Luke
9:37-62
37 On the next day, when they had come down from
the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 And behold, a man from the
crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only
child. 39 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. 40 And I begged your disciples
to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O faithless
and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring
your son here.” 42 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. 43 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, 44 “Let these words sink into
your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 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.
46 An argument arose among them as to which of
them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus, knowing the
reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side 48 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.”
49 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.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for
the one who is not against you is for you.”
51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up,
he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead
of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations
for him. 53 But the people did not receive him, because his
face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James
and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down
from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked
them. 56 And they went on to another village.
57 As they were going along the road, someone said
to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus
said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of
Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow
me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And
Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go
and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will
follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus
said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for
the kingdom of God.”
GA: Luke
9:51-62
Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem. He knows what he must do for the salvation of all people. He knows that he can not turn back. He reminds his disciples of this cost, he reminds them that they can not turn back, even though they will fall away.
It is interesting how the disciples have cast out demons in the past but this demon is different. This demon takes Jesus to remove. But after Jesus teaches this lesson, the disciples want to stop someone else from doing what they are unable. They want to cast fire down on a village, when they were unable to cast out a demon from a child.
How often do we want to cast burning coals on our neighbor? How often do we want to be the only one doing something in the name of Jesus? How often do we really want our life to be all about Jesus? It is Jesus who comes to redeem us from our selfishness. Jesus does not look out for himself by turning people aside or rejecting their requests. Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem to die for your sins. He does this to cast out your demons, which you are able to remove.
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