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Study No.22 : The Twelve Sent Out : Luke 9:1-9

 

A. Find Out:    

     

1. What 2 things did Jesus give the twelve authority & power to do? v.1

2. What 2 things did he then tell them to do? v.2

3. What did he say about what provisions to take? v.3

4. What did he say about staying in places? v.4,5

5. What had people been telling Herod about Jesus? v.7b,8

6. What did this leave Herod feeling? v.7a,9

 

B. Think:

1. What is the link between verse 1 and 2?

2. How would you summarise how the apostles were to be provided for?

3. What do verses 7-9 tell about the people and Herod?

C. Comment:

      In the sending out of the twelve, note that Jesus gives them a task but he first enables them to do the task. The task was to go out and preach about the kingdom or rule of God that had come, and then to show that it had come by healing the sick (v.2). Now the preaching bit was easy, anyone could preach (maybe not well but they could preach), but it's not within the ability of man to heal the sick, so Jesus empowers the apostles (“sent ones” as they now become) to combat the power of sickness and the power of the enemy (demons who might be linked to the sickness).

     How did he empower them? Presumably by a) laying hands on them (see 1 Tim 4:14), b) declaring that he gave them authority or the right to act on his behalf and c) praying over them for an impartation of the Holy Spirit to empower them to heal people.

     He then instructs them on their strategy: take no provisions (and so rely on what is provided for you as you minister), when hospitality is offered, take it, but if you are rejected, don't worry, just move on to the next place. That's an interesting strategy! Operate in power and people will be so blessed by you that they will provide for you. Dare we operate like that in today's church? That challenges us on the absence of power and authority, doesn't it!

 

D. Application:

1. Equipped to serve?

•  When Jesus gives us a task, he equips us to be able to do it. Have you been enabled to do what he's given you to do?

2. Providing for ministries

•   The blessed should provide for the blesser. Do we provide for those who minister among us?

Study No.23 : Feeding the Five Thousand : Luke 9:10-17

A. Find Out:

         

1. What happened when the twelve came back? v.10,11

2. What need did the disciples see and what did they suggest? v.12

3. What was Jesus' suggestion and their problem? v.13

4. How many were there and what did Jesus instruct? v.14,15

5. What did he then do? v.16

6. What was the end result? v.17

 

B. Think:

1. How were the disciples shown to be caring?

2. How was their caring on a purely natural plane?

3. How did Jesus raise it to a supernatural level?

C. Comment:

     This passage is all about caring for people and meeting needs. First of all the disciples return from a ministry trip. They need rest so Jesus takes them off to a quiet, remote place. Unfortunately they are spotted and a large crowd follows. The crowd has a need so Jesus meets it by teaching and healing. This in turn creates a third need, the need for food for the crowd who have been with them some time.

      It is at this point that the disciples move in on the act. Jesus has cared for them and has met the first need of the crowd. Suddenly the disciples become aware of the third need of this passage. So they make a suggestion to Jesus.

     We're often very good in prayer at making suggestions to Jesus, as if he doesn't know the need or know the answer. The disciples' suggestion appears quite natural and good, in fact it is common sense. The only trouble is that God doesn't move with common sense, He moves within His will which is what HE can do in the situation which is far greater than what we can do! 

      Then Jesus, tongue in cheek, suggests the disciples feed the crowd.  With God's help they could, but they haven't realised that yet. They simply focus on the smallness of the provision they have, measuring it against the need.  No way can they provide with these limited resources.  So it is up to Jesus to follow God's will and supernaturally provide sufficient food to feed this cord with plenty left over. We can't do it, but God can!

 

D. Application:

1. Awareness of needs

•   Jesus IS aware of every need. The issue is what is God's will here. Are we able to relax in the knowledge that God knows the needs of our situation?  What does He want to happen in it?

2. Ability to provide

•  Do we focus on the limitation of our resources? We may not be able to meet the need, but Jesus through us can. Do we believe that?

  

Study No.24 : Confession : Luke 9:18-27

A. Find Out:

           

1. What question did Jesus ask his disciples? v.18

2. What did they reply? v.19

3. What did Jesus challenge and what did Peter answer? v.20

4. What did Jesus say would happen? v.22

5. What principle did Jesus then lay down? v.23,24

6. What second principle did he then state? v.26

 

B. Think:

1. What did the crowds feel about Jesus?

2. What does this passage show about Jesus' self awareness?

3. What does it lay down as discipleship guidelines?

C. Comment:

      Jesus now asks the disciples to talk about who he is. He does it first through the eyes of the crowds. They clearly think he is a prophet, so then he asks what they themselves think, and it is then that Peter comes out with his confession of Jesus being the expected Messiah. (Matthew - Mt 16:15-20 - gives a fuller account of this passage.) Jesus then gives them a very detailed account of what will happen to him; there is no mistake, Jesus is quite aware of what is going to happen.

     Next he lays down some guidelines for his disciples: first if you want to follow Jesus you have to be prepared on a daily basis to give up your life for Jesus. Self must die in submission to him. If you seek to cling on to your own self-centred life, you will lose life. If you give your life to Jesus you will find he gives you back a wonderful life.

     Second, if you follow Jesus you must not be ashamed of him or of his teaching. He is the Lord and if we feel about him less than this we are not fully following him, and that includes the way we express our feelings about him to others.

      Finally, in v.27, the promise is that the kingdom will come soon. It arrived on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out into the lives of each believer. Then God's rule truly came in mankind, His Spirit within every believer.

 

D. Application:

1. Spiritual reality

•  Hold onto your own self-life, and you lose life. Do I try to hold onto the reins of my life, or will I let the Lord truly lead me?

2. Fear of the Future

•  Do I fear letting God lead me into the future?  Have erealised that if you give up your life to Jesus, he gives you a more wonderful one?

Study No.25 : Transfiguration  : Luke 9:28-36

A. Find Out:

         

1. Where did Jesus go, with whom, to do what? v.28

2. What then happened? v.29-31

3. How did peter respond to this? v.32,33

4. What then happened? v.34

5. What did they hear? v.35

6. How did the disciples react afterwards? v.36

 

B. Think:

1. Why had Jesus gone up the mountain?

2. Why did Moses and Elijah appear?

3. Why do you think God spoke as He did?

C. Comment:

     The so-called “Transfiguration” of Jesus was a strange event. Jesus purposefully went up the mountain to a secluded place to seek his Father. He took with him the three most senior apostles, the “inner three”.  Did he know what was going to happen? We aren't told.

     Note that it was as he was praying that things started happening, first his face then his clothes start shining, and then two figures appear. Here is a central lesson in the Christian life. So often it is as we are praying that things change, as we “come into the presence of God”. That's what seems to have happened here. As Jesus prayed it was as if the seen world and the unseen world blend together and the glory of heaven appears on Jesus and the figures of heaven appear in our dimension!

     Why did they appear? Apparently to reassure Jesus about what was shortly to happen. These two figures, representing all the Law and the Prophets - all of the history of Israel with God so far - are God's confirmation for His Son, and when they leave God speaks final affirming words for the sake of the apostles. God wants no misunderstanding! This is His Son!   Peter, James and John, remember it!

 

D. Application:

1. Transformations in prayer

•   Heaven and earth are closest when we pray. Have you come to know that transformations take place when you pray?

2. God understands

•  God understands our humanity and constantly seeks to encourage and reassure us. Have you come to realise that the Lord really does know about your needs and cares for you?

Study No.26 : Deliverance  : Luke 9:37-43

   

A. Find Out:

           

1. Who met Jesus, and when? v.37

2. What had been happening to the boy? v.39

3. What had he asked with what effect? v.40

4. How did Jesus respond to this? v.41

5. What did he then do? v.42

6. What impact did this have on the crowd? v.43

 

B. Think:

1. What was the problem with the boy?

2. What was the problem with the disciples?

3. What was Jesus' response to all this?

C. Comment:

     If we are a follower of Jesus, this may be an uncomfortable passage to read. In its simplest form, there is a man with a demon possessed boy and the disciples of Jesus are unable to deal with him. The question arises, how would we cope? Let's examine this.

      There is a very real problem: the boy is well and truly under the power of the demon and the father is at his wits end. In Jesus' absence he's appealed to the other disciples but they have been unable to help.

      Now observe Jesus' response to all this. He clearly expects the disciples to have been able to deal with this and, even more, is clearly exasperated at their unbelief. Yes, that is at the root of their problem, unbelief. His comments (“generation”) seem to be all encompassing, to include the crowd, the father and the disciples, yet as far as the disciples are concerned his words must imply that he expects them to be able to deal with this sort of thing!

     Does it need “an apostle”, a great man of faith to stand against demons? No, merely someone who knows who they are “in Christ” and who therefore knows the authority that is open to them and who expects results when they move under the prompting of the Spirit to do what Jesus did (Jn 14:12).

 

D. Application:

1. Lord, help me believe!

• Do you really know who you are in Christ? Do you realise that in Christ you have the authority to deal with the enemy?

2. Availability

•  Lord, may you find me available to be used by you to stand against the enemy in faith.

Study No.27 : Get a Right Perspective  : Luke 9:43-50

   

A. Find Out:

          

1. What did Jesus tell them? v.44

2. Yet what was the response of the disciples? v.45

3. Indeed what did they start arguing about? v.46

4. So what did Jesus do? v.47

5. What principle did he then state? v.48

6. What did the disciples ask and what did Jesus respond? v.49,50

 

B. Think:

1. Why do you think the disciples misunderstood in v.45?

2. How did they misunderstand in v.46

3. How did they misunderstand in v.49

C. Comment:

     There were times when the disciples just couldn't get it right - and this is one of them. Three times their thinking is completely wrong. These are important lessons that we, as Christians in the twenty first century, really need to take on board!

     First of all they cannot take in what Jesus is saying about his coming death. Like Peter (in Mt 16:22 ) they just cannot believe that death can be part of God's will for Jesus.

     Second, almost to accentuate their wrong thinking, they start arguing about which of them is the greatest. Personal prestige is important to weak human beings.

     Finally they report how they had stopped another man ministering. There was an elitism among them - we're the ones doing the stuff with Jesus!

     In the latter two instances Jesus corrects them. This kingdom is not about greatness in human eyes, it is about servant-hood. This kingdom is not about division and exclusivity, it is about bringing good to the earth - by whoever! The values of the kingdom of God are quite different from the values of the kingdoms of men, and we, as Christians, need to constantly remind ourselves of these things.

 

D. Application:

1. Spiritual realities

•  Do we realise that in God's kingdom death to self has to come so that God may bring resurrection life. Have I?

2. Humility

• Do we realise that in God's kingdom servant-heartedness is essential? Am I?

3. Values

•  Do I look down on others serving the Lord? Am I critical of the way others serve? Do I need to repent about my elitism?

Study No.28 : Responses to Rejection  : Luke 9:51-56

   

A. Find Out:

          

1. What did Jesus do and when? v.51

2. Who did he send where, to do what? v.52

3. Yet what reaction did he get and why? v.53

4. Who responded to this, and how? v.54

5. How did Jesus respond to them? v.55

6. Then what did he do? v.56

 

B. Think:

1. What is made clearing in respect of timing here?

2. How is Jesus' evangelistic strategy revealed?

3. What was Jesus' strategy when he was rejected?

C. Comment:

     As we saw in v.44 Jesus is quite clear in his mind what the plan of God for the immediate future holds. He is to go to Jerusalem and there he will be put to death. So now he sets out on the final journey to Jerusalem which takes him down through Samaria. There is a definite sense of purpose in all his actions.

     Making full use of the time, he prepares to speak to the Samaritans in the first village he comes to. He sends his disciples ahead to warn them and gather people together to hear, but someone must have mentioned they were on their way to Jerusalem and so the Samaritans (who disliked the Jews) refused to listen. What an opportunity they missed to hear from the very Son of God!  All because of their prejudice.

     The response of James and John is strong. They are indignant and want to call down the judgement of God on this village. In that they show a tendency that many of us have – to be judgemental and to call for God's fire to come down on unbelievers - but Jesus will have none of it and simply moves on to the next village. He knows the sinfulness of men and will simply move on to take whatever next opportunity comes.

 

D. Application:

1. Awareness of God's plans

•  Jesus was fully aware of the plan and will of God for himself. He was not caught out. Are we similarly aware?

2. Prejudice

• The samaritans missed out because of their fixed weays of thinking. Do I allow such thinking to rob me of God's blessing

3. Opportunities

• Jesus took whatever opportunity he had to share about his Father's love and was not put off when he was rejected. Do we take similar opportunities and persevere in the same way?

Study No.29 : Three Potential Followers : Luke 9:57-62

A. Find Out:

          

1. What did the first man say? v.57

2. What did Jesus warn him? v.58

3. What did the second man answer Jesus? v.59

4. What Jesus declare about that? v.60

5. What did the third man ask? v.61

6. What did Jesus say about that? v.62

 

B. Think:

1. What do you think Jesus was trying to tell the first man?

2. What was he saying to the second man?

3. What was he saying to the third man?

C. Comment:

     Three men encounter Jesus, three potential followers of Jesus, three men with unclear understanding of what it means to follow Jesus, three men who Jesus sought to enlighten.

      The first man seems to be a willing follower who would go anywhere Jesus was going. That sounded good. The only problem, says Jesus, is that I don't know where I'll be going, I haven't got any place to call home and therefore we could be going anywhere. Are you prepared for that? 

     The second man claimed family ties. Whether or not his father was actually dead is irrelevant. He wanted to put family before Jesus. That won't work, says Jesus, leave the (spiritually) dead to look after the (spiritually) dead, and instead go and proclaim the kingdom.

      The third man hasn't got the same tie but simply wants to say goodbye. Jesus doesn't say that in itself is wrong but he does say that constantly looking back and (implied) having regrets is.

     In each case Jesus is, in fact, calling for total, whole-hearted commitment to following him. It means you may not understand where it will lead, it must come before family ties, and it must be done without any regrets. That is the call to be a follower of Jesus.

 

D. Application:

1. Unconditional following

•   There is no such thing as a conditional follower of Jesus. Am I willing to go anywhere Jesus leads me?

2. Unconditional following

•   There is no such thing as a half hearted follower of Jesus! Do I try to put family before my allegiance to Jesus?

3. Unconditional following

•  There must be no regrets. DO I realise that I have chosen the only true path and any other path is lessor?

RECAP No.4 "Greater Revelation & Uncomfortable Lessons" Luke 9

SUMMARY :  

      

In this final group of 8 studies we have seen :

- Jesus sending out the 12 with authority.

- Jesus feeding the five thousand.

- Peter declaring that Jesus is the Christ.

- Jesus explaining that he must go to Jerusalem to die.

- Jesus being transfigured.

- Jesus delivering a demon possessed boy.

- Argument among the apostle as to who is the greatest

- James & John want to call fire down on the Samaritans

- three potential followers being challenged

 

COMMENT :

      First of all let's note that this chapter had yet even more revelation about Jesus: he not only has control over the elements, but he can change things to bless his followers as he feeds the crowd. Peter then gets revelation as to who Jesus is, and this is then confirmed by the events on the mountain.

     Next let's observe an even more interesting feature in what Luke shares, the responses of Jesus' closest followers. First he sends them out with power and authority. Their experiences change! Then he seeks to involve them in a miracle of supply – but they're not yet up to it! Then he provokes Peter into declaring Jesus' Messiah-ship. Next he takes three of them to witness his transfiguration. Meanwhile the others are having their faith challenged over a demon possessed boy and are failing the test! Then it starts getting even worse: they are arguing about being the greatest, and then two of them move into judgement mode. So much of this is about the disciples – the lessons they should be learning - but aren't!

 

LESSONS?

    Rather than go through a list of individual lessons here, read again the paragraph above and, honestly, assess yourself in those situations. How would you have responded?

 

PRAY :

      Ask the Lord to mature you in your Christian walk.

SUMMARY

In these four chapters we have seen:

CONCLUSION

    

     As we come to the end of this Series, the following are things we may wish to consider further:

 

Developing Revelation

    In the previous Series, in Luke 1-5, we saw the incredible things that were happening around Jesus' birth and early days of his ministry. In these four chapters it has been as if Luke is constantly expanding on our revelation of who Jesus is. First of all we saw Jesus as the great teacher in chapter 6. But he wasn't a teacher at-a-distance, for in chapter 7 we see Jesus as ‘a people-person', interacting with the variety of people who came to him. In chapter 8 we saw more teaching but then Jesus taking control of the elements, of demons, of sickness and even of death itself. In chapter 9 Luke let us get a glimpse into how the disciples were learning from all this – not very well!  Through these chapters we see Luke showing us more and more of Jesus, which leaves us asking the question, has our revelation or understanding of Jesus increased as we have gone on in our Christian walk, and how?

 

Our lessons from all this?

     As Luke showed us more and more about Jesus, as we noted above, he also begins to show us the disciples and how they were responding. But the truth is, that if we are Christians, then we are also disciples of Jesus. So how do these things impinge on us? How do we respond to what we've been reading?

•   Did the Gentile Centurion's faith (7:6-8) challenge us?
•   Did Jesus' answer to John's disciples ( 7:22 ,23) build our faith?
•   Have we learnt (7:47) to be grateful?
•   Do we let the word (8:8,15) bring much fruitfulness in our lives?
•   Do we trust Jesus (8:25) in the ‘storms' of our life?
•   Did the persevering faith of the bleeding woman (8:44) challenge us?
•   Did Jesus' words about going out without human reliance (9:3-) provoke us?
•   Did the feeding of the five thousand ( 9:13 ) provoke us to learn to turn to Jesus for resources?

 

Why?

     Why consider these things? Why read this Gospel? The answer has got to be, so that we learn God's will for our lives and let Him change them. We can walk away from these studies untouched or we can ask God to transform our lives by His word. The way we respond to God's word determines our future (Lk 7:46-49). It is that crucial. Luke has given us the fuel to set our faith aflame. May that happen!