November 27, 2022

Jesus and the World

Preacher:
Passage: Luke 9:28-45
Service Type:

Introduction

  • Looking at one verse - Luke 9:41
  • Context:
    • The Lord Jesus had come down from the mountain
    • Peter suggested they make three tabernacles
    • God that Father tells the disciples to listen to Jesus
      • Moses and Elijah were both prophets but Jesus is the Son of God
      • He is to be worshipped and adored
    • They probably wanted to stay on the mountain
    • They go back down the mountain to continue the work
    • The disciples could not cast out the evil spirit
      • The father is distraught and desperate for help
      • Jesus will heal him
    • The Lord speaks a word: "Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.""
    • The gospel is in this verse
      • Example of Tilly Smith
      • If we paid attention to what Jesus said, act upon it and believe it - we will save our lives

Jesus describes the world

  • "O faithless and perverse generation"
    • Is Jesus referring to:
      • The disciples
      • The father
      • The religious leaders
      • The crowds?
  • Faithless
    • An unbelieving world / an age of unbelief
      • Religious leaders are not as they should be
      • Crowds often want something
    • You can almost hear the disappointment in Jesus' voice
      • We know this disappointment
      • Consider how much Jesus would be disappointed
      • The world did not believe in its Creator
      • The disciples did not believe in Jesus as they should have done
        • Do we trust in the Lord as we should do?
        • Do we feel the Lord does not care about us?
  • Perverse
    • The world is perverse because it is unbelieving
      • Romans 1 - ungodliness leading to unrighteousness
      • An immoral world and society
      • If all the world believed in Jesus Christ it would be a better place
    • The Bible tells us this is the problem of the world
      • Genesis 3
    • Twisted, distorted
      • Judges 21:25 - "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
        • Our society is heading this way / if not already there
      • Jonah 4:11 - "And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?"
        • They do not have a clue about life
      • Some are starting to ask why is our society like it is?
        • One follows the others
        • The only way back is to see people saved
      • Examples
    • This twistedness is in us all – Matt 15:19-20
      • "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."
      • Example
      • Do we recognise the sin in us?
      • Do we recognise the bias in us?

Jesus suffers in the world

  • What is Jesus diagnosed the problem but did nothing about it?
    • Example
  • "How long shall I be with you"
    • Jesus came into this world to be *with *us
      • Emmanuel
      • God manifest in the flesh - meekness and majesty, manhood and diety
      • Example of Chronicles of Narnia
      • The King Jesus born in Bethlehem
    • What has God done for us - He has come into the world
      • Hebrews - Jesus sympathises with us and our struggles
  • "How long shall I bear with you"
    • He bears with us
      • He puts up with so much
      • He puts up with our unbelief
    • He determines to / sets His face to the cross
      • He will bear the weight of sin upon Himself
      • God is not there to sort out our problems - our greatest need is to be reconciled to God
      • We deserve judgment but Christ bore the wrath of God for us
    • If we are in Christ:
      • We will never be forsaken
      • We will never go to hell
      • We are safe

Jesus invites the world

  • "Bring your son here"
    • Another gospel tells us he believes
    • Jesus heals the boy
  • Who can deal with the twistedness of our society?
    • Jesus
    • Example of Pentecost
    • Jesus is saving people today
  • The invitation to each of us - 'come to me'
    • We are to bring our unconverted family and friends to Jesus in prayer
    • Example of the artist and street sweeper
    • Quote from Charles Spurgeon
    • Come to Jesus