Sermon

Luke 9:37-50 - True Greatness

July 1, 2017 Southwood Presbyterian Church - Sermons

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You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Our passion is to experience and express grace.
Join us.
Jesus, what a beautiful reminder of your invitation to us.
And so here we are this morning.
We have come to you.
We have come to you, Jesus, from a lot of life that has been happening.
Some of it deeply painful.
Some of it richly joyful.
Some of it we are just unsure what is happening.
We are confused.
All of us, Jesus, need you.
So Father, we come to your word this morning.
And our prayer is that you would show us Jesus.
He's the one we need.
Would you speak to us clearly by your word and by your spirit that we might see him and know him more.
We ask it in his name.
Amen.
Before we read our passage in the Gospel of Luke as we make our journey through Luke,
before I read that passage this morning, let me tell you about something that happened at our house this week
as I was working on this sermon.
Wednesday night, about 10.30 in the evening, past all of our bedtimes,
and we felt that.
The head of a significant governmental agency,
a really important guy in high demand by lots of other really important people,
crawled out from underneath our refrigerator.
He had dust in his hair,
dirty magnets stuck to his legs.
You'd never suspected if you saw him there and didn't know him
that he would be sitting in high-level government meetings the next day.
It's not what it looked like.
But that wasn't what made him great to us Wednesday night,
that he would be in important meetings the next day.
It didn't matter that he could put a man on the moon.
We had a room temperature refrigerator.
And we were just thankful he was a neighbor,
a friend, a deacon in our church
who was willing to help out a pastor with a warm fridge.
It made me think of the reality TV show,
Undercover Boss.
You may have seen an episode of that before.
If you haven't, it's a fairly simple concept.
The premise is that a business executive disguises himself
as an entry-level employee.
And he works alongside those other entry-level employees
to see how things are really going in the trenches, so to speak.
And they don't know who he is.
They don't recognize him, of course,
without the pinstripe suit and the corner office
and the fancy, impressive title.
The employees don't even know how great,
how important these guys really are
until they reveal their true identity, of course.
The things that would usually make this guy great
in the eyes of the minimum wage employees are disguised.
They miss out on his greatness.
And that's a little bit of what the disciples
are about to experience in our passage this morning.
And remember that as I read it,
that the glory and greatness of Jesus
has been on full display in his transfiguration,
as Ron so powerfully helped us see last Sunday.
And Jesus walks right off the mountain
where he has been transfigured,
only to have his disciples miss his greatness
on a number of levels.
We'll see how easy that is for us to do too.
So look for that as I read for us Luke 9,
beginning at verse 37.
Luke 9 at verse 37.
On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain,
a great crowd met him.
And behold, a man from the crowd cried out,
Teacher, I beg you to look at my son,
for he is my only child.
And behold, a 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 begged your disciples to cast it out,
but they could not.
Jesus answered,
Oh, 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 threw him to the ground and 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 greatness 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 perceive it.
And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
An argument arose among them
as to which of them was the greatest.
But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts,
took a child and put him by his side
and said to them,
Whoever receives this child in my name
receives me.
And whoever receives me
receives him who sent me.
For he who is least among you all
is the one who is great.
John answered,
Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name
and we tried to stop him
because he does not follow with us.
But Jesus said to him,
Do not stop him
for the one who is not against you
is for you.
Thus far, God's inspired,
inerrant,
infallible word.
Luke is tying together for us
in this passage that I just read
four brief scenes.
They all happen together
even though sometimes there's a disconnect
from one to the other.
And it begins with this casting out of a demon
from a young boy.
And what I particularly,
particularly,
yeah, easy for you to say.
What I particularly love about this here
is the way God shows us
Jesus' greatness on display
as he stoops to engage a painful world.
Recall, it's just the night before
that he's been up on the mountain.
His transfiguration,
there he is with his clothes shining white.
His glory and greatness is everywhere.
His face is dazzlingly brilliant.
Moses and Elijah come to visit with him.
They talk together.
It's so glorious, in fact,
that Peter, one of the three who's witnessing it,
just wants him to stay there, doesn't he?
Just, oh, leave it just like this.
This is perfect.
So much so,
Peter writes about it in his epistle
years later,
about being an eyewitness in that moment
to the greatness of Jesus.
His majesty,
his glory.
But here in this passage,
as he walks down the mountain,
Jesus shows us that part of his greatness
is connecting that glory of heaven
to the pain of earth.
He walks right down,
out of the mountain,
into the crowd.
He engages a desperate man
about his troubled son
that no one seems to be able to help.
And he casts the demon out,
completely healing him,
restoring him to his father.
Look at verse 43.
All were astonished
at the greatness of God.
They see what Jesus has done,
casting out this demon
immediately and completely.
And they're astonished.
They're marveling
at the greatness of God.
Your translation may say
the majesty of God.
Many say greatness,
which is a good translation
and is helpful here
in this context.
But it's actually
the same Greek word
that Peter uses in his epistle
for what happened
in the transfiguration.
I saw the greatness
of God on the mountain.
And now all the people say,
not just the three of them
got to see God's greatness.
All of us got to see
God's greatness down here
in the midst of us,
entering into their broken,
ordinary lives.
You see, the greatness of Jesus
comes particularly
in that his glory moves
toward our pain.
He stoops, doesn't he?
He bends.
He enters into our weakness
almost undercover.
And he demonstrates
with this young boy
that his greatness
in connecting his glory
with our lowliness.
Don't you love how he does that?
How he meets us right there
when your life is broken
and painful and normal.
And he shows up.
A wonderful deed
casting out this demon.
But while the crowds
are marveling
at that great deed,
Jesus has something to say
that will affirm
in his words
the importance
of his glory
stooping to us.
Verse 44.
Let these words
sink into your ears,
Jesus says to his disciples.
The Son of Man
is about to be delivered
into the hands of men.
Listen, Jesus says,
I've got something
really important
to tell you,
disciples.
You've got to understand this.
Let it sink into your ears.
You've got to know
that my greatness
is not merely
in dazzling clothes
or powerful,
impressive deeds.
But it's in my coming
to die.
We just saw last week,
didn't we,
that heaven is talking
about Jesus'
upcoming death.
What did Moses and Elijah
show up at the transfiguration?
What do they talk
with Jesus about?
What?
His exodus.
His upcoming departure.
That they're all
interested in that.
That's how central
it is to the mission
of Jesus
that he go to a cross
and suffer
and die.
It's going to keep
coming up over
and over in Luke
because Jesus
doesn't lose sight
of the centrality
of the cross
to what he's come
to do.
But just notice
for right now,
Jesus connects
the glory of God
not only to the pain
of our world
and of our lives
but also to his death
itself.
His greatness
will be on display
when he dies.
That's hard for us
to understand.
Perhaps it was
once again
very confusing
to his disciples.
They've been very close
to the greatness
of Jesus,
haven't they?
They've seen a lot,
they've heard a lot
but again,
they're missing it.
They aren't going
to act in ways
that befit people
who grasp
the glory of Jesus,
his worth,
his majesty,
his glory,
his greatness.
They're not going
to act like people
who remember that.
Do you know
what that's like?
Have you ever wondered
why you seem
to forget
or not live
as though you remember
the greatness
and the glory
of Jesus?
Maybe you've sat
in a sermon
like the one
Ron preached
last Sunday
and seen the glory
of Jesus
and how Jesus
welcomes us
into the presence
of God
and you've thought,
oh,
that's so beautiful.
I see Jesus
as this glorious
savior
and only to find
yourself the next day
anxious
and fearful
and feeling abandoned
by God
that he's not with you,
he's left you alone.
You've thought
during the sermon,
I just want to see
the name of Jesus
made great.
It doesn't matter
what people think
of me,
only to find yourself
that afternoon
running someone else
down so that you
can step on them
and look better
to your friends.
Jesus.
Maybe like me,
some of you got to
hear a missionary report
Monday night.
Many of us
were there
and got to hear
these great stories
of what God
is doing in the Middle East
and maybe you sat
in there in that meeting
and you thought,
yes,
Jesus is so precious.
I want the whole world
to know
and be transformed
by my great savior.
That's the best thing
that could possibly happen.
only to find yourself
the next day
unwilling to even
bring Jesus up
with your neighbor
again
in that conversation.
Maybe you've been
on a retreat
or at a camp
and had this
mountaintop experience
where you think,
this is going to be
life changing.
I'm going to live
for Jesus
in every way.
But a couple weeks
later,
things seem to
go back
to the same routines.
You find yourself
living the way
you always have
for yourself.
Maybe you've grown up
in church.
Maybe you've been
around church people
a long time
and you've always heard
Jesus was worth
following
in all of your life
only to feel
the tug of friends
or the tug of money
or the tug of success
pulling you toward
unbelief
and disobedience.
whatever the situation
may be different
for you
but you've seen
and felt
the greatness
of Jesus.
Right?
But then
you've gone later
and it just seems
not to stick.
It doesn't seem
to transform you.
It doesn't seem
to matter
very long
in your life.
well then
you and I
can empathize
with the disciples
because they're
going to show us
that Jesus'
greatness
is missed
by what I'll call
wannabe
great disciples.
My word
not in the text.
Wannabe
great disciples.
See it's
our obsession
with our own
greatness
and our
misunderstanding
of true
greatness
that causes
us to miss
the greatness
of Jesus.
See if you can
find yourself
in the disciples
here like I can.
First
they're self-reliant.
You may not
remember
at the beginning
of this chapter
it's actually
verse 1
when Jesus
gave his disciples
power and authority
over all demons.
But what does
Jesus
find out
from this man
just a little
while later?
Verse 40
I begged
your disciples
to cast
it out
but they
could not.
They had
authority
given to them
by Jesus
over all
demons
but they
couldn't
cast one
out of
my son.
And Jesus'
response
when he learns
that is to say
particularly
of the disciples
although probably
not just
applying to
them
oh faithless
and twisted
generation
how long
am I to be
with you
and bear
with you?
Jesus says
to his disciples
you haven't
been believing
me
and living
by faith
in me
faithless
faithless
generation
you're trying
to function
on your own
you've stopped
trusting
me
now Jesus
hasn't
given you
and me
the same
direct power
over demons
that he
gave here
in Luke 9
to his disciples
but
we've
struggled
to
trust him
too
haven't we?
There have
been times
in our
lives
where we've
stopped
trusting
him
we think
only of
what we
can do
in our
own
strength
we
hesitate
to risk
looking
bad
we
live
as though
the
resurrection
power
of the
Holy
Spirit
is not
present
with us
all the
time
and in
every
situation
as though
we're
on our
own
then we
see the
disciples
fear
look at
verse
45
after
Jesus
says
these
really
important
things
to them
about
his
upcoming
death
they don't
understand
it's
concealed
from
them
so that
they
might
not
perceive
it
and
they
were
afraid
to
ask
him
about
this
saying
they're
confused
yes
blinded
in some
way
yes
but
ultimately
they're
fearful
to
push
through
to
understand
something
that
Jesus
has
just
said
is
clearly
very
important
and it's
not the
first time
he's
said it
to
them
and it's
not the
first time
he's
told them
how vital
it is
that they
understand
about
this
but
they're
too
afraid
they're
not
willing
to push
through
the fear
to ask
and why
well
even more
sadly
in this
passage
among
other
reasons
that they're
too
afraid
it's
because
they're
actually
focused
on
one-upping
each
other
aren't
they
if you
keep
reading
you find
out
they're
concerned
about
their
own
relative
greatness
which
one
of
us
is
the
best
they're
afraid
to
understand
more
of
what
Jesus
means
by
his
downward
path
to
greatness
but
they're
not
afraid
to argue
about
their
own
greatness
are
they
that's
the
way
the
passage
sets
this
up
to
say
to
take
up
an
argument
among
themselves
who's
the
greatest
what do
you think
out of
the
twelve
of
us
a
competitive
spirit
rears
its
ugly
head
and the
closest
followers
of
Jesus
I don't
know
what
they
said
my
theology
is
better
than
yours
maybe
or
I
saw
Jesus
shining
brightly
and you
weren't
even
there
what an
amazing
experience
you've
never
seen
anything
to
match
it
and
another
guy
who
wasn't
up
there
on
the
mountain
says
you
were
just
watching
I
cast
out
ten
demons
healed
a
dozen
people
at
one
time
while
you
were
just
watching
it's
not
very
impressive
anybody
can
watch
and
another
one
says
well
I'm
the
one
who
always
does
the
talking
while
you
guys
are
just
around
doing
crowd
control
whose
role
is
more
important
I'm
not
sure
what
they
said
but
in
their
competition
with
each
other
what's
clear
is
they
lost
track
of
Jesus
greatness
hadn't
they
they
weren't
thinking
about
him
anymore
they
were
focused
on
themselves
those
of you
who know
me
know
I
can
turn
just
about
anything
into
a
competition
get
so
focused
on
myself
that
I
just
want
to be
better
than
you
at
whatever
it
is
and
I
lose
sight
of
Jesus
greatness
because
mine
seems
so
important
in
fact
the
disciples
self
obsession
here
is
so
bad
that
even
when
Jesus
redirects
them
to
true
greatness
which
we'll
look
at
in
a
moment
John
won't
let
it
go
verse
49
John
answered
which
is
kind
of
a
funny
word
because
Jesus
didn't
ask
a
question
and
it
doesn't
seem
to
fit
with
what
Jesus
was
saying
that's
that's
the
argument
John
answered
we saw
someone
casting
out
demons
in
your
name
like
we
weren't
able
to
do
real
well
but
there
was
someone
else
and
he
was
doing
it
and
using
your
name
and
we
said
stop
we
told
him
to
stop
because
he
doesn't
follow
with
us
he
was
not
one
of
us
Jesus
says
no
you've
got
it
wrong
again
don't
stop
him
the
one
who's
not
against
you
is
for
you
John
says
yeah
Jesus
I hear
what
you're
saying
about
greatness
but
let me
get
back
to
the
point
you
know
how
we
weren't
able
to
cast
out
the
demon
well
there's
this
other
guy
who
was
casting
out
demons
and
we
told
him
to
stop
because
only
12
people
are
authorized
to
use
your
name
and
he
wasn't
one
of
them
John
didn't
want
anybody
else
getting
in
on
his
glory
did
he
self
seeking
looking
out
for
himself
defending
his
reputation
at
all
costs
and
Jesus
again
has
to
tell
him
he's
missed
the
boat
it's
not
about
you
John
or
the
other
guy
it's
his
name
that
was
being
used
it's
Jesus
name
and
reputation
that
matters
right
boy
even
within
the
church
we
can
get
competitive
and
self
serving
can't
we
we
begin
to
define
spiritual
greatness
by
who
gets
the
title
who
gets
asked
to
teach
who
gets
into
the
in
small
group
which
is
mine
of
course
whose
kids
are
better
behaved
at
VBS
and
makes
you
look
like
the
great
parent
and
we
get
caught
up
on
all
these
trivial
disagreements
and
rankings
of
people
and
what
happens
a lot
of
things
happen
but
actually
we
don't
even
realize
the
worst
thing
that
happens
what
happens
is
we
miss
the
greatness
of
Jesus
we
started
to
look
for
greatness
right
here
in
ourselves
all
of a
sudden
we're
not
willing
for
our
names
to
be
small
so
that
his
name
can
be
great
because
we
can't
risk
falling
behind
someone
else
I
wish
it
was
only
the
disciples
who
did
this
don't
you
wish
it
was
just
those
who
hung
around
Jesus
and
really
saw
his
greatness
who
struggled
but
since
then
we've
kind of
figured
it
out
but
think
if
John
witnessed
the
transfiguration
he was
one of
those
three
right
if
he
witnessed
the
greatness
the
majesty
of
Jesus
and
then
says
something
this
self
serving
and
self
focused
we
could
most
certainly
hear
this
sermon
and
do
something
equally
self
serving
equally
missing
the
impact
of
the
greatness
of
Jesus
and
see
Jesus
has
come
to
redefine
greatness
he
looks
at it
entirely
differently
in
his
kingdom
let
me
tell
you
about
children
in
Jesus
culture
and
then
we'll
read
what
he
says
one
more
time
see
in
Jesus
day
status
was
so
significant
in
his
culture
what
you
did
was
largely
defined
by
your
greatness
or
your
lack
thereof
greatness
impacted
where you
lived
it
impacted
what
you
wore
whom
you
ate
with
where
you
sat
in
church
the
great
people
got
all
these
front
pews
so
they
must
not
be
here
this
morning
but
I'm
sure
you'll
all
be
here
next
week
that
really
that's
what
it
was
everywhere
you
went
you
could
see
who
was
great
you
just
looked
where
were
they
sitting
who
were
they
with
how
were
they
dressed
and
you
knew
what
greatness
was
there
was
a
ranking
in
society
and
your
greatness
or lack
thereof
defined
you
in
many
ways
children
lacked
greatness
in
that
culture
it was
different
from
ours
where
in
little
children
here
they
were
the
lowest
worthless
insignificant
and
Jesus
turns
to
these
grown
men
who
are
arguing
about
who
is
the
greatest
among
them
and
Jesus
knowing
the
reasoning
of
their
hearts
verse
47
took
a
child
and
put
him
by
his
side
and
said
to
his
disciples
whoever
receives
this
child
in
my
name
receives
me
and
whoever
receives
me
receives
him
who
sent
me
for
he
who
is
least
among
you
all
is
the
one
who
is
great
Jesus
takes
the
lowest
and
elevates
it
to a
position
of
honor
at
his
side
right
here's
Jesus
standing
there
with
his
arm
around
this
young
boy
he's
done
this
before
with
women
with
the
poor
with
Gentiles
and
now
he
does
it
with
a
child
and
says
here's
what
greatness
would
look
like
a
great
person
would
welcome
this
child
now
remember
children
did
the
welcoming
they
were
never
welcomed
because
you only
welcomed
someone
who
ranked
above
you
children
didn't
rank
above
you
the
lesser
always
welcomed
the
greater
and
Jesus
said
the one
who would
be great
would
welcome
this
little
child
Jesus
is
redefining
greatness
he's
not
merely
elevating
children
the point
is not
just
children
are
wonderful
he's
elevating
humility
an
upside
down
topsy
turvy
concept
of
greatness
the
end of
verse
48
he
who
is
least
among
you
all
is
the
one
who
is
great
greatness
in
Jesus
kingdom
is
not
like
greatness
in
society
you
have
to
get
lower
not
higher
so how
do we
need to
think
differently
about
greatness
in
Jesus
kingdom
it's
not
who
has
the
title
the
position
the
influence
the
remarkable
gifts
that
can't
be
the
measure
of
greatness
for
us
anymore
can
it
that's
distinctly
what
Jesus
says
it's
not
I
grabbed
some
snapshots
of
kingdom
greatness
around
Southwood
that were
going to
be up
there
on that
screen
before we
had some
of our
technical
difficulties
this
morning
I
think
what
happened
is that
God
didn't
even
want
them
to
get
that
much
greatness
and
even
for
you
to
see
some
of
the
people
I'm
about
to
talk
about
so
now
you
just
have
to
imagine
as I
beautifully
describe
the
pictures
that are
not
there
kingdom
greatness
would be
teaching
little
toddlers
to
pat
the
Bible
in a
room
that no
one
else
sees
so
they
know
Jesus
loves
them
kingdom
greatness
would be
praying
in an
empty
prayer
room
at
Lincoln
Village
that
God
would
transform
a
neighborhood
or
the
widow
who
prays
at home
every
Sunday
during
the
sermon
that
we
would
hear
God
speak
and
when
you
come
to
church
needing
to hear
the
voice
of
God
I'd
say
Jesus
would
suggest
what
she's
doing
is
more
important
than
what
the
preacher
is
doing
towards
your
hearing
God's
voice
in
his
word
kingdom
greatness
would be
paying
hundreds
of dollars
and
two
weeks
of
work
for
the
privilege
of
going
to
Ica
Peru
where
no
one
else
goes
because
they
don't
matter
to
hug
an
orphaned
boy
until
he
feels
how
much
God
values
him
kingdom
greatness
would be
planning
your
business
or
planning
your
free
time
to
help
those
most
in
need
who
can't
help
themselves
and
can't
make
you
look
good
中國
to
walk
up
behind
someone
and
may
make
some
one
way
or
a
ちょ
and
maybe
it's
why one
of our
core
commitments
here at
Southwood
is
loving
the
least
the
lost
the littlest, the lonely, and the left out. It's because those are not often prized by our culture.
Jesus says that's what his kingdom should look like, is loving their, valuing them. It's an
upside down value system in our culture. It doesn't make sense. No one else promotes it,
but Jesus does. Are you surprised that Jesus has a different definition of greatness
from the one that our society would elevate as valuable or that we would naturally gravitate
towards? You're shocked that Jesus would contradict your natural sensibilities? By now we shouldn't be.
He's done this over and over. He says my kingdom is different. It's upside down in many ways from
what you expect and from what the world values. He redefines true greatness in his kingdom. And
the question for us is which system for greatness do we pursue? Which path to greatness are we on?
Are we seeking to follow? Jesus redefines true greatness.
But actually I don't believe that's Jesus' primary goal here to tell his disciples how to be great.
Just think back to the scene. Imagine what he's not doing. He's not saying, hey guys, I love this
argument you're having. Let me tell you how to win it. You need to go off and find some little kids and
do some things with them and then come back and you'll have the trump card to play on the other guys.
Hey, look what I've done for all these kids. I'm showing you how to win the argument so come back.
You think that's Jesus' primary point? Is that the goal of what he's saying to the disciples when he
brings the child over to him? That's not the primary point, is it? He is showing us how to live in his
kingdom. We shouldn't miss that. But that's not the first thing. He's not saying it primarily so you can be
great. Think of it that way. He's not saying these things primarily so you can be great, but so you can
recognize the greatness of Jesus. Even more importantly, even before you think about what it
means for me to be great, Jesus wants you to see his true greatness. Compared to the transfiguration,
Jesus is here in the lives of the people in this story and in our lives as an undercover boss.
His true greatness is disguised way beyond any TV show switch and an executive being an entry-level
employee. He's here not dazzling in all his shining glory that they've seen, but entering into the
painful and the normal. Just in this passage alone, what do we see referenced? The perfect creator
suffers some of the pains of his broken creation. The divine ruler of all, the one who's in charge of
everybody, will be delivered into the hands of men under the influence of men that he created and he should
rule over. The very Lord of life will die. You're going to miss his greatness in those moments. In those
moments, it's going to be really easy to miss his greatness. In those mundane or difficult moments in
our lives, it's so easy to miss his greatness, especially if we don't know what true greatness is.
And missing his greatness, y'all, would be much more devastating than not being great yourself.
That's what's on his heart. Missing his greatness would be so much worse than just not knowing how
to be great yourself. Jesus is teaching us what true greatness is primarily so that we will recognize
it in him. Jesus is calling his followers. Take your eyes off yourself and your own pursuit of greatness so you see
your great Savior. See in the one who leaves the glory of heaven to enter your brokenness and pain,
your great Savior. See in the one who kneels, washes feet,
suffers, and dies to welcome little children like you and me into his home. That's why he kneels. That's why he
stoops. That's why he bends. It's to welcome you home and see in him your great Savior. Let's pray.
Father, we thank you for our great Savior. We've seen him as glorious before. Father, write the truth of who he is,
the beauty and glory of his name on each of our hearts. We're so prone to be like the disciples.
We confess that to you this morning that we so easily focus on our own greatness.
We so easily miss the greatness of Jesus that is right there near us.
Thank you, Jesus, for entering into the pain of our lives.
Thank you, Jesus.
Even when we can't recognize you.
Even when we don't know how great you are.
Thank you for welcoming us home.
Would you be more beautiful in our eyes this week?
Would you be greater that we would not only see you as great, but that we would then begin to reflect
just a little bit of what true greatness looks like as we follow you downward and to serve the least.
Make our hearts willing and eager to meet you there.
We ask it in Jesus' name.
Amen.
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