Luke 9:1–6
2 He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the Gospel and healing everywhere.
There is something remarkable about Jesus sending the disciples out with the authority and power to deal with demons, to cure diseases and to preach the good news. He tells them to do it and to keep it simple.
By this time, the disciples had been with Jesus for a couple of years. They were in a 3 year apprenticeship, so to speak, so they must have been reaching the point where they were beginning to understand what Jesus was talking about. They still had much to learn of course, but now they were beginning to put into practice all of the truths they had been taught. Jesus sent them out of the classroom to do some practical work on their own. This was part of their training. Go out, teach, heal and preach, and keep it simple.
Life puts us in all kinds of situations from which we learn great truths. Many of the really important lessons we learn in life we learn the hard way. Unfortunately, many of the hard truths of life we avoid at times. Most of us are quite content in our comfort zones, and we would prefer to not step out in faith, especially when it comes to matters of faith.
The disciples must have felt more than a little uneasy going out without Jesus. After all, Jesus was the one that the people came to see. They were just the people in the background. They were students, not preachers and certainly not healers and exorcists. But Jesus said it is time and gave His disciples the authority and power to do what He called them to do.
Power is the ability to accomplish a task. Jesus offers us His power and if we respond to His command, we can accomplish things that we could never imagined if we step out in obedience.
Authority is the lawful right to exercise that power. Jesus offers us His authority to use. An ambassador to another country is given authority to act on his country’s behalf. As ambassadors for Christ, He gives us authority to speak and act on His behalf. He said to Philip in John 14:12-14, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” The condition of this promise of course, is that we ask Him within His will. This promise is not about us getting God to do what we want…
The disciples didn’t need to be concerned as they went out into the streets to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel, to heal, and to cast out demons. They may have been hesitant, but after being with Jesus for such a long time they trusted Him.
And so, commissioned, they left. They travelled from town to town telling the Good News and curing people everywhere they went.
They didn’t complain, they didn’t argue, they just got up and simply did what He told them.
It’s interesting that Jesus told them they were fully equipped for the task. They had all that was needed and that if they weren’t accepted to just keep going.
Most of us think that we need something special to spread the word of God, but we just need to share the simplicity of the Gospel.
Evangelism is what we do in our day to day lives. It’s sharing what God is doing in our lives.
It’s inviting someone who’s hurting to talk with us. It’s inviting friends to church. It’s having the courage to say we are Christian.
So many Christians are hesitant to tell their friends they go to church, much less telling them we believe the story about the resurrection.
And yet God calls us, just like those first disciples. We’re called to go out and share what God has done in our lives. The problem is we don’t spend much time thinking about what God has done for us.
When last did you sit down and just think about what God has done and how He has blessed you, especially with the things we take for granted?
Think about it, and you might be surprised.
How often do we do little things that make a big difference in someone else’s life?
Whose lives are we affecting for Christ? Who do you know who is hurting or struggling?
God is calling each of us to share the truth of God’s love and to keep the message simple. We don’t need to be theologians. We don’t need to have all the answers. We just have to be authentic, and share our own story of faith.
We can keep it simple and simply love people into faith. Live the life God has called you to and show people the power and authority that God has given you to heal a broken heart; to get help for the helpless; to reach out to the rejected in your family, or in your neighbourhood. It doesn’t take that much to serve God. It just takes the courage of our convictions.
It takes the willingness to give of ourselves, and we’re to do these simple, yet profound things because Jesus has called us to share His love and the hope that brings.
Someone said that initially it can be a bit scary to start with, but after a while it becomes second nature. After a while you won’t care if your family or friends think you’re a little off your rocker, because you will know that you are living the life you were called to live.
After a while your soul will be so filled with love and delight that nothing anyone can say will make a difference. You’ll reach the point where your embarrassment and awkwardness will pass and if people don’t like it, you just shake the dust off your feet and move on. Don’t stop loving that person, but if they are resistant to God’s message, you are not responsible for their hardened heart.
Because there is a balance we need to keep in mind. Jesus didn’t say His disciples needed to be abused or taken advantage of. He said if people don’t accept you, move on. Go to where the ground is richer. Keep going and plant those seeds. God will take care of the rest.
Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.
Who knows what lessons we can teach others just by being authentic and obedient to God?
Who knows what connections we will begin to make with others in our lives?
Jesus called the twelve together, and sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God, and His call to His disciples today has not changed. The decision we need to make is a simple one: Am I going to be obedient to the clear command of God to take the message of the Gospel to those who so desperately need to hear it?
2 He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the Gospel and healing everywhere.
There is something remarkable about Jesus sending the disciples out with the authority and power to deal with demons, to cure diseases and to preach the good news. He tells them to do it and to keep it simple.
By this time, the disciples had been with Jesus for a couple of years. They were in a 3 year apprenticeship, so to speak, so they must have been reaching the point where they were beginning to understand what Jesus was talking about. They still had much to learn of course, but now they were beginning to put into practice all of the truths they had been taught. Jesus sent them out of the classroom to do some practical work on their own. This was part of their training. Go out, teach, heal and preach, and keep it simple.
Life puts us in all kinds of situations from which we learn great truths. Many of the really important lessons we learn in life we learn the hard way. Unfortunately, many of the hard truths of life we avoid at times. Most of us are quite content in our comfort zones, and we would prefer to not step out in faith, especially when it comes to matters of faith.
The disciples must have felt more than a little uneasy going out without Jesus. After all, Jesus was the one that the people came to see. They were just the people in the background. They were students, not preachers and certainly not healers and exorcists. But Jesus said it is time and gave His disciples the authority and power to do what He called them to do.
Power is the ability to accomplish a task. Jesus offers us His power and if we respond to His command, we can accomplish things that we could never imagined if we step out in obedience.
Authority is the lawful right to exercise that power. Jesus offers us His authority to use. An ambassador to another country is given authority to act on his country’s behalf. As ambassadors for Christ, He gives us authority to speak and act on His behalf. He said to Philip in John 14:12-14, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” The condition of this promise of course, is that we ask Him within His will. This promise is not about us getting God to do what we want…
The disciples didn’t need to be concerned as they went out into the streets to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel, to heal, and to cast out demons. They may have been hesitant, but after being with Jesus for such a long time they trusted Him.
And so, commissioned, they left. They travelled from town to town telling the Good News and curing people everywhere they went.
They didn’t complain, they didn’t argue, they just got up and simply did what He told them.
It’s interesting that Jesus told them they were fully equipped for the task. They had all that was needed and that if they weren’t accepted to just keep going.
Most of us think that we need something special to spread the word of God, but we just need to share the simplicity of the Gospel.
Evangelism is what we do in our day to day lives. It’s sharing what God is doing in our lives.
It’s inviting someone who’s hurting to talk with us. It’s inviting friends to church. It’s having the courage to say we are Christian.
So many Christians are hesitant to tell their friends they go to church, much less telling them we believe the story about the resurrection.
And yet God calls us, just like those first disciples. We’re called to go out and share what God has done in our lives. The problem is we don’t spend much time thinking about what God has done for us.
When last did you sit down and just think about what God has done and how He has blessed you, especially with the things we take for granted?
Think about it, and you might be surprised.
How often do we do little things that make a big difference in someone else’s life?
Whose lives are we affecting for Christ? Who do you know who is hurting or struggling?
God is calling each of us to share the truth of God’s love and to keep the message simple. We don’t need to be theologians. We don’t need to have all the answers. We just have to be authentic, and share our own story of faith.
We can keep it simple and simply love people into faith. Live the life God has called you to and show people the power and authority that God has given you to heal a broken heart; to get help for the helpless; to reach out to the rejected in your family, or in your neighbourhood. It doesn’t take that much to serve God. It just takes the courage of our convictions.
It takes the willingness to give of ourselves, and we’re to do these simple, yet profound things because Jesus has called us to share His love and the hope that brings.
Someone said that initially it can be a bit scary to start with, but after a while it becomes second nature. After a while you won’t care if your family or friends think you’re a little off your rocker, because you will know that you are living the life you were called to live.
After a while your soul will be so filled with love and delight that nothing anyone can say will make a difference. You’ll reach the point where your embarrassment and awkwardness will pass and if people don’t like it, you just shake the dust off your feet and move on. Don’t stop loving that person, but if they are resistant to God’s message, you are not responsible for their hardened heart.
Because there is a balance we need to keep in mind. Jesus didn’t say His disciples needed to be abused or taken advantage of. He said if people don’t accept you, move on. Go to where the ground is richer. Keep going and plant those seeds. God will take care of the rest.
Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.
Who knows what lessons we can teach others just by being authentic and obedient to God?
Who knows what connections we will begin to make with others in our lives?
Jesus called the twelve together, and sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God, and His call to His disciples today has not changed. The decision we need to make is a simple one: Am I going to be obedient to the clear command of God to take the message of the Gospel to those who so desperately need to hear it?