The Power of Nevertheless

Num.13: 23-33
Luke 5:4-6
Mark 14:35-39

I. Introduction

• A. In the English vocabulary, there are a handful of words that can change the entire context of a sentence, a conversation, even the outcome of an entire situation.
• B. In our text today, a single word has changed, in a multitude of ways, entire dialogues, entire situations, and even an entire world, simply by the power of one simple word: NEVERTHELESS

II. Definition

• A. In the Old Testament, the original Hebrew means, strangely enough, “a ceasing, an end, a finality”
• B. In the New Testament Greek, in Luke’s writing, the word “nevertheless” is used (and I quote from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Abridged): “after negative sentences”, and “serves to mark a transition to something new”.
• C. In Mark’s writing, however, “NEVERTHELESS” is used as “an opposition to concession”
  • 1. This simply means that, although the speaker does not want to yield, or concede, to circumstances, they have submitted their own will through the power of ‘nevertheless’.
• D. Finally, from the American Heritage Dictionary, 4th Edition, in today’s English grammar, the word simply means, “In spite of all that…”
• E. What I want to do today is point out to us, both as individuals, and as a church body, the power and strength that lies in a simple word: NEVERTHELESS.

III.  From a positive to a negative

• A. In our story in Num. 13, “nevertheless” changes a positive to a negative.
  • 1. Follow the story of the 12 spies, and you’ll discover that, to a man, every one of them experienced the wonder of Canaan.
    • a. It wasn’t just Joshua and Caleb that pulled down a bunch of grapes.
    • b. It wasn’t just Joshua and Caleb that ate the fruit of the land ‘til juice was dripping from their chin.
  • 2. However, in 10 of the spies, there was a “nevertheless” that changed the entire picture.
    • a. They witnessed God’s Promises, but couldn’t trust His protection.
    • b. God did not lead them to this point just to leave them wishing, “If only”.
• B. But 85% of the spies used THE POWER OF ‘NEVERTHELESS’ to change a positive “we saw” into a negative “we can’t”.
  • 1. Their attitude was “Yes, there’s plenty of promise in the land that we spied out, but in spite of all that…”
• C. It was this “Nevertheless” that became “an end, a ceasing, a finality”, because it stopped what GOD wanted to do for Israel.

IV. From a negative to a positive

• A. Someone once said that it takes both negative and positive to start a vehicle;
  • 1. That may be so, but give me a positive charge any day of the week!
• B. In Luke’s recording of the miracle of the fishes, we experience THE POWER OF ‘NEVERTHELESS’ changing a negative to a positive.
  • 1. Simon Peter really didn’t want to throw his nets out again.
    • a. He’d just spent the morning cleaning them. (See vs. 2)
    • b. He was a fisherman by trade, and knew the waters.
    • c. His own expertise told him there was no reason to try again.
    • d. And he even went so far as to inform the Lord that “We’ve already tried…”
  • 2. However, Simon used THE POWER OF ‘NEVERTHELESS’ to change a negative to a positive.
• C. You see, Simon had tasted futility, but trusted in the faithfulness of the Master.
  • 1. Once again, THE POWER OF ‘NEVERTHELESS’ had worked its magic:
    • a. “Lord, we’ve worked these waters all night long and haven’t caught the first thing…but in spite of all that…”
• D. It was this “Nevertheless” that, in the Greek form, “served to mark a transition to something new”
  • 1. It was here that Jesus called His disciples to become “fishers of men”.

V. From the carnal to the spiritual

• A. Finally, the story that we’ve read in Mark 14 tells us how THE POWER OF ‘NEVERTHELESS’ was able to change an entire world:
  • 1. You see, friend, Jesus Christ was GOD wrapped in humanity.
    • a. He knew what awaited Him in the remaining hours of His life on this earth, and His human nature did not want to acquiesce.
    • b. He understood the pain, the emptiness, the agony that faced Him as He knelt in that garden.
      • i. I know scripture tells us “for the joy that was set before Him, [he] endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2)
      • ii. However, there was an internal crucifixion He had to go through in that garden before He ever allowed Judas to meet Him with a kiss.
  • 2. His human nature did not want to go through the agony of a Roman crucifixion.
  • 3. His human nature did not want to suffer the loss of his friends when He needed them the most.
  • 4. His human nature sought any other means—ANY OTHER—to accomplish the will of the Eternal Father.
    • a. Yet because of THE POWER OF ‘NEVERTHELESS’, you and I enjoy the Presence of a Holy God;
    • b. Because of THE POWER OF ‘NEVERTHELESS’, you and I have come face-to-face with Amazing Grace!
• B. Jesus Christ wept bitter tears of opposition to what the world truly needed.
  • 1. His prayer became “Father, my humanity desires any possible way other than this way…yet in spite of what I want…”
  • 2. And through THE POWER OF ‘NEVERTHELESS’, you and I can taste of the Grace and Mercy of a Saviour that surrendered His own will.

VI. Conclusion

• A. THE POWER OF ‘NEVERTHELESS’ has the ability to change everything:
  • 1. It changed a dialogue, a situation, and ultimately, an entire world, from a positive into a negative by becoming a finality.
  • 2. It changed a dialogue, a situation, and an entire world, from a negative into a positive by becoming a transition point.
  • 3. And ultimately, it changed a dialogue, a situation, and an entire world, by becoming a point of surrender and submission in the Garden.

VII. Closing

• A. THE POWER OF ‘NEVERTHELESS’ can change things for us as individuals and even as a church body.
  • 1. There are those who have said, “It looked promising at first, pastor, but in spite of all that…”
  • 2. But I choose to say, “Lord, the pews may not be as full as I’d like for them to be right now, but in spite of all that…”
• B. It can change a dialogue, a situation, and eventually, an entire city, a nation, and yes, even a world.
• C. THE POWER OF ‘NEVERTHELESS’—you hold it within your own hands as to what sort of difference it will make.