Bible Study Materials

Luke 9:37-45 (2011)

by Paul Choi   05/01/2011  

Question


JESUS PREDICTS HIS BETRAYAL

Luke 9:37-45

Key Verse 9:44

1. Read verse 37. Where had Jesus been and what had happened to him there? Who came down from the mountain together with Jesus? (28) Who was waiting for them at the foot of the mountain? Why?

2. Read verses 38-40. Who caught Jesus’ attention? What problem did he bring to Jesus? How had this problem affected the boy? The father? The disciples? What can you learn here about the work of demons?

3. Read verse 41. How did Jesus respond to the father’s words? What is the relationship of the boy’s problem to the unbelief of that entire generation? How does Jesus unbelief? What is unbelief? (Ro 1:21) What are the symptoms of unbelief in general? (Ro 1:21-32) In our generation?

4. Read verses 42-43a. How did Jesus deal with the demon? The boy? The father? How did people respond? What do you learn about Jesus here?

5. Read verses 43b-45. What specific event did Jesus predict would happen to him? Why did Jesus have to bear this pain of betrayal? (Isa 53:3-5) What were the implications to his disciples? Did they understand Jesus’ words? Why not?


Attachment


Message


JESUS LAMENTS OVER THE UNBELIEVING GENERATION

Luke 9:37-45

Key Verse :9:41 “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

  Last week we learned about Jesus’ transfiguration on a mountain before the eyes of his disciples. Through his transfiguration Jesus revealed the image as the Holy God Almighty.  It is very important for us to see this glorious image of Jesus because the light of Jesus can erase all dark and evil images in our hearts. From a human point of view, we are not different from other people. However, to the eyes of God we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to God.(1Pe 2:9) May God give us the eyes to see Jesus and may he imprint his glorious image in our hearts so that we can live a glorious and victorious life on this earth. Amen.

  In today’s passage Jesus heals a boy who was possessed by evil spirits. In healing the boy, Jesus laments over an unbelieving generation. By healing the boy, Jesus reveals his compassion and power as the Messiah. Jesus is the way and the answer. Then Jesus predicts his suffering to his disciples so that they may prepare by faith for his impending passion and crucifixion. Let us study the meaning of Jesus’ healing the boy and the prediction of his suffering.

First, Jesus comes down from the mountain (37-40). Look at verse 37. “The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him.” It was the next day after Jesus was transfigured. When Jesus came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. It is amazing that a large crowd was waiting for Jesus even though it was a remote place near the mountain. While Jesus was on the mountain, the people were like sheep without a shepherd (Mk 6:34). They were looking for Jesus. They were waiting for Jesus. They needed Jesus. This is because they knew that Jesus was the only one who could solve their life problems.

  Jesus’ coming down from the mountain reminds us of his incarnation. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Through the transfiguration on the mountain, Jesus revealed himself as the Holy God Almighty. Jesus is in very nature God. He is holy and glorious. However, he humbled himself and came down to this world as a man. He gave up his heavenly glory and power in order to be with us and to save us. When we see this glorious Jesus who came down from the mountain to be with us and to die for our sins, we cannot do anything but praise him and say, “Thank you, Jesus. Thank you. Thank you.”

  What was happening when Jesus came down from the mountain? Look at verses 38-40. “A man in the crowd called out, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsion so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”  The same incident is recorded in Matthew’s and Mark’s gospel (Mt 17:14-23, Mk 9:14-32) According to Mark’s gospel, Jesus’ remaining disciples were arguing with the teachers of the law in front of the sick boy whose father’s heart was broken. To the father, it was a time for healing by all means, not a time for arguing,. The boy was his only child. The boy was everything to his father since he was an only child. His father wished for him to grow as a healthy, strong, happy-go-lucky boy. To his dismay, however, the boy was possessed with evil spirits. The evil spirits controlled him. Sometimes they threw the boy into water. Sometimes they threw him into fire. The boy’s future was unpredictable and very dangerous. He didn’t know what would happen to his son in next five minutes. The boy needed 24/7 watch and care.

  The author Luke is a physician. To the eyes of a medical doctor, the boy had symptoms of epilepsy. Epilepsy is known as a brain disorder involving repeated and spontaneous seizures of any type. There are 300,000 epileptic children under the age of 14 in America.  For 67 % of them, the causes of epilepsy are unknown. To our surprise, Luke saw the cause of the boy’s seizure as possession by evil spirits not as a brain disorder. We don’t know why this poor, suffering boy was possessed by evil spirits. Evil spirits are dirty spirits. The boy might have watched many dirty movies or played all kinds of violent video games. Probably he could not overcome peer pressure from his bully classmates. Children are greatly influenced by their parents. The boy’ sickness might have been genetically inherited or spiritually influenced by his parent. For whatever reason, the boy’s condition was serious and his father’s situation was desperate.

  The father brought his son to Jesus’ disciples expecting that they would heal his son.  The nine remaining disciples, all except Peter, James and John, were feeling sorry for themselves since they had been excluded from going up the mountain with Jesus. So they thought that God gave them a good opportunity to exercise their authority and power by healing the sick boy with their experienced skills. They tried to heal the boy one by one.  But they all failed and became a laughingstock to the teachers of the law. The disciples were powerless and helpless before the poor boy, along with his frustrated father. 

Second, Jesus lamented over the unbelieving generation. (41) How did Jesus see this situation? How did he help them? Look at verse 41. “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” It is amazing that Jesus did not see this as the boy’s personal problem, but as the whole generation’s problem - its social, national, and especially its spiritual problem. Jesus saw the cause of the boy’s demon possession as the result of unbelief and corruption of the people. When Jesus lamented, “O unbelieving and perverse generation”, he directly rebuked the father’s unbelief.  People might have said that the father had faith because he brought his son to Jesus. However, the father seemed to have thought, “Let’s see what these people can do.” So in Mark’s gospel, the father asked Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” (Mk 9:22) The father came to Jesus with half faith and half doubt. Half faith is not faith at all. It is unbelief. Jesus rebuked the father’s unbelief. Later the father asked Jesus, “help me overcome my unbelief.” (Mk 9:24)

Is there anyone here who has the same problem as this father has? Are your sons and daughters okay spiritually? As their fathers and mothers, we should be good influences to our children. We should show them how to live by faith. Many children in America go to church with their parents. However, many of them leave church and quit their lives of faith when they graduate from high school. Bringing children to church is good, but not good enough. Parents must continuously encourage their children and educate them with the Bible so that their children may have personal faith in Jesus Christ and grow spiritually. Above all, parents should give a good example of how to love God, obey him, and live according to his word. St. Louis UBF runs a wonderful CBF program under missionary Abraham Park’s stewardship. Our children have been growing spiritually through diligent Bible studies, prayer, and participation in all kinds of activities. They are well protected and all things are provided. However, that is not enough. We must give a good example of how to live by faith as Bible teachers and missionaries. We should be good shepherds and spiritual mentors in every way. My children are growing well because of their mother’s spiritual care. I should not take it for granted. Rather, I must influence them spiritually through my devoted, responsible, and honest life of mission.

The word “generation” implies “people of those days” including Jesus’ disciples and the religious leaders. Jesus rebuked his disciples’ unbelief. Later the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it (the evil spirit) out?”  In Matthew’s gospel Jesus answered them, “Because you have so little faith…” (Mt 17:20). In Mark’s gospel Jesus answered them, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” (Mk 9:29) According to Jesus’ words, his disciples could not drive out evil spirits because they had little faith and did not pray. As Bible teachers, we often become helpless and frustrated before the power of evil spirits.  I often confronted my limitations in helping an agnostic at Wash U. However, Jesus rebuked the disciple’s lack of faith and absence of prayer. By rebuking, Jesus wants us to have the faith that nothing is impossible with God. Jesus said to his disciples. “If you can?” “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Having faith in Jesus means, “I can’t do anything by my own will and strength. But, I believe that God can do everything and that everything is possible for him who believes.” (Mk 9:23) Those who have faith pray. This is because prayer is total dependence on God and on his power.  In reaching out to students on campus or in raising disciples of Jesus, we can do nothing but have faith in Jesus and pray.

Jesus also lamented over the unbelief and corruption of the religious leaders. The word “perverse” means “corrupt”. The religious leaders such as high priests, teachers of the law, elders, and Pharisees should have been shepherds for God’s people. They should have accepted Jesus as the Promised Messiah and repented of their unbelief. However, they became corrupt with money and power. They rejected Jesus in order to save their own skins. They were not shepherds, but hired men who took advantage of their people.  Each first Thursday in May is the National Day of Prayer in America. Last Thursday some of our church members and I attended the prayer meeting, which was held in the St. Louis city hall downtown. One of the representative prayer leaders prayed for the restoration of prayer in public schools in this country. School prayer has been banned since 1963. His prayer was heart-touching because we know the importance of school prayer and the deadly consequences of its absence. We must pray that God may restore school prayer in all public schools in this country so that our children may freely pray, worship, and serve God.

What will Jesus say when he see this generation? Jesus may lament over it, saying, “O unbelieving and perverse post-modern generation!” One of the main phenomena of post-modernism is relativism. The Post-modern generation does not accept absolute truth. They think and measure everything in relativistic way. So they reject believing the absolute truth of God. As the Bible says, although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. (Ro 1:21-23)

Jesus lamented over the unbelief and corruption of his generation. He continued, “How long shall I stay with you and put up with you?  Bring your son here.” (41b) Jesus asked them to bring the boy to him. How did he help the boy then?

Third, Jesus rebuked the evil spirits and healed the boy. (42-43b)  Look at verses 42-43b. “Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirits, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. And they were all amazed at the greatness of God…” The evil spirits were very persistent up to the last minute. They did not let the boy go freely to Jesus. They threw the boy again and again to the ground. However, when they confronted Jesus they became powerless like dogs in front of a tiger. When Jesus rebuked them, they all ran away from the boy and disappeared without a trace. In this way, Jesus drove out evil spirits. In this way, Jesus healed the boy. In this way, Jesus revealed the greatness of God.

  Here we learn that Jesus is the Wonderful Savior and the Almighty God who rules the spiritual world. No one could heal the boy except Jesus.  No one dared to drive out the evil spirits but Jesus. No one could rebuke the unbelieving and perverse generation but Jesus. Jesus is the Wonderful Savior and the Almighty God. Jesus is the answer for all life’s questions and he is the solution for all human problems. People say that the world is going nowhere. They are confused and troubled like the boy’s father, the religious leaders, and the disciples. They look for answers and solutions. Jesus has the answer. There is solution in Jesus. Jesus said, “Bring your son here.” In Mark’s gospel Jesus said, “Bring the boy to me.” (Mk 9:19) We must bring our sons and daughters to Jesus. We must bring our problems to Jesus. Do you have any problems and troubles in your heart? Bring them to Jesus. There is an answer in Jesus and there is solution in Jesus. Jesus is the Wonderful Savior and the Almighty God. Amen.

Fourth, Jesus predicts his betrayal. (43b-45) While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, “Listen carefully to what I am going about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.” (43b,44) Jesus was not moved by the people’s amazed reaction to the healing. He repeatedly predicted his passion, crucifixion, and resurrection to his disciples so that they might stand firm in the time of his suffering and death. (Mt 17:22,23;Mk 9:31) However, Jesus’ disciples did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it. (45) Jesus didn’t give any additional explanation to his disciples because they were not ready to accept or understand his words. However, in his prediction we learn how Jesus became our Wonderful Savior and Almighty God. A candidate for president recently suggested a solution for all current problems, saying, “We can change, yes we can.” Jesus did not give us such empty promises. Rather, he made himself nothing and became the sacrificial lamb for the atonement of sins. In order to give us healing, he was rejected, wounded, and killed. He received punishment in our place in order to give us peace with God. (Isa 53:6, Ro 5:1) He accepted the cup of death in order to give us eternal life. He provided a solution for men’s sin and their death problem.  He opened the way for sinners to come to God through his death and resurrection.  Jesus accepted his betrayal, suffering and death in order to show us the answer. Jesus did not celebrate the boy’s healing. He expected healing for all generations - healing for the whole world through his coming death and resurrection.

  In today’s passage Jesus lamented over his unbelieving and perverse generation. We should repent of our personal sins as well as our national sins. We must have the eyes of Jesus in order to have compassion for the sufferings of this generation and a sense of responsibility as shepherds and spiritual leaders for this nation. Above all, Jesus wants us to believe in him as the Savior of the world and as the answer and solution for this post-modern generation. May God make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Amen.


Attachment




St Louis UBF University Bible Fellowship

7375 Tulane Ave University City, MO 63130, USA
314-898-3512 choi8149@yahoo.com


  Website : UBF HQ | Chicago UBF | Korea UBF | Pray Relay Site |   YouTube : UBF HQ | UBF TV | Daily Bread

Copyright St Louis UBF UBF © 2020