Luke 9:43-45
What Have You Not Understood?
Jesus had just performed an extraordinary miracle, and He wanted to us
the attention it had gotten to teach the disciples an important truth.
Luke 9:44 …the Son of man shall be delivered
into the hands of men.
This was a prophecy of the cross. It may have been one of the first
times Jesus spoke it, but just as amazing as the miracle and the
prophecy was the disciples response \\#45\\.
1. They understood it not.
2. They perceived it not.
3. They feared to ask.
This was not a onetime occurrence.
John 8:27 They understood not that he spake to
them of the Father.
John 10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them:
but they understood not what things they were
which he spake unto them.
John 12:16 These things understood not his
disciples at the first: but when Jesus was
glorified, then remembered they that these
things were written of him, and that they had
done these things unto him.
Questions:
What have you and I not understood?
What important things have we not understood?
What necessary things have we not understood?
I have been studying the Bible many years and the more I read of it,
the more I am convinced that I need to study it more.
I. Why do we not understand spiritual truths?
A. A "Wrong-Teacher" Relationship
1. When I say "Teacher" here, I am not referring to the
preacher but to the preacher’s Teacher.
a. Even the preacher must have "The Teacher."
b. Who is The Teacher?
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and
bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.
2. Without the Holy Ghost, no one cannot understand the
Bible.
3. You might understand some facts: people, places,
events; but you will never understand Bible truths
without a right relationship with the Holy Ghost.
4. Many people hurl doubt and denial at the Bible.
a. The first thing you should ask is, "Are they even
saved?"
1Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.
b. A lot of people have letters behind their names and
prominent titles in front of them, but they have
never been born again.
5. But even Christians must have a right relationship with
the Holy Ghost.
a. Bible calls it being "filled with the Spirit."
b. That is opposition to grieving Him, resisting Him,
and quenching Him?
B. "Not-Even-Trying" Problem - we can’t learn if you don’t study.
1. We won’t get it if we don’t read it. You cannot understand
the Bible if you do not open it and read it.
2. We won’t get it if we don’t put ourselves in a position
to be taught and preached the Word.
Ac 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and
heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said,
Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man
should guide me? And he desired Philip that
he would come up and sit with him.
a. This man was not a bumkin.
(1) \\#Acts 8:27\\ Served Candice, the Queen of
the Ethiopians. He was educated and very well
trained.
(2) He was leaving Jerusalem, the Jewish city of
worship and had traveled hundreds of miles to be
there.
(3) He had attended Passover and Pentecost and was on
a spiritual high.
(4) He loved God enough to purchase the scroll of
Isaiah.
(5) He was only a short distance out of town and had
pulled over to read and to study it.
b. Yet, when Philip asked if he understood it, he
answered….
Acts 8:31 …How can I, except some man should
guide me?
(1) This man was wise enough to know this was not his
field of expertise and he sought help.
(2) That is why God created the church and called
pastors and teachers.
(3) Take advantage of those God has made available to
teach and preach the Word to you.
C. "Not-Living-It" Problem
1. Even if we do get the Bible, we won’t keep it if we don’t
obey and practice it.
Luke 8:12 Those by the way side are they that
hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the
word out of their hearts, lest they should
believe and be saved.
2. Like a muscle that is not used, so the Word of God that is
not practiced, is soon lost.
3. Only worse than losing the muscle, the Word that is lost
will not even be remembered.
D. "Think-You-Know" Problem - Some people are so sure that they
are right that you cannot tell they are wrong.
1. I think that may have been what caused the disciples to
have a problem here.
2. They knew, correctly so, that the Messiah was to rule
and reign.
3. Being armed with that bit of truth kept them from
understanding the truth that He must die, be buried,
and rise again.
4. It is even worse when what you think you know is
completely wrong.
II. What are we not understanding?
A. Some are not understanding salvation.
1. Believe it or not, Jesus’ own disciples were not
understanding the necessity of the cross.
a. They understood the coming of the Messiah.
b. They understood the kingdom that He would set up.
c. They understood the glory that would bring to Israel
and to the Jews.
d. But they did not understand that you cannot wear the
crown without first carrying the cross.
2. We living in a world today that prides itself in its
knowledge but completely lacks wisdom and understanding.
a. Some deny sin or minimize its importance.
(1) Sin is not only all around us. Sin is in us.
(a) There is an sinful streak in mankind a mile
long.
(b) lust, envy, gospel, lying, cheating,
stealing, killing, drunkenness,
fornication
(c) You have to close your eyes not to see it.
(2) There is more evidence of sin than of death.
Death only comes once in a lifetime. Sin comes
daily; and for some people, it comes all day
b. Some deny God.
(1) While there is evidence of God all around us,
some refuse to see Him.
(2) They have substituted all sorts of things for
God: evolution, aliens, cosmic accidents….
(3) If there is the slightest possibility that God is
real and you do not investigate the Bible
thoroughly, then you would be a foolish person.
3. What are the facts about salvation?
a. Salvation is trusting that Jesus Christ died for your
sins.
(1) Jesus is God.
(2) Jesus put on flesh to be mortal.
(3) Jesus died for our sins.
(4) On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead as
proof that God accepted Jesus’ death as payment
for sin.
(5) If you will trust in Jesus’ death as payment for
your sins and offer yourself as an obedient
servant to God, God will apply Jesus’ death to
your sin account, wiping away all of your sin
now and forever.
(6) The only proof of salvation is a changed life.
b. Please do not miss the most important truth in all
the world!
B. Some Christians are not understanding the Christian life.
1. There are too many carnal Christians.
2. What are carnal Christians? Christians who just don’t get
the importance of living a diligent, surrendered life to
Jesus Christ.
a. This is no middle ground in the Christian life.
b. You are either obedient to Christ or not.
c. If you are not, you are paying a great price.
(1) Increased problems - finances, marriage, child-
rearing, legal battles, battles with crazies,
work related hardships, health problems, and
the list goes on.
(2) Increased stress
(a) Emotionally, you’re probably a wreck.
(b) Not sleeping, not happy, can’t focus
(3) But get this, you are denying yourself the
rewards and position God wants to give you in
eternity.
1Cor 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because
it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall
try every man’s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built
thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall
suffer loss….
(a) One can go to heaven AND suffer loss.
(b) God has things He wants to give you in
heaven but by living a worldly, carnal,
compromising life, we LOSE THEM.
C. Some are not understanding the return of Jesus.
1. This is true of the lost and saved alike. Anyone who
understands the second coming of Christ will be changed
by it.
2. Jesus may soon return and all of this life will end.
1Cor 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We
shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality.
3. Those who are saving and planning to live a long life on
this earth may never get to enjoy.
4. Even what you get to enjoy will may not be as sweet as
you think it’s going to be.
5. A life lived for Jesus brings blessings in your youth,
peace and pleasure in your later years, and rewards
throughout eternity.
What are you not understanding?
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