Sermon Tone Analysis

*Luke 9:37-51*

 

v    Opening Illustration:

Ø     Raphael Painting (1520)

§        I think that Raphael makes an important observation

·        There is a connection between Transfiguration and what happens next

 

v    Nothing in Scripture is by chance, random

Ø     Luke, by the inspiration of the H.S., arranges the Gospel story in such a way as to make a point

§        The point that Scripture is making here is…

·        *Without Christ, we can do nothing*

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v    In the following 4 vignettes we see the disciples failing miserably

Ø     In their faith

Ø     In their understanding

Ø     In their pride

Ø     And in their Judgmentalism

§        And Scripture shows us this for a very important reason

·        Without the power of the living God in our lives

¨     We operate from the flesh

Ø     And when we operate like that…

§        We are failures

·        Look @ verses 37-43 with me…

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*READ v 37-43*

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v    Without Christ, we are a….

*Failure in Faith (v.

37-43)*

v    Here the 9 disciples remaining were unable to cure this one boy

Ø     Yet 31 verses earlier (v.

6) Jesus had sent them out and they were able to cure diseases

§        There they had gone out with the power of Christ

·        But here for some reason, the disciples did not believe that they could still cure

¨     I believe they looked at the boy and saw the impossible…

Ø     Instead of the possible

 

Ø     And that is what Faith is…

§        Belief in the impossible

§        Isn’t that what Christianity is based on…

·        The impossible becoming possible

¨      That’s what *Hebrews 11:1* is saying

Ø     /Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see/

§        Being certain of the impossible!

 

v    Christians are called to have faith, to trust, to believe in the impossible

Ø     You see…

§        We should all be like the White Queen in Lewis Carroll’s /Through the looking glass/

·        White Queen tells Alice she’s 101 and 5 months and 1 day

·        Alice says she, “Can’t believe impossible things.”

·        Queen’s response

¨     /When I was your age, I always (believed in the impossible) for half-an-hour a day.

Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast./

Ø     What a great Christian worldview!

/ /

v    It is not before breakfast, but it is before lunch…

Ø     So, here is a list of 6 impossible things we as Christians should believe in before lunch…

§        *1) Belief that miracles happen*

·        Like Red sea, water from rock, Manna, quail, Sun standing still

¨     Scripture asks us to believe in impossible miracles

§        *2) Belief in the triune God*

·        1 God, 3 persons

§        *3) Believe that Christ was God and man*

·        100% God & 100% man

§        *4) Believe that Jesus died for our sins*

·        One person atoning for the world’s sins

·        One person taking on my sins, past, present and future

§        *5) Belief that we will live for eternity*

·        If you trust in Christ, you will live for eternity

¨     From life to life

§        *6) Belief in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead*

·        Jesus is the only person to raise from the dead and never die again

¨     That he is alive today

 

v    There is our “white queen” 6 impossible things to believe before lunch

Ø     And with Christ’s help we can have faith in them!

 

v    In our second scene, we see the disciples fail in another area

*READ v. 43b-45*

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v    Without Christ’s help, we are a….

*Failure in our Understanding (v.

43b-45)*

v    Here Jesus tells the disciples once again about his impending suffering

Ø     He told them once before after Peter’s confession (*Lk 9:22*)

§        But here we see that they clearly did not understand what Jesus was talking about

·        And there is a reason for this…

¨     Jesus had not breathed on them and given them the Holy Spirit

Ø     *John 20:22*

§        After this they understood and believed in the resurrection

§        After this they understood the reason for Christ’s sufferings

 

v    But this took place well before Christ gave them the Holy Spirit

Ø     And without Christ breathing the Holy Spirit on you

§        You simply cannot understand spiritual things

·        As Paul explains to us in *1 Cor 2:10-14*

 

v    You see…

Ø     Without Christ giving them the H.S.

§        They could not understand or accept the suffering Messiah of *Isaiah 53*

·        he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed…He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;… (he) was numbered with the transgressors.

§        What they wanted was the Messiah of *Isaiah 42*

·        Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.

He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.

In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.

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Ø     The Disciples wanted the victorious Christ

§        The Christ that subdues the world

§        The reigning Christ

·        As we all do in our flesh

¨     But only through the Spirit can we understand the suffering Christ

Ø     That suffering must come before glory

 

v    Only through the Christ given Spirit can we understand that in our own lives as well

Ø     Suffering before glory