to make a big deal of it out of ourselves instead of humbly serving others and receiving your son, who humbled himself in order to serve us. 00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:34.400 Um, God, we ask that you would help us to take a relationship with Jesus into the world throughout the rest of our week, that we would love and serve others the way that He has loved and served us. 00:46:34.480 --> 00:46:35.599 And we ask these things in His name. 00:46:35.760 --> 00:46:36.159 Amen.