As we close out our 2026 Missions Week, we have the distinct pleasure of hearing from J. R. Favela, Lead Pastor at Citylight Amarillo, as he unpacks Luke 9: 37-50.
This week’s text wants to protect us from focusing on lesser glories and idols our hearts produce instead of Jesus.
So our big idea is: “Focus on Jesus’ glory.” And it will show us three general ways how to focus on Jesus:
1. Focus on His power
2. Focus on His cross
3. Focus on His name
I don’t think it is incorrect to say that distraction is an issue humanity has never been able to overcome. Over the last three decades, we have seen many advancements in computers, AI, and other technologies that were meant to help us become more efficient and focused. Yet statistics show that we are more distracted than ever. Studies highlight that, on average, we open our phones every six minutes—more than 150 times a day. Additionally, over 50% of workplace distractions are self-inflicted; we open a new internet tab, check our phones, or scroll through social media. We are all guilty of reading a random article or watching a YouTube reel when we should be accomplishing something else.
Our text this morning shows us that we are all in danger of not only physical distraction but also spiritual distraction. We are in danger of being distracted from what will truly transform and satisfy our souls: the glory of Jesus.
Let me connect this to our text. For the past several months, we have been going verse by verse through the Gospel of Luke. Last week, we saw Luke give us a full picture of the power, holiness, and greatness of Jesus. Some of Jesus’ disciples saw Him in shining glory, speaking with Old Testament heroes Moses and Elijah, and heard God’s voice say, “This is my Son, the Chosen One.” They had this incredible experience in which they saw how glorious and great Jesus truly is.
But in our text today, they return to their normal lives of following and serving Jesus, and they face multiple situations that tempt them to take their eyes off Jesus and His glory and focus on everything else. Throughout the passage, Jesus reminds them of His power, His mission, and even what true greatness is. Jesus continually reminds them, “Keep your focus on Me!”
Family, you are never in danger of focusing too much on Jesus’ greatness, holiness, and power. You are never in danger of being too obsessed with Jesus. Our problem is that we allow the worries, riches, and circumstances of this world to take our eyes off His glory. This text wants to protect us from focusing on lesser glories and the idols our hearts produce instead of Jesus.
So our big idea is:
And this passage shows us three ways to do that:
First, focus on His power.
The text opens with Jesus being brought a boy who was suffering from a demonic spirit. We are told that His disciples had tried to cast the spirit out, but they could not. Without Jesus, there seemed to be no hope.
Now, this is the fourth or fifth time we have seen Jesus cast out a demon, so what is Luke’s point? Look at verse 43a: “And they were all astonished at the greatness of God.”
Imagine trying to put out a wildfire by blowing on it compared to a massive thunderstorm rolling in and extinguishing it. When Luke mentions that no one else could help this boy, he is reminding us that this world is broken by sin and that evil spiritual forces stand opposed to God and His people. But he is also reminding us that Jesus is not merely a talented human being. He is the eternal Son of God before whom neither this world nor its evil forces can stand. What is impossible for us is nothing for Jesus.
Luke is reminding us of Jesus’ greatness and glory as He does what no one else can do.
But have you ever wondered why Luke keeps directing our attention to Jesus’ power?
In verse 41, Jesus calls His disciples an “unbelieving and perverse generation.” That language was used of Old Testament Israel when they continually doubted God’s provision in the wilderness, acting as though they did not serve the God who had delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
Jesus is not rebuking His disciples simply because they failed. The issue is not failure but unbelief. They had seen Jesus provide, heal, and cast out demons countless times, yet they tried to deal with this situation in their own strength rather than looking to Him. They were focused on their own ability instead of depending on Jesus’ power.
As a pastor, I love when people ask for prayer when they are facing enormous challenges. But it breaks my heart when people are drowning in marriage struggles, battles with sin, worries, and anxieties, yet somehow believe those things are not worth bringing to Jesus. We are tempted to take our eyes off Jesus’ glory whenever we think there are situations we can handle on our own.
Jesus is not sinfully frustrated with His disciples. He is grieved that they thought they could handle this situation without Him.
So the question is: How do we keep our eyes on Jesus’ power and depend on Him?
Listen to how Mark describes this event:
“And he told them, ‘This kind can come out by nothing but prayer.’”
The way we focus on the power of Jesus and depend on Him is through a commitment to bring everything to Him in prayer.
One misconception we often have about prayer is that it is a last resort. But in James 5:17–18, James references the Old Testament prophet Elijah. Elijah called Israel to turn from idols and back to God. He prayed that there would be a drought, and there was. Then he prayed that there would be rain, and there was.
Yet in that story, God had already declared that there would be a drought and had promised restoration if His people repented. God chose to work through Elijah’s prayers for His glory.
Let me give you a personal example. In 2020, we prayed that God would allow us to be a welcomed presence at Oak Dale. Two years later, after all of the outreach efforts there, the principals told us that they were grateful for Citylight and believed our presence had been a blessing.
The beautiful truth about prayer is that it not only keeps us dependent on Jesus, but Jesus has also chosen to work through our prayers to display the glory of God.
Let’s make these verses personal:
What situation in your life feels completely hopeless right now?
The Holy Spirit wants to use Luke 9:37–50 to help you focus on the glory of Jesus through prayer.
Think back to Mark’s account of this event. I love what the father says to Jesus:
“Immediately the father of the boy cried out, ‘I do believe; help my unbelief!’”
Imagine how that transforms our prayers from merely asking for things. Take whatever situation feels hopeless and pray what the boy’s father prayed:
“Jesus, this situation has been so hard, draining, and frustrating. My faith feels weak. Help me believe that You are more powerful. Help me stay focused on Your glory.”
And we would love to pray that prayer with you today as well.
Family, focus on Jesus’ power to avoid self-reliance.
Next, focus on His cross.
I love picking up and throwing my daughter in the air. But in those moments, she tends to think I was created for the sole purpose of throwing her in the air, even though I eventually get tired.
In a similar way, the disciples could have been tempted to believe that Jesus came primarily to perform miracles. But Jesus wanted to give them a different perspective:
“The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.”
Jesus is referencing a prophecy about the Messiah from Psalm 41:9:
“Even my friend in whom I trusted, one who ate my bread, has raised his heel against me.”
Just think about this. Jesus has the power to raise the dead, control nature, feed thousands, and cast out demons. Yet from the beginning, God had decreed that the Messiah would be humiliated, betrayed, falsely accused, beaten, and crucified. Then He would rise three days later in glory so that our sins could be forgiven.
I love how Dr. Philip Ryken explains these verses:
“Now, he wanted them to hear it again: the main message of the gospel is not that Jesus can perform exorcisms and work other wonders, although of course he can, but that he came to suffer and die for our sins.”
The idea of someone as powerful as Jesus dying would have been unbelievable to the disciples. Yet Jesus tells them that His glory is inseparably connected to the cross. You cannot separate the two.
But notice what verse 45 says. It tells us that the meaning of Jesus’ statement was concealed from them. In other words, our natural sinful selves cannot understand God’s plan of salvation on our own. We cannot understand the Scriptures apart from Jesus’ illumination.
The verse also says that “they were afraid to ask him.”
Betrayal, suffering, and crucifixion do not sound glorious. If we are honest, we often prefer a lesser version of Jesus. We may like Him as a moral teacher, a life coach, or a vending machine that grants wishes.
If that describes you, you are settling for lesser glory.
Because the true glory of Jesus is seen in Philippians 2:6–9:
“who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name.”
Family, let these words sink in: Jesus came to earth to accomplish the most glorious act in history. When we were separated from God by our sins, Jesus came to obey God perfectly when we could not, absorb the wrath we deserved on the cross, and rise three days later to offer redemption to all who put their trust in Him.
That is glorious.
So here is an important question:
Do you see how powerful and glorious Jesus is?
Do you believe that apart from Jesus, this is your condition?
Ephesians 2:1–3:
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.”
Do you believe that Jesus loved you enough to come and live, die, and rise again for sinners who trust in Him?
If you do not, today is the day to experience His glory. Confess the ways you have sinned against God and believe that Jesus came to live the life you could never live, die the death you deserve, and rise again so that you could be made right with God.
Repent and believe the gospel.
Do not settle for lesser glory.
If that is you, come receive prayer after the sermon.
Family, focus on Jesus’ cross to avoid false comfort.
Lastly, focus on His name.
In this final section, we see the disciples engage in one of the most pointless arguments in human history: who is the greatest?
Notice that multiple times the text mentions doing things “in the name of Jesus.” Luke is showing us that the disciples were arguing because they were more focused on their own names and glory than on the name and glory of Jesus.
Consider what it looks like to be obsessed with your own name more than Jesus’.
First, titles.
The disciples were arguing over the title of “greatest.” But Jesus warned that the world becomes so focused on titles that people begin to “lord it over” others, exploiting them for personal gain. When you fight for titles, you eventually end up hurting the people around you.
Second, recognition.
The disciples were upset because other people were ministering in Jesus’ name even though they were not part of their group. I play basketball with men from church on Sundays, and whenever teammates start fighting each other for the ball, someone inevitably yells, “Same team!”
When you become focused on your own recognition, you forget that you cannot do everything yourself and that God has placed you on the same gospel team as other believers.
One of the greatest dangers to the spread of the gospel and the work of discipleship is when people become more concerned about their own names than the name of Jesus.
So what does it look like to focus on Jesus’ name?
Take those two warnings and reverse them.
First, commit to serve.
In response to the disciples’ argument, Jesus says:
“Whoever is least among you, this one is great.”
What does He mean by “least”?
Think about the example He gives: children. Although children were loved, they were often viewed as powerless and, at times, burdensome. Jesus is saying that the person who welcomes and cares for those whom the world has forgotten understands true greatness.
Why?
Because Jesus did that for us.
Mark 10:45 says:
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
When Christians serve like Jesus, the world changes.
For example, during plagues in the ancient world, who cared for the sick? Not pagan priests or physicians, but Christians. This eventually led to the establishment of some of the first public hospitals.
Likewise, in the ancient world there was a practice known as infant exposure. If a child was born with a deformity or was considered too expensive to raise, it was socially acceptable to abandon that child to die.
Do you know who rescued those children and cared for them?
Christians.
Their compassion eventually contributed to the development of orphanages and organized care for vulnerable children.
When you commit to serve like Jesus, you are focusing on His name.
Lastly, commit to celebrate.
Look at what Jesus tells John after John expresses concern about others ministering in His name. Verse 50 says:
“Whoever is not against you is for you.”
Now, Jesus is not teaching that everyone who claims to “like” Jesus is automatically on the same team. The text tells us that these individuals were ministering in Jesus’ name. In other words, they believed that Jesus was the Messiah who came to save sinners, and they were submitting to His authority and mission. They were genuine followers of Jesus, even though they were not part of the disciples’ immediate group.
I think back to playing basketball with our Citylight family. Teams accomplish more when they know who is on their team.
Citylight Amarillo is a product of that truth. You have supported us from the beginning, and we have watched the Lord save people, restore marriages, disciple believers, and grow His church. There will be people worshiping in heaven because you are a church that says, “We celebrate our gospel teammates!”
The truth is that we can accomplish far more for the gospel and the glory of Jesus when we celebrate other Bible-believing, gospel-preaching churches that are on the same team.
So let me ask:
How would your life change if you were more focused on Jesus’ name than your own?
I believe the answer is simple: completely.
Our lives would be radically transformed if we focused more on Jesus and His glory than on ourselves.
So here are two next steps I want to encourage you to take this week:
Reach out to one of the pastors or staff members and ask how you can serve. Ask to meet with them and learn how you can serve the city. Ask how you can serve here at Citylight and point others to the glory of Jesus.
Take time this week to pray for the churches that Citylight supports. Start with the Citylight family. Pray for Citylight Amarillo, Center City, Delco, NYC, and York. Take time to pray for the missionaries supported by Citylight as well.
Family, focus on Jesus’ name to avoid self-promotion.
To finish, can I remind you of His glory this morning?
Colossians 1:15–20 says:
*“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers
