People’s Weakness Vs God’s Power Series

Please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke Chapter 9…

We have noted from v1-9 of Luke 9 that Jesus empowered His first 12 disciples to be able to go out on their own to heal the sick and to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God!

In v10-17 of Luke 9, we noted Jesus teaching His disciples about the presence and power of God over the physical world!

In v18-26, Jesus confronted His disciples about their allegiance to Him as the Only Messiah!

In v27-36, Jesus honored 3 of the Disciples with the experience of heaven and revealed His desire for an intimate relationship with His disciples.

In our passage this morning, Jesus teaches about the reality of the power, holiness, and love of Jesus Christ in contrast with the weakness, sinfulness, and selfishness of people.

Let us pray our commitment to God’s Word before reading out text……

Read along with me Luke 9:37-48….

This story is also described in Matthew 17 and Mark 9; we will cite significant verses from those passages as we learn from Luke 9.

As I mentioned earlier, Jesus teaches about the reality of the power, holiness, and love of Jesus Christ in contrast with the weakness, sinfulness, and selfishness of people.

Let’s first talk about people. People are weak, sinful, and selfish! How can we say this?

a. People like to argue!

We don’ t read it here in Luke 9; but in Mark 9:14, the disciples were arguing with the teachers of the Law and a crowd gathered. In Luke 9:46, the disciples argued amongst themselves about who will be the greatest!

Now, let me ask this question: How many of you survived the week without having a single argument or a disagreement with someone??

Like bellybuttons, everyone has an opinion and opinions lead to arguments! People like to argue because we all like winning an argument! We all want our opinions heard. When we argue, and even with just sharing our opinions, be careful of your selfish attitudes!

b. Jesus, who is God, confirms it.

In Luke 9:41, Matthew 17:17, and Mark 9:19 Jesus states that people are unbelieving and perverse. Jesus meant that statement to everyone, including the disciples!

c. People get sick and are susceptible to the devil.

d. People tend to block out God.

We read in Luke 9:45 that the disciples could not understand Jesus; their minds where somewhere else, not really focused on Jesus! Some of you right now are daydreaming instead of listening! If the person next to you is sleeping, can you wake them up please!

We read in Mark 9:23-24, “If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” People tend to say, “I believe but….”

People are weak, sinful, and selfish. We are all weak, sinful, and selfish! But, Jesus is powerful, holy, and loving!

How can we say this?

a. Jesus cares about people’s problems.

Luke 9:41 is a significant verse; Jesus affirms the problem with people but yet calls on healing anyway! And we note in Luke 9:44 & 48 that Jesus is committed to teaching His disciples.

b. Jesus has power over the devil and life!

c. Nothing is impossible with Jesus and He knows everything!

Now, did you notice that the father of the sick child went to the disciples first but the disciples could not heal the boy? We can note in Matthew 17 and Mark 9 that the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t heal the boy. Without looking at those verses, what do you think Jesus told the disciples why they couldn’t heal the boy??

One of the reasons why the disciples could not heal the boy is actually alluded to in Luke 9:46-48. The disciples had a problem with humility! And in Matthew 17:20, Jesus told His disciples directly that they had little faith. And in Mark 9:29, Jesus told them their prayer life is weak!

And so we note that people have problems and Jesus has the power over those problems, but there can be barriers to God’s solutions. Faith in Jesus Christ is the answer to people’s problem of weakness, sinfulness, and selfishness and a strong faith in Christ is powerful but can only happen with humility and prayer.

What is true with the first disciples is also true with us, isn’t it?

We too are weak, sinful, and selfish and the only way to overcome our problems is complete faith in Jesus Christ!

What kind of faith should we have then?

1. We are to be completely sold out to Jesus Christ! We are not to be like that father who said to Jesus “I think you can.” We are to say “Jesus, You will do whatever you say!” Of course we might not like what Jesus is saying and ignore Him and we miss out on the power of God. Our faith should state “Jesus said it, I believe Him, and I will follow Him!”