40. Pride

[Pastor Ralph]

Please share your thoughts on one or more of the questions in this lesson. 

[hanks]

1. What real human need did the disciples distort when they vied for who would be the greatest? Why does a legitimate need get distorted? How should this need be met?

The real human need the disciples distorted, was their need of a robust relationship amongst each other. They were going out into a hostile world and what they needed most during this time was to be strong together for the task at hand. They needed to be unified and supportive of each other. Instead, they were arguing about who would be the greatest. Relationships are based on loving sacrifice and service, and selfless giving of themselves to others. So, we get their legitimate need of a strong relationship being distorted and destroyed by their pride. Pride focuses on self and is indifferent, as well as being judgmental and critical to others. We start thinking of ourselves as being greater and superior to others, and this grasp for greatness has the same effect among people today, causing disunity, disharmony, and jealousy. It is therefore disruptive and the most common destroyer of relationships. The opposite of pride is humility. Our care for others is a measure of our greatness. How we have expressed our care for the helpless, the needy, and the poor is how Jesus measures our greatness.

[hanks]

2. Why did Jesus ask a little child to stand beside Him on this occasion? Strictly from these verses in Luke and nowhere else in the Bible, how does receiving a child in Jesus' name require humility? How does this sort of humility relate to the disciples' sin?

Jesus took a child and stood him at His side to correct the disciples’ pride. In Jesus’ day, a child under 12 had no status. Jesus was showing that His disciples must welcome and be kind to those whom society regarded as unimportant. Not only was this child not unimportant; by receiving ones such as this, Jesus’ disciples actually receive Him and the Father who sent Him. This shows us God’s concern for every person, no matter how unimportant our society may regard him or her. This sort of humility shows the disciples that if they think they are great, their focus is wrong. The only thing that makes them “something” is their association with Jesus, and that isn’t because of anything good/great in them, but only because of His undeserved grace.

[hanks]

3. What, do you think, was the disciples' real motive in stopping the exorcist? Why did Jesus rebuke them?

The disciples real motive for stopping the exorcist was that he was not one of their followers. They had not been unable to cast out a single evil spirit, but when they saw a man who was not one of their group casting out demons, they told him to stop. Besides having their pride hurt, they were jealous. Jesus rebuked them for their intolerance, and narrow-minded view. There is no room for such jealousy in the spiritual warfare of His Kingdom. They were not to see themselves as God’s exclusive representatives. Rather they should have rejoiced that the power of God was being manifested on earth by others as well. If they manifested that attitude, it would show that they were truly trying to be of service to the Messiah.

[hanks]

4. Jesus' rejection by a Samaritan village is only recounted by Luke. What were Jesus' disciples to learn when Jesus rebuked their plan to call down fire upon the village? What are we disciples today to learn from it? 

The disciples reaction to destroy the village by fire from heaven came from Elijah who destroyed by fire those who were opposing God’s work. Jesus, on the other hand, called for tolerance. The implication is not that it was right to oppose Jesus and His followers. The Samaritans who rejected Jesus would be judged for their rejection. However, there were more important things to take care of. Jesus had to move along toward Jerusalem. Today, we can learn from this. When others reject or insult us we are not to retaliate; even sometimes it can be very hard not to. No ways can we ask or expect God to fight our personal battles. And it’s not for us to judge others we must leave that to God.

[hanks]

5. What group or groups of people do you have the most trouble loving? How can the Lord help you love them? 

No problems here. We are made in the image of God. I’m definitely not a racist. I respect all denominations. However, I might not agree with certain cultures, but then again I don’t expect people to accept my culture. I love ALL who love my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but not always their deeds.

[Irmela]

What real human need did the disciples distort when they vied for who would be the greatest? Why does a legitimate need get distorted? How should this need be met?

The need to be accepted in a group situation and to work in unity with each other.

This gets distorted because of greed, jealousy or a desire to be the most prominent. Not being able to accept individuality. Pride. Thinking ones work is the best. 

This need can be met by humbly accepting our differenced and serving each other. 

[Irmela]

2. Why did Jesus ask a little child to stand beside him on this occasion? Strictly from these verses in Luke and nowhere else in the Bible, how does receiving a child in Jesus' name require humility? How does this sort of humility relate to the disciples' sin?

The question among the disciples was which of them might be the greatest. 

Children were not highly thought of. Probably taken to be a nuisance at times. It takes humility to see Christ in a little child. The disciples were told by Jesus that he who accepted and welcomed a child in His Name accepted and welcomed Christ. He made a child stand next to Him, thereby showing that he was not worthless but important to Him. This should have shocked them into reality, because children were not really to be found among the grown ups. 

It was pride that was rearing its ugly head because they wanted to know who was surpassing the others in excellence, worth and authority. Definately not showing any humility. 

[Irmela]

3. What, do you think, was the disciples' real motive in stopping the exorcist? Why did Jesus rebuke them?

The disciples must have seen this man do this when they were sent out in teams to drive out demons etc. I guess they felt that Jesus had not equipped him to do so. So to them he was inferior to them. Jesus rebuked them because He saw the jealousy behind it. He wanted them to see and recognize that there were people not in their everyday group who were also following Him. 

[Irmela]

4.  Jesus' rejection by a Samaritan village is only recounted by Luke. What were Jesus' disciples to learn when Jesus rebuked their plan to call down fire upon the village? What are we disciples today to learn from it?

They were to learn yet again that Jesus came to save not to destroy. They should have been able to recognize that they harboured hate in their hearts and racial religious pride. We too can learn by this example that we are to tolerate racial differences. This does not mean we are to accept what is wrong behavior and overlook it. It does not mean accepting sin as being ok. 

[Irmela]

5.  What group or groups of people do you have the most trouble loving? How can the Lord help you love them?

The ones that purposefully reject our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

He said love your enemies and pray for them (my words). I guess by doing exactly that. Pray for them. 

[Katy]

Q1.The greatest human need is to have Christ like humility, so we can see the needs of those around us. If we are full of pride we will be thinking about ourselves and our needs and working towards that end, with little thought about the people around us in whom we should be interested in and serving. In this passage we see the disciples arguing about which of them would be the greatest. This kind of arguing brings about disharmony among those who should have been close and unified. They were only concerned with there own lives not about those around them.

Q2.Jesus asked a child to stand beside him to demonstrate to His disciples that He thought this little one was important which was contrary to the custom of the day. Children had no standing in society until they were 12 to 13 years. Before this age they were of no interest except to their parents. The disciples were inclined to keep the children away from Jesus but Jesus didn’t want that.Jesus was showing His disciples that they were to be different and to show humility and accept children as He accepted them. He also told them that if they accepted a child as He did they were accepting Him and also His Father who sent Him. Jesus knew this was hard for the disciples because He knew their pride and to accept a little child in His name would take humility.

Q3. The disciples are full of pride and when they see someone who is not part of their group casting out demons they are not happy and stop him. They are insecure and feel threatened by his power. They feel they are the ones who have exclusive powers to caste out demons. They want to stop anyone they feel is threatening their unique position. Jesus rebukes them because He knows their hearts and knows exactly why they stopped him.

Q4.Jesus rebukes the disciples because their reaction was totally wrong, it was motivated by their intolerance and racial and religious pride. They may have been hurt and angered because Jesus was rejected by the Samaritans but that was not a reason to destroy them. They were making a judgment that was not theirs to make. Jesus had come to save and not to destroy people. They could not share the good news with them at any stage if they were destroyed by fire. Their sense of righteousness without mercy was not fitting for the disciples of Jesus. It was as though they felt called to follow Jesus but did not have the love for certain people that Jesus had. This would effect their ministry because people can feel it when we have a sense of self righteousness and disapprove of people for some reason. This passage has a lot to teach every one of us because we all hold biases to some degree. This is a good reminder to examine ourselves and ask God to show us where our individual biases lie, and how we need to address them in order to be in line with what Jesus wants us to be.

Q5. I find it difficult to love or even like those around me who reject Jesus and are so arrogant that they won’t even listen or they think they are far too advanced and sophisticated to believe in that rubbish! I ask God to help me find opportunity when I know I am meeting one of these unbelieving people. Also to give me grace to speak with gentleness and respect. But I still need forgiveness because my attitude in my heart is not Christ like. 

[haar]

1.    What real human need did the disciples distort when they vied for who would be the greatest? Why does a legitimate need get distorted? How should this need be met?

Love and  and receive/ accept others no matter their low status

2.    Why did Jesus ask a little child to stand beside him on this occasion? Strictly from these verses in Luke and nowhere else in the Bible, how does receiving a child in Jesus' name require humility? How does this sort of humility relate to the disciples' sin?

Children are usually considered not important/ significant to be noticed/ related to. It takes humility to consider them as important enough to receive and welcome talk less of relating with

3.    What, do you think, was the disciples' real motive in stopping the exorcist? Why did Jesus rebuke them?

Jealousy and pride

4.    Jesus' rejection by a Samaritan village is only recounted by Luke. What were Jesus' disciples to learn when Jesus rebuked their plan to call down fire upon the village? What are we disciples today to learn from it?

We need to show love and forgive those that treat us bad rather seek revenge

5.    What group or groups of people do you have the most trouble loving? How can the Lord help you love them?

People of other faith generally speaking. But I have some very close friends who are muslims who we relate very well now despite how religion has been politiciced in my country now. I do pray for them and we still attend social events such weddings of one another despite our differences.

[Old Jerry]

What real human need did the disciples distort when they vied for who would be the greatest? Why does a legitimate need get distorted? How should this need be met?

 

A. The real human need that the disciples vied for was pride. The legitimate need get distorted because that is their main focus and some of the more important focus get tossed aside.

 

Why did Jesus ask a little child to stand beside him on this occasion? Strictly from these verses in Luke and nowhere else in the Bible, how does receiving a child in Jesus' name require humility? How does this sort of humility relate to the disciples' sin?

 

A. Jesus asked a little child to stand beside him so he could show what a humble person looked like. Children are a nascence and it takes a humble person with patience to deal with them. The disciples were trying to outdo each other to show who was the greatest.

 

What, do you think, was the disciples' real motive in stopping the exorcist? Why did Jesus rebuke them?

 

A. They thought they were the only ones who should be exercising the exorcist. The person that was performing the exorcist was out showing the disciples.

 

Jesus' rejection by a Samaritan village is only recounted by Luke. What were Jesus' disciples to learn when Jesus rebuked their plan to call down fire upon the village? What are we disciples today to learn from it?

 

A. Jesus had already said that we should love our enemies so he stopping the destruction of the village was to show his love for his enemies.

 

What group or groups of people do you have the most trouble loving? How can the Lord help you love them?

 

A. Those that have living the alternative life style. The Lord can help me to love them by letting be see them as a person and to focus of their sins.

[Bailey]

Bailey Greetings 10/16/21   Lovely weather today, nice and cool just like I like it.

1.  The disciples distorted humility, they seem lost in their egos, they displayed haughtiness and lacked empathy.  Pride in themselves and even the back biting got out of hand.  The legitimate need got distorted when it became that of a selfish need.  Almost like children. They displayed the sense or act of entitlement.  This need should have been met by them checking themselves.  Did they not see how Jesus was looking at them, or were the ashamed of their own selfish needs?

2.  I think the real motive for stopping the exorcist was that of fear.  I thought the hesitation on their part maybe that of not being able to perform in front of Jesus and again jealous of the man for doing what should of been done by them.  Here their ego's got in the way of doing great works.

3.  I have read this scripture many times in the past,  but I thought of it like this.  Who in their right minds would wish fire to rain down on a village?  It was like they had a touch of demons upon them.  The question is really what were they thinking and what was in their hearts?  Where was the Love that Jesus commanded, Love thy neighbor ?   Have they lost sight of their own hearts, do no wrong.  Here again egos are at play.

[Godswriter]

1.    What real human need did the disciples distort when they vied for who would be the greatest? Why does a legitimate need get distorted? How should this need be met?

They distorted humility with pride by arguing over who would be first and not thinking in the terms of the Kingdom. Because they didn't know how to differentiate between love and acceptance and being no #1. By learning how to listen and obey God's voice instead of going it on our own.

2.    Why did Jesus ask a little child to stand beside him on this occasion? Strictly from these verses in Luke and nowhere else in the Bible, how does receiving a child in Jesus' name require humility? How does this sort of humility relate to the disciples' sin?

Because a little child was an example of how one is to enter the kingdom to be one of God's children. They don't know anything about pride because they are too immature to understand the difference between pride and humility when one chooses to humble themselves before the Lord.

3.    What, do you think, was the disciples' real motive in stopping the exorcist? Why did Jesus rebuke them?

Jealousy because they were not having the effects that he was having on the people, and they felt that he was working against them. Since he knew what their true heart's intentions and what they were truly after.

4.    Jesus' rejection by a Samaritan village is only recounted by Luke. What were Jesus' disciples to learn when Jesus rebuked their plan to call down fire upon the village? What are we disciples today to learn from it?

That God is the only one who can truly help us out of our pits of trouble and rescue us. That God works according to His mercy towards us and chooses when to punish us. We have no say whatsoever in what happens in this world. That God is ultimately in control.

5.    What group or groups of people do you have the most trouble loving? How can the Lord help you love them?

People who are bossy or know it all's. People who are impolite and don't care who they offend. By opening my eyes to see them as they really are.

[George L]

What real human need did the disciples distort when they vied for who would be the greatest? We need to know where/how we are to fit into Gods plan and our position in ministry and of support of ministery. Why does a legitimate need get distorted? The enemy wants pride to rule, I am bove you. Where God needs even the stall cleaner to do their job in godlyloving attitude to reach others. How should this need be met? We need to spend our time in prayer with the holy spirit that he show us, convict us, teach us.

Why did Jesus ask a little child to stand beside him on this occasion? Comparison of the last shall be first in stature as well as timing.  Strictly from these verses in Luke and nowhere else in the Bible, how does receiving a child in Jesus' name require humility? A child is of great potential in the future of the kingdom. Understanding they are precious in God’s sight as we are is seriously important to their development.  How does this sort of humility relate to the disciples' sin? It is as declaring the child to have no kingdom worth to the child.

What, do you think, was the disciples' real motive in stopping the exorcist? They thought they had an exclusive new dispensation. Like those who believe the christian church is not grafted in rather than replacing the hebrew covenant people of his promise. Why did Jesus rebuke them? Humility comes by pride being beaten out of us in God’s armory. I once asked for the sword of the Lord and the front of the battle. “You fool!” Was the response. Then the lesson that the sword gets the fire and the hammering to put it into shape. It takes a beating in battle, and again to the armory for the fire and forging hammer  blows getting it straightened out again. I then asked for a bulldozer ministry, I’ll go clean out the ditches Lord…

Jesus' rejection by a Samaritan village is only recounted by Luke. What were Jesus' disciples to learn when Jesus rebuked their plan to call down fire upon the village? God rathers we call for mercy not judgement. Judgement is always His. What are we disciples today to learn from it? Psalm 35:13-14, cry for those in error. Seek God on their behalf.

What group or groups of people do you have the most trouble loving? Lying politicians and those practicing abominations. How can the Lord help you love them? The Lord explicitly said I paid the price for all. That none should perish. Once that settles in and we understand the lamb if God willingly, knowing all mankind’s future abominations paid that price that they too be saved. And we understand that hell is so terrible that only Lucifer and his 1/3 of the angels shiuld end their. I am able to cry for them. Seek God’s mercy for them. Pray they be saved from that horrible fate.