Imperfection in Imitation (Luke 9:37–50) | The Gospel of Luke (Part 67)

Transcript

JRNT 118
9/20/2026
The Gospel of Luke (Part 67)
Imperfection in Imitation
Luke9:37-50
Jesse Randolph

Have you ever experienced spiritual highs in your life, only to be brought low? Have you ever been one who would call yourself a person of faith, but then gone on to experience a season of faithlessness? Have you ever known what it’s like to know the Word of God, but not to have the Word of God really grip you and take hold of you? Have you ever had God’s commands repeated to you, you’ve had to have them repeated to you, because it didn’t sink in the first time? Have you ever grappled with an overly inflated sense of self-importance or self-worth? Have you ever thought you deserved more than you actually do? Have you ever entertained the thought that you’ve graduated from the simple truths of the Christian Gospel, and that you’re on of those serious students of God’s Word and you don’t need to swim in the shallow end of the pool with all the baby Believers? Have you ever found yourself thinking that you because well, you’re you, or your church, because well, we’re Indian Hills that you have a corner on truth? And that all other Christians are lesser-than Christians or weaker Christians or perhaps not Christians, at all? If you’ve had any of those types of experiences or entertained any of those types of thoughts. I’m really glad you’re here. Have I got a text for you. As I worked on it this week, and as this text worked me over all week. Have I got a text for me.

Turn with me in your Bibles, to Luke 9. We’re back in the Gospel of Luke, after a one-week break for Fall Kickoff last Sunday. But we’re back in Luke, and we’re going to pick it up this morning, in Luke 9:37. We are going to work our way all the way from verse 37 to verse 50. That’s our text – Luke 9:37-50. God’s Word reads: “Now it happened on the next day, that when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. And behold, a man from the crowd shouted, saying, ‘Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only one, and behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth, and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves. And I begged Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not.’ And Jesus answered and said, ‘You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.’ Now while he was still approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. And they were all astonished at the majesty of God. But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples, ‘Put these words into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.’ But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement. Now an argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood 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 the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.’ And John answered and said, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to hinder him because he does not follow along with us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not hinder him, for he who is not against you is for you.’”

The title of this morning’s sermon is IMPERFECTION IN IMITATION; I’ve given this sermon that title because in these 14 verses, we’re reminded of how fallible, how deficient, how imperfect Jesus’ disciples were. If we have any sense of awareness. If we have truly humble hearts. If we have even a thimble full of desire to grow ourselves. What this passage will do to us this morning is remind us of how fallible, and how defective, and how deficient and how imperfect we are, as well.

There are four movements in this scene that we’ll be looking at today. And each highlights some aspect of the imperfect manner in which these disciples were following Jesus.
First, we’re going to see their imperfection in their exhibition. Their imperfection in how they exhibited or demonstrated their faith. That’s our first point, by the way.

IMPERFECTION IN EXHIBITION
Look at verse 37, it says: “Now it happened on the next day.” The “next day,” in relation to what? Well, again, this would be the next day after the Transfiguration, which we looked at two Sundays before. The events that we’re going to consider this morning, took place a day after three of these disciples, as it says in verse 32: “saw His glory.” Now, you might expect that after seeing His glory after beholding the face of God, or the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ being eyewitnesses of His majesty. That these disciples would shape up, and straighten out, and get their acts together, right? You might expect that after hearing that voice from the cloud the voice of God the Father, back in verse 35: “This in My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” You might expect that they actually would listen to Him, right?

Well, keep reading. It says: “Now it happened on the next day, that when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him.” Again, we saw last time that “mountain” is the Mount of Transfiguration, Mount Hermon. As Jesus and His disciples “came down from the mountain”, it says: “a large crowd met Him”, a “crowd” which was likely comprised of a mixture of Jews and Gentiles. Believers and unbelievers alike committed disciples and uncommitted “lookie loos” alike. Now look at verses 38 and 39, it says: “And behold, a man from the crowd shouted, saying, ‘Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only one, and behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth, and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves.”

Who this “man” was, we don’t know. But as read through this account, we see that his desperation was plain. He had no time for pleasantries or politeness. He needed to get right to the point. And so, this one face in the crowd, it says, he “shouted.” He raised his voice so that his desperate request could be heard. Note that he addressed Jesus as “Teacher.” That was the limited perspective of many in these crowds at this time. That Jesus was merely a “Teacher”, merely a Rabbi, merely an instructor, a voice a voice of reason. And then, note this. The father continued, he says: “Teacher, I beg You.” That plea is dripping with desperation. This man is clearly in pain. He’s clearly in anguish. He says: “I beg You to look at my son.” Then come these heartbreaking words, “For he is my only one.” “Adam had three.” “Noah had three.” “Job had seven.” “Abraham had eight.” “Jesse had eight.” “David had six.” “But, Teacher, I’ve got just this one.” “He’s all I’ve got.”

Then, in verse 39, this nameless man, this face in the crowd, still shouting, still straining his voice, so that he could be heard. You can even imagine perhaps some spittle flying across his lips, as he’s saying what he’s saying, as he’s desperately trying to get this message across to this Rabbi. This man now, explaining to Jesus, and for all to hear, what was wrong with his son, “And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth, and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves.” In Mark’s account of this same scene this worried father adds this detail. This is Mark 9:17, he says, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.” In Matthew’s account, in Matthew 17:15, the father adds this: that his son, quote, “has seizures and suffers terribly; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.”

This man’s son had become a danger, a danger to himself, a danger to others. How? Why? What was his diagnosis? Well, Dr. Luke tells us. Look down the page in verse 42, where it says, “while he was still approaching” that’s referring to the father approaching Jesus, and then this, “the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion.” This man’s son was demon-possessed an evil spirit had overtaken him he was under the control of the demonic realm. That’s why this man had flagged Jesus down. His son, his “only son” was demon possessed. Now, we’ve seen, have we not? through our study of Luke’s Gospel, that Jesus was able to, and in fact did, expel, exorcise demons from those who had been demon possessed. Back in Luke 4, Jesus purged a man who had been demon possessed in a synagogue in Capernaum. And He said, in Luke 4:35: “Be quiet and come out of him!” That was Jesus speaking to the demon in the man. Luke 4:41, we’re told that “demons also were coming out of many, shouting and saying, ‘You are the Son of God!’” In Luke 7:21, we’re told that Jesus “cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits.” In Luke 8:26-39, there’s the account of Jesus purging that man who had had a legion of demons in him. That was over in the land of the Gerasenes, on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Those demons, you’ll recall, after they were expunged from that man, they entered a “herd of many swine” and charged down a bank into the Sea, off a cliff. So, point being, Jesus had repeatedly shown, throughout Luke’s account here, that He had power and authority over the demonic realm. But recall, also. That Jesus had given His disciples authority to purge demons, to cast out demons. In fact, if you would, go back with me to the very first verse of Luke 9. Luke 9:1, where it says: “And calling the twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases.”

Earlier, we saw, if you look down in verse 6, that these disciples had, in fact, exercised authority over the demonic realm, just as Jesus had given them authority to do. Luke 9:6, “And departing, they were going throughout the villages, proclaiming the gospel and healing everywhere.”
Well, now back to our text. Look at what this man, this father of this demon-possessed son was saying to Jesus in verse 40, he says: “And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” “I begged Your disciples to exorcise the demon who had taken up residence in my son.” “I begged them to purge that demonic influence from my son.” And then look at his words again, in verse 40: “But they could not.”

Hold on. Go back again, to Luke 9:1. What does it say there? That Jesus “gave them power and authority over all the demons” and to heal diseases. So that power ultimately rested with Jesus. He was the One, who as God, actually had power over the entire demonic realm. He has power over those in the heavens and on the earth and under the earth, as it says in Philippians 2. But as he multiplied His ministry, He delegated that power and He delegated that authority. His own divine power, His own divine authority, to these very disciples. But now, inexplicably, these disciples are unable to do the very thing which He had commissioned them to do. And also, again, they had done this before. They had cast out demons before. Look at Luke 9:10, just a few verses prior. It says: “And when the apostles returned, they recounted to Him all that they had done.” That’s referring to the demon exorcism they had done. The casting out of demons they had done. They had experienced victory. They had experienced success before. They’d also, since that occasion, witnessed Peter confess Jesus to be “the Christ of God.” A few of them had just witnessed Jesus Transfigured. And suddenly, they’re unable to do what they’d been expressly given authority to do. And suddenly, they’re unable to do things which they had previously done. Look again at verse 30, Luke 9:40 – “And I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they could not.” What in the world is going on here? Had the disciples suddenly lost their magic touch? Was this a matter of them simply not saying the right words? Not using the right incantation? Not using the right verbal formula?

Well, as we read on, we see that the issue is much larger. And that the problem was much bigger. Verse 41, it says: “And Jesus answered and said, ‘You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you?’” The issue with these disciples – was faith. The issue with these disciples, put more precisely, was a lack of faith. To be sure, these words in verse 41, there’s a sense in which “You unbelieving and perverse generation” applies to all forms of unbelief which existed here in Jesus’ day. But I don’t think there’s a question that, in context, as He’s looking at these disciples and their failure to heal this man’s son that He had a more specific target in mind, when He said these words. He was calling out His disciples, in this moment, for their unbelief. He was calling out His disciples for their lack of faith. He was calling them out, in this scene, for their failure to trust. They had witnessed so much up to this point. Again, they had witnessed His power over the demonic realm. Only recently, they had experienced His power working through them, as they themselves exorcised demons. But their faith was weak. Their faith was flagging. Their faith was imperfect. Again, in Matthew’s account of this episode, in Matthew 17:10, it’s recorded like this, “the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’” to which Jesus replied, in Matthew 17:20 – “Because of your little faith.” Then in Mark’s account, again in Mark 9, they asked the same question, Mark 9:28 – “Why could we not cast it out?” Jesus replies in Mark 9:29 – “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”

These disciples, in other words they lacked faith, they lacked faith, which was revealed in their prayerlessness, in this scene. They had this attitude of “I don’t need to ask the Lord for help anymore.” “I’ve done this before.” “I’m a journeyman when it comes to exorcising demons.” “I know what I’m doing.” “There’s no longer a need to depend upon the Lord in faith, or to ask Him for His power through prayer.” The result was they experienced, in the case of this man and his son, a sudden power outage. They had exhibited weak faith, imperfect faith, a lack of faith and Jesus here, in verse 41, calls them out. He says: “You unbelieving and perverse generation.” You unbelieving and perverse people. Now note, He doesn’t call them unbelievers. He’s not calling into question their testimony. They’ve already confessed Him to be the Christ “You are the Christ of God” said Peter on behalf of the others. But He does call them out here as being “unbelieving.” Not unbelievers but unbelieving in this moment. Faithless in this moment.

Then comes this question, which is highly pointed and highly barbed. He says, verse 41: “How long shall I be with you and put up with you?” Now, you can sense this sanctified frustration that’s welling within Jesus, toward His disciples as He’s now turning to the father of this boy, as we read on here. And I can almost imagine our Lord, having some sort of dissatisfied sigh right here. You know, like kind of like “do I need to do everything on My own around here, kind of sigh?” As He says at the end of verse 41, now to the father: “Bring you son here.” “I’ll take care of it.” That’s the idea. The demon needed to be handled here, by Jesus Himself. The man obliged and he began to bring his son to Jesus. Look at verse 42, it says: “Now while he was still approaching.” That’s referring to the father approaching Jesus now, it says: “The demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion.” The demon, in other words, was trying to seize whatever power and control he could exercise and maintain over this child, so he steered this child in some sort of convulsive fit. “But Jesus”, the middle of verse 42, having ultimate power and ultimate authority over the demonic realm having ultimate power and authority over the earth having ultimate power and authority over the heavenlies end of verse 42, Jesus “rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy and gave him back to his father.”

So, the child was freed of the demon. This desperate father was freed of his worry over his son’s condition. And as we read on, Luke reports that this crowd which had gathered was stunned. Verse 43: “And they were all astonished at the majesty of God.” That word “astonished”, very literally means they were “struck out of their senses.” We would say like, they had their minds blown. They were dumbfounded. They were amazed. They were “astonished.” They were astonished not only by what they had witnessed in this exorcism, or this once-demon-possessed child was no longer demon possessed. But they were “astonished [it says] at the majesty of God.” They were astonished at the greatness of God. They knew that something divinely orchestrated had just occurred in their presence. They knew that there was some reason, beyond simple human explanation, as to why this demon, who couldn’t be exorcised by others, had now suddenly come out of this boy.

Now, there is no indication that those in this crowd, in this moment, were acknowledging that Jesus was the Messiah sent from God. There is no indication from the text itself that they realized He was the eternal Son of God. There is no indication from this scene itself that they all gave their life to the Lord, in this scene. But those in this crowd, they could certainly see that God was at work through Jesus and because of that, as it says here, they were “astonished.” “astonished at the majesty of God.” So, there we have, in our first point this morning, how Jesus’ disciples demonstrated: IMPERFECTION IN EXHIBITION. Imperfection in their own exhibition, or practice of faith. As we keep reading in verse 43, we come to our second point.

For you note takers, that there’s an imperfection here in expectation. That’s point two.

IMPERFECTION IN EXPECTATION
Look at the second part of verse 43, which is really where a new verse should begin, because a new thought is being started here. Don’t sweat that. The verse numbers are not inspired; the verse numbers are not God’s Word. But here in this second part of verse 43, were told this: “But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing.” Meaning, as those in the crowd were still “astonished at the majesty of God” were “marveling” at Jesus’ healing power and His ability to exorcise demons. Look what comes next, and now, verse 44: “Put these words into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.’”

Now, we might read those words, or casually hear those words in passing, or glance upon those words in our daily Bible reading, let’s say. We might not even blink or think twice about what’s reported here in verse 44. That is because we, on this side of the cross, 2,000 years later, after these events occurred. With a deep sense of familiarity with where each of these Gospel accounts ends; this is all familiar territory to us. Familiar terrain for us. We know, we’re accustomed to hearing that Jesus would later be betrayed. And He’d be arrested. And He’d be tried. And He’d be exchanged for a prisoner named Barabbas. Then, He would be whipped and be flogged. And then He’d be crucified. And then He’d be killed. And then three days later, He’d rise again. We’re all familiar with those truths and those realities. And those truths and those realities, of course, are central to our hope as Christians. They are foundational to the very Christian Gospel, the message of salvation and forgiveness. But we can’t lose sight, as we study this passage in context of how these words were first delivered. The context in which these words were first delivered. If you would, just look up the page for a second, at verse 18, Luke 9:18. Let’s get a running start up to verse 44 here, to see what’s actually going on here. Luke 9:18. We were here a few weeks ago, it says: “And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ And they answered and said, ‘John the Baptist, and others say Elijah, but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again.’ And He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ And Peter answered and said, ‘The Christ of God.’” But He warned them and directed them not to tell this to anyone, saying, [verse 22] ‘The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.’”

Then, come these statements in verses 23-27, and then, verse 28 it says: “Some eight days later after these words” back in verses 18-22, He was Transfigured. Verse 37, right before our passage, it says: it was “the next day”, meaning the day after the Transfiguration – that the scene that we’re in this morning, took place. Meaning, if you put those eight days and that one day together what you have here, is that nine days after telling His disciples in verse 22: “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised up on the third day.” Nine days after that, Jesus is telling them again, in verse 44: “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” Jesus had to repeat Himself. The disciples had heard this very truth coming from Him a little more than a week earlier. And now, here He is, giving them this same statement, this same prediction, a second time, again, after nine days. But why? Well, apparently it wasn’t registering for them still. Even though, back in verse 22, He had laid out so plainly and concretely, and clearly what it was that He was going to do and what was going to happen to Him. Even though He had laid out, with specificity, that it was going to happen a certain way suffering, rejection and death. That it was going to happen at the hands of certain people the elders, chief priests, the scribes. That it was going to be capped off by this miraculous event that He’d be “raised up on the third day.” Even though He laid all that out so specifically the disciples didn’t get it. The disciples didn’t want to believe it.

See, the disciples had these deeply conceived notions of who their Messiah would be and what He would look like and what He would do and the Kingdom that He was coming to establish. A few of those disciples that just received a glimpse of Jesus’ divine glory at the Transfiguration. This preview of Kingdom glory. And they’d also just witnessed Him, yet again, demonstrate His own authority and His own power, by healing this demon-possessed boy. They refused to believe. The result was that they refused to heed and believe Jesus’ clear words, back in verse 22. Now, here in verse 44, they didn’t allow Jesus’ clear words to override their own imperfect expectations. They refused to absorb and accept what Jesus had said He would come to do. They were so focused on the Kingdom – that they couldn’t even thing about the cross.
And that’s why Jesus, in verse 44 though He had already relayed this information to the disciples, he told them again “Put these words into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”
“Put these words into your ears.” That’s like saying: Drive this into your thick, thick skulls. That’s what He is saying. Drive it home. I’ve told you once before. I’m going to tell you again. Listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you. Store it up in your minds. Let it settle in your hearts. I’m going to Jerusalem. I’m going to be betrayed. I’m going to be rejected and I’m going to die.” But even then. It wasn’t getting through. Look at verse 45: “But they did not understand this statement.” They didn’t understand which “statement”? Well, that “the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” But why? Why were these words so difficult to understand? Was Jesus being unclear or confusing with His speech? Was He speaking in a different dialect or a different language? No, not at all. What Luke is getting after here, rather, is that for the disciples, Jesus’s words were difficult to process. They were difficult to accept. They were difficult to embrace. These disciples had imperfect expectations; expectations which were stopping up their ears and preventing them from hearing and understanding what the Lord was saying so clearly that what He had come to do.

Well, as we keep reading on into verse 45, note this next clause, it says:
“and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it.” Now, what’s going on there? What was concealed from them? Who was doing the concealing? Now, some have taken this language “it was concealed from them” to be what’s known as a “divine passive.” If this is a “divine passive”, what this would mean is that it was God, though not explicitly mentioned here, who is actually the One behind the scenes, concealing from these disciples, the truth about what Jesus had said He had come to do. But there’s another way to take this passive statement. That is to take it as what’s known as a “simple passive” which means that it’s not God behind the scenes, so to speak withholding this truth from these disciples, about what Jesus had come to do. Instead, if it’s a “simple passive” the interpretation would be that these disciples simply didn’t understand the fullness of what Jesus had communicated to them and so they themselves were responsible for their ignorance. If this is a “simple passive”, God can’t be said to have concealed anything. Rather, the disciples themselves were slow to catch up, they were ignorant, and they are responsible for their own ignorance. I think that second one, the “simple passive” is the better interpretation here of those words: “it was concealed from them.” I think this is a “simple passive”, not a “divine passive”, and for a few reasons.

For starters. When Jesus said, back in verse 44 – “Put these words into your ears”, that was really strong language. That was a very clear command. Indicating that Jesus expected His disciples to fully grasp and embrace what He was saying. It would be very odd, if not at odds with basic principles of Trinitarian theology, where God the Father and God the Son always work in concert, they always work in unison. It would be very odd to have Jesus – God the Son, expressly revealing something to the disciples, and expecting them to understand what He’s revealed to them but then to have God the Father, working behind the scenes, concealing the very truth that Jesus has said that they need to know and understand. Here’s another reason I don’t think this is a “divine passive” where God is concealing this from the disciples. Turn with me, if you would, over to Luke 19. The scene in Luke 19, and specifically, in verse 41, is after Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem He’s going to start lamenting over the Holy City. This is Luke 19:41, Luke records it this way: “And as He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He cried over it, saying, ‘If you knew in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.’” Note that language of concealment there: “But now they have been hidden from your eyes.” So, it’s the same question here. Who’s doing the hiding? Is God hiding something from the people of Jerusalem? And then, absolving them, to some degree, for their fault? Or are they willfully ignorant – the people of Jerusalem? Read on, verse 43: “For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children with you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.’” That last line – “you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” That informs that “hidden from your eyes” language of verse 42. See, here in Luke 19, God wasn’t hiding anything from anyone. But rather, the details about the day of visitation that was coming to Jerusalem, was hidden from its inhabitants of account of their own ignorance. “You did not recognize the time of your visitation.” And because of that, they were fully responsible.

The same principle holds true back in our passage in Luke 9:45. If you turn back there to Luke 9:45, those words – “it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it.” Those are not saying that God was causing these disciples not to understand what Jesus had come to do. Rather, what’s being communicated here is that these details being concealed from these disciples were the result of their own ignorance. The result of their own slowness in catching on. The result of their own failure to process what Jesus had now repeatedly shared with them that He was “going to be delivered into the hands of men.” Well, this interpretation, my interpretation that this is a “simple passive” and not a “divine passive” and that the disciples were truly and fully responsible for their ignorance here is supported further by the last few words of verse 45, where Luke reports that “they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.”

Why were they “afraid”? Let me put it this way. Have you ever received an assignment from a teacher or a boss, and they give you your marching orders not just once, but twice? Then, you’re walking back to your office or your cubical, or you’re logging off Zoom, or whatever the case may be. And you’re thinking I don’t know what he just said. It’s not clicking for me. And he’s already told me once, if not twice, what I’m supposed to do. So, now you’re in that awkward position of having to think through, am I really going to ask a third time? Am I really going to ask for instructions again? I really don’t want to, it’s going to make it look like I’m dense, or not a good listener, or both. That’s what’s going on here with these disciples. They had heard Jesus’ words. They knew what He had said. It’s not like they were speaking different languages, or from different planets. He had told them once, and then twice, and because of that they are responsible. But like the student or the employee who doesn’t want to ask for instructions a third time they were being sheepish. They were fearful. They were “afraid to ask Him about this statement.”

Alright, we’ve looked now at IMPERFECTION IN EXHIBITION – the disciple’s imperfect demonstration of their faith. We’ve looked at IMPERFECTION IN EXPECTATION – where they had been told what Jesus came to do, but it just wasn’t registering. Third, we’re going to look now, and this is our third point, at: IMPERFECTION IN EVALUATION.

IMPERFECTION IN EVALUATION
Look at verse 46, it says: “Now an argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.” Now, before we dive into those words. I know many of you are familiar with this account. “Now an argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.”
Let’s remember that Jesus has now told His disciples, not just once, not just twice but now, He’s had them not come to Him a third time, because they are too afraid that He’s going to die. His disciples, still oblivious to what He said about His death still oblivious to the cross that’s coming still focused on the Kingdom. Once again, they tuned all of that out as they fixated not only on their own fantasies about the Kingdom they thought had come but also the rank, and the title and the position they believed they would hold in that Kingdom and the preeminence and their prominence of position they thought they would hold in that Kingdom. Jesus has, up to this point, especially immediately before this, has been teaching them about the sacrifice that He would soon be making. The greatest sacrifice that would ever be given, as He bled and as He died for the sins of the world. Here these disciples are showcasing themselves and posturing for position, as they were seeking to advance their own agendas for Kingdom glory.

J.C. Ryle, writing on this passage some 125 years ago, says: “Astonishing as it may seem, this little company of fishermen and publicans was not beyond the plague of a self-seeking and ambitions spirit. Filled with the vain notion that our Lord’s Kingdom was to appear immediately, they were ready to wrangle about their place and priority in it. Each thought that his own claim was the strongest. Each thought that his own worth and right to honor was most unquestionable. Each thought that whatever place was assigned to his brethren, a principal place ought to be assigned to himself. All this happened in the company of Christ Himself – and under the noontide blaze of His teaching! Such is the heart of man.” Indeed. That is the heart of man. What an indictment this scene is. We’re just getting out of the gate here of human nature, even redeemed human nature. What a reminder this scene is how vital it is for the follower of Christ today, just as it was 2,000 years ago, to be constantly at war with the sin of pride. How vital it is for us in the church age today, remember the words of I Peter 5:5, where he says: “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.”

Back to verse 46 here. These disciples, after all they’d seen after all they’d heard in light of all that they already knew. They’re arguing over who might be the greatest? I mean – really? I mean, this is when you would expect Jesus to just lay into these guys. Right? This is when you expect Jesus to let these guys have it. This is when you would expect Jesus to start peppering them with this line of “who do you think you are?” type of questions. This is when you would expect Jesus to start saying things like – “I can’t believe how self-serving you guys are.” This is where you’d expect Jesus to fire His disciples and start over with a better bunch of followers. This is where you’d expect Him to cut them off and cut them out of His life and just begin again. But that’s not what happened. If fact, this is the moment to pause and just to share something with you, about how personally encouraging this report is to me, as I read through these failures of these disciples and I see my own failures in these disciples. But to be reminded that these men, though flawed and forgetful and proud and selfish and dull-witted and sinful and imperfect; the Lord was still willing to work with them. He was still willing to work on them. He was still willing to teach them and to mold them and allow them to walk alongside Him. I mean, up to this point in this section of the narrative, they are showing themselves to be argumentative and competitive and self-seeking and full of ungodly ambition. Yet, He didn’t rid Himself of them. He didn’t toss them to the side, and say, “I’m done with you.” I find that to be highly encouraging. Very encouraging. To know that the Lord continues to work, even today, through those who still make mistakes. Who still sin who are still every bit as flawed as these original disciples. These men who really thought that they were something these men who thought, and they contended that they should be the “greatest.” The Lord refines us. The Lord rebukes us. We know from scripture, the Lord, because He loves us, He disciplines us. But He won’t forsake us. He won’t abandon us. What a comfort that is.

Alright, these disciples were quarreling. They were in this argument here in verse 46: “An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.” It’s getting heated between them. And as we keep reading on in verse 47, we see Jesus actually didn’t even entertain their question. It says, “But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart.” Of course He does, He’s God, He knows everything, He’s omniscient. John 2:25 says: “He Himself knew what was in man.” So, He doesn’t even address their argument as to who was the greatest. He knew that they’d been having that debate. But rather than letting them in on the fact that He knew what they’d been arguing about. He actually reaches for a visual aid, a child, to help make the point that He’s going to make here.
Verse 47 says: He “stood him by His side.”

Now, before we get into this significance of that, let’s do some more stage-setting. This child – the word is paidion – this would have been a small child maybe five, maybe six years old. In first century, Judea children were often overlooked. They were unseen. They were ignored. Children were thought of, in this time of history, in this part of the world, as being of little value. They added very little to the average person’s life. Now, set that in contrast with another way of thinking of first century and I suppose this is not much different than how we think of things, if we’re being honest today. In that other way of thinking, was that if you wanted to be great in the first century they way that these disciples wanted to be great. Remember, they were arguing who was the “greatest.” If you wanted to be great, what you needed to do was associate with other great people. To be around the kind of people that you wanted to be like. Greatness in these days, was defined by the company you keep. If you wanted to be “great” in these times truly great, the last person you’d want to spend any time with, or be around, was a little five- or six-year-old child. Well, Jesus, here in verse 48, turns all of that conventional first-century wisdom on its head. He began by saying, with this child by His side probably hip-high or thigh-high: “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me.”

Meaning: How would you act toward this child? How you would treat this child determines whether you understand what it truly means to be great.
This would have been a truly mind-expanding, mind-bending statement for these first-century disciples who thought that the Kingdom had arrived who thought that they were destined for greatness in the Kingdom. Who thought that they were destined for greatness in the Kingdom because of who they were associated with, namely, Jesus. This Teacher, this miracle worker, this one who they’d been rubbing shoulders with this entire time. To these disciples, being attentive to the needs of a five-or six-year-old, that wasn’t going to advance them socially. That wasn’t going to take them up any kind of ladder. A child had no place of prestige or honor. A child had no social credit or value. And that was precisely Jesus’ point. What He is teaching them is that true greatness is not found in hobnobbing with those who you think are going to get you somewhere. True greatness is not found in those who are going to help you rocket up the corporate ladder. No. True greatness is found in receiving those who like a child, are small and weak and dependent and powerless and otherwise unable to get you anywhere. Welcoming and serving the least and serving them in the name of Christ for the glory of Christ even when they have nothing to offer you that’s the definition of true greatness.

“Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, [He says] and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” What else could anyone possibly want? But to know they have received the Lord Himself. Then, Jesus closed with these words, end of verse 48: “for the one who is least among all of you.” The one who is gentle and humble in heart. The one who is willing to lay aside all thoughts of pride and self-conceit. The one who is lowly of mind. The one who esteems others as being more significant than himself. The one who is willing at all times, to take the lowest seat in the lowest position. End of verse 48: “this is the one who is great.” So, in addressing their “imperfection in evaluation” in their case, their self-evaluation. Jesus, He wasn’t rebuking their desire for greatness, in general. Rather, what He was doing, was re-defining what it means to be great. He was re-defining greatness. The question is – would they catch on? Look at verses 49-50, it says: “And John answered and said, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to hinder him because he does not follow along with us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not hinder him, for he who is not against you is for you.’”

Here’s our fourth point, if you’re taking notes –

IMPERFECTION IN EXCLUSIVITY
What’s being described here is that the disciples apparently had spotted some man, who was not one of them. Not one of the Twelve. Not a designated apostle. He apparently was not even a known individual. They don’t even know his name. They referred to him blandly, as “someone.”
“Master, we saw someone [some guy] casting out demons in Your name.”
Now, there’s no indication in this text, that this person was some sort of false teacher. There’s no indication in this text this person, whoever he was, was spewing out some form of heresy that they needed to stop. No. Quite the contrary. It appears that this person who Jesus was describing was doing the very thing that they were supposed to be doing casting out a demon in His name. But they couldn’t do it, because as we saw back in point one, they lacked faith. He, had faith, in “casting out [those] demons” in Jesus’ name. And on account of his faith, and unlike these named disciples this man was actually experiencing success in casting out demons as he did so in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Well, the disciples still had a problem with that. Look at the second part of verse 49, where John said this: “and we tried to hinder him because he does not follow along with us.” In other words, “He’s not a “professional”, like we are.” “He’s one of the select few, the chosen, like we are.” “He’s not great, like we are.” He’s not one of us.” Now, John didn’t phrase it this way, but it’s clear, as you take in this text, in context, that John and the other disciples were jealous. This other man was showing them up. He was making them look bad. And so, what they tried to do was shut him down. They admit to it. Verse 49: “we tried to hinder him because he does not follow along with us.” They were trying to stop whatever he was doing in the name of the Lord Jesus, mind you. Well, Jesus made quick work of their comments, look at verse 50, it says: “But Jesus said to him, do not hinder him, for he who is not against you is for you.’” We often think of the opposite expression in Luke 11:23 – “[H]e who is not with us is against us.” But He also said: “he who is not against you is for you.” So, Jesus’ disciples here, they had to have their views of “greatness” corrected, as He challenged their imperfection in evaluation. But they also needed to have their views that they were the Lord’s only representatives on earth straightened out. As He corrected them of their imperfection in exclusivity. Their imperfection in thinking that they were the exclusive truth bearers in the world. They shouldn’t have been hindering those who were casting out demons in Jesus’ name. They shouldn’t have been territorial. They shouldn’t have been assuming that they were the only ones doing ministry, “real ministry” in Jesus’ name at this time. Instead, what they should have been doing was rejoicing that the name and the fame of Jesus, their Lord, their Teacher, their Master, was going out.

Let’s bring this over to our day, for just a few moments as we wind down here. And before I say what I’m about to say let me just be crystal clear that I affirm that, of course, there is such a thing as “false teaching.” I affirm, of course, that there is such a thing as wolves masquerading as sheep in churches. I affirm that there is a real danger with unsound doctrines spreading in churches, and harming God’s people. I do affirm that there is such a thing as a bad church. And there is such a thing as a wicked unqualified pastor. And there is such a thing as a church which has no business calling itself a church.

But there are also many good churches out there. There are also many good churches right here in Lincoln. Churches who may vary or differ in some respects from how we do things. But they are not enemies of the cross of Christ and they shouldn’t be treated as such and they shouldn’t be talked of as such. Some churches will have members who lift their hands as they sing. Some churches will have the pastor get up and preach a 35- or 40-minute message. Some churches will have a pastor who wears a button-down shirt or a polo or a sweater. Some churches will baptize professed Believers at the elementary school or middle school level. Some churches will practice formal church membership. Some churches will not only allow - but encourage coffee in the auditorium. Some churches will fit all of their programs into one night of the week. Some churches will preach from the NIV or the ESV. Some churches will integrate all children into their main worship hour, and they don’t even have children’s ministry to speak of. Some churches think that drums are demonic.

You know what? God bless them. As long as they’re preaching the cross of Jesus Christ. As long as they’re preaching that He came, He died, He rose and He’s coming again. As long as they preach the whole counsel of God. God bless them. You know, we as a church – can be so distinct in our doctrinal positions as we are. But what we have to balance that with are the very words of Jesus Christ Himself, the Lord of the church, here in verse 50, where He says: “he who is not against you is for you.” You know, Jesus sometimes works in bigger spaces than we allow Him. His words remind us here, that the tent of faithful Christianity, even here in Lincoln, is broader than the walls of this building. Let’s not be like the disciples here hindering those who “do not follow along with us.”Let’s instead recognize and embrace the fact, that while we at Indian Hills are free to be us with our unique ways of doing things our unique culture and our unique DNA. Other Christians, in other churches are just as free to do the same thing in their spaces and in their environments.

Warren Wiersbe said it well, when he said:
Believers who think that their group is the only group that God blesses and uses are in for a shock when they get to heaven.” Indeed.

You know, on my weekly prayer list, are names like:
Bryan Ragsdale, the pastor of Heartland Bible Church.
David Harris, the pastor of Heritage Bible Church.
Matt McGrew, the pastor of Anchor Bible Church.
Tim Taylor, the pastor of Cornerstone Bible Church in Crete.
Rob Rexilius, the pastor of First Street Bible Church.
Josh Thiessen, the pastor of Providence Bible Church in Gretna.
Dwight Oswald, the pastor of Southview Bible Church in Council Bluffs.
You know, as you pray for your pastors and leaders, elders, shepherds here at Indian Hills, and I hope you do. Maybe pray for those guys too and pray for those churches too. .Verse 50: “he who is not against you is for you.”

What this passage, as a whole, teaches us today, and reminds us of today is that the Lord chooses and uses imperfect men and imperfect women, to carry out His mission. Back in the first century, as He selected Peter and James and John and the rest. It’s obvious that the Lord didn’t choose men with flawless records, or with always-pure motivations. No. He chose these ordinary men these imperfect men these people like us. People who could be jealous, and argumentative, and self-seeking, and ambitious, and proud. But men with whom the Lord was patient and men that the Lord refused to abandon. May what we’ve looked at today, in this text, really humble us and challenge us fuel us to persevere, as we grow in faithfulness to our patient, and gracious and faithful Lord.