Lesson 11

STUDY NOTES on previous study

True Greatness (Luke 9:46-61)

These four short paragraphs which end chapter nine are painfully relevant. Unfortunately, they all deal with common misconceptions of the kingdom and our role in it. The first deals with an issue that will be a problem up until the time that Jesus is arrested – the disciples wanted to know which of them was the most important. Though we may not ask the question of greatness directly (it sounds too bad!), the idea of an established “pecking order” continues to be a major issue in many churches today. It is human nature, when separated from God, to want to be able to use power to control others.

Surely the three disciples closest to Jesus, Peter, James, and John, considered their relationship with Him as an indication of their privileged status. Perhaps the others were suggesting they needed more attention because they were more sinful. For whatever reason, this dispute continued among them. It is interesting that Jesus does not confront their wrongful behavior with a rebuke. He instead offers them a view of greatness that is absolutely counter to everything they valued. He put a small child by His side. In terms of comparison, there could be no wider gap in value to the apostles mind. Here was Messiah, the greatest man to ever walk on the earth, next to a child, who had no value whatsoever. The child had potential value, but no immediate value. Jesus said, in essence, “if you want to host me because you think I am important, and by being a friend of mine that makes you important – then befriend this child. In terms of greatness, these actions (welcoming a child and welcoming Jesus) are equal.” In the kingdom of God, it is absolutely true that the least is indeed the greatest. Why? Because greatness is found in serving, not in being served. As difficult as it is to believe, we manifest the image of God more in loving a child than in being what the world would see as a “great leader of men.”

Do you remember the inability of the disciples to cast out the demon from the young man in last week’s lesson? Now the plot gets more complicated. There was a man who was actually casting out demons in the name of Jesus, but because he was not one of the chosen disciples, they were “righteous” enough to point out the error of his ways and insist he stop it. You realize, of course, this is tied to the previous episode. The issue here, once again, has to do with the supposed elevated privilege of being one of the chosen. The disciples mistakenly thought their being chosen as apostles was about them! It was, from their perspective, because they were more worthy, more important. Full of self-importance, they were indignant toward anyone outside their group. Missed in their mistaken self-importance was the irony that this outsider was operating in true faith, while they were not. He was using the name of Jesus powerfully, while they were using it powerlessly. What should have been celebrated was missed because of their own blindness of self-importance. We must not miss the application of this episode to our own lives. Surely all of us can reflect on how often we have limited God’s power by our own desire for attention and glory.

Luke constantly reminds us that Jesus knew exactly where He was going. His face was “set on Jerusalem.” He knows it is time for Him to make the ultimate sacrifice. As His journey continued, we again see the tragic mistakenness of a self-focused ideology. A Samaritan village had the opportunity to host the Messiah on His way to death, but because He was affirming the importance of the temple at Jerusalem rather than their place of worship on Mount Gerizim, they would not allow Him to stay or rest in their town. Their desire to be right excluded their opportunity to host the Savior. James and John again demonstrate their misunderstanding of the proper use of power. They want to destroy the village. But Jesus rebukes them and simply moves on to another village. A sense of urgency is clearly evident. Jerusalem is on the horizon.

As Jesus journeys with single minded purpose, one professes a willingness to follow Him. The increased urgency of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem is clearly visible. Luke has informed us that Jesus is heading to Jerusalem in order to die, so when one says, “I will follow you wherever you go” Jesus is quick to remind him of the difficulty of the journey. Even the wild animals have housing, but the nature of Jesus’ walk will not allow any safe harbor. Only rejection awaits. Amazingly, none of this changes His direction. It doesn’t even slow Him down! Jesus now calls to one to follow Him. But this man is subject to the most sacred responsibility as a son – his father is either close to death or has died – and thus the son is required to bury the father. But such is the urgency of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, there is no excuse sufficient. As the encounter continues, there is a man less obligated than the one who must bury his father, so he tells Jesus, “I will follow you, Lord.” He reminds us of Elisha being called to join Elijah so that he can take Elijah’s place. Elisha is allowed to return home and bid his family goodbye. But such is the important nature of Jesus’ journey that there is not even time for that.

Some have suggested that the hurried nature of Jesus’ call is only attributable to the immanent crucifixion of Jesus. If that were so, it would be difficult to explain why Luke included these words in his gospel account. Clearly, Luke understood there was important teaching here for those of his time and for any who would read his words. There is a consistent call throughout Luke and Acts for one to fully commit himself to the journey of authentic discipleship. Needs deemed fundamental (a place to lay one’s head) have no real value in the kingdom walk. There are no earthly guarantees written in the “kingdom contract.” There is really nothing worthy of distracting us from the journey of submitting our lives fully to the God who calls us into His service. The call for undivided loyalty is unambiguous. When one is fully immersed in God’s work, when one is involved in plowing the earth in order to plant seeds for the kingdom, one cannot look back.

We are familiar with those in the biblical stories who “looked back.” Lot’s wife is the most easily recalled. But the Bible is full of others who missed their calling because of their inability to see how much more compelling God’s purpose was for their lives. Israel even remembered the bitter life of slavery as desirable because they weren’t eating all the foods they once ate! I am reminded of C.S. Lewis’ famous thought - our problem is not that we want so much, but that we are satisfied with so little. When our thoughts are so focused on this world that we want it more than what God offers, we simply are not fit for the kingdom.

Jesus knew what was to come. He knew He would suffer at the hands of evil men and die a torturous death. Not only did that not deter Him, He calls us to that same journey. It is one thing to heroically submit to a plan that will save all, but Jesus is so convinced that undivided loyalty to God is the only way to live that He calls us to join Him on that journey to Jerusalem. With our eyes fixed on Him, who for the joy set before Him endured the pain of the cross (see Hebrews 12:1-4), we are called to the road of death. But beyond Jerusalem and Golgotha, a crown awaits.

After having read the study notes, answer the following questions:

True Greatness (Luke 9:46-61)

1. Why do you think it was so important for the disciples to conclude who of them was the greatest?

2. What was Jesus’ point with the child?

3. What was Jesus’ calling for in the closing verses of chapter 9?

4. Are we willing to give Jesus that for which He asks in these verses? Why or why not?

Satan Falls! (Luke 10:1-24)

Read Luke 10:1-12

1. Why did Jesus send out the seventy?

2. What were His instructions? How are they similar to those He gave the twelve in 9:1-6?

3. What was to be their message?

4. Do these verses apply to us in any way? If so, how?

Read 10:13-16

1. Why do you think Jesus pronounces “woes” against these cities?

2. What was the ultimate message He wanted those cities to hear?

3. What does Jesus’ instruction concerning “listening to them” (disciples) and its relationship to “listening to me” (Jesus) tell us about our work in announcing the kingdom?

Read 10:17-20

1. What were the seventy excited about as they returned?

2. What did Jesus tell them He saw?

3. For what should they ultimately rejoice?

4. Does this have an application to us in terms of that for which we should rejoice? Why or why not?

Read 10:21-24

1. Why do you think Luke tells us that Jesus was full of joy “in the Holy Spirit”?

2. Can we have that same kind of joy? Why or why not?

3. Why do you think Jesus rejoiced over the simplicity of His message?

4. Why were the disciples particularly blessed?

5. Are we blessed in a similar way? Why or why not?