Feb. 27 , 2022
Luke 9:37-43
This is the second sermon in our message series: “Did Jesus really say that?” Last week, we looked at the time Jesus said, “If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other.” Yes, Jesus said it and meant it. He helped a Roman centurion, a Roman officer, who was an enemy of the Jews. Jesus said, Sure, I’ll heal your servant.
Today we are looking at the time Jesus said, “How much longer do I have to put up with you?” In Luke 9, Jesus just had a wonderful moment on the mountain. He brought three of his disciples up there, and then Elijah and Moses appeared who had died centuries before. They appeared and Jesus talked with them. Jesus glowed! Three friends, they all knew what it’s like to try to encourage people to follow God.
After that glorious experience, Jesus and the three disciples come down the mountain and there is a big situation. A large crowd is gathered. A man calls to Jesus. Teacher! My son screams and goes into seizures. It happens all the time and it is destroying him! I begged your disciples to heal him, to rid him of this evil spirit. But they could not.
Jesus says, “You unbelieving and perverse generation. How much longer do I have to put up with you?” Sometimes during a sermon, I ask you to repeat a few words from Scripture, then tell it to someone near you. But today, do NOT tell the person next to you: “How much longer do I have to put up with you?” And don’t try it at home!
Did Jesus say this? It doesn’t sound nice. But Jesus did say it. This story about the disciples not being able to heal the child, is also found in the gospel of Mark 9:14-29 and in Matthew 17:14-20.
Jesus said it. But did he mean it? The first time this story is told is in Mark. And there, when Jesus comes down the mountain, there is an argument going on. The scribes are arguing with Jesus’ disciples. The disciples had tried to heal this boy, but they couldn’t. I can imagine the scribes, they’re religious leaders, saying to the disciples, “you’re not as good as Jesus.” Or maybe they’re saying, “If you can’t heal this boy, you and Jesus are frauds. Jesus is not so great.”
Meanwhile a boy is having seizures, and instead of people showing compassion for the boy and his family, people are crowded around watching the scribes and Jesus disciples argue. Instead of this being a scene of God’s people trying to send a demon packing (they thought a demon caused the seizures), there is an ugly argument.
Jesus says, “You unbelieving and perverse generation.” Jesus complains using the word “generation” when he means: these people won’t repent. They won’t change their evil ways. They don’t really care what God wants. Jesus speaks particularly about the religious leaders in that way. To Jesus they are that perverse generation.
So, when Jesus says, “You unbelieving and perverse generation! How much longer do I have to put up with you?” He is speaking to the religious leaders who don’t really care what God wants. Jesus is unhappy to see the religious leaders arguing with his disciples, while a man is calling out for help for his son having seizures.
Jesus isn’t saying “How long do I have to put up with you” to his disciples. Still, Jesus does want his disciples to do the works of God.
Notice what Jesus didn’t say. He doesn’t say to his disciples: “Maybe you’re just not cut out for this.” Jesus doesn’t let them off the hook. No excuses here!
In church we sing, “Jesus loves me” and we learn that God loves you just the way you are. That’s true but that’s only half the story. God loves you too much to leave you where you are. There’s a fine line between an excuse and a reason. An excuse is our reason we don’t do something: I’m no good at that. Why don’t you start? It’s no use. Why did you quit? It’s not my thing. Why did you leave? It’s better this way. Excuses are a way we try to keep ourselves safe. It’s scary to try something we’re not sure about.
Jesus is often trying to get his disciples to step out in faith and do greater things. There was the time when Jesus was teaching a crowd, and it’s suppertime, and there’s nothing for the people to eat. Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.” And the disciples say, What? Me?! I don’t have anything!
But Andrew looks around and a boy has five loaves, which are more like breadsticks, and two fish. And Jesus blesses them, it’s multiplied, and everyone in this crowd of 5000 has plenty, with more food leftover than they started with!
Jesus expected the disciples to do more than they thought they could do. In Luke 10 Jesus sends out 70 disciples to cure the sick and preach the good news. They come back so excited: they did it! They healed the sick! People were excited to hear them speak about God!
One of the things that really fuels your faith and helps you grow in your walk with God, is when you step out and serve. You might think, well I don’t know if I can teach Sunday school, I don’t know the Bible that well, but you give it a try. And it’s hard, but where you don’t know if you can do it, God takes over, and it’s amazing! And you’re so blest to see the difference it makes in someone’s life that you stepped up to serve!
A really surprising thing about Jesus’ ministry is how he first extended an invitation to people. He said, “Follow me.” He didn’t first say “Believe in me.” His disciples followed Jesus first, that was the hard part, the active part. Then, as they followed, the believing part would come. The following is important, that’s what builds our faith.
Jesus challenge for each of us is to serve. To do things we’re not sure we can do, but trust that God will work in us what is needed.
On the other hand, you can believe, but if you don’t do anything, you don’t serve or share your faith, it’s harder for your faith to grow.
The disciples that couldn’t heal the boy with seizures were at least following. They tried to serve. They tried to heal.
But the religious leaders who argued? They didn’t try to serve. They just found fault and argued and made life more unpleasant for everyone. Jesus asked them, “How much longer do I have to put up with you?”
A big event that grew my faith was when I served in voluntary service for a year and a half in two homeless shelters in Seattle. I knew I wasn’t prepared. I never took a psychology class. My only experience with the homeless was once I got a group of students from college together to put down the storm windows at a homeless shelter. It’s a whole different thing from counselling people who are homeless. Serving in those homeless shelters was really hard, but God was with me! I’d see good things happen in people’s lives; I’d see bad things happen. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I was able to help people by the power and strength of God. That really grew my faith.
My challenge for you this week is to think about where God is nudging you. What is God asking you to do? My challenge for you is to just sign up. Don’t pay attention to doubts or worry. God will give you the power to do it.
Jesus is glad for the people who try to follow, who step up, even when they fail. On the other hand, Jesus has some words for the people who know what everybody else should do, but who won’t step out in faith themselves.
God loves you too much to leave you where you are. He wants to help you to go out there and make a difference. Everybody feels inadequate in some way when God calls. But when you step up, God shows up, and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
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