1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,570 OHP man, good morning. Good morning. 2 00:00:03,580 --> 00:00:06,390 It's good to be with you. If you don't know me, my name is 3 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:09,970 Grant and I'm one of the pastors here at the church and it's 4 00:00:09,980 --> 00:00:14,070 great to be together. 45 years. What a good anniversary. 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,370 You know, of the three churches that I have pastored, this is by 6 00:00:18,380 --> 00:00:20,780 far and away. How do I put this like the 7 00:00:20,790 --> 00:00:26,030 youngest the newest? I'm not sure which makes the 8 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:32,180 most sense, but the other two closer to 200 then to 50. 9 00:00:32,229 --> 00:00:37,270 And one of the things that I absolutely love about that hymn 10 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:43,930 is we sing about great being is the faithfulness of God 11 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,950 generation after generation after generation. 12 00:00:47,150 --> 00:00:50,410 And yet we also declare new mercies. 13 00:00:50,420 --> 00:00:54,850 I see, right? And and so I love that tension 14 00:00:55,410 --> 00:00:59,050 inside the the church, inside the community of faith, inside 15 00:00:59,060 --> 00:01:01,610 of what God is doing. Like we stand on the shoulders 16 00:01:01,620 --> 00:01:05,670 of generation after generation after generation, and yet we 17 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,970 also get to stand here and bear witness to God doing a new 18 00:01:08,980 --> 00:01:12,090 thing. So it's a wonderful, wonderful 19 00:01:12,100 --> 00:01:13,760 thing. Eugene Peterson had this line 20 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:17,190 and it was from early on in his ministry. 21 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:20,590 You're driving, I think, to his very first church. 22 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:23,530 So pastor, Presbyterian pastor in the States. 23 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,930 And he wrote in his book to young pastors, he says, 24 00:01:27,940 --> 00:01:33,970 remember, God's been at work a lot longer, like way before you 25 00:01:33,980 --> 00:01:38,600 ever showed up. And God will continue to be at 26 00:01:38,610 --> 00:01:43,780 work far after you leave. And again, that's just a great 27 00:01:43,790 --> 00:01:45,440 thing for each of us to hold on to. 28 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,790 We get to be here now. We get to witness God do what 29 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,530 he's doing in our lifetime. Amazing thing. 30 00:01:51,860 --> 00:01:55,870 And we have to remember what God has done and those who've come 31 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:57,290 before. And we get to stand, and we get 32 00:01:57,300 --> 00:02:01,400 to look and pray and hope and dream where God might be calling 33 00:02:01,410 --> 00:02:05,010 us. So we're gonna be hanging out in 34 00:02:05,020 --> 00:02:10,539 Luke 9, not 37 to 44 like you can see there. 35 00:02:10,789 --> 00:02:17,650 OK, but Luke 9, let me pray. And then we're gonna begin by by 36 00:02:17,660 --> 00:02:22,280 reading together. God, thanks for your love. 37 00:02:22,350 --> 00:02:25,480 Thank you for your grace. We're grateful for all that 38 00:02:25,490 --> 00:02:27,760 you're doing, grateful that you love us. 39 00:02:28,510 --> 00:02:31,320 Yeah. We need you to speak into our 40 00:02:31,330 --> 00:02:34,020 life. We need you to remind us who we 41 00:02:34,030 --> 00:02:36,900 are. We need you to give us New Hope 42 00:02:36,990 --> 00:02:42,200 and a fresh sense of your presence and how we do all of 43 00:02:42,210 --> 00:02:44,620 it. Like we've said, standing on the 44 00:02:44,630 --> 00:02:47,430 shoulders of generation after generation who've come before 45 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:49,500 us. And in in that we're 46 00:02:49,570 --> 00:02:52,500 tremendously grateful. So we want to say thanks for all 47 00:02:52,510 --> 00:02:56,490 of those who got together, dreamt up this place, prayed, 48 00:02:57,290 --> 00:03:03,450 met, studied the Scriptures and and then felt convicted, this 49 00:03:03,460 --> 00:03:06,110 deep conviction to plant a church here in this part of 50 00:03:06,180 --> 00:03:07,960 Guelph. Yeah. 51 00:03:07,970 --> 00:03:11,380 We pray that we wouldn't lose sight of that kind of mentality. 52 00:03:11,390 --> 00:03:14,760 To gather and to pray, to lift, tie the name of Jesus and to 53 00:03:14,770 --> 00:03:18,030 chase after what you're doing, what you want for our neck of 54 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:22,160 the woods, this area in Guelph. So God, thanks for your Kingdom 55 00:03:22,210 --> 00:03:24,740 as it's coming. Thanks for these words that 56 00:03:24,750 --> 00:03:29,260 remind us of it and I pray that you would speak to us in a new 57 00:03:29,270 --> 00:03:34,900 way today in Jesus name, Amen. So I'm not sure if that's going 58 00:03:34,910 --> 00:03:38,150 to go up for everyone or not and if I'm going to be able to do 59 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,320 that from here. But if not, it'll be here in a 60 00:03:40,330 --> 00:03:41,980 few minutes. But let me read. 61 00:03:41,990 --> 00:03:48,860 Luke 9 starting at verse 37, says The next day when they came 62 00:03:48,870 --> 00:03:52,020 down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 63 00:03:52,250 --> 00:03:56,140 A man in the crowd called out. Teacher, I beg you to look at my 64 00:03:56,150 --> 00:04:00,420 son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him, and he 65 00:04:00,430 --> 00:04:03,640 suddenly screams. It throws him into convulsions 66 00:04:03,650 --> 00:04:07,820 so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and 67 00:04:07,830 --> 00:04:11,660 is destroying him. I begged your disciples to drive 68 00:04:11,670 --> 00:04:17,060 it out, but they could not, You unbelieving and perverse 69 00:04:17,070 --> 00:04:22,089 generation, Jesus replied. How long shall I stay with you 70 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,870 and put up with you? Bring your Son here. 71 00:04:25,830 --> 00:04:28,520 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the 72 00:04:28,530 --> 00:04:32,160 ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure 73 00:04:32,170 --> 00:04:37,520 spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his Father, and they 74 00:04:37,530 --> 00:04:40,240 were all amazed at the greatness of God. 75 00:04:40,890 --> 00:04:44,220 While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to 76 00:04:44,230 --> 00:04:48,060 his disciples, Listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you. 77 00:04:48,350 --> 00:04:52,880 The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. 78 00:04:56,470 --> 00:04:58,540 So my friend recently got married. 79 00:04:58,710 --> 00:05:00,820 It was this summer and it was a great time. 80 00:05:00,830 --> 00:05:05,280 And then they left, we all kind of left the wedding. 81 00:05:05,290 --> 00:05:08,220 They left on their honeymoon. And like about 10 days later or 82 00:05:08,230 --> 00:05:11,960 so I, I texted him and just said, hey, just checking in. 83 00:05:12,730 --> 00:05:15,280 You know how, how are things? Well, quite away. 84 00:05:15,290 --> 00:05:20,140 Did you get a little bit of a chance to rest and enjoy some 85 00:05:20,150 --> 00:05:22,800 quiet? And he sent me this text message 86 00:05:22,810 --> 00:05:24,600 back. I got this note from him. 87 00:05:24,610 --> 00:05:26,460 He said. Just got back last night working 88 00:05:26,470 --> 00:05:32,100 on re acclimatizing the real life well. 89 00:05:32,110 --> 00:05:39,120 And I wonder if you've ever felt that kind of harsh adjustment 90 00:05:39,230 --> 00:05:44,760 when you jump back into the rhythms and habits and routine 91 00:05:44,770 --> 00:05:48,110 and requirements of day-to-day life. 92 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:50,420 This weekend Connie and I were watching a television show where 93 00:05:50,430 --> 00:05:52,100 same thing, newly married couple. 94 00:05:52,110 --> 00:05:55,520 Like about a month in, we're kind of lamenting the same 95 00:05:55,530 --> 00:05:57,460 thing. And the one said to the other, 96 00:05:57,470 --> 00:06:00,270 when can we get a break from real life? 97 00:06:01,100 --> 00:06:05,980 Like the time was just flying too fast. 98 00:06:06,390 --> 00:06:08,380 You know how this works? I think we all do. 99 00:06:08,530 --> 00:06:11,560 You go away on vacation and things feel great. 100 00:06:11,690 --> 00:06:14,200 The stress is gone. Like maybe your blood pressure 101 00:06:14,210 --> 00:06:17,260 lowers and you begin to relax and like, you sleep really well. 102 00:06:17,270 --> 00:06:22,720 You sleep through the night and then eventually you return and 103 00:06:22,730 --> 00:06:27,060 real life hits you like a ton of bricks and maybe you've had a 104 00:06:27,070 --> 00:06:30,440 really spiritual experience at like a conference or during 105 00:06:30,450 --> 00:06:32,310 prayer. You're surrounded by others and 106 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,700 God's voices close and loud, and you're certain like this is 107 00:06:36,710 --> 00:06:41,120 going to change your life. But then you return to work, 108 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,430 school, requirements, routine, it sets in. 109 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:50,100 And what was the loud voice from God now sounds like an echo of 110 00:06:50,110 --> 00:06:51,740 the past. And like maybe you're even a 111 00:06:51,750 --> 00:06:54,560 little bit unsure whether you heard it in the first place to 112 00:06:54,570 --> 00:06:56,760 begin with. Maybe for you this summer it was 113 00:06:56,770 --> 00:06:59,560 like, hey, I was away at camp and it was beautiful and amazing 114 00:06:59,570 --> 00:07:02,110 and great, and I had like freedom for the first time and I 115 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,500 could make my own decisions. And then now you're back to 116 00:07:05,510 --> 00:07:09,090 school and everybody has a plan for your life. 117 00:07:10,350 --> 00:07:14,220 Real life just kind of hits mountaintop experiences. 118 00:07:14,230 --> 00:07:17,610 You, you and I know this. They end, every single one of 119 00:07:17,620 --> 00:07:21,160 them. You can't stay up there forever. 120 00:07:21,230 --> 00:07:25,780 No matter how things go, no matter how great they are on the 121 00:07:25,790 --> 00:07:29,260 mountaintop, eventually and inevitably you have to return 122 00:07:29,980 --> 00:07:34,170 down the mountain and figure out this thing that we call quote, 123 00:07:34,300 --> 00:07:39,400 real life. Jesus descends the mountain in 124 00:07:39,410 --> 00:07:43,100 our passage with Peter, James and John. 125 00:07:43,450 --> 00:07:46,500 And if you're newer, just kind of catching up, coming back into 126 00:07:46,510 --> 00:07:49,660 your own September routine. Last week, what we saw is that 127 00:07:49,670 --> 00:07:53,960 the three disciples have had a literal mountaintop experience 128 00:07:53,970 --> 00:07:56,260 with Jesus. They've gone up the mountain 129 00:07:56,270 --> 00:07:59,060 with Jesus and they've gone up the mountain. 130 00:07:59,110 --> 00:08:01,180 Not only have they prayed, they've been together. 131 00:08:01,190 --> 00:08:02,200 It's just them. They're away. 132 00:08:02,210 --> 00:08:05,820 There are no crowds but Jesus, faith, faith and his clothes. 133 00:08:05,830 --> 00:08:09,260 They, they shine white, as bright as lightning. 134 00:08:09,790 --> 00:08:13,320 Moses and Elijah, they show up and they're talking with Jesus. 135 00:08:13,330 --> 00:08:17,330 They speak and then there's this voice from heaven declares, This 136 00:08:17,340 --> 00:08:21,590 is my son whom I love. I have chosen listen to him. 137 00:08:23,090 --> 00:08:26,780 So this has been their mountain top experience. 138 00:08:27,090 --> 00:08:30,480 God the Father is confirming the identity of Jesus, who he is, 139 00:08:30,550 --> 00:08:34,200 his mission, why he was sent to the earth and what he has been 140 00:08:34,210 --> 00:08:37,600 sent to do. And it like just 11 words or 13 141 00:08:37,610 --> 00:08:41,710 syllables. They've witnessed the full glory 142 00:08:41,919 --> 00:08:45,350 of God and they begin to see Jesus for who he really is, for 143 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:49,330 who truly is like Son of God, full display his glory. 144 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:51,910 It's amazing. It's filled with awe and wonder 145 00:08:53,910 --> 00:08:58,900 and there were no crowds and there were no distractions and 146 00:08:58,910 --> 00:09:02,490 there were no demands. Nobody's like impinging on their 147 00:09:02,500 --> 00:09:03,670 time. It's them. 148 00:09:03,680 --> 00:09:06,830 Jesus is there, filled with the presence of God. 149 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:11,900 But now they return. And so we read. 150 00:09:11,910 --> 00:09:18,940 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large 151 00:09:18,950 --> 00:09:24,570 crowd met him. Teacher, I beg you, this man 152 00:09:24,580 --> 00:09:26,570 says, calling out from the crowd. 153 00:09:27,450 --> 00:09:35,880 Look at my son, I beg you. So the these four, Jesus, these 154 00:09:35,890 --> 00:09:41,120 three disciples, they return, they returned to crowds and they 155 00:09:41,130 --> 00:09:45,260 were turned to chaos, people shouting demands at Jesus, 156 00:09:45,270 --> 00:09:49,930 begging, pleading with Jesus. They return to the demands of 157 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:53,470 people surrounding them in the crowds, pushing in to get a 158 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:56,780 glimpse of Jesus and what he might do in this moment. 159 00:09:58,310 --> 00:10:00,940 You know, you and I might have a harder time identifying 160 00:10:00,950 --> 00:10:06,700 sometimes with that mountaintop moment, but I think we have an 161 00:10:06,710 --> 00:10:08,660 easy time relating to this moment. 162 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:14,440 When they come down the mountain, large crowd demands. 163 00:10:14,450 --> 00:10:16,600 Teacher, I beg you, look at my son. 164 00:10:16,610 --> 00:10:20,780 The demands of life and the demands of vocation immediately 165 00:10:20,790 --> 00:10:22,830 placed back on Jesus's shoulders. 166 00:10:24,150 --> 00:10:27,460 There's urgency like this is important, Jesus. 167 00:10:27,470 --> 00:10:31,320 Like I know you've been away, but like we're in game on. 168 00:10:31,330 --> 00:10:36,530 Like you gotta do what we're asking and hoping to demands. 169 00:10:36,540 --> 00:10:39,820 Come on Jesus. Not only are the demands placed 170 00:10:39,830 --> 00:10:42,110 immediately back on Jesus shoulders, but the weight of 171 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:46,650 being a disciple also returns. And so we see the Father 172 00:10:46,660 --> 00:10:48,140 continues. The Spirit sees him. 173 00:10:48,150 --> 00:10:50,730 He suddenly screams and throws him into convulsions that he 174 00:10:50,740 --> 00:10:53,050 foams at the mouth. Mouth that scarcely ever leaves 175 00:10:53,060 --> 00:10:54,270 him. It's destroying him. 176 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:56,270 So he listened. Like there's urgency here. 177 00:10:56,340 --> 00:11:00,030 Help. I begged your disciples to drive 178 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:05,850 it out, but they could not. So not only now is this Father 179 00:11:05,860 --> 00:11:08,220 approaching Jesus, saying, Hey, would you care? 180 00:11:08,230 --> 00:11:10,520 Would you healed my son? Would you come? 181 00:11:10,530 --> 00:11:13,200 Would you release him from this burden? 182 00:11:13,250 --> 00:11:18,950 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not. 183 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,290 These are the disciples now who have been travelling with Jesus 184 00:11:23,970 --> 00:11:26,930 and they've seen him perform miracles, that they've watched 185 00:11:26,940 --> 00:11:30,240 him cast out demons. They've seen this very thing 186 00:11:30,250 --> 00:11:32,300 done. They've stood by while he's 187 00:11:32,310 --> 00:11:35,530 healed the sick. They themselves were saved from 188 00:11:35,540 --> 00:11:38,420 the storm on the sea. They've experienced the power 189 00:11:38,430 --> 00:11:41,700 that Jesus has. They collected extra food when 190 00:11:41,710 --> 00:11:45,290 Jesus fed the 5000 like they went around and gathered up all 191 00:11:45,300 --> 00:11:49,740 that remained. They were the ones who Jesus 192 00:11:49,750 --> 00:11:54,760 called in close, the ones who Jesus gave power and authority 193 00:11:54,770 --> 00:11:59,840 to drive out all kinds of demons and to cure diseases. 194 00:12:00,170 --> 00:12:03,440 They're the ones who he calls in and says, hey, I'm sending you 195 00:12:03,450 --> 00:12:06,260 out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 196 00:12:06,270 --> 00:12:09,350 Go and do the things that you've seen me do. 197 00:12:11,340 --> 00:12:14,190 And what we see in the Gospel of Luke is it unfolds like early in 198 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,720 this chapter as they begin to do it, they don't go out and like 199 00:12:18,730 --> 00:12:20,800 are immediately stumped. They go out and they take the 200 00:12:20,810 --> 00:12:22,730 gospel with them. They take the Kingdom with them 201 00:12:22,740 --> 00:12:25,360 and they begin to heal people. They begin to cast out demons. 202 00:12:25,370 --> 00:12:29,200 They do the things that they saw Jesus do and and now they can't. 203 00:12:30,270 --> 00:12:34,470 Now a father comes and begs them to heal his son, like he's not 204 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:38,150 even about himself. And these disciples, they can't 205 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:42,260 do it. You know, there are days where 206 00:12:43,530 --> 00:12:47,670 it feels like your faith. He's on a mountaintop. 207 00:12:49,090 --> 00:12:53,590 And there are also days where it appears like your faith falls 208 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:58,310 apart and feels like it fails and becomes powerless. 209 00:12:59,850 --> 00:13:03,370 And this must have been one of those days for the disciples. 210 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,190 We've done the thing, now we can't. 211 00:13:09,150 --> 00:13:11,110 We don't know why they can't heal this Suns man. 212 00:13:11,970 --> 00:13:13,970 That could be that. They've grown arrogant in their 213 00:13:13,980 --> 00:13:16,070 success. They've seen like the height of 214 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:20,470 it and like, yeah, we got it. Could be that they've not 215 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:23,350 maintained connection to the source, their source of power 216 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,280 through prayer. Like what do we see Jesus 217 00:13:25,290 --> 00:13:28,840 repeatedly and consistently constantly doing is getting away 218 00:13:28,850 --> 00:13:33,100 and praying? Could be that they don't develop 219 00:13:33,110 --> 00:13:34,760 the same discipline. It could be. 220 00:13:35,050 --> 00:13:39,400 Could be that they hear Jesus predicting his death and that 221 00:13:39,410 --> 00:13:43,600 they become afraid and fearful of the future and confused about 222 00:13:43,610 --> 00:13:46,080 Jesus's power over the things of life and of death. 223 00:13:46,090 --> 00:13:49,920 Like, if Jesus really has power over life and death, then why is 224 00:13:49,930 --> 00:13:54,370 he now talking about his own seemingly imminent death? 225 00:13:55,710 --> 00:13:58,800 It could just be that God sets up this failure to reveal a 226 00:13:58,810 --> 00:14:02,890 greater measure of his power and his glory through Jesus. 227 00:14:04,420 --> 00:14:08,270 Whatever the reason, the sun is left unhealed at that moment by 228 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:10,770 the disciples. Father begging for his son, 229 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,210 disciples unable to heal the boy, this tension growing, 230 00:14:14,220 --> 00:14:17,250 crowds gathering to see what will happen. 231 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:21,510 And this is what Jesus speaks into the tension. 232 00:14:21,620 --> 00:14:25,110 You unbelieving and perverse generation. 233 00:14:25,180 --> 00:14:28,080 Jesus replied, how long shall I stay with you and put up with 234 00:14:28,090 --> 00:14:30,010 you? And then he says, bring your son 235 00:14:30,340 --> 00:14:33,390 here. This is not the calming presence 236 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,640 and reassuring word that you'd want to hear from a mentor or 237 00:14:36,650 --> 00:14:40,070 teacher. Feels like math class all over 238 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:44,520 again for me. Like the stakes are high, the 239 00:14:44,530 --> 00:14:47,930 disciples get it. They want to do the thing, but 240 00:14:47,940 --> 00:14:50,450 they can't. And here's Jesus with this 241 00:14:50,460 --> 00:14:53,570 seeming rebuke, you unbelieving and you perverse generation. 242 00:14:53,580 --> 00:14:55,710 How long do I have to put up with you? 243 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,700 This is what he's saying. Bring the sun here. 244 00:15:00,140 --> 00:15:05,870 Jesus rebukes and it's intentionally vague, like is he 245 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:09,470 speaking to the Father? Is he speaking to the crowds? 246 00:15:09,940 --> 00:15:12,810 Is he speaking to the disciples? Like who is this intended for? 247 00:15:12,820 --> 00:15:20,330 I think the answer to all of those is yes, except when you 248 00:15:20,340 --> 00:15:22,770 pause, when you kind of pull back a little bit. 249 00:15:23,670 --> 00:15:26,620 I think we can probably imagine that the words would have stung 250 00:15:26,630 --> 00:15:31,610 most to the disciples, that they would have landed the heaviest 251 00:15:32,460 --> 00:15:35,790 on Jesus's followers, his closest followers and his 252 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:39,160 friends. The ones who have been with 253 00:15:39,170 --> 00:15:42,640 Jesus, the ones who have been watching him, the ones who have 254 00:15:42,650 --> 00:15:44,810 been learning from him, who've been sent out and beginning to 255 00:15:44,820 --> 00:15:49,800 even do some of the same things Jesus has done, Now they're 256 00:15:49,890 --> 00:15:53,810 faced with this rebuke. But I think it's important to 257 00:15:53,820 --> 00:15:55,720 understand like Jesus isn't just being mean here. 258 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:00,880 His words are specific and they're carefully chosen. 259 00:16:01,490 --> 00:16:02,850 And you still single yield. Great. 260 00:16:02,860 --> 00:16:05,750 OK Still makes it rude and and kind of, you know, a little bit 261 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,570 harsh. It go, OK, doesn't sound any 262 00:16:08,580 --> 00:16:12,780 better, but Jesus is quoting from scripture here. 263 00:16:13,510 --> 00:16:15,670 He's not just pulling these words out of thin air. 264 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,040 He's not just like in frustration, like angry like I 265 00:16:18,050 --> 00:16:19,860 can't believe that you guys couldn't do it. 266 00:16:20,250 --> 00:16:24,300 I cannot believe that I sent you out and now you like this so 267 00:16:24,310 --> 00:16:27,440 soon you can't do the thing. That's not what Jesus is saying. 268 00:16:27,450 --> 00:16:30,630 He's quoting a phrase that's used in Deuteronomy and it's 269 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:31,680 used. If you wanna go find it, you 270 00:16:31,690 --> 00:16:35,710 can. It's Deuteronomy 3220 is where 271 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:38,490 makes the most immediate connection and then again in 272 00:16:38,500 --> 00:16:42,880 Isaiah 59 verse 8. And both of those passages are 273 00:16:42,890 --> 00:16:45,320 moments where God is rebuking the people of Israel. 274 00:16:45,330 --> 00:16:49,140 And it is a rebuke and it is challenging, and it would have 275 00:16:49,150 --> 00:16:53,880 been met with that same level of heaviness, but it is for a very 276 00:16:53,890 --> 00:16:58,410 specific purpose. So God in those passages is 277 00:16:58,420 --> 00:17:03,190 rebuking Israel, the people of Israel, for forgetting who God 278 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:08,300 is and for forgetting. In forgetting who God is, 279 00:17:08,310 --> 00:17:14,260 forgetting who they have been created to be, there are moments 280 00:17:14,270 --> 00:17:19,770 where in Israel's life they completely abandon God, where 281 00:17:19,780 --> 00:17:22,980 where they begun to sacrifice to idols, where they become greedy, 282 00:17:22,990 --> 00:17:25,920 where they've become rich, they've pursued their own 283 00:17:25,930 --> 00:17:28,099 passions. They've forgotten how to fear 284 00:17:28,109 --> 00:17:33,160 God and how to live with God in right relationship to themselves 285 00:17:33,250 --> 00:17:40,790 and to their community. And so it's a word from God that 286 00:17:40,850 --> 00:17:45,760 is a word of rebuke, but specifically one that calls them 287 00:17:45,770 --> 00:17:50,380 back and says, remember, remember who I am. 288 00:17:50,580 --> 00:17:52,760 Remember who you've been called to be. 289 00:17:52,810 --> 00:17:56,240 Remember how you've been called to be, what you have been called 290 00:17:56,430 --> 00:17:58,140 to do. In Isaiah, there's this 291 00:17:58,150 --> 00:18:02,060 beautiful moment, there's this beautiful turn in where in there 292 00:18:02,070 --> 00:18:07,260 helpless state waiting for God to do all the things that he 293 00:18:07,270 --> 00:18:11,140 says he's going to do, they turn and voice their need for a 294 00:18:11,150 --> 00:18:13,750 Redeemer, for a rescuer, for the Messiah. 295 00:18:15,220 --> 00:18:19,230 In Isaiah, God says remember, and they turn and they say we 296 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:23,150 will remember and we will look forward to and we will wait for 297 00:18:23,380 --> 00:18:29,990 the rescuer to come. We'll wait for Jesus to come. 298 00:18:30,930 --> 00:18:33,760 And so it's a phrase, This is a phrase that beckons Israel to 299 00:18:33,770 --> 00:18:37,620 remember and to not forget, to remember who God is, to remember 300 00:18:37,630 --> 00:18:41,280 who they've been made to be. And the disciples would have 301 00:18:41,290 --> 00:18:45,460 immediately think, shaking their heads, and go, We know this 302 00:18:45,470 --> 00:18:51,300 language, we memorized it. We know these stories. 303 00:18:51,310 --> 00:18:53,870 They're the ones that have been read for us. 304 00:18:54,860 --> 00:19:01,450 They're the ones that we've been carrying with us in our being, 305 00:19:01,910 --> 00:19:07,240 waiting in attempts to not forget, trying to remember and 306 00:19:07,250 --> 00:19:16,430 trying to look forward to Jesus. The disciples, you unbelieving 307 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:21,040 and perverse generation, are being called to remember. 308 00:19:25,330 --> 00:19:29,750 Remember God who He is. Remember who they've been 309 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:33,920 created to be, how they've been created to be. 310 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:37,760 You see, the disciples are seen in relationship to Jesus. 311 00:19:39,220 --> 00:19:42,250 The disciples, their lives, good, bad, ugly, everything in 312 00:19:42,260 --> 00:19:46,840 between, are seen from the moment they're called, all the 313 00:19:46,850 --> 00:19:51,920 way through the end of their stories by how they relate to 314 00:19:51,930 --> 00:19:55,360 Jesus. They're heard in relationship to 315 00:19:55,370 --> 00:19:57,000 Jesus. What they're able to do, what 316 00:19:57,010 --> 00:19:59,200 they're not able to do, all of it. 317 00:19:59,270 --> 00:20:02,760 Their lives are lived in relation to Jesus. 318 00:20:03,770 --> 00:20:08,280 And the closer their lives are lived in relation to Jesus, the 319 00:20:08,290 --> 00:20:13,810 more their flaws and failures become apparent and the more 320 00:20:13,820 --> 00:20:20,290 they open themselves up to this kind of challenge and rebuke and 321 00:20:20,300 --> 00:20:23,440 accountability. Have you ever had those moments 322 00:20:23,450 --> 00:20:25,290 where like, you know, middle of the winter, maybe you're 323 00:20:25,300 --> 00:20:28,000 shoveling, maybe you're outside, maybe you're like sledding or 324 00:20:28,010 --> 00:20:30,110 skiing, snowboarding, skating, playing, whatever it is. 325 00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:32,340 And like, your hands for me was always what? 326 00:20:32,350 --> 00:20:34,540 Playing hockey. So I refused, Like I was just 327 00:20:34,550 --> 00:20:38,000 this, I refused to wear proper winter gloves even though I was 328 00:20:38,010 --> 00:20:40,810 playing hockey outside in Montreal, like in the middle of 329 00:20:40,820 --> 00:20:42,760 the winter, how to wear my hockey gloves. 330 00:20:42,850 --> 00:20:45,040 Those things stink. They don't do anything for you 331 00:20:45,050 --> 00:20:46,240 at all. They don't keep your fingers 332 00:20:46,250 --> 00:20:48,140 warm. But I have these moments where 333 00:20:48,150 --> 00:20:50,300 you come in and, like, your fingers or your hands are so 334 00:20:50,310 --> 00:20:54,300 numb that you don't know how cold they actually are until 335 00:20:54,310 --> 00:20:58,690 they start to warm up, Like, until you get close to the fire, 336 00:20:58,700 --> 00:21:00,500 until you get, like, run them under hot water. 337 00:21:00,510 --> 00:21:03,470 And then you really realize how cold you were to begin with. 338 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:06,890 Like that probably wasn't great. This is one of those moments for 339 00:21:06,900 --> 00:21:13,350 the disciples because the closer you are to Jesus, the more you 340 00:21:13,360 --> 00:21:16,770 are opening yourself up to, the more you are revealed in is 341 00:21:16,780 --> 00:21:19,970 revealed in you like your own faults, your own failures, the 342 00:21:19,980 --> 00:21:22,970 more you need grace, the more in need of grace you are. 343 00:21:22,980 --> 00:21:27,400 All of it becomes more apparent the closer you are to Jesus. 344 00:21:29,540 --> 00:21:34,820 The closer I am to Jesus, the more I become aware that I need 345 00:21:34,830 --> 00:21:37,210 grace. It's easy. 346 00:21:37,220 --> 00:21:40,580 Like if I push Jesus off to the side and I say like, I'm gonna 347 00:21:40,590 --> 00:21:42,540 forget about it. I'm not gonna spend as much time 348 00:21:42,550 --> 00:21:45,320 here. Like I it's easy to keep doing 349 00:21:45,330 --> 00:21:49,380 the things that I wanna do. The closer I position myself to 350 00:21:49,390 --> 00:21:53,520 God, the more I become aware that I still need grace. 351 00:21:55,500 --> 00:21:57,600 See, here's the challenge of passages like this. 352 00:21:58,670 --> 00:22:03,070 We want to see ourselves in Jesus and we wanna turn and we 353 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,540 wanna face others and we don't wanna face culture. 354 00:22:06,590 --> 00:22:09,100 We wanna face the world. Say you wicked and perverse 355 00:22:09,110 --> 00:22:14,300 generation, we want to distance ourselves from it like that's 356 00:22:14,310 --> 00:22:17,070 the danger. But you and I, we need to see 357 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:21,870 ourselves in in the failures of the disciples and and how Jesus 358 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:26,970 confronts the disciples. We need to find ourselves there, 359 00:22:26,980 --> 00:22:31,780 confronted by who God really is and calls us to be. 360 00:22:33,100 --> 00:22:37,110 Not in all of the successes, but in their failures. 361 00:22:37,120 --> 00:22:39,790 Very crowded calls these disciples, but not yet ready 362 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,950 disciples, and they kind of stay that way. 363 00:22:43,270 --> 00:22:47,910 It's just continual, challenging wrestling, working out of the 364 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:51,440 Christian life and faith in relation to Jesus. 365 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:54,930 Yeah, I don't know about you, but I, I hear a lot of people 366 00:22:54,940 --> 00:22:58,610 talk about listen, like, hey, I, I don't, I don't wanna come to 367 00:22:58,620 --> 00:23:01,740 church cause I'm not perfect. And like, if you all Christians 368 00:23:01,750 --> 00:23:04,370 are perfect, then like I'm out. That counts me out. 369 00:23:04,380 --> 00:23:06,610 Like I can't do that. It's like, hang out with us for 370 00:23:06,620 --> 00:23:10,460 a little bit, like spend a little bit of time with us, 371 00:23:10,690 --> 00:23:12,300 really get to know us. OK? 372 00:23:12,340 --> 00:23:13,850 Like you'll find that that's not true. 373 00:23:16,310 --> 00:23:19,100 We can so quickly become the ones who speak Jesus's words of 374 00:23:19,110 --> 00:23:22,050 correction when we need to be the ones who hear them. 375 00:23:23,710 --> 00:23:26,880 We need to allow our proximity to Jesus to point out the things 376 00:23:27,230 --> 00:23:30,640 in our life, in our hearts and our minds that need to change, 377 00:23:30,650 --> 00:23:34,430 not in others. The closer you are to Jesus, the 378 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:36,100 more that you you realize you need grace. 379 00:23:37,450 --> 00:23:40,000 So we continue to realize, or reading rather, Jesus doesn't 380 00:23:40,010 --> 00:23:42,560 leave this kid in this situation that he's in. 381 00:23:42,570 --> 00:23:44,840 Even while the boy was coached. He says, hey senior, bring me 382 00:23:44,850 --> 00:23:48,190 the sun even while so he's not even got there yet. 383 00:23:48,850 --> 00:23:53,440 The demon threw him into the ground convulsions, but Jesus 384 00:23:53,570 --> 00:23:57,160 man this if you underline one thing only in the entirety of 385 00:23:57,170 --> 00:24:02,300 your Bibles underlying this line, this phrase, but Jesus, 386 00:24:03,230 --> 00:24:06,230 but God. So here's the reality for this 387 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:09,210 kid. But Jesus rebuked the impure 388 00:24:09,220 --> 00:24:15,170 spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his Father. 389 00:24:16,100 --> 00:24:18,660 They were all amazed at the greatness of God. 390 00:24:18,670 --> 00:24:20,510 He gave him back to his Father like I can. 391 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:22,800 You can picture that reunion. You can probably hear it. 392 00:24:22,910 --> 00:24:25,480 We don't know. We're not told how old this kid 393 00:24:25,490 --> 00:24:31,230 is, but I I can imagine that embrace like that's a loud hug, 394 00:24:32,250 --> 00:24:34,220 right? You know those moments, just 395 00:24:35,070 --> 00:24:39,010 life given back. Jesus rebukes the Spirit. 396 00:24:39,020 --> 00:24:42,930 He heals the boy and he gives him his life back, fully 397 00:24:42,940 --> 00:24:45,540 restored. So here's the reality. 398 00:24:45,620 --> 00:24:49,190 The closer you are to Jesus, yes, the more you realize that 399 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:51,710 you still need grace and always will need grace. 400 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:55,590 But the closer you are to Jesus, the more aware you are of the 401 00:24:55,740 --> 00:25:01,220 greatness of God, the more you have a front row seat to the 402 00:25:01,230 --> 00:25:03,900 greatness of God, to what God is doing. 403 00:25:05,590 --> 00:25:10,580 In Luke 4, you'll remember maybe this is early on in our series, 404 00:25:10,750 --> 00:25:12,600 Jesus declares about himself this. 405 00:25:12,610 --> 00:25:15,660 He says the Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed 406 00:25:15,670 --> 00:25:17,800 me to proclaim the good news to the poor. 407 00:25:17,870 --> 00:25:21,580 He sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of 408 00:25:21,590 --> 00:25:24,980 sight for the blind asset, the oppressed free. 409 00:25:25,050 --> 00:25:29,480 And we see it all throughout the Gospel, and we see it here. 410 00:25:30,370 --> 00:25:34,940 This is Jesus living into that vocation, living into that 411 00:25:35,010 --> 00:25:37,840 mantle of authority and identity, who he is. 412 00:25:37,850 --> 00:25:42,470 This is Jesus bringing the Kingdom, not just this like, 413 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:43,850 hey, like are you gonna get saved? 414 00:25:43,860 --> 00:25:48,170 You go to heaven when you die kind of Kingdom but change your 415 00:25:48,180 --> 00:25:52,630 life, give you your life back kind of Kingdom. 416 00:25:53,920 --> 00:26:01,270 Jesus mountain top experience wasn't an emotional happy high 417 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:06,820 like kind of fun little moment that then they leave and descend 418 00:26:06,830 --> 00:26:10,330 the mountain from. It was a conversation. 419 00:26:10,340 --> 00:26:16,590 We talked about this about his death and Jesus is descent down 420 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:21,640 the mountain. Equally isn't a spiritual crash 421 00:26:21,700 --> 00:26:25,520 or low like the disciples might have experienced or like we can 422 00:26:25,530 --> 00:26:30,600 assume and see in it. It is the presence of God 423 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:36,100 descending the mountain to be with the people, and immediately 424 00:26:36,110 --> 00:26:39,120 we see presence of God descending the mountain and the 425 00:26:39,130 --> 00:26:41,590 Kingdom of God going out. People are healed. 426 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:46,930 This kid is healed you. We like to talk about religion 427 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:52,570 as being an ascent up this mountain, red eye and I reached 428 00:26:52,580 --> 00:26:53,750 the top. If I reached the top of the 429 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:55,720 mountain, I had to work hard enough to get there. 430 00:26:55,770 --> 00:26:58,020 Then like that's where God's presence is going to be. 431 00:26:58,070 --> 00:27:01,260 And at worst, like the worst iteration that I hear is that we 432 00:27:01,270 --> 00:27:04,100 like to talk sometimes as human beings as like, well, every 433 00:27:04,110 --> 00:27:07,080 different religion is just a different side going up the same 434 00:27:07,090 --> 00:27:08,650 mountain. Like we just have different ways 435 00:27:08,660 --> 00:27:11,000 of getting there. And they go absolutely not. 436 00:27:11,070 --> 00:27:14,040 Christianity has nothing to do with ascending a mountain. 437 00:27:15,310 --> 00:27:18,500 Christianity has everything to do with Jesus Descending like 438 00:27:18,510 --> 00:27:21,740 that was the last mountain that human beings ever had to climb 439 00:27:21,810 --> 00:27:24,820 in order to encounter God. Because from there whole Kingdom 440 00:27:24,830 --> 00:27:28,310 comes down, descends and explodes throughout the world. 441 00:27:29,330 --> 00:27:31,540 Like this is the presence of God descending the mountain, 442 00:27:31,550 --> 00:27:36,040 bringing the Kingdom in physical real give you your life back 443 00:27:36,110 --> 00:27:40,940 kinds of ways. Jesus is descent, immediately 444 00:27:40,950 --> 00:27:45,200 impacts those who are gathered, those who witnessed this moment, 445 00:27:45,330 --> 00:27:47,590 heals the man's son. His life is given back, 446 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:50,850 relationship is restored, the Kingdom is coming. 447 00:27:52,460 --> 00:27:55,410 So even though the disciples can't heal this boy, Jesus's 448 00:27:55,420 --> 00:28:01,140 power has not disappeared. His power is no lesser. 449 00:28:02,030 --> 00:28:04,940 There's no question in this moment who has authority. 450 00:28:05,170 --> 00:28:06,900 There's no question who has power. 451 00:28:06,910 --> 00:28:10,120 There's no question who is the Son of God, It says. 452 00:28:10,130 --> 00:28:14,770 They were all amazed at the greatness of God. 453 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:17,910 They were all looking at what God had done. 454 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,710 In fact, you can almost read it that they were all like in shock 455 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:26,650 and awe and wonder and even a little bit distracted at this 456 00:28:26,660 --> 00:28:29,920 one moment. What has happened? 457 00:28:31,980 --> 00:28:38,870 But watch what Jesus does next. While everyone was marveling at 458 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:45,300 all that Jesus did, he said so he speaks to his disciples. 459 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:49,750 Listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you. 460 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:54,920 The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. 461 00:28:57,870 --> 00:29:00,940 See, the disciples are going to eventually find out that walking 462 00:29:00,950 --> 00:29:06,250 with Jesus doesn't just mean walking on the mountain tops, it 463 00:29:06,260 --> 00:29:09,400 means walking with him all the way to his death. 464 00:29:10,690 --> 00:29:15,800 Jesus, though he remains laser focused on the mission to bring 465 00:29:15,810 --> 00:29:19,400 the Kingdom, not just to this one kid, not just to this one 466 00:29:19,410 --> 00:29:25,870 crowd, but to the world. He is laser focused to bring the 467 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:31,040 Kingdom of heaven on earth as it is in heaven to its fullness. 468 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:36,330 And that at this point in the Gospel of Luke for us means a 469 00:29:36,340 --> 00:29:41,570 turn and kind of the slow journey from here to Jerusalem 470 00:29:41,580 --> 00:29:43,530 and then to the cross where he will die. 471 00:29:44,300 --> 00:29:49,260 It means facing his death. And so again, in this moment 472 00:29:49,340 --> 00:29:52,760 where everybody is kind of distracted over here, he calls 473 00:29:52,770 --> 00:29:56,730 the disciples in close and says, I don't want you to forget. 474 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:01,380 Listen carefully. This phrase here, listen 475 00:30:01,390 --> 00:30:06,180 carefully to what I'm about to tell you, is essentially a slang 476 00:30:06,190 --> 00:30:08,280 for. You're gonna guess it. 477 00:30:09,390 --> 00:30:17,790 Remember, don't forget these words. 478 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:20,910 Listen carefully to what I'm going to tell you. 479 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,880 The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. 480 00:30:24,710 --> 00:30:27,460 Jesus wants his disciples to remember. 481 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,430 He wants his disciples to remember Peter declaring you are 482 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:33,550 the Christ, you are God's Messiah. 483 00:30:34,850 --> 00:30:37,620 He wants his disciples remembering the mountaintop 484 00:30:37,630 --> 00:30:41,160 transfiguration and his face and clothing shining as bright as 485 00:30:41,170 --> 00:30:43,660 lightning and Moses and Elijah and a conversation. 486 00:30:43,670 --> 00:30:47,970 But he wants them to also remember the voice from heaven. 487 00:30:47,980 --> 00:30:51,380 This is my son. Pay attention. 488 00:30:51,390 --> 00:30:54,990 Listen to him. He wants them to remember the 489 00:30:55,000 --> 00:31:00,340 healing, to remember the deliverance, and to remember it 490 00:31:00,350 --> 00:31:06,330 all the way up to his own death, and to understand in that moment 491 00:31:06,340 --> 00:31:12,330 that even in death the glory and the power of Jesus is still 492 00:31:12,340 --> 00:31:19,680 fully on display and that the mission of God is being taken to 493 00:31:19,690 --> 00:31:23,640 its fulfillment. He wants his disciples to 494 00:31:23,650 --> 00:31:30,110 remember, and I think He wants you to remember and for me to 495 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:34,760 remember who He is and who you've been called to be. 496 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:38,890 And that's the beauty of communion. 497 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:42,640 That is the gift of this sacrament. 498 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:49,860 It is a gift to God's people that invites us to remember 499 00:31:51,150 --> 00:31:54,360 these gifts, gifts of God for the people of God. 500 00:31:55,000 --> 00:32:00,010 And we eat and we drink and we remember inside of like the core 501 00:32:00,020 --> 00:32:01,820 of our being who we've been created to be. 502 00:32:01,830 --> 00:32:05,700 God's glory, God's power on full display. 503 00:32:07,750 --> 00:32:10,570 We're invited to remember that Jesus's death isn't the end of 504 00:32:10,580 --> 00:32:14,680 the story, that with his death comes his resurrection and 505 00:32:14,690 --> 00:32:19,560 resurrection life. Life to its fullest measure. 506 00:32:21,780 --> 00:32:26,370 So that's your invitation today as we now turn to continue 507 00:32:26,380 --> 00:32:29,490 worshipping by celebrating this table and this meal. 508 00:32:30,460 --> 00:32:38,970 Remember, let me pray. I got to thank you again for 509 00:32:38,980 --> 00:32:42,040 your goodness and your grace. Thank you for your presence with 510 00:32:42,050 --> 00:32:46,210 us, and thank you for these gifts which remind us to 511 00:32:46,220 --> 00:32:50,160 remember. Remember your love, to remember 512 00:32:50,170 --> 00:32:54,700 your presence with us, to remember your glory, your power, 513 00:32:55,620 --> 00:33:00,310 the ways in which you've healed us, the ways in which you 514 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:04,440 continue to heal us. So God, I pray that you would do 515 00:33:04,450 --> 00:33:10,040 that today again. Remind us who we are and remind 516 00:33:10,050 --> 00:33:13,390 us who's we are, that we are yours. 517 00:33:15,810 --> 00:33:18,660 We got through these gifts, through this bread, through this 518 00:33:18,670 --> 00:33:23,650 juice and wine. Would we taste and see that you 519 00:33:23,660 --> 00:33:26,240 are good? We pray these things in the 520 00:33:26,250 --> 00:33:28,600 strong name of Jesus, Amen.