FERGUSON: Well, I think, if I remember rightly the context of this is, the three disciples who
have been with Jesus, being on the mountain of transfiguration. They come down from that
glorious experience, and they find that there's a boy there, who's been under some
deep oppression by the evil one. And the other disciples are not being able anything about it.
And I think what Jesus is doing in that context when he says this, is saying,
"I have commissioned you to do this. This is to be your ministry, but you don't have the power,
the authority to do this, simply because I've commissioned you to do it. You can only do this
through prayerful dependence upon God." And so he's emphasizing to them,
the danger. I think the danger of thinking that because God has called you to whatever kind of
ministry it is, you are therefore simply by that call enabled to fulfill that ministry. And that
you can fulfill that ministry only by constant dependence on the Lord. And in prayer to him.
I think another element of it, although I wouldn't be as absolutely certain of this,
as of what I've just said. You remember towards the end of the sermon on the Mount, Jesus says,
"There'll be many coming to me on the last day, expecting entry into the Kingdom of Heaven
and saying, Lord, Lord, didn't we do many mighty works in your name? Didn't we cast out demons in
your name?" And Jesus will say to them, "Depart from me. I never knew you." And that does seem to
imply a little like in Moses' day. You remember when Moses shows works of power in pharaoh's
presence, pharaoh brings these magicians up, who can do the same thing? And of course,
they're constantly defeated, but they seem to be able to work the same miracles by their tricks.
And I think Jesus is saying there, it would beg a belief what human beings are capable of doing,
that would seem to be evidences
of the presence and power of God and the gospel, but do not be deceived.
And I think there may be a reflection on that here, where Jesus is saying,
there are some extraordinary abilities that people have. And I think we see this today.
I've seen people doing things on television
that I think, "That would be pretty neat to be able to do that." And then I remember on
one occasion having watched that, the next program in television was a stage hypnotist,
and he was doing exactly the same thing. Exactly the same thing as the spiritual leader who was so
impressive, and in people were in awe of him. And I think in this instance, Jesus is saying
people can do pretend things and false things, but for a boy like this in this kind of situation,
for lasting deliverance to come, there needs to be absolute dependence upon God. So there's a
particular lesson about the casting out of demons. And I think there's the general lesson here.
That's applicable to all of us, whatever our gifts are. And maybe I can make this application,
Nathan. Sometimes people can be quite forward to those of us who are ministers and say,
"Now my gift is, my gift is." And I think this is a real reminder to us, that maybe the Lord Jesus
is saying, "Actually, there's something more important than you thinking that you've got
a gift. The real question is, are you depending on me in order to exercise that gift?" So again,
it's a particular situation with I think, widespread applications to us as Christians.