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He Set His Face to Go to Jerusalem

October 9, 2022 · Luke

Scripture referenced 17 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

  • Psalm 103 read aloud to open worship: 'praise the Lord, my soul, and all my inmost being, praise his holy name'

    1 Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, praise his holy name!

    2 Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don’t forget all his benefits;

    3 who forgives all your sins; who heals all your diseases;

    4 who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;

    5 who satisfies your desire with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

    6 Yahweh executes righteous acts, and justice for all who are oppressed.

    7 He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the children of Israel.

    8 Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.

    9 He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever.

    10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities.

    11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.

    12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

    13 Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.

    14 For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.

    15 As for man, his days are like grass. As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

    16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone. Its place remembers it no more.

    17 But Yahweh’s loving kindness is from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him, his righteousness to children’s children;

    18 to those who keep his covenant, to those who remember to obey his precepts.

    19 Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all.

    20 Praise Yahweh, you angels of his, who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word, obeying the voice of his word.

    21 Praise Yahweh, all you armies of his, you servants of his, who do his pleasure.

    22 Praise Yahweh, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion. Praise Yahweh, my soul!

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1 Corinthians 2:9

quoted as a favorite verse: 'no eye has seen and no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him'

9 But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.”

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John 5

quoted in prayer: 'my father is always at work to this very day, and I too am working'

1 After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew, “Bethesda”, having five porches.

3 In these lay a great multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water;

4 for an angel went down at certain times into the pool, and stirred up the water. Whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had.

5 A certain man was there, who had been sick for thirty-eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been sick for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to be made well?”

7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, another steps down before me.”

8 Jesus said to him, “Arise, take up your mat, and walk.”

9 Immediately, the man was made well, and took up his mat and walked. Now it was the Sabbath on that day.

10 So the Jews said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry the mat.”

11 He answered them, “He who made me well, the same said to me, ‘Take up your mat, and walk.’”

12 Then they asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your mat, and walk’?”

13 But he who was healed didn’t know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a crowd being in the place.

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “Behold, you are made well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you.”

15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

16 For this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he did these things on the Sabbath.

17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, so I am working, too.”

18 For this cause therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

19 Jesus therefore answered them, “Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise.

20 For the Father has affection for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires.

22 For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son,

23 that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent him.

24 “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

25 Most certainly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live.

26 For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself.

27 He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man.

28 Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice,

29 and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.

30 I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.

31 “If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid.

32 It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true.

33 You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.

34 But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved.

35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

36 But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me.

37 The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.

38 You don’t have his word living in you; because you don’t believe him whom he sent.

39 “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me.

40 Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.

41 I don’t receive glory from men.

42 But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves.

43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you don’t receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

44 How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God?

45 “Don’t think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope.

46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me.

47 But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

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Philippians 4

mentioned as the Monday night study topic: 'fix your eyes... truth, honorable, right, pure, lovely'

1 Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

2 I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to think the same way in the Lord.

3 Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!”

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

9 The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

10 But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.

11 Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it.

12 I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.

13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

14 However you did well that you shared in my affliction.

15 You yourselves also know, you Philippians, that in the beginning of the Good News, when I departed from Macedonia, no assembly shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you only.

16 For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again to my need.

17 Not that I seek for the gift, but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account.

18 But I have all things, and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God.

19 My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.

22 All the saints greet you, especially those who are of Caesar’s household.

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

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Luke 9:37-50

the main passage of the sermon covering the healing of the demon-possessed boy and the disciples' arguments

37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great multitude met him.

38 Behold, a man from the crowd called out, saying, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.

39 Behold, a spirit takes him, he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams, and it hardly departs from him, bruising him severely.

40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they couldn’t.”

41 Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”

42 While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

43 They were all astonished at the majesty of God. But while all were marveling at all the things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples,

44 “Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men.”

45 But they didn’t understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

46 There arose an argument among them about which of them was the greatest.

47 Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side,

48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great.”

49 John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.”

50 Jesus said to him, “Don’t forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us.”

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Luke 9:51

Jesus resolutely setting his face toward Jerusalem, the turning point from volume one to volume two of the gospel

51 It came to pass, when the days were near that he should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem,

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Mark 9:14

fills in detail about scribes arguing with the disciples when Jesus came down from the mountain

14 Coming to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes questioning them.

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John 3:16

the word monogenes connected to 'only son' used of the father's child brought to Jesus

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

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Matthew 18

mentioned as containing didactic teaching Jesus does, including the church discipline principle

1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them,

3 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

5 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,

6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.

7 “Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!

8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire.

9 If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire.

10 See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.

12 “What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?

13 If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.

14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

15 “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.

16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.

18 Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.

19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”

21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”

22 Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.

23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants.

24 When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

25 But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’

27 The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

28 “But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’

29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’

30 He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due.

31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done.

32 Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me.

33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’

34 His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him.

35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”

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Isaiah 46

alluded to as background for 'let these words sink into your ears'

1 Bel bows down. Nebo stoops. Their idols are carried by animals, and on the livestock. The things that you carried around are heavy loads, a burden for the weary.

2 They stoop and they bow down together. They could not deliver the burden, but they have gone into captivity.

3 “Listen to me, house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that have been carried from their birth, that have been carried from the womb.

4 Even to old age I am he, and even to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear. Yes, I will carry, and will deliver.

5 “To whom will you compare me, and consider my equal, and compare me, as if we were the same?

6 Some pour out gold from the bag, and weigh silver in the balance. They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god. They fall down— yes, they worship.

7 They bear it on their shoulder. They carry it, and set it in its place, and it stands there. It cannot move from its place. Yes, one may cry to it, yet it can not answer. It cannot save him out of his trouble.

8 “Remember this, and show yourselves men. Bring it to mind again, you transgressors.

9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is none like me.

10 I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done. I say: My counsel will stand, and I will do all that I please.

11 I call a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. Yes, I have spoken. I will also bring it to pass. I have planned. I will also do it.

12 Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness!

13 I bring my righteousness near. It is not far off, and my salvation will not wait. I will grant salvation to Zion, my glory to Israel.

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Numbers 11

alluded to as background for 'let these words sink into your ears'

1 The people were complaining in the ears of Yahweh. When Yahweh heard it, his anger burned; and Yahweh’s fire burned among them, and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.

2 The people cried to Moses; and Moses prayed to Yahweh, and the fire abated.

3 The name of that place was called Taberah, because Yahweh’s fire burned among them.

4 The mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, “Who will give us meat to eat?

5 We remember the fish, which we ate in Egypt for nothing; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic;

6 but now we have lost our appetite. There is nothing at all except this manna to look at.”

7 The manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like the appearance of bdellium.

8 The people went around, gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it. Its taste was like the taste of fresh oil.

9 When the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent; and Yahweh’s anger burned greatly; and Moses was displeased.

11 Moses said to Yahweh, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why haven’t I found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?

12 Have I conceived all this people? Have I brought them out, that you should tell me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which you swore to their fathers?’

13 Where could I get meat to give all these people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’

14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

15 If you treat me this way, please kill me right now, if I have found favor in your sight; and don’t let me see my wretchedness.”

16 Yahweh said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you.

17 I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit which is on you, and will put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you don’t bear it yourself alone.

18 “Say to the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, and you will eat meat; for you have wept in the ears of Yahweh, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore Yahweh will give you meat, and you will eat.

19 You will not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days,

20 but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils, and it is loathsome to you; because you have rejected Yahweh who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?”’”

21 Moses said, “The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand men on foot; and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month.’

22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them? Shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?”

23 Yahweh said to Moses, “Has Yahweh’s hand grown short? Now you will see whether my word will happen to you or not.”

24 Moses went out, and told the people Yahweh’s words; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them around the Tent.

25 Yahweh came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was on him, and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did so no more.

26 But two men remained in the camp. The name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the Spirit rested on them; and they were of those who were written, but had not gone out to the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.

27 A young man ran, and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

28 Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his chosen men, answered, “My lord Moses, forbid them!”

29 Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all Yahweh’s people were prophets, that Yahweh would put his Spirit on them!”

30 Moses went into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

31 A wind from Yahweh went out and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, about a day’s journey on this side, and a day’s journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the earth.

32 The people rose up all that day, and all of that night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails. He who gathered least gathered ten homers; and they spread them all out for themselves around the camp.

33 While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, Yahweh’s anger burned against the people, and Yahweh struck the people with a very great plague.

34 The name of that place was called Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who lusted.

35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth; and they stayed at Hazeroth.

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Isaiah 50

read directly as a suffering servant passage applied to Jesus setting his face toward Jerusalem

1 Yahweh says, “Where is the bill of your mother’s divorce, with which I have put her away? or to which of my creditors have I sold you? Behold, you were sold for your iniquities, and your mother was put away for your transgressions.

2 Why, when I came, was there no one? when I called, why was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it can’t redeem? or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea. I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stink, because there is no water, and die for thirst.

3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.”

4 The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary. He wakens morning by morning, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.

5 The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious. I have not turned back.

6 I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair. I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting.

7 For the Lord Yahweh will help me. Therefore I have not been confounded. Therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be disappointed.

8 He who justifies me is near. Who will bring charges against me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.

9 Behold, the Lord Yahweh will help me! Who is he who will condemn me? Behold, they will all grow old like a garment. The moths will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears Yahweh, and obeys the voice of his servant? He who walks in darkness, and has no light, let him trust in Yahweh’s name, and rely on his God.

11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who adorn yourselves with torches around yourselves; walk in the flame of your fire, and among the torches that you have kindled. You will have this from my hand: You will lie down in sorrow.

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Isaiah 42

named as the first of the suffering servant passages

1 “Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights— I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.

2 He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.

3 He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice.

4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice in the earth, and the islands will wait for his law.”

5 Thus says God Yahweh, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it.

6 “I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations;

7 to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison.

8 “I am Yahweh. That is my name. I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to engraved images.

9 Behold, the former things have happened, and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up.”

10 Sing to Yahweh a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the islands and their inhabitants.

11 Let the wilderness and its cities raise their voices, with the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing. Let them shout from the top of the mountains!

12 Let them give glory to Yahweh, and declare his praise in the islands.

13 Yahweh will go out like a mighty man. He will stir up zeal like a man of war. He will raise a war cry. Yes, he will shout aloud. He will triumph over his enemies.

14 “I have been silent a long time. I have been quiet and restrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant.

15 I will destroy mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.

16 I will bring the blind by a way that they don’t know. I will lead them in paths that they don’t know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.

17 “Those who trust in engraved images, who tell molten images, ‘You are our gods’ will be turned back. They will be utterly disappointed.

18 “Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see.

19 Who is blind, but my servant? Or who is as deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is as blind as he who is at peace, and as blind as Yahweh’s servant?

20 You see many things, but don’t observe. His ears are open, but he doesn’t listen.

21 It pleased Yahweh, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.

22 But this is a robbed and plundered people. All of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prisons. They have become captives, and no one delivers; and a plunder, and no one says, ‘Restore them!’

23 Who is there among you who will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come?

24 Who gave Jacob as plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Didn’t Yahweh, he against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in his ways, and they disobeyed his law.

25 Therefore he poured the fierceness of his anger on him, and the strength of battle; and it set him on fire all around, but he didn’t know; and it burned him, but he didn’t take it to heart.”

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Isaiah 53

named as one of the suffering servant passages fulfilled by Jesus

1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed?

2 For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him.

4 Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he didn’t open his mouth.

8 He was taken away by oppression and judgment; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people?

9 They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his days, and Yahweh’s pleasure will prosper in his hand.

11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I give him a portion with the great, and he will divide the plunder with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

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Isaiah 61

named as one of the suffering servant passages the preacher includes in his count

1 The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to those who are bound;

2 to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, that he may be glorified.

4 They will rebuild the old ruins. They will raise up the places long devastated. They will repair the ruined cities, that have been devastated for many generations.

5 Strangers will stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners will work your fields and your vineyards.

6 But you will be called Yahweh’s priests. Men will call you the servants of our God. You will eat the wealth of the nations, and you will boast in their glory.

7 Instead of your shame you will have double. Instead of dishonor, they will rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land, they will possess double. Everlasting joy will be to them.

8 “For I, Yahweh, love justice. I hate robbery and iniquity. I will give them their reward in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

9 Their offspring will be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge them, that they are the offspring which Yahweh has blessed.”

10 I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh! My soul will be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the earth produces its bud, and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring up; so the Lord Yahweh will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

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Philippians 2

noted as sounding similar to Isaiah 50 on Jesus humbling himself and receiving instruction from God

1 If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,

2 make my joy full, by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;

3 doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;

4 each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.

9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,

11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputes,

15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,

16 holding up the word of life; that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ, that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain.

17 Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all.

18 In the same way, you also rejoice, and rejoice with me.

19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing.

20 For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you.

21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.

22 But you know the proof of him, that, as a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News.

23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it will go with me.

24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly.

25 But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need;

26 since he longed for you all, and was very troubled, because you had heard that he was sick.

27 For indeed he was sick, nearly to death, but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow.

28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such in honor,

30 because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.

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Psalm 51

closing verse quoted: 'restore to me the joy of your salvation, Lord, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me,' identified as David acknowledging his mistake

1 Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me.

4 Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight; that you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge.

5 Behold, I was born in iniquity. In sin my mother conceived me.

6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness, That the bones which you have broken may rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.

11 Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners shall be converted to you.

14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

15 Lord, open my lips. My mouth shall declare your praise.

16 For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18 Do well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings. Then they will offer bulls on your altar.

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

This sermon covered the final section of Luke's "long introduction" before Jesus turns toward Jerusalem, working through Luke 9:37-50 and drawing on parallel accounts in Matthew and Mark. Pastor Mike traced a series of moments where the disciples misunderstood, argued, or fell short, and set those failures alongside the picture of Jesus who always understood and always acted. The passage ends with Jesus setting his face toward Jerusalem, which Pastor Mike connected to the suffering servant of Isaiah 50.

What was said

The morning opened with a visual aid: Daryl Bock's two-volume commentary on the Gospel of Luke. The break between the volumes falls at Luke 9:51, and that division made the structural point plainly. Everything before that verse is the long introduction, the Galilean ministry in which Jesus has been training the disciples. Everything after it is the journey to the cross. Pastor Mike read Luke 9:51 in several translations, lingering on the phrases "steadfastly set his face" and "fixed his face," because the language captures something the plainer versions lose. Jesus is not drifting toward Jerusalem. He is turning deliberately toward it.

Before getting to verse 51, Pastor Mike stepped back to verse 37 and the scene at the bottom of the mountain after the transfiguration. While Jesus was on the mountain with Peter, James, and John, the other nine disciples had been left with a desperate father whose only son was tormented by a spirit. They could not cast it out. Mark's account adds that the scribes were arguing with them when Jesus came down, which meant the disciples were arguing back while the boy suffered. Pastor Mike noted that it takes two to tango.

Jesus' response was sharp. "You unbelieving and perverse generation" and "how long shall I be with you and put up with you?" are among the harshest words he speaks in the Gospels. He called the boy to him, the demon threw the child into a convulsion on the way, and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and gave the boy back to his father. Luke closes the scene with a summary line: "They were all amazed at the greatness of God." Pastor Mike said he finds himself in the same place, especially given everything he had witnessed that week across the full range of human experience.

In the middle of that astonishment, Jesus told the disciples to let his next words sink into their ears: the Son of Man was going to be handed over to men. Luke notes that they did not understand it and were afraid to ask. Rather than pressing Jesus for an explanation, they started arguing among themselves about which of them was the greatest. Pastor Mike found it both funny and honest. He said we are tempted to do exactly the same thing: ignore what we don't understand and focus instead on how we look.

Jesus answered the argument without being told what it was about. He placed a child in the middle of the group and said that whoever receives this child in his name receives him, and the one who is least among them is the one who is great. Pastor Mike pointed out that children had no social standing in that world, among Romans or Jews. The point was direct: the way you treat the people who don't matter is the way you receive Jesus.

John then tried to change the subject, reporting that they had seen someone casting out demons in Jesus' name and had tried to stop him because he did not follow with them. Pastor Mike said there is a divisive instinct in human nature that keeps pushing us toward our own teams. Jesus told them not to hinder the man. The one who is not against you is for you. That is the last thing Jesus says in volume one, as Pastor Mike put it, and it ends with the disciples persisting in error and Jesus continuously correcting them.

Pastor Mike then read from Isaiah 50, one of the suffering servant passages, and held it alongside Jesus setting his face toward Jerusalem. The servant in Isaiah gave his back to those who struck him and his cheeks to those who plucked out the beard, and did not hide his face from shame or spitting, because the Lord God would help him. "Therefore I have set my face like flint." Jesus was not walking away from what was ahead. He knew the job and he walked toward it, looking past the cross to the joy set before him. The invitation to the congregation was to follow the same suffering servant, open-eared and not rebellious, trusting that God will provide what is needed for the path.

Doing a Bible study?

Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.

  1. The father in the story cried out, 'I do believe, but help me with my unbelief.' When have you found yourself in that same tension, trusting God while also struggling with doubt, and what did that look like for you?
  2. Pastor Mike pointed out that the disciples were arguing with the scribes while a desperate father and his suffering son were standing right there. Where in your own life have you seen an argument or a point of pride get in the way of actually helping someone who needed it?

and 3 more questions in the guide

Open the study guide

Read the full transcript 6,624 words
Alright. Good morning, everybody. How are we? Good to see you. Here's a good word from Psalm 103 to lead us in a worship.
And you could stand if you would with me. We'll sing together. But from Psalm one zero three, it says, praise the Lord, my soul, and all my inmost being. Praise his holy name. Let's start by doing that.
Sing, fall fresh.
Have a seat. We we've got a couple of announcements, a few. We'll see what they are. Monday night's the first beef. First one.
We're on tomorrow down the hall at 06:00, and Mike is doing a meal. I'm not sure what yet. It'll be a surprise. But Philippians won't be. We are in chapter four, and he's saying fix your eyes.
Fix your eyes. Know it's truth. Honorable. Right? Pure.
Lovely. There are great instructions from Philippians tomorrow. So
It's the antidote to the news tomorrow night, Monday night at first b. Juana is also back. This room will be full tomorrow. Volunteers and, kids here to have their heads filled up with the knowledge of God from his word. It's a good time.
Moana is back and that's going well. Jackson Hole Men's Alliance is always first Wednesday of the month but that was last week, not this week. So, you got a few more weeks before that. Sisters Saved by Grace is a Bible study that Nancy Baxter is leading. It's a great group down the hall, fellowship hall, on Thursday night, 06:00.
That's a good study. There's a fall study here in this room, ten to twelve on Wednesday mornings. That's going very well. It's very well attended. It's, here.
Deb Buckingham is leading, from the front, and Alyssa is doing the music. And it is a good good thing. Monique Ibarra left last week. If you would continue to pray for her, we'd appreciate that. She is going she'll tell you more when she gets back.
How about that? And there are cards in front of you. If you'd like to communicate, if you'd like to have a visit, post COVID, it's a little bit difficult for me to know who wants me to come in and who doesn't want me to come in and a lot of people. I I'm I'm hesitant about just sneaking up on anybody in Wyoming anyway but if you want a visit from the pastor, would you let us know? We'd love to come see you.
Carl and I both do that fairly regularly but we don't want to overstep our balance. So, if you'd let us know, hey, I'd love a visit from the pastor. Just let us know on that. Anybody have anything else? I'm glad to be here this morning.
Are y'all glad to be here this morning? Would you stand with us? We're gonna sing beautiful one.
One of my my favorite verses is this, and it it really aligns with the song. But it's first Corinthians two nine that no eye has seen and no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. Isn't that beautiful?
Amen. Amen.
To work. Never stop. Never stop working. Never stop. Never stop working.
Even when I don't see it to work. Even when I don't feel it you're working. Never stop, never stop working. Even
when I don't see it you're working. Even when I don't feel it
Jesus, you said in in John five that my father is always at work to this very day, and I too am working. And God, even when we can't see it or feel it, that doesn't stop it from being true, that you are truly working. And, God, may we trust in the work that you are doing in our lives, even if it doesn't come right now, that we'd be in it for the long haul. Amen. In Jesus' name.
Amen. You can have a seat for a minute. And thank you for thank you for singing out and singing loud.
Sometimes I
get so just caught up in the song that I just wanna cry. And I just love it when you fill in, and I feel like we can worship together, that we are together as a church body singing. Singing our hearts out. We're gonna sing Speak O Lord. Before we get there, would you
Sure. God, thank you for this beautiful morning. And the full range of human experience, Lord, has been experienced this week by this body. We have seen great celebration, and we've seen great tragedy. God Almighty, you're in the midst of all of that, the whole range of human experience.
God, I pray that your comfort and your peace that passes understanding would be available. Lord, I'd say from sea to shining sea, but it's further than that. It goes all around this huge globe. So God, I pray that you would make an impact on this world, starting right here in this community but spreading out from here. May we, Lord, have a part in the advance of your good gospel.
Would you show who you are to people? Would you empower us to live lives that are, actually righteous, not just right. In Jesus' name, Lord, we ask that you would, that you'd go forward, that you'd go ahead of us, that you'd prepare the hearts, that we'd see a glimpse of what you see. Lord, I pray that you'd actively be removing people from the kingdom of darkness and placing them into your marvelous kingdom of light. In Jesus' name, Lord, we ask your blessing on this offering.
Do with it as you will in your way. Amen. Amen. It's time for children's church. Downstairs.
Middle school and high school, guys and gals also. There they go. I get to do a baptism this afternoon down in the river somewhere between Grover and Auburn. I don't know exactly where yet. But to see kids heading out these folks used to come up here.
They were in Owana, they live down in Star Valley now. And so they asked if I get to come down. So it's just awesome. I'm very thankful. I'm overwhelmed sort of by that whole range of human experience thing.
This week, I've seen a lot and heard a lot. Today, we're covering just Luke nine thirty seven to 50. Not not just Luke. We'll add a little bit of Mark and Matthew in there too. But I I was this week.
Nick always text at some point during the week and says, hey, do you know the verses you'd like to use this week? And this week, I said, yeah, Luke nine fifty one. You know, it's usually like paragraphs and paragraphs, and it's from all the gospels all over the place in our Harmony study. And he goes, one verse? What's wrong with you?
He didn't say what's wrong with you, but one verse. And I said, yes, that's it. But it's not just that. So Daryl Bach's two volume commentary on the gospel loop. Look at this thing.
Isn't that ridiculous? It's really, really, really good. This is really good. So this when I was in seminary, you know, I'd buy whatever I had to have for class. This one was not one of those that I had to have, but it's really, really good.
And somebody told me about it. A professor had mentioned it a couple of times. And Tanya got involved in Bible study fellowship, is supposed to be scripture, just scripture. You just scripture. You don't have to read commentaries.
But she's like, I want to know it. If I'm going to study something, I want to know it. So we bought this. And she read it cover to cover to cover to cover. Read the whole thing.
But the reason it's up here for the visual aid this morning is because this volume is Luke one through nine fifty, and this volume is nine fifty one through twenty four fifty three. It's the rest of it. I've said a few times from up here that the gospels are passion narratives with long introductions. This is the long introduction, and we're finishing that from the book of Luke today. And then Jesus is resolutely gonna head for Jerusalem.
So that's what Luke nine fifty one. If you're I usually use the New American Standard Version, and it says when the days were approaching for his ascension, he was determined to go to Jerusalem. Good translation, but kind of boring honestly. So, KJV, this is the one that as a child I put in my memory banks. Right?
And it came to pass when the time was come that he should be received up. Really good translation. Straight across. He steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem. Ain't that good?
I like it. It's like no. He is he has made a change about the way that he is going. As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, New Living says, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. Jerusalem is where just outside the walls of Jerusalem is where the crucifixion would take place.
He is turning his face and his whole purpose. He has been training the disciples. We've been in his later Galilean ministry for the last few weeks here, but we've followed him through. We're six months away from the cross, basically. We're at the Feast of Tabernacles.
Last week was the transfiguration. That's what we discussed. Last week was the transfiguration, and this is gonna be the follow-up, what we're getting to in Luke nine thirty seven. New revised standard. I know a couple of you use the NRSV.
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. I love that. He set his face. When the days were coming for a to a close for him to be taken up, he determined a journey to Jerusalem. The Holman Christian Standard Bible.
And the Young's living straight across no. I'm sorry. The Young's Literal translation. And it came to pass in the completing of the days of his being taken up that he fixed his face. The fixing his face is something that just seems like an odd way to say that to me, but it's really, really good.
It gives the point. We're going to turn that corner today from volume one to volume two of old Daryl Box commentary. But I want you to step back with me to verse 37, and we'll go there. Now, if you're looking in Matthew and Mark and Luke all at the same time, Luke is the shortest one. I wanna come back to both Matthew and Mark because there's a lot of straight up didactic teaching that Jesus does in Matthew 18, the whole Matthew 18 principle.
If you've ever had a church split, somebody has brought this up, right? Because usually, we don't pay any attention to it until it's too late. That is the quietest I've seen this room in a long time. We're gonna talk about that probably not next week, but the week after. But Mark has a couple of straight up didactic teaching moments too, and they kinda go back and forth.
But Luke is shorter, and that's what we're covering today. We'll cover that and let Mark help him out just a little bit. The green up there is what we'll cover. So here we are. Luke nine thirty seven.
On the next day, this is the next day after the transfiguration, which didn't say it happened during the daytime. A lot of people believe it happened at night because of the way this verse says on the next day, when they came down from the mount mountaintop experience, transfiguration. Oh, it's a good thing we're here, Peter says. Let me build a couple or three little huts. One for you, Jesus, one for Moses, one for Elijah.
And then the voice comes from heaven. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him. The listen to him is the important part today. Okay?
Listen to what he says. Listen to what he says. Matthew and Mark have Jesus doing straight up didactic teaching after this. Luke is gonna show several examples of where the disciples think they're right, and Jesus is teaching them and showing them that you got a lot to learn. Okay?
So here we go. On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. Hey. The last painting that Rafael ever did, he was commissioned in 1516. 1516, right at the Reformation.
But he was commissioned by a cardinal who became pope in 1520. So the transfiguration by Raphael. Last painting he worked on. You see up at the top, there's Peter, James, and John, and they're knocked down by what they're seeing. And you've got Jesus and Elijah and Moses.
But down here below, this scene down here below is where we're going today. It's pretty good. Like this is happening on the mountain, but this is what's happening while they were gone. And it's a pretty dramatic scene. We've got lots of this kind of thing going on.
They're all voguing. They're moving. There's a lot of movement in the painting. If you'll pay attention to this kid right here, his eyes are rolled back in his head. His dad is very concerned.
And then there are people that are arguing, it looks like. And it's just a great scene. I think that he read his Bible. He paid attention to what it said. Mark nine fourteen says this, and when they came back to the other disciples so three of them are away, nine of them are down in the valley somewhere.
When they came back to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, around the disciples, and some scribes were arguing with them. I think that's key. Does it take two to tango? And there's a professional dancer in the room. Does it take two to tango?
At least. Right? This gotta have if the scribes were arguing with them, they were arguing with the scribes. Are you with me? Okay.
And a man from the crowd shouted saying, teacher, I beg you to look at my son because he's my only son. Oh, this is the third time that Luke has pointed out a parent coming to Jesus and saying, this is my child. It's my only child. Monogenes. It's the same word that's used of his only son in John three sixteen.
His only begotten son. Right? To get teacher, I beg you to look at my son. It's also interesting and fun to me that Luke is a doctor and this man is saying, Would you take a look at this? How many doctors are in the room?
How many times have you been to a party and somebody says, Hey, would you look at this mole? What does that look like to you? Teacher, I beg you. Look at take take a look at my son, please. Look him over.
He's my only son. And there's a spirit that seizes him and he suddenly screams and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth and only with difficulty does it leave him. And it's mauling him as it leaves. That's a horrible description. Doctor.
Luke does not usually usually, it's a very clear line between what is spiritual, and he says it is a spirit, and what is physical. This one seems to have both going on. It is a spirit that is taking advantage of physical ailment. Just is. And I begged your disciples to cast it out.
This is the man saying, I know it's spiritual. I know it's a demon. I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they could not. Now Luke tells us that, and that's the scene that we see. And then he says, and Jesus answered and said, you unbelieving and perverse generation.
This is the this is some of the harshest words you hear from Jesus. This this looks almost like he's going,
good grief.
You unbelieving and how long is it that I have to put up with y'all? He literally says that. This is how long shall I be with you and put up with you? But think about what they were doing. They were arguing with the scribes.
Is it? They're there arguing with the scribes. The man's desperate. His son's desperate. And they're trying to do their best.
And they had been out on a tour where they had been casting out demons. They had been out on a tour where they had seen some good things happen. They had seen the gospel advance. They'd seen people accept Jesus even though he wasn't there. He was back in their hometowns ministering.
But they couldn't or they didn't weren't able to cast this out. And Jesus answered and said, you unbelieving and perverse generation. Now, I'm gonna let Mark fill in in just a second, but Jesus says, bring your son here. Bring bring him here. Bring him to me.
Now, while he was still approaching the demon, and Luke calls it a demon, he doesn't say epilepsy. Although in Matthew and Mark, it does lean towards physical. But they all say it was a spirit. Luke says, Now while he was still approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. And then Mark fills in for us here and he asked his father, How long has this been happening to him?
That's another question that doctors ask, right? It's like, How long have had this problem? He said, From childhood. This has been his malady from childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to kill him.
But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us. Now we already know that he's tried to get his disciples to help. Right? And the disciples were unable. At least those nine disciples were unable.
Maybe Jesus' favorite could have done something. Right? He's there up the hill. Jesus doesn't have favorites. But he did have three of them up the hill with him.
Peter, James, and John. Maybe they could do something. The sons of thunder and Peter with the keys. Right? Your disciples couldn't do it.
It has often thrown him into the fire and into the water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us. But Jesus said to him, if you can. If you can. I think he said it with a smile.
If you can, question mark. All things are possible for the one who believes. Actually, think about his rebuke. Just before that he says, you unbelieving and perverse generation. Jesus said to me, if you can't, all things are possible for the one who believes.
And immediately, the boy's father cried out and said, I do believe. I do believe. But help me with my unbelief. You know what? That's a great and honest prayer.
I do believe. But man, I'm off sometimes. I miss it sometimes. And sometimes I get weak and sometimes I doubt. And I do believe.
I brought him because I heard you were here. I do believe. But after seeing these other guys trying and flailing, that's help me with my unbelief. Just help me with that. And you know what?
Jesus is the one that can, and he does. When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit saying to it, you mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again. So relief but permanent relief. Jesus back to Luke. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy and gave him back to his father.
And this is so Luke. It's just a summary statement. And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. I bet they were. I'm amazed at the greatness of God today.
I'm I'm amazed at the goodness and greatness of God today. And all of that human experience that I've been talking about, we've seen people who have turned 100. This week, Moocy's birthday party was up at the museum. She's turned 100 at the end of this month. And I've talked with a family who lost a baby in utero.
Doing a premarital session between services, and I got to marry a Mexican couple up at the wedding trees the other day. And it's so sweet. It's so so sweet. And I'm amazed at the greatness of God that we have someone that when we are struggling with belief and doubt, we can call out to him and say, I don't understand. Will you help me understand?
Yep. Just follow me. You're going make mistakes. It's going to happen. You're going to not be able to do something that you think you ought to be able to do and he's going to be able to do it.
But the boy was healed. He's given back to his father, and they were all amazed at the greatness of God. But while everyone was astonished at all that he was doing, this is still in the midst of this. He said to his disciples, think about the fervor of that crowd arguing back and forth, arguing back and forth. Can't do it.
Can't do it. Comes down. What's going on? Oh, come on, people. I rebuke the spirit, give him back to his father.
And while everybody else is just going pandemonium, while everyone was astonished at all that Jesus was doing, he said to his disciples, as for you, let these words sink into your ears. That reminds us of Isaiah 46 and Numbers 11 and a few other places where this is important. Pay attention to it. It's that kind of thing. Let these words sink into your ears.
The son of man is gonna be handed over to men. It looks like a heyday right now. Everybody's amazed. Good things are happening, but this is not all there is to this business. I've got something that I've gotta do.
We're working towards 951, right, where he turns his face toward Jerusalem. He's already told them actually back here. Let's let Matthew tell this. From the from that time, Jesus began to point out to his disciples, it was necessary day he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes to be killed. Now since he said chief priests and scribes and you're a disciple, doesn't doesn't it make sense that they're arguing with the scribes?
These are people that are gonna mess with Jesus. I've got to defend them. Chief priests and scribes and to be killed and to be raised in the third day. Actually, says it again. When he's coming down from the mount with Peter, James, and John, they're asking about Elijah.
He says, yeah, I'm telling you Elijah already came. They didn't recognize him and they did to him whatever they wanted. So also, in the same way, the son of man is gonna suffer at their hands. And now he's saying it again. Let these words sink into your ears.
Write this down for the son of man is gonna be handed over to men, but they didn't understand this statement. Finite human beings that they were, they didn't get it. And it was concealed from them so that they would not comprehend it. Actually, Luke, he puts that line in there. It's kind of funny to me that he's he's kind of defending the disciples.
He's going, there's no way they could get it. Come on. It's the plan of God. They're finite human beings. God's plan is infinite.
Certainly, when you're going through one of the absolute pinnacle moments and you see that God is healing and everyone's amazed, you just think, they're gonna lift this guy up on shoulders and we're gonna go to Jerusalem and everything's gonna change. Roman oppression is gonna fall. Everything's wonderful. That's the plan of God. Triumphant victory.
It was concealed from them so they wouldn't be able to comprehend it. Luke kind of defends them and says, yeah, how could they understand it? But then it says, and they were afraid to ask him about it. Isn't that hard? Don't be afraid to ask God about stuff you don't understand.
God, I don't get it. I don't understand why it is that it is. There's somebody in the room right now that came up at the beginning of summer sick as could possibly be. I don't know how you made it, honestly. Sick as they could possibly be.
Stayed in the hospital for days and days and days, and church was praying, And through the physical difficulty came to trust in God. They they're going home this week, actually. Don't be afraid to ask God about stuff you don't understand. Now an argument started. That cracks me up too.
Isn't it just great? They're right there, and they're they're they're afraid. They don't even wanna ask. I don't even know. What does that even mean?
I mean, we're tied to this guy now. We're his mighty we're his merry band. We're the ones going alongside with him. They're afraid to ask him though about the statement. I don't I don't really like that.
I think I'm gonna ignore it. Now an argument started. What do you think the argument was about? An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. Who's the best?
Well, there are three of us that are looking pretty good right now. Peter, James, and John had just been on the mountain with him. Peter was the first one to answer in the Bible drill about who do people say that I am. Right? Who do you think might be the greatest?
Who gets to sit the closest in the kingdom? They came to Capernaum. Mark tells us where it was. Matthew says that it was in Galilee. They came to Capernaum and when which Capernaum's in Galilee.
So when they came to Capernaum when he was in the house, he began to question him. What were you all discussing on the way here? But they kept silent for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. And sitting down, he called the 12 and said to him, listen, if anyone wants to be first, he shall be the last of all. If anyone wants to be the first, he shall be the servant of all.
And it's all. It's all. And he took a child. Oh, nowadays, children are revered, maybe is a good word for it. Placated, worshipped maybe.
But a child in those days I should have written it down. I didn't write it down. But maybe I did write it down. In those days, a child less than 12 it's kind of fun. Hold on a second.
This is why I don't use paper notes. Forget it. Child lesson 12 is a waste of time for men to speak to. Now, that is awful, but just a waste of time. We don't believe that here.
We don't think that here. Not at all. I love a wine. I'm glad we have Sunday school. I'm glad that y'all are receiving these kids.
Sitting down, said, if anyone wants to be first, they shall be last of all and serve all. And then he took a child. A child has no right at all in that society among the Romans or among the Jews. He took a child and he placed him among them right in the middle of them. Actually, Luke says it this way, but Jesus, knowing that they were thinking, what they were thinking in their hearts, he took a child.
He had him stand by his side and he said to them, Whoever receives this child in my name receives me. There's no benefit to be gained by receiving a child at that time. Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. I am access to the Father, but the way you treat the people that don't matter is the way that you receive me. For the one who's least among you, all of you, this is the one who's great.
Jesus asked, oh, then John answered and said, master, we saw one someone casting out demons in your name. What does that sound like? John just tried to change the subject. He was one of the free. He was one up on the mountain.
Right? He's he's he's looks pretty looks pretty good for the greatest. John answered and said, master, we saw one casting out demons in your name. And we tried to prevent him because he doesn't follow along with us. Oh, man.
There's a divisive spirit in the human spirit that just we want our teams, don't we? We want our teams. And we're the merry band, Jesus. This guy was casting out demons in your name. And we the tried to is added, and we prevent him.
We're gonna stop him from doing that. We're arguing with the scribes. We're preventing other people from trying to help people because he doesn't follow along with us. It's time for denominationalism to die, by the way. But Jesus said to him, don't hinder him.
Don't don't hinder him. For the one who's not against you is for you. Oh, this is nine fifty. This is the last this is this is the last thing Jesus said before he sets his face for Jerusalem. Don't worry about them.
Don't be so overly concerned about them. The Catholic church is two blocks away from here. Mormon church is a few blocks away from here. Don't be terribly concerned about them. Okay?
Don't hinder them, for the one who's not against you is for you. How does that set? We want to defend Jesus. Peter, up to the very last moments, pulling out a sword and cutting off somebody's ear. I think he was swinging for his head.
Don't hinder him. The one who's not against you is for you. So thus ends that first volume I said of that huge thick commentary that at least Tanya read. And it ends with the repeated failure of the disciples to be able to understand or to do anything well. Does that give you comfort?
It does for me. It really is helpful. Think that you know what it shows is that they were unable and Jesus was able. They didn't get it and Jesus did. They persisted in error and he continuously corrected them.
Thank you, Jesus. I think that we are tempted to do the same exact things that they were. We're gonna argue with the scraps. We're going to struggle with getting things done. We're going to put our emphasis on the wrong thing and we're going to worry about how we look more than how we're able to really help and who we're really able to help.
God help us. Luke nine fifty one. Here we are again. This is the New Revised Standard Version. When the days drew near for him to be taken up, and I do think that that is taken up either up onto the cross.
Most people see it as the ascension. When it was the time was drawn to a close on Jesus' earthly ministry. It's about six months out from the cross. When the days drew near for him to be taken up. He had been training.
He had been training actually up through 962 in Luke. He's gonna keep on. They're gonna fail four or five more times, and he's gonna teach them through the process. But when the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. Isaiah 50 is one of the suffering servant passages from the book of Isaiah.
There are four of them, mainly five. I'd count Isaiah 61, but Isaiah 42 starts them off if you wanna read that, and Isaiah 50. And it's speaking of the suffering servant, and it's a little amorphous. Like, at different different times, it has been judged different ways, but Israel will still count the suffering servant passages as being about Israel. Okay?
They still will. The Jews didn't really know what to do the suffering servant passages, especially when what they wanted was victory and triumph over their oppressors because the suffering servant passages were about suffering. Now Jesus fulfills it absolutely and completely. 42, fifty, fifty three, 61, all of these suffering servant passages. I'm just gonna read four verses, I think, from that.
But think about this and think about Jesus with his disciples. The Lord God has given me the tongue of the Was Jesus formally educated? Far as we know, no. But the Lord God had given him the tongue of the learned. Has anybody said anything smarter than Jesus?
He he gave me the tongue of the learned so that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. Think about him at the at the well in Samaria. The him who is supplied, a word in season to the weary. He awakens me morning by morning. He awakens my ear to hear as the learned, and Jesus himself often withdrew into the wilderness to pray, to listen to what God was telling him.
He awakens my ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God has opened my ear and I was not rebellious nor did I turn away. This is sounding a lot like Philippians two, isn't it? Yeah. He humbled himself.
He humbly received instruction from God. The Lord God has opened my ear and I was not rebellious nor did I turn away. I gave my back to those who struck me. To think about the Garden Of Gethsemane and the arrest and for Jesus just to speak the words I am and knock down the people. But he voluntarily gave, let the rest of these guys go.
I'll go with you. And he gave his back to those who struck him. And I gave my cheeks to those who plucked out the beard, and I did not hide my face from shame and from spitting. And then verse seven says, For the Lord God will help me. Therefore, I will not be disgraced.
It might seem shameful to just take the abused. You know? When I said that the suffering servant passages are amorphous and kind of Jesus fits them perfectly, we are supposed to fit them by his spirit, by his sacrificial death on the cross, by a saving knowledge of who he is, we are supposed to be able to fall into the role of suffering servants, though it cost us to be able to do as God directs. For the Lord God will help me and therefore I will not be disgraced. Peter says that Jesus was continually entrusting himself to the one who judges rightly.
Men are going to make mistakes. Women are going to make mistakes. Our understanding is going to be dark and dimmed sometimes, but Jesus is listening to the one who judges rightly and entrusting in him. For the Lord God will help me, therefore I will not be disgraced. Therefore I have set my face like flint.
He knew he had a job to do and he was walking towards that job, not away from it. And I know that I will not be ashamed. Now, is it shameful to be stripped naked, hung on a cross? It's the most shameful death, but that's not the end of that story when the days were coming that he would be ascended. Right?
He was looking past that to the joy that was set before him. There was a cross in between him and that joy. And I know that I will not be ashamed. God help us. Help us to walk out this life in every bit of the human experience, trusting, Lord, that you will provide all that will be needed for us to walk out our a path alongside you of righteousness.
In Jesus' name, Lord, would you calm our instincts to argue and fight? Would you guard our hearts? I do pray that we'd have pure theology, Lord, but I pray that that would be something that we gain from you. That we open our ear and we are not rebellious, that we follow after this suffering servant Jesus. In the name of Jesus, we pray, and Lord, I pray that we would not be a hindrance to what you're trying to do.
Amen. I think that's the last slide. I got two minutes left. Linda and Sonny, would you all like to come forward?
I just wanna thank everyone for their support and love this entire summer season. It's been magnificent. The the healing and peace in my heart just can't even be explained. And I just I wanna thank everybody so much.
I had to drive from Dallas to here. It took five days. She was in the back seat. And I didn't think we would make it. But we did.
She prayed for five days. I went to straight to the ER, and Jesus visited her in the room. Amen. And we we walked through the valley of the shadow of death. We literally, one night, talked about how to divide up the ashes, how many urns, really, and where they would go.
That night, a vision came to her, and she had a blockage in her small bowel. She wasn't expected to live. The next morning, they did an X-ray, and it was gone. It was gone.
Thank you.
Thank you.
So thank you very much for everything that you did. This is a wonderful church. We love you all very much.
Amen. God bless them on the journey. In Jesus' name, Lord, we pray that you would accompany them and that we would go with them, Lord. Thank you that you bind us together with cords that cannot be broken, and we pray for their safe return. In Jesus' name, Lord, we ask your blessing, that it would rest on this family.
And it wouldn't stop there, Lord, that it would flow out to the whole home crowd back home. In Jesus' name, amen.
Amen.
Amen. Amen. The song is Christ be all around me. Would you stand and we're gonna sing that and then that'll be the benediction. Alright?
I hear the voice of God.
Moment above and low before and behind in every odd season. Rasp beyond me above and low
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, Lord, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. This is Psalm 51. This is David realizing his mistake and asking for God to restore the joy of his salvation. Lord, would you do that in and among us? And Lord, would you show someone else who you are through us as we go in Jesus name.
Amen.

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Written up from the message given at First B Jackson. If something here reads oddly, the recording is the record.

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