Set His Face to Go to Jerusalem

October 9, 2022 · Luke

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Series · Luke · Week 8 of 34

Scripture referenced 10 passages

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

Luke 9:37-50 main passage covered in the sermon

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

the turning point verse about Jesus setting his face toward Jerusalem

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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Matthew 18:15

mentioned as the Matthew 18 principle about winning your brother, noted as a separate teaching moment to cover later

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.

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Isaiah 46

referenced alongside Numbers 11 as background for the phrase 'as for you, 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

referenced alongside Isaiah 46 for the phrase 'as for you, 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 42

identified as a suffering servant passage

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 50

the suffering servant passage containing 'I have set my face like flint', which Pastor sees as the image behind Luke 9:51

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 53

referenced as the suffering servant passage that clearly points to the cross

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

mentioned as an additional suffering servant passage

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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Psalm 51

David's prayer used as the closing benediction, specifically 'restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit'

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 message walked through Luke 9:37-51, a passage that shows the disciples repeatedly stumbling while Jesus moves with growing resolve toward Jerusalem. Pastor Mark traced the contrast between human failure and divine purpose, ending at the moment Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem and what that cost him.

What was said

The sermon opened at the foot of the mountain, the morning after the transfiguration. While Peter, James, and John had been on the heights with Jesus, the other nine disciples had been left below with a father and his demon-tormented son. They had tried to help and failed, and by the time Jesus arrived, they were in the middle of an argument with the scribes. Pastor Mark noted that Jesus, worn out with the whole scene, says something that sounds almost exasperated: "O unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?" He pointed out that Jesus was speaking to everyone in the crowd, disciples and scribes alike.

Jesus heals the boy, and Mark's account adds the detail that he asked the father how long this had been going on, which Pastor Mark read as the instinct of a careful physician. The father's answer, that it had been this way since childhood, and his cry, "I do believe, but help me with my unbelief," carried the weight of years of hoping without seeing. Pastor Mark paused there to say that some people in the room have been praying for the same things for a very long time and that prayer is still the right one to bring.

At the moment everyone was amazed at what God had done, Jesus pulled his disciples aside and told them to let his words sink in: the Son of Man was going to be handed over to men. It was not what they wanted to hear. Luke, Pastor Mark observed, is gracious to the disciples here, noting that the meaning was concealed from them and that they were afraid to ask. He pressed that point into the present: fear of asking God hard questions is not where anyone should stay.

What the disciples did instead of asking was argue. Mark's account places the argument on the road to Capernaum, where they debated which of them was the greatest. Jesus responded by placing a small child in front of them and saying that whoever receives a child like this in his name receives him, and the one who is least among them is the one who is great. Pastor Mark noted that in the first century a child had no standing at all, and that the reversal Jesus was making was a sharp one.

Then John, one of the three who had been on the mountain, tried to redirect the conversation. He told Jesus they had stopped someone casting out demons in his name because the man was not part of their group. Jesus told them plainly not to hinder him. Pastor Mark connected this to the persistence of division in the body of Christ and said the point is straightforward: don't get in the way of what God is doing through people who are not in your circle.

All of that, Pastor Mark argued, is a sustained picture of the disciples failing to understand or act well, and it runs right up to Luke 9:51. That verse, he said, is where the entire tone of the book shifts. He compared several translations and kept coming back to the image in the phrase "set his face," which he traced to the suffering servant passage in Isaiah 50. The servant speaks of giving his back to those who struck him, not hiding his face from shame and spitting, and then says, "I have set my face like flint." That is the posture Luke is describing: not reluctance overcome, but a resolute, clear-eyed decision to go toward suffering because of what is on the other side of it.

Pastor Mark closed by holding that image alongside everything the congregation had walked through that week, a hundredth birthday celebration, a baby lost in utero, loved ones in the hospital, a death in hospice, another death the night before. He named the full range of it plainly and returned to where the sermon had been all morning: Jesus knew the way required suffering, he set his face toward it anyway, and the people who follow him are not promised a different road.

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.

The pastor talked about the father who cried out, 'I do believe, but help me with my unbelief.' Have you ever found yourself in that same place, genuinely trusting God but struggling with doubt at the same time? What was that like?
When the disciples could not cast out the demon, Jesus said, 'You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you?' What do you think it looks like in our own lives when we have seen God work and still fail to trust Him in the next hard moment?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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Find in this transcript

Speaker 1I'm glad to be here this morning. Would you stand up and we will sing whatever comes up on that screen. I think it's going to be in my heart that rings a melody. Yeah. I have a song that Jesus gave me.

That's great.

Speaker 2I have a song that Jesus gave me. It was sent from heaven above. There never was a sweeter melody, is a melody of love. In my heart, there rings a melody, there rings a melody with heaven's harmony. In my heart, there rings a melody.

There rings a melody of love. I love the Christ who died on Calvary for he washed my sins away. He put within my heart a melody, and I know it's there to stay. In my heart, there rings a melody. There rings a melody with heaven's harmony.

In my heart, there rings a melody. There rings a melody of love. 'Twil be my endless theme in glory. With the angels I will sing. 'Twil be a song with glorious harmony when the courts of heaven ring.

In my heart, there rings a melody. There rings a melody with heaven's harmony. In my heart, there rings a melody. There rings a melody on love. Amen.

That's a good one.

Speaker 1Good to start it off that way. Since Jesus when have we been singing that melody? Since Jesus came into our heart. Right? Hymn number five zero three.

Speaker 2Since my Jesus since Jesus came came in, in, came into my heart since Jesus came in, came into my heart. Floods of joy o'er my soul like the Sea billows row. Since Jesus came into my heart, I have ceased from my wandering and going astray since Jesus came into my heart. And my sins, which were many, are all washed away since Jesus came into my heart. Since Jesus came in, came into my heart since Jesus came in, came into my heart.

Bloods of joy or my soul like the Sea Billows Row. Since Jesus came into my heart on the last, I shall go there to dwell in that city I know since Jesus came into my heart. And I'm happy, so happy as onward I go since Jesus came into my heart. Since Jesus came in, came into my heart since Jesus came in, came into my heart. Floods of joy over my soul like the seed billows rose.

Since Jesus came into my heart.

Speaker 1Amen. Y'all can have a seat. That's a couple of peppy numbers to start it off this morning. We have a few announcements. Monday nights is happening.

Monday nights at first B is happening tomorrow night down the hall, 06:00. Carl is in Philippians four which is the dwell on the things or think on these things. Things that are noble and good and just and of good report. That's what he'll be doing tomorrow night. Mike is making the the meal meal music and a message every Monday night, 06:00.

Awana is back. It's happening same time but different place. Right here, we'll start out with the kids in this room. Volunteers and children getting together to pour scripture into the minds to reach the hearts of the kids and it's a good time. That's fun.

Sisters Saved by Grace Bible Study is on Thursday nights. Nancy Baxter is leading that but it's a great communal experience down there. A meal and a physical meal and then a spiritual meal of the word, and they are a great group of ladies. Down the hall on Thursday nights, there is a very well attended big study in this room, 10:00 on Wednesday mornings, ten to twelve throughout the fall. Deb Buckingham is teaching, and Lissa Hunter has been, playing the music for that.

And this week, this this particular week, there's a song. You remember the song heart heart of worship? I'm coming back to the heart of worship where it's all about you. It's all about you, Jesus. I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing.

I've made it. I heard that. I've been thinking about it for a few weeks. And then Alyssa was lee I think it was Alyssa, was leading from here. I was in my office and played that song.

I think it's the only song they played. And then when they came back around for the closing song, she played it again, and I thought, man, that's really, really powerful. So, God, help us to make it about what it's about, to pay attention to Jesus, to listen to him. Amen. Sorry.

If you are new to Firstbeat or if you have a prayer request or you wanna connect or if you wanna visit from the pastor, y'all can scribble that down. I don't think we have that box on there, but we do visit and we do love to. And I will say this, that post COVID, one of the things that kinda threw ministers off is we don't know where we are welcomed in as as readily as we used to anymore. So if you say, oh, I'd love to have the pastor come visit. Hey.

Mark that down. We'll come visit. We love that stuff. But we might just be praying from a distance until we get the open door. So if you want to, please connect and say so.

Anything else that I'm forgetting? Oh, yes. There's one more. And this one is you know, it's nice that we have a virtual thing going on so that people who can't be here in person I'm going to make you sing into that microphone.

Speaker 3That's great. I need to practice. So it's Jane Cranenberg's eightieth birthday this week. And we she's probably watching remotely. Jane, there's cake.

We'll bring it over to you in a little bit. But I think we should sing happy birthday. What do y'all think to Jane? Does that sound good? Good.

Ready? Here we go.

Speaker 2Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Jane. Happy birthday to you.

Speaker 3Thanks, Shane. We love you. And there's gonna be cake down the hall, two different kinds, and I'll bring some over to you soon, Shane.

Speaker 1Thanks a lot. Cool. Thank you, Nick. That's sweet. Great is the Lord.

Alright. Thanks. That's that's pretty awesome. Yeah. That's fun.

Don't drop. Yeah. Alright. Great is the Lord. He is holy and just by his power.

We trust in his love. We're going to sing that together but this week especially, I don't know why every week is similar to this. Every week is interesting. Every week is an adventure but this week, it feels like the Psalms. It feels like this church body has experienced the full range of human emotion.

Lucy's birthday party for being 100. I mean, she'll be 100 at the end of the month, but they had her birthday party up at the Wildlife Museum at the beginning of the week. And to see somebody that reached 100 and then to pray with a family who lost a baby in utero this week. To have loved ones in the hospital right now, Great is the Lord. I got to do a Mexican wedding at the Wedding Trees on Friday afternoon, which was fantastic.

And I did a premarital session between the services. There's like the full range of everything that we experience at once has been very evident this week here to me. And I just want to praise God for that. And at the same time, we're rejoicing with those who rejoice, but we're also mourning with those who mourn. Somebody else that watches virtually from New Hampshire, of all places, every week, every week, every week.

Her husband has been in hospice care for some time, and we were able to pray with her. And he passed during the night that night. Also, Lois, who is Irene Stieg's sister, passed during the night before last. So we're experiencing, like I said, the full range and always true. Great is the Lord.

He's holy. He's just, and he is always proving that he is love. Would you stand with me and we'll sing it together.

Speaker 2Great is the Lord he is holy and just by his power we trust in his love Great is the Lord. He is faithful and true. By his mercy, he proves he is love. Great is the Lord and worthy of glory. Great is the Lord and worthy of praise.

Great is the Lord. Now lift up your voice. Now lift up your voice. Great is the Lord. Great is the Lord.

Let's sing it again. Great is the Lord. He is holy and just. By his power, we trust in his love. Great is the Lord.

He is faithful and true. By his mercy, he proves he is love. Great are you, Lord, and worthy of glory. Great are you, Lord, and worthy of praise. Great are you, Lord.

I lift up my voice. I lift up my voice. Great are you, Lord. Are great are you lord Yeah. Thank you.

Speaker 1That was the full Sandy Patty ending up on the screen. Sorry. I just can't do that. His name is wonderful. His name is wonderful.

Amen. God, I thank you that as disciples, we are bound to make mistakes, lord, but I thank you that your name is wonderful, that we can keep on turning to you and find the love, and the forgiveness, and the direction that we need. Amen.

Speaker 2His name is wonderful his name is wonderful his name is wonderful Jesus my His name is wonderful. His name wonderful. Jesus, my lord. Jesus my lord. Amen.

Y'all can have a seat.

Speaker 1I'm a invite the ushers to come forward. And would y'all pray with me? God, thank you for this morning, this beautiful fall morning Jackson Hole. Thank you, Lord, that you are so good to us. I thank you, Lord, that throughout the range of all human experience and emotion, that you are there for us, that you are an ever present help in time of trouble, and that you are the one that rejoices with us, that you give us breath in our lungs, Lord, to breathe out praises to you.

I pray that you would heal, Lord, those among us who are sick. I pray that you would draw souls towards yourself, Lord, that you would reflect your glory in your people, that your humble and obedient servants, Lord, would just be about your business. Lord, we ask that this offering that you would use it to do your will and your way. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.

This morning, we had well, this is what we're gonna cover today. Luke nine thirty seven through 50, but I think it's funny that every week, Nick gets in touch with me at some point and says this, do you know the verses you'd like to use this week? Usually, it's on Thursday when he says this because he's about to send out the electronic bulletin, you know, to everybody. And so do you know the like verses you'd like to use this week? And I said, Luke nine fifty one.

Just like that. He goes, one verse? That's not like you at all. What's wrong? Are you sick?

What's going on? He just said, one verse question mark. And I said, yes. That's it. But that's obviously not gonna be the case.

Right? I I can't dissect that any further, but it is a huge turning point in the book of Luke. Actually, such a turning point that this guy, Darrell Bock, good guy, really good scholar. I like Darrell Bock's work, but I really like look at this. This is ridiculous, isn't it?

That's the book of Luke commentary. And so this one right here, volume one, is from Luke one one to Luke nine fifty, and this one starts with nine fifty one and goes to the end of the book. I've said often that the gospels, all of them, but the gospels are passion narratives with long introductions. Okay? The long introduction kinda ends at nine fifty.

It's still going as far as we're not to the cross yet. We've got six more months, but he splits this and almost everybody who studied the book of Luke sees a big change, not a change in what his mission is. Jesus knows his mission, but he's been training these disciples and training these disciples, and we've been in the later Galilean ministry up away from Jerusalem for a good while now. And he's been there for a good while. In the gospels, it looks like he's been there over a year, maybe closer to two.

So two and a half years the disciples have been with him. We're in a chronological study and we're walking through it together. Luke nine fifty one is a marked change and it says this, the NASB is what I usually use. Today, I've got a mix of them up there, but when the days were approaching for his ascension, he was determined to go to Jerusalem. Now that's fine.

It's a good translation, but honestly, I think it's boring. So KJV, this is what I have in mind. This is the one I memorized when I was little, you know, and it came to pass when the time was come that he should be received up. Steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem. Direct translation, set his face to go to Jerusalem.

New New Living translation. As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven. It's clarifying the the thought. Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. You see the determinedness about it?

NRSV. There's a guy in the first service. Loves his new revised standard version. This one says, when the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. Good translation.

Holman Christian Standard Bible. This is the most recent Southern Baptist version. When the days were coming to a close for him to be taken up, he determined to journey to Jerusalem. Again, to me that's boring. I like to set his face.

That's there's something there that, yeah, you get the point, but he set his face. Actually, Young's literal translation, always a good one to go to when you're wondering exactly what it says. And it came to pass that in the completing of the days of his being taken up, that he fixed his face or set his face to go onward to Jerusalem. There's something resolute about this. Now that's nine fifty one.

We haven't covered 37 through 50 yet, so that's what we're going to do next. We have been doing a harmony of the gospel's approach and so we go with Matthew, Mark, and Luke. If you're looking at the same places, Luke's version of this is the shortest and I'm gonna cover just Luke today. Matthew and Mark include a couple of places that are just straight up teaching moments from Jesus teaching them like students. Actually, in Matthew, it goes beyond eighteen fourteen up through eighteen fifteen through the end of the chapter is that Matthew 18 principle about winning your brother.

We'll get to that though. I wanted to do those separately because they are straight up teaching moments But I think it's important, and I think Luke nails it down for us that the disciples fairly continuously missed the point. Are you with me? They keep on messing up. And honestly, if we're being completely transparent before God, we keep messing up too in a lot of the same way.

So let's watch the parallels. We're gonna cover Luke, but we're gonna use those little sections of Mark to help fill in a couple of gaps or things that I just like. I don't think anything that Luke has gapped it at all, honestly, but some things that I really just like. I like a story that I'll mention in a minute. On the next day, the next day, when was this?

The last week sermon was about the transfiguration. Actually, about transformation and transfiguration but on the next day, this is the very next day after the transfiguration on the high mountain. When they came down, so it's Jesus, Peter, James, and John. Four of them went up, four of them came down. The other disciples were left in that valley below, and it says, on the next day when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus.

This is the Transfiguration by Raphael. Raphael, not the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, but the painter, in 1516 was commissioned by a cardinal to paint a painting of the Transfiguration. He actually died, Raphael, in 1520, and that cardinal became the pope, Clement like the seventh or something. But he had commissioned to paint this for a church, and it's the transfiguration. And if you look at the top part, that's what we're used to seeing in the transfiguration.

Right? We're used to seeing Jesus lifted up, glowing, and we've got Elijah on one side, Moses on the other. We've got the disciples, Peter, James, and John bowed down. We talked about that last week because they're just over overwhelmed by it. That's what we're used to seeing in a transfiguration painting, but Raphael captures what's going on below too.

So what's happening down here below is quite the scene. You see people with this expression or this, and they're facing each other, and they're arguing, and they look like they're voguing. They've got particular things going on. It's pretty dramatic. And it is a dramatic scene actually.

The way that Mark describes it is this way, and when they came back to the other disciples, so three disciples are coming back to the other nine. They've just been on this mountaintop experience, but this is what the disciples in the valley were doing. They saw a loud large crowd around the disciples, and some scribes were arguing with them. Does that surprise anybody? No.

There's a group of people, and they're arguing. That's just what people do. But these three that had just been on the mountain with Jesus and Jesus are coming down and they're seeing what's going on. And does it take two to tango? It ain't a real good argument if only one person's arguing, is it?

So the disciples were arguing with the scribes that were arguing with them. That gives us a little light. And a man from the crowd shouted out saying, teacher, speaking to Jesus, I beg you to look at my son because he is my only son. This is the third time in the book of Luke that someone has brought to Jesus and only, you know, the widow of Nain. This is my only child.

It does sort of the the word is monogenes, which actually is what Jesus is referred to as God's one and only son. Right? And a man from the crowd shouted saying, teacher, I beg you to look at my son because he is my only son. And a spirit seizes him. Now Luke is a doctor.

He often makes the distinction between physical maladies and spiritual maladies. And Luke says flatly, a spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams and then the spirit throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth. And only with difficulty does the spirit leave him, mauling him as it leaves. This sounds like a horrible situation. Matthew and Mark both use a word that a lot of historians and scholars and even theologians see as related to epilepsy.

So its physical symptoms are like those of epilepsy. But Luke, the doctor, says this is a spirit that seizes him and does this. And the man from his own mouth says, and I beg your disciples, Jesus, these nine that were down here. I beg your disciples to cast it out and they could not. Now, that's what the scene is.

Do you see the little boy? He's standing like this, eyes rolled back in his head, beginning to convulse. His dad is very, very upset. And there are people that are pointing at the boy, and there are people who are arguing back and forth, and there are some that are muttering and scratching their heads. They don't know what to do about the situation.

But there's strong feeling going on right here. And Jesus answered and said, oh, sorry. I might have added that little sigh. You unbelieving and perverse generation. How long shall I be with you and put up with you?

Does that sound like Jesus to y'all? He is worn out with them. Actually, I think that what he's worn out about is they're just constantly arguing. They're constantly arguing and the scribes and the disciples are arguing. Now, the disciples have been out on their own by this point.

They were sent out two by two and they saw Jesus heal. And they saw that the demons that they were casting out in Jesus name were being cast out, and they saw people healed. And they saw that the message was going forward. And honestly, the disciples might have getting a little might have been getting a little too big for their britches. And the scribes were like, that's not what it says.

That's not what it says right here. And so they're arguing with him, and Jesus is like, oh, scholars argue still over who he's talking about. Who is he talking about? Is he talking to the disciples or is he talking to the scribes? I think he's talking to everybody.

Come on, people. For crying, how loud? How long do I have to put up with you unbelieving and perverse generation? That calls us back to Numbers and Deuteronomy and Exodus and even Isaiah. Unbelieving and perverse.

How long shall I be with you and show you what it's like to be godly and righteous? And yet, I'm just putting up with you. Bring your son to me. Bring your son here. Bring your son here.

Now while he was still approaching the demon so he said it was a spirit a moment ago. Now he's explicit saying this is a demon. Now while he was still approaching the demon, slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. There is, for those of you who are grammar nerds and word nerds, the slammed him to the ground, it's an ambiguous form. The word is a past tense form of two different words.

And it's either slammed him to the ground or began to tear him to pieces. Isn't that something? Either one of them is a terrible thing. Threw him into a convulsion. Let's let Mark fill in for a moment because I really like this story.

I think it's really helpful. And he asked his father, How long has this been happening to him? Actually, if we look back to Luke, Luke the doctor, when it says, Would you take a look at my son? You know, Would you take a look at him? Doctors at parties, people come up to him and say, Would you take a look at this mole right here?

Can you tell me if that's yeah. Can you take a look at him, just see what's going on? He asked his father, How long has this been happening to him? That sounds very doctoral to me. It's like, Well, tell me how long.

What's the history going on here? And his dad said, From childhood, It's always been this way. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to kill him. But if you can do anything, if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us. But Jesus said, if you can.

I I hear a slight laugh there. You brought him to me. You'd heard something. There was something that brought you here. But if you can, if you can, hey, all things are possible for the one who believes.

Think about this for a minute. I'll go back to it. What did he just say in Luke? Oh, perverse generation. Perverse and unbelieving generation.

Jesus said to him, if you can, 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 he's so honest, but help me with my unbelief. You know, I do believe.

I did come because I knew you could. But at the same time, I've seen nine guys try and they were unsuccessful. And it's been a long time this way. I do believe, but help me with my unbelief. That's the most that's a very honest prayer.

Some of y'all have been praying for family members, and you've been praying for things going on for a long, long, long, long time. And you're getting to the point of going, I mean, do believe you, Jesus, but help me with my unbelief. You know, keep on handing it back to him. Cast it to on him. When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, Mark says, 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.

Not only was it healing, it was permanent. Don't come back into him. You are not welcome here. Luke ends it like this, but Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy. Now this is weird for Luke because usually he does separate the two where it's spiritual or it's physical, and in this case, it's both.

So he rebuked the unclean spirit and he healed him and gave him back to his father. And it says, and they were all that's including the disciples, the scribes, the onlookers, the boy, his father, and they were all amazed at the greatness of God. Amen. But while everyone was astonished at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, this is this is in the flow, right in the same very moment where everybody's amazed and at the glory of God, the greatness of God, absolutely amazed. This is another one of those moments where people might have wanted to throw him up on their shoulders and take him to let him start this process of becoming the king that would kick the Romans out.

It says, while everybody was astonished at all that he was doing, Jesus says to his disciples, hey, as for you all, I know they're going nuts right now. I know everybody's excited. Y'all seen me heal before. But listen to this, all of this pandemonium that's going on and all that y'all saw up on the hill, Peter, James, and John. All of this stuff.

Listen to these words and let them sink into your ears. Now Peter, James, and John had just heard the the very voice of God the father say, this is my beloved son. Listen to him. Listen to him. It's important.

As for you, let these words sink into your ears. That reminds us actually of Isaiah 46, numbers 11. As for you, let these words sink into your ears for the son of man is gonna be handed over to men. This is not what they're expecting. And actually, it says that before that, from that time, this is a couple weeks ago, from that time, Jesus began to point out to his disciples that it was necessary.

He must go to Jerusalem, and he must suffer many things from the elders, the chief priests, and scribes. Hey, scribes. Maybe that's why they were arguing with the scribes. Jesus already said he's gonna suffer under them, and then they get griped about something, and they're arguing with him too. He's gonna suffer many things from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised up on the third day.

That's where Peter says, God forbid it, Lord. And he says, get behind me, Satan. Says it again, actually, when they're coming down from the mountain, after they've seen this great and glorious sight of Christ transfigured and Moses and Elijah, and they talk about building the shelters, when they're coming back down. Peter, James, John, Jesus asking about Elijah. And he says, I say to you, Elijah already came.

They didn't recognize him, but they did to him whatever they wanted. And so also, in this same way, the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands. He's already said it a couple of times at least. The Son of Man is going be handed over to men. There's no hint of triumphalism here.

Victory is always in the future, but he's saying there's a lot that's got to happen first. They didn't understand this statement. They didn't get it. And Luke Luke is very gracious. Matthew and Mark don't say this little line right here.

Luke is very gracious to the disciples. He's an interviewer. Right? He was not there, but he's interviewed all of the appropriate people, and he's gotten the word. And he says, it was concealed from them.

God concealed it from them. They wouldn't comprehend this. They couldn't get it. At that point, they couldn't get it. I've told y'all before about my Greek professor.

He's very foundational, and he would have us do translations and he would stand and scratch his chin and say, for what you know now, that's a really good guess. It's wrong. But it makes sense that you would go there. This says, it was concealed from them so that they would not comprehend it. They they couldn't get it at that point.

Gracious it's a gracious line from Luke towards the disciples. But he goes further than that and says, and they were afraid to ask him about it. May I stop right here, pull ourselves out of the first century and into the twenty first and say, don't be afraid to ask God about stuff. Right? There are some horribly horrible, horrific things that have happened in life this week that we need to ask Jesus to direct us on.

Right? Don't be afraid to ask him. Don't be afraid to say, help me with my unbelief, Lord. I do believe, but help me with my unbelief. I don't understand what you just did.

Can you help me understand it? He might just say, trust me. That's basically what he does over and over and over with the disciples while everybody else is pandemonium. He says, hey. Y'all listen to this.

Pay attention. It's gonna get bad, and it won't be long. We're six months out. We're six months out from the cross, and conflict is gonna go crazy. He's still gonna keep on instructing them and correcting them because they keep on so far, they failed to cast out a demon.

They they're failing in a lot of different ways in this passage. Now an argument started. Is that funny to y'all? They're afraid to ask Jesus about something that was confusing to them, and an argument started. Imagine that.

What are they? People. What do people do? They love to argue. Now, argument started.

What do you think the argument was about? Which of them was the greatest? I don't know if you all think about that, but every time it says as to which of them might be the greatest, I think of Muhammad Ali every time I get right there.

Speaker 2I'm the greatest fighter of all time.

Speaker 1An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. Now there are three of them that had a pretty good indication that they were favorites. They had just been up on the river, just been I mean, river, mountain, and had shown been shown the glory, the Shekinah glory flowing through Jesus. An argument started out among them as to which of them might be the greatest. Mark tells us where they were when this happened.

They came to Capernaum and when he was in the house, he began to question them saying, What were you discussing on the way here? What were you all talking about on the road? But they kept silent. They knew better. On the way, they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.

And sitting down, he called the 12 and he said to them, listen, if anybody wants to be first, then he shall be the last of all. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God so that he may exalt you in due time. If anyone wants to be first, he should be the last of all. He should be the servant of all. And he took a child, a little one.

Actually, one of the gospel says, and he lifted him up. So it's a smaller child. And at this time, I mean, I think that the way that we think about children probably is the other ditch. Right? And this time, children had no rights whatsoever.

Men were not supposed to even have anything to do with them at all. It was it was a common proverb at the time that for a man to spend any time with a child under 12 years old was an absolute waste. Ain't that weird? I mean, children are worshiped in the door now. But part of that is because of this, because Jesus said, receive them.

Take them in. I love Awana. I absolutely love Awana, but he took this child and he used the child for visual aid. He received them. That's not the first time we've seen Jesus receive children.

He took a child. He placed him among them. Luke says, Jesus knowing what they were thinking in their hearts, he took a child. He had him stand by his side to begin with and then he said to them, whoever receives this child in my name receives me. Now, this is kind of echoing the Matthew and Mark versions of whatsoever you do to the least of these.

Right? This is somebody that did not matter to society. It mattered to his mama, I'm sure, but he said to them, whoever receives this child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. I'm the way to the father, but honestly, the way to me is that you treat other people the way that you wanna be treated.

You treat other people however you do to the least of these you do to me. Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For the one who is least among you, this is the one who is great. That was a complete reversal for that time period. I I I think it loses a little something in our day.

It's funny because it's a rebuke. The they're arguing about who's the greatest, and Jesus is saying, put yourself last. That's how you get to be the greatest. Humble yourself. And then John, oh, one of those three that got to go up on the mountain, John answered that and said, master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name.

Is that a non sequitur or what? John just tried to change the subject. Jesus is rebuking them and he just says, oh, we saw somebody. This is something good that we did, Jesus. We saw somebody casting out demons in your name, but he's not one of us.

Luke 49 says this, so we tried to prevent him. Actually, the tried to is added in English. It says, we prevented him. We stopped him from doing it. He was casting out demons in your name, and we stopped him.

We don't want any of shenanigans going on because he does not follow along with us. He's not one of us. Man, isn't that persistent in humanity? There's arguing, and then there's arguing and then there's, we're gonna stop him from doing that. Although the the other person was casting out Jesus I mean, demons in Jesus' name.

We tried to prevent him because he doesn't follow along with us but Jesus said to him, good gracious. Y'all don't hinder him. Don't hinder him. Don't stop him. Don't stop him from doing that.

For the one who's not against you is for you. Now I know I know that denominationalism is it's what we have going on in a lot of places, but it's time for it to die. The the division in the body of Christ, it's time for it to die. And I know that there are some folks who are theologically wrong, and I know there are some folks we disagree with theologically. But this Jesus just says, don't hinder them.

Don't even worry about them. He's not you. You worry about yourself. Don't hinder him. The one who's not against you is for you.

Went to a funeral yesterday, actually. That's another one of the things in the full range of human experience. It was Clarine Laws. It was at the Center for the Arts, Pack House. Clarine's been she's owned the Antler since 1962.

Whenever we had somebody here that was in need of a room, that's usually our first call would be there, and she'd help out. You know, she's Mormon. I know. But she was helpful. She was also helpful.

Right? That's good. I know the Catholic church is right over there, and I know. I know. I know.

But don't worry about them. Don't hinder them. For the one who's not against you is for you. Let them deal with Jesus directly and we just keep on doing what he's put before us. Actually, I think that's the last slide of that section and thus ends that first volume of Darrell Bock's commentary.

This actually I mentioned it in the first service. Didn't mention it in here because she was in here a few minutes ago. But Tanya, when I was in seminary, I pick up commentaries when I have to, you know? And I had

Speaker 2a

Speaker 1lot of reading that I had to do all the time. She was in Bible study fellowship, and it was a we're gonna do an intensive study of Luke, starting out as sort of like precept, inductive study, and she said, bring me some of your commentaries. I was like, why? I've got this one and that one. She goes, what's the best one?

And I said, well, Box is pretty good. And she said, bring it home. She read both of these all the way through, front to back, front to back, both of them. And she's smart as a whip. I mean, else I hadn't read them all.

I read a little at a time, you know? But the turn is right here. The section ends and nobody disputes it. Everybody that looks at it says, man, when Jesus sets his face for Jerusalem, there's a change in tone, and it is a resolute just a pounding drum. Right?

But this section right here ends with the repeated failure of the disciples to be able to understand or to do anything well. Can I get a witness? Do you feel that way? Do you feel like I don't get it? I don't understand.

Or when you feel like you

Speaker 2do get it, all of a

Speaker 1sudden God shows you, you got a lot of learning left to do. May we walk with humility, learning from the disciples' mistakes that they are going to argue with people that disagree with them textually. They're gonna argue with people, and they're not gonna be able to perform miraculous deeds every time the way. But but God is still working. God still can and still does.

The section ends with the repeated failure of the disciples be able to understand or do anything well, but with the power of God to heal and to correct and to exhort. And then we hit Luke nine fifty one. When the days drew near, for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. Now that, the set his face, the reason I thought the others were boring and that one is so good is because that set his face calls back an image from the suffering servant passage in Isaiah 50. Now Isaiah 42 is a suffering servant passage, and Israel still thinks that the suffering service passages are about their plight as a nation.

Maybe. There's some something there, maybe. Isaiah is a suffering servant. He carried the word of the Lord and he was castigated in a lot of ways for it. Jesus absolutely fulfills it.

There's no doubt about it. If you read Isaiah 53 and you don't think of the cross, you're missing the point. Isaiah 42, Isaiah 50, Isaiah 53. I think Isaiah 61 is an additional one. There are a few.

The Lord God has given me, capital m, that's Jesus, Messiah. The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned. Do we know of any formal education that Jesus had? At 12, he's teaching the teachers. God has given him the tongue of the learned.

He understood and he taught. He didn't just teach that I should know how to speak a word in season to the one who is weary. Oh, that's good. To him who is is added, him who is. A word in season to the weary.

Think about the Samaritan woman at the well and what life giving words Jesus gave to her. Think about the people that he met along the way. The Canaanite woman fairly recently and her daughter. This man speaking a word in season to the one that is weary. He awakens me morning by morning.

He awakens my ear to hear as learned it. And early in the morning, Jesus often withdrew into the wilderness to pray. He was awakened morning by morning, and his ear was hearing as someone who's paying attention. The Lord God has opened my ear and I was not rebellious nor did I turn away. The suffering servant knows that there is joy set before him, but he recognizes that it is a via dolorosa.

It is a way of suffering. 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. We're walking resolutely towards Jerusalem, and he will literally be fulfilling this, giving his back to those who struck him and his cheek to those who plucked out the beard. I did not hide my face from shame and spitting.

And this is the reference that I believe Luke is making. For the Lord God will help me. Therefore, I will not be disgraced. Now it is disgraceful to be hung on a cross. It is disgraceful to be beaten publicly.

It is disgraceful to be stripped down naked and bare before. But the Lord God will help me, and ultimately, I will not be disgraced. There is a way of suffering, but on the other side of that, there's joy set before it. Therefore, I have set my face like flint. It is resolute, and I know that I will not be ashamed.

The suffering servant song there goes on through verse 10, even verse 11, but I'm gonna stop right here. Jesus knew, and even in the midst of all the pandemonium where everybody's so excited, he turns to his disciples and says, let this sink in. My way requires suffering. And y'all are supposed to be followers of the way. Jesus absolutely was a suffering servant, but the body of Christ is still represented here.

We need to be listening to him. I think that's the last slide, is it Blake? Thank you. Lord, thank you. We're gonna sing Cleanse Me, I think.

The next song is six fifty seven. It's a beautiful song. I want to sing all four verses, and I think it's a process. If you listen to this and the benediction even today is going to kind of go right along with this. I've got a couple of things that in the first service that came up that the whole range of human experience, I looked back and saw Linda LaRue and Sonny Brad Yates' mom.

And when she came out here, it was five days. Sonny drove five days. She was in the back seat just horribly sick, full of cancer and horribly sick and did not think they would make it. When he arrived in Jackson, he didn't stop at Brad's house or anybody else's house, went straight to the emergency room. And she was in the hospital for eleven days straight and it was bad.

Didn't think that she was gonna pull through all along the way. But in that room, in that suffering, Linda surrendered to Christ, and he took away an an obstruction that was causing all kinds of problems and greeted her into the marvelous kingdom of light. Right? Been praying for this lady's salvation for a while. Her son had and she came here and through incredible suffering, bowed the knee.

And it made a huge effect on the family, on the church. Y'all were praying for her at the time, and they're leaving this week and going back to Dallas. We've got a young man who's been here all summer. I'm going ask him to come up for the benediction and we'll say a prayer blessing over him after the song but would you stand with me and think through each one of these stanzas as you sing them? It starts off with giving over the sin to God and then just knowing that he forgives, praising God, and then asking him to concentrate your life and then trust in his spirit to do something with you that's worthwhile.

Here we go.

Speaker 2Search me, oh God, and know my heart today. Try me, oh savior. Know my thoughts, I pray. See if there be some wicked way in me. Way Cleanse me from every sin and my will, my passion, self, and pride.

I now surrender, Lord, in me, above. Holy ghost, revival comes from thee. Send a revival.

Speaker 1Amen. I'm going to invite Jackson and Owen and Reese for Jackson's been here all summer. Owen Reese came out to bring him home. So, their brothers are actually from Georgia. They live about 75 miles from my folks But he's been here all all summer long.

He's a they're sons of a dad who is a pastor. And I just want y'all to be praying for them this week too. Actually, Ricky and Kristen, would y'all come forward too with them? Do you mind? They're getting married tomorrow.

This is a different thing. But we're asking for a blessing on both of them. I'm thankful for the job. It's a it's a it's a high calling. I'm very very thankful.

God, I'm asking a blessing on Jackson and his brothers as they travel home, Lord. I pray for their family, for their mom, and for their dad, and for this journey, Lord, that it would be filled with joy in the journey. But Lord, that they would recognize what's going on. In Jesus' name, Lord, I ask your blessing on them and their family and on the the process going forward. I pray that you'd use them, in a mighty way, filled with all humility, Lord, and allowing your spirit to just transmit through them.

Amen. Also, Lord, pray a blessing on both Ricky and Kristen and on Emma and for their marriage, Lord, that you would bless it and that you would love and keep them, Lord, and you would bind them together with cords that cannot be broken. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. And the closing benediction is this.

Lord, restore to me the joy of your salvation. This is David's prayer. Psalm 51 is after he had sinned, but after he laid it all out, just like y'all just did in that song. Laid it all out and he says, Lord, restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit that will sustain me. In Jesus' name, Lord, I pray that we would walk in that joy.

And we know there's suffering and that's a part of it, but Lord, that we'd walk in that joy that you would sustain us in the midst of our circumstances. Amen. Amen.

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Child As Example Disciples Arguing Greatest In Heaven Set His Face Suffering Servant Unbelief

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