Luke 9:37-45 - Weakness Is the Way

This morning. We are continuing on our sermon series in Luke.

With a sermon that I am entitled weakness is the way weakness is the way they don't seem like a strange title for many reasons, but my hope is that by the end of the sermon you'll understand. why I gave it that title early Porsche portions of Luke in fact up the early half of Luke that we have considered over the previous months I've really been largely about power not weakness the passage. We consider today includes in it. In fact, the 13th Miracle of Jesus's Galilean Ministry and chapter for Jesus cast out and unclean spirit and healed Simon's mother-in-law. In chapter 5 there was a miraculous catch of fish. It was the cleansing of the leper in the healing of the paralytic. In chapter 7 the centurions slave was healed and the Widow of nain son was raised from the dead. Then in chapter 8 we had the stealing of the storm. We had that demoniac being healed. We had the woman with the flow of blood being healed. We had the raising of jairus's daughter. Any chapter 9 we saw the feeding of the 5000 in the healing of the possessed boy. We see today. These are not displays a weakness their displays of power. And yet I think Jesus speaks to weakness in this section this event follows immediately after the Transfiguration which Gerald preached on 2 weeks ago and Lube very intentionally connects. What's about to happen to what happened up on the mountain? He leads out with on the next day meaning. I have to the Transfiguration when they came down the morning. This is what happened. It's interesting. We look back to the Transfiguration and consider the Divine commentary on that event. An audible voice was heard from God coming down from heaven in which God said, this is my son My Chosen One. Listen to him. Now. We will obviously do well to always be cognizant of the words of Jesus speaks in the gospel always but Immediately after God has spoken from Heaven to the disciples and said this is my son listen to him. I think particularly do well in this event to consider the words of Jesus and as we see and consider the words of Jesus it's going to be surprising. He doesn't necessarily say the things that we expect him to say in light of the event that happens. But when he speaks he speaks to weakness. If we hear him and listen to him speaking to humanity, he indicates that humanity is weak. As we consider the words that he speaks to the demon who is possessed this boy. We see that evil forces compared to the Son of God are weak. But maybe most strikingly when we hear him speak about himself. He speaks of weakness. In fact all his speech In this passage point in the direction of weakness the worldly weakness of humanity. The weakness of evil forces compared to his might and his own Godly weakness which points out the way of salvation for those who would follow him weakness is the way in fact if I would articulate the main idea of this passage, I would say it like this Jesus disciples his followers. Through his works. Enter his words. And teaches them that weakness is the way. Atlanta. Let's read the passage for today from Luke's gospel chapter 9 verses 37 through 45 and encourage you to read along in your Bible. If not read along on the screens behind me or use the back of the insert that's in the bulletin Luke chapter 9 verse 37 through 45 again. As I read it. I would encourage you to pay attention to Jesus is speaking God the father has just audibly spoken on the mouth. This is my son listen to him. so particular let's focus on what Jesus says in what he speaks in this passage verse 37 on the next day when they had come down from the mountain a great crowd met him and behold the man from the crowd Cried Out teacher I beg you to look at my son for he is my only child and behold the spirit seizes him and he suddenly cries out it convulses him so that he Foams at the mouth and shatters him and will hardly leave him and I beg your disciples to cast it out, but they could not Jesus answered o faithless and twisted generation how long am I to be with you? And bear with you? Bring your son here while he was coming the demon that room to the ground in convulsed him, but Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy and gave him back to his father and all were astonished at the Majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing Jesus said to his disciples.

Let these words sink into your ears. The son of man is about to be delivered into the hands of men. But they did not understand this saying and it was concealed from them so that they might not receive it and they were afraid to ask him about this say let's pray.

Father God we ask for your help this morning.

Father it is our desire to learn from you. It is our desire to hear your word and understand it and our minds and embrace it with our hearts. But apart from your spirit we can't do those things.

Would you help us with that and father God we believe is your spirit helps us to understand and to embrace your word that we will be changed. And so we come this morning needy looking to you father God to help us.

Gracious father would you help me to communicate your truth in a way that is helpful to those ends. I understand. That I do not have what it takes to accomplish that goal. And so I need your help. Would you help this morning?

Father God has become to your word. Will you help us to see Jesus to see him more clearly to see him and all his Beauty and All His glory.

Father God would you help us to listen to him?

For all this in Jesus name. Amen.

Reconsider weakness we start with the weakness of humanity. Again. This is evidence as we evident as we listen to Jesus. Jesus says o faithless and twisted generation. How long am I to be with you? And bare with you? Jesus points to the weakness of humanity. He points to the worldly weakness of humanity due to their sin and due to their sins. And we can see in this events in this episode the weakness of humanity. We see it in the Frailty of human beings and we see it in the failure of the disciples. So let's look at the weakness of humanity. We see it first in the desperate cries of the Father the father begs Jesus for help. He does he does this having already begged the disciples to help him.

Not only does he have to watch his son suffer. at the hands of this demon But he mentions that this is his only son. This is his bloodline. This is his one chance of his name continuing on and there is current city recognize this child. We do not live to be married nor would he find someone to marry him in his current state?

His father's weakness is exposed. For those of you who are parents. You'll understand what this is like, nothing exposes. Our weaknesses parents like a sick child who we can't help. It lets us know that we are not strong and powerful there is nothing more difficult brass for a parent than seeing their child sick. And their hands feel tired because they can't do anything to help. This is what this father was experiencing seeing what his son was going through and being unable to help him.

We see the weakness of humanity in the cries in the desperation of the father. But we also see it in the physical condition of the boy. This child is suffering. This child is suffering from epilepsy caused by a demon. An evil spirit that seizes him and causes him to cry out in pain.

This child is thrown into convulsions and and hurled to the ground and Foams at the mouth.

He describes it the father describes of the spirit shatters the boy.

Dennis is continual. The father says it will hardly leave him.

Now there's a tension here whose attention here is we think about weaknesses we think about suffering. There is one sense in which this worldly weakness that results from sin and I'm not saying directly from CNN. Saying that the boy send and therefore he has this illness with his ailment. I'm saying because of sin because the world's falling

This is a weakness that we should take great offense that we shouldn't be. Okay with illness. We shouldn't be okay with ailment we shouldn't be okay with cancer. We shouldn't be okay with infertility. We shouldn't be okay with mental illness. It's not supposed to be that way. There's a sense in which we should not accept those things.

And yes. There's a tension here. There's a tension in that in another sense. We as Believers need to understand that physical or mental or spiritual weaknesses even The Manifest themselves in her suffering and manifest themselves in the suffering of others.

Can you use by God to be used by God to show us our own weakness of that we reach out to him? They've been ordained by him and he promises for his people to work them out for good. There's a tension there. I want to speak particularly to parents here this morning. And to encourage you that you need to live in that tension particularly in regards to your children.

They are growing up. Your children's weaknesses will be exposed. They might be exposed through something physical or something mental or emotional or spiritual. And you will have to live in the tension of this truth that is to say there is in some ways. The proper approach has to accept these things that God has ordained them that God will use these things to show your child his or her own weakness that they might call out to him and reach out to him and we have to understand that's part of it and yet as parents as this parent we see in this story. I think there's a sense in which we don't accept that. We continually go to God to pray for our children to pray for their physical health to pray for their mental well-being to pray for them spiritually or emotionally.

J C Ryle understood this and his expository thoughts on Luke which I've quoted so often in this series he talks about this in regards to Parenting be right there are many Christian fathers and mothers at this day. You were just as miserable about their children as the man of whom we are reading. The sun was once the desire of their eyes and in whom they're lies are bound up turns out to be a thief or a liar or a companion of Sinners the daughter who was once the flower of the family and of whom they said this girl, she'll be the comfort of our old age become self will worldly minded a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God. Their hearts are well near broken the devil appears to triumph over them and Rob them of their choices Jewel. They are ready to cry. I shall go soaring to the Grave would good show my life to me. Now, what should a father and mother do in a case like this they should do as the man before us did they should go to Jesus in prayer and cry to him about their child. They should spread before that Merciful Savior the tale of their swords and entreat him to help them. Great is the power of prayer and intercession the child of many prayers. Shall Selden be Castaway. I love that line. The child of many prayers shall sell them because that's the weight oil saying don't accept this don't accept these things particularly spiritual malaise in your child go to Jesus. That he might heal them and save them and yet he recognizes there's attention here. He goes on to say God's time of conversion may not be ours. He may think fit to prove our faith by keeping my eyes long waiting but so long as the child lives in his apparent praise. We have no right to despair about that child's Soul make sure you parents do not despair about your child. Live in that tension live in the tension of Desiring your child to not be sick to not deal with that illness to not struggle with that mental pain that emotional pain. Don't accept and pray Jesus. Will you save them? And yes, I understand. That God can use that weakness to reach them. God can use that weakness in their life so that they might call out to him. He has ordained for his people. He'll work it for good Thang courage parents with that this morning. We see weakness in the father. We see weakness and his son. We also see weakness in the failure of the disciples. Jesus response would I think to be somewhat harshly to the disciples failure? He includes them with the whole mass of faithless and perverse people of Israel. and he says how long how long will have to bear with you a clear note of exasperation on the part of Jesus?

It hits home even more so it would for them because they would recognize in the words of Jesus a connection to something that Moses spoke. Many years before after giving the Israelites the law of Moses prophesied about them. We read about in Deuteronomy chapter 32 1 through 5 Moses says give gyro heavens and I will speak and let the Earth hear the words of my mouth be my treat teaching drop as a rain. My speech to still is a do like gentle rain Upon A Tender grass and like showers upon the herb for I will proclaim the name of the Lord ascribe greatness to our god The Rock his work is perfect for all his ways are Justice a god of faithfulness and without iniquity. Just and upright. Is he They speaking of the Israelite today Abdel corruptly with him. They are no longer his children because they are blemished. They are a crooked and twisted generation. These are Jesus's words about his disciples not being able to cast out this team and we see their weakness in their failure to do this earlier on and Luke the disciples were sent out for Jesus and they were casting out demons and they were killing people in their preaching the gospel.

But now their own weakness emerges as they cannot help this pain father and his tortured son.

I said weakness is the way. And I believe that weakness is the way to believe Jesus wants to communicate that In this passage, but it's not the weakness of sin. It's not faithless and twisted weakness due to our sins and due to the center under which all humanity is oppressed and Afflicted. It's not in that weakness that we find Salvation is not the weakness of guilty rebellious people who choose to reject God in their words and deeds and thoughts and affections. That's not the way of weakness that I'm talking about. I think it's important for a moment for us to consider that we are complicit in that weakness. Please understand what I'm not saying. I'm not saying that it's the case that certain sins directly correlate to certain weaknesses and suffering and difficulties. I'm not saying that at all. There are many difficulties and sicknesses and trials and tribulations which are due to the fact that we live in a fallen World. They can't be attributed to a specific sin. We've done but understand this we are all sinners. We are all guilty of the fact that this is a fallen world. We live in And so we are complicit in this and I think we need to understand this as we consider this idea of weakness.

It wasn't only Humanity. That was weak. It's interesting. Luke is a physician. Anicira tells the story. He does not identify. The boy's condition is epilepsy is Matthew does in the 17 chapter of his gospel. Luke is in fact more concerned with the Demonic aspect of this boys affliction. And this demon has a has a show of force in a show of power as a child is brought to Jesus, but the weakness of our enemy is clearly seen and it's seen as we focus again on Jesus is speaking.

The weakness of humanity seems to be in contrast of the strength of this demon. Need the spiritual potency of this evil being Amplified even more so when the father goes to bring the son to Jesus. We read while he was coming the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. It looks powerful.

But what's really going on here is is really more like the scared and insecure bully who tries to project strength and project power really and truly because he's insecure and Afraid.

It looks powerful. This child is thrown to the ground and convulsed. But before the Christ before the son of man before the davidic Royal savior before the Son of God this demon is seen to be weak we read but Jesus rebuked with his words, Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed a boy and gave him back to his father. It seems that the day before when God declared listen to him to disciples that the evil spirits would also have to listen to him. The commentators make this very clear and zondervan commentary on Luke weary. Jesus takes charge of the situation. He expelled the demon despite its last-ditch tactic to throw the boy into a violent. Perica a paroxysm. He is never stored whole to his father the focus and Luke is solely on Jesus and his tremendous power or the other, Terraria use World biblical, They're all sense of struggle disappears from the account. The rebuke of Jesus is instantly effective in the presence of Jesus. The spirit is powerless to resist that Jesus speaks to rebuke the weakness of the demon is seeing clearly So we see two weaknesses so far we've seen the weakness of sin sick human beings who seem at times to be more like Pawns in The Game of Life physically spiritually mentally and emotionally they are like puppets that dance to the tune of the Fallen World plays. We've also seen the weakness of demonic Powers who may seem strong to us. But compared to the great King Jesus they are mere Trifles who can be defeated with a word. Let me just put a plug in for the missions night tonight. If you come tonight, you will hear a amazing story of spiritual conflict when the team was in Africa and their experience was the experience we see right here. There's the appearance of strength and evil Spiritual Beings, but compared to Christ they're weak. So we've seen these two types of weaknesses the weaknesses of the weakness of humanity and the evil forces. These weaknesses are not the way. When I gave this sermon the title, I was looking and thinking of something different. These are examples of evil or simpler and godly weakness never the last I believe the weakness is the way in Jesus is about to demonstrate this and he does so by what he speaks and let me just remind you where we're at the Transfiguration happen. This is a massive Display of Power. Jesus is transfigured before them late is emanating from him. In the Divine commentary on that event was listen to him. So we had this Display of Power and God saying listen to him and now Jesus comes down off the mountain and we see the same pattern for a Display of Power by Jesus. And now Jesus will speak when we've been told to listen to him. But what he says is not what we think he would talk about. In fact with drove me to this place in the sermon was why did Jesus say that after this event? The two are hardly even connected? But what he says to weakness and you'll see in the instant of call it a weakness and quotation of Christ. Jesus has again just demonstrated his compassionate power to sinful humanity and his power over evil demons. And this Display of Power has elicited from the crowds what it has before in Luke. It says all were astonished the Majesty of God.

And then Jesus speaks to his disciples about what they just seen a reminder that God has told him to listen to him. All the words of Jesus aren't an explanation of his power over demons. He doesn't talk about the technique. He used to heal this boy.

Besides he makes it clear that even though for the time being that people are in Wonder and awe and marveling at Jesus and that they look upon him approvingly a time will come when they will reject him and kill him.

We read while they were all marveling at everything. He was doing Jesus said to his disciples. Let these words sink into your ears. The son of man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.

The Jesus has demonstrated his power in many ways and Factory. Just did it with this young boy who he heals. He indicates that his most powerful deed is mightiest work would in fact be a work of weakness. He would suffer and die on the cross. He doesn't speak about how strong he is compared to humanity. He doesn't glow in his power over demonic forces. He almost comes out of the blue with this comment about the weakness that he would experience as he allows himself to be crucified. Paul saw this clearly he speaks about it in his letter to the Corinthians both the first and second letter and 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 20 through 25 re-read. Where is the one who is wise? Where is the Scribe? Where is the debater of this age has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world $0.04 and the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom it pleased God to the Folly of what we preach to save those who believe for Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified a stumbling block to Jews and Folly to Gentile. But to those who are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God in the wisdom of God for the foolishness of God is wiser than men in the weakness of God is stronger than men. Christ would pick a path of weakness before his glory was displayed. Again, we reading 2nd Corinthians chapter 13 verse 4 Paul puts it succinctly he was crucified in weakness but lives by the power of God Christ Mighty work of Salvation was truly a Godly saving work of weakness. I think I hope you understand that as you consider the Bible, even if you consider Paul and his Epistles, he does not indicate or demonstrate Jesus to be week in fact and verse 3 of chapter 13 of 2nd Corinthians. He writes he is not week in dealing with you but his powerful among you he writes in Colossians that Jesus is the image of God and all of God's fullness dwells in him.

And knowing when Paul wrote about Jesus and knowing what we ourselves of experience with Jesus, it's hard to conceive of Jesus's week. And yet Paul says that Jesus was crucified in weakness. Allowing himself to die on the cross for his for our sins was a display of weakness.

R Kent Hughes and his, tearing Corinthians helped us out with this. He writes the Corinthians understanding of Christ power was confused and outright wrong. They viewed Christ power through their Triumph list lens as displayed in health and wealth and showy displays of power. Sounds like our society. Their views of power were Corinthian not Christian. So Paul gives in the corrective on Christ. He is not weaken dealing with you but it's powerful among you where he was crucified in weakness but lives by the power of God Paul says about the cross and the resurrection display God's power only an all-powerful God could be strong enough to live at the weakness of the Cross Christ taking on frail human flesh was a testament to his power as were his arrest and beatings and crucifixion and becoming sin and Death Christ weakness demonstrated his power and further. His weakness was the platform from which his mighty Resurrection was launched both Christ's suffering and Resurrection demonstrate his power for Christ weakness was the way weakness was the way you would save humanity and Lucas road is Gospel In this passage. Just giving us this contrast of power and weakness. Jesus is the great king who must be followed. But he's the one who insists his followers take up the cross deny themselves and follow him. Jesus is the all-powerful Exorcist and the son of man who is soon to find himself subject to the hostilities of men. Jesus is the glorified Christ of the Transfiguration. But he's also the one who must be heard when he talks of his own suffering and death. For Christ weakness was the way. For salvation weakness was required. It was in his weakness that the power in the strength of God was manifested. And I think that's what he's communicating to the disciples why he'll this boy in cast of this demon and hand them back to his father and then remind them that he was going to be handed over to men. Why say those words immediately after God is just commanded the disciples to listen to him. Cuz he wanted to get through their minds at the way of Salvation was the way of weakness. They require not a display of force and power from him, but rather he would take on a posture weakness and sacrifice himself for our sins. In regards to that I have to Quick applications to make as we consider this idea of weakness and weakness being away and and Jesus being just determined to indicate to his disciples what was going to happen in regards to the cross and the sacrifice he would make even in the midst of his displays of power to Applications. The first is in regards to Salvation.

For salvation, we are required to confess our own weakness and yet trust in Christ weakness at the cross where I confess our own weakness and your trust in Christ weakness of the Cross. We are a people in a society that are are bent to project ourselves as strong. We desire to be seen as capable as able as not needing anyone's hell. We just like the demon in this event like to project strength. You see it in the people who come to church and put on a face like everything's okay when it's not okay. You see the people who put their hope and make sure other people know how big their paycheck is each week.

We want to project strength with salvation comes as we confess our weakness. In fact, we are so weak. That we can't deal with the very thing that causes our weakness and that's in we don't have the strength to overcome our sin and salvation comes when we recognize that. We recognize that we can't deal with it and we need how help that only Christ can give us a help that he demonstrated in weakness by dying on the cross. What title of a sermon actually came for my small book by j i Packer called weakness is the way. He writes the truth. However, is that in many respects and certainly in spiritual matters. We are all week and inadequate and we need to face. It send which disrupts our relationship has disabled us all across the board. We need to be aware of our limitations going to let this awareness working us humility and self distrusts and a realization of our helplessness on our own lost me way that we may learn our need to depend on Christ. I know there are many of you here who have recognized and confessed your own weakness. You have come to the realization by the help of God spirit that you cannot solve your problem. Until you confessed it and you put your faith in Christ and his week work on the cross. What if you're here this morning? You've never done that let me encourage you stop pretending that you're strong. Stop pretending that you can fix it yourself. Admit your own weakness and Avail yourself of Christ weakness through his death on the cross. That's how salvation comes weakness is the way to Salvation. Weakness is also the way we are sanctified. Again, consider this quote by Packer from weakness is the way. In regards to what we read that he speaks in regards to what we read from Paul's letter to Corinthians. He writes in this Paul models with discipleship spearmint spiritual maturity and growth and Grace that all believers are called to pursue when the world tells us as it does that everyone has a right to a life that is easy comfortable and relatively pain-free life that enables us to discover display and deploy all the strength that Latin was in us the world twist the truth right at a shape that was not the quality of life to which Christ calling. Let him nor was a pause calling nor is it what we are called to in the 21st century for all Christians. The likelihood is rather that eyes are discipleship continues. God will make us increasingly weakness conscious and pain aware so that we may learn with Paul that when we are conscious of being weak. Then and only then may we become truly strong in the Lord? And should we want it any other way? Weakness is the way. Weakness is the way in Salvation recognizing our own weakness in our own inability to help ourselves and entrusting ourselves to Christ and all that. He did and his posture of weakness to say and weaknesses the way in sanctification realizing that we still can't do it. Recognizing that the way our life exposes to our physical illness and our spiritual malaise and through her mental anguish and to our relational difficulties that we just can't do it. We confess that and accept that and look to Christ. He is shown powerful in our midst. Let's pray. Father God we thank you for your word. We thank you for the Gospel of Luke. Let me thank you for christ who took on that posture of weakness though. He was the very Son of God. He allowed himself to be crucified and died on the cross for our sins. I pray that your spirit would help any here today who don't understand that the way of Salvation is the way of weakness. It is confessing her own weakness in her own inability to deal with sin and a trusting ourselves to your work of weakness on the cross. I pray for all those who know and have understood their own weakness and regards to Salvation that they would be understanding this morning that our growth and God image in Christ comes the same way. But it's a way of weakness in which weed. understand and accept their own weaknesses I'm going to be physical illnesses are or mental anguish relational difficulties.

And rather than do things in her own strength and Trust ourselves again to you that you might show yourself powerful. Help us in this I pray in Christ's name.