Repeat After Me (Lk. 9:1-6)
In my junior year of college I had one class that taught me a lot about how to minister to those in need of God’s grace. Twice a week I and other students had a practicum class where, on Tuesdays we sat in the classroom and listened to our professor explain why ministry was important, what were some of the best practices, and how we could take what we’ve learned and apply it in a real situation. The professor would teach and we would ask questions and make observations. That happened on Tuesdays. Well, on Thursdays, we would leave the classroom and go into a hospital in MidWest City where we would put into practice the things taught on Tuesdays. Before sending us off on our own through the halls of the hospital, the professor would remind us of what we discussed in the classroom on Tuesday and the why, what, and how of ministering in real life. Every door I knocked on, every patient I spoke with, every welcomed response and every refusal of my invitation taught me valuable lessons about ministry that I have not forgotten and many that I still use to this day.
Well, the ninth chapter of Luke’s Gospel is no different.
Today we are at a transition point in the life of Jesus and His disciples. Since the fourth chapter of Luke the disciples have sat in the classroom with Jesus teaching them about the kingdom of God; showing them how to minister to others and explaining why it is important that the grace and love of God be extended to all people. Now, Jesus is going to push the disciples out of the classroom and send them into the hospitals of their surrounding region where they can try their hand at practicing what they have been learning about ministry from the Master.
What you and I will discover and what we should learn from this event is how important it is to follow in the footsteps of our Rabbi as we go out into this sick world in His Name to proclaim His kingdom for His glory. We are called to leave the comfortable and non-conforming confines of the classroom in order to bring the light of the knowledge of Jesus Christ into the dark places of our world. We are to be doers of the Word and not just hearers.
Open your Bibles to Luke chapter nine. We will begin at verse one.
Called, Commissioned, and Catapulted (Lk. 9:1-2)
Luke 9:1–2 NKJV
1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.
2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Called
Immediately, three things can be observed. First, notice that Jesus called the Twelve to Himself. The Greek word for “called” in this verse is kaleo. If that sounds familiar, it should, especially for those of you who went to KAA with our youth. The adults who traveled with the kids are referred to as Kaleos - Called Ones. So again, first, Jesus called the Twelve to be with Him. What this could mean is that they had been home taking care of family or working in their business, or performing any number of other tasks, but this was a time to leave those things behind in order to engage in the work of ministry. We often talk about family as our first ministry or our most important ministry, in many cases that is true, in others it may take second place. Some people use that as an excuse for not going where Jesus is leading them or not doing the things God has called them to do.
Matthew 10:37 NKJV
37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Commissioned
Second, Jesus commissioned them. He gave power and authority to the Twelve. This is vitally important to note. The word for “power” (dynamis) refers to one’s ability to do something. Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell us that Jesus gave these men the “ability” to perform miracles, but only Luke mentions that they were also given authority (exousia) to perform these miracles. This word for authority refers to one’s permission to execute.
I’ll give you an example of what that could mean. When my family and I were in Colorado a couple of weeks ago, Elias wanted to go bouldering. Well, at Garden of the Gods, you’re not allowed to climb higher than 10 feet off the ground without a permit and proper gear. Because my son had the power to climb higher than 10 feet off the ground, he had the ability to do that, but not the authority or permission to do that, the highest he could boulder was 10 feet.
In one sense Jesus gave His disciples the power or might to do miracles and He also gave them the authority or right to perform miracles. We see in the story of Paul and the seven sons of Sceva how important the coupling of power and authority are for ministers.
Acts 19:11–15 NKJV
11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,
12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.
13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
You need the might and the right as ministers of God’s grace to do the work God has called you to do and that only comes through Jesus who possesses ALL power and ALL authority (Mt. 28:18).
Catapulted
Finally, after calling and commissioning them, Jesus catapults them. He sent them out. According to Matthew’s record, Jesus sent them out into places where danger lay. He sent them to places where it was not safe and they could suffer.
Matthew 10:16 NKJV
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
One of my most favorite verses in the entire Bible is found in Paul’s letter to the Philippian church.
Philippians 1:29 NKJV
29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
I’ve known of people who judge whether or not the Lord has called them to minister in a certain area or to a particular group of people based on if it’s safe or not. “I just didn’t feel a peace about doing that.” Something I’ve learned from following Jesus is that peace is not always a good indicator of whether or not God approves of our decisions. Sometimes, the peace we are looking for comes on the other side of obeying God’s instruction to go even in areas and times where danger is lurking! We might not always have peace before wee go, but we can have peace as we go, knowing that as Jesus told the disciples in the Great Commission,
Matthew 28:20 NKJV
20...lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
All that Jesus gave them authority and power over, all that He told them to preach and teach, all that He instructed them to do when entering another city He did before them. And now, He pushes them out of the classroom, sending them out into the hospitals of their surrounding areas to do what He did as He did.
A quick note of caution before we move on.
Think about this as well, do you realize that even Judas was given this power and authority. He had power and authority over all demons, but for some reason, he could not overcome the demons of his own heart and mind. I’m not a cessationist. I’m a firm believer in the supernatural power of God to work through the sons and daughters of Yahweh today. But some people can become so enamored with the power and authority to do supernatural things in Jesus’ Name that it turns into an idol. We see this all the time with so many in the charismatic movement. Greed instead of grace becomes their pursuit. Power over pleasing God is what arrests their hearts. They chase the excitement of supernatural fetes above the joy of dwelling in the presence of the Sovereign Lord. They turn the glory of the incorruptible God into a corruptible thing. I say all of that to say this, check your motives as you minister.
Calculated
Ok, so Jesus calls them, He commissions them, and He catapults them. They were also to be calculated in the way they ministered. Matthew records that they were instructed to go to Jews only, not Gentiles or Samaritans (Matt. 10:5). This is in keeping with what we have learned in the OT about Yahweh’s choosing of Israel.
To Abram He said,
Genesis 12:2–3 NKJV
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Through Moses He declared,
Exodus 19:5 NKJV
5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
Deuteronomy 7:6–7 NKJV
6 “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.
7 The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;
Through the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel He confesses,
Isaiah 42:6 NKJV
6 “I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,
Isaiah 49:6 NKJV
6 Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
Ezekiel 36:23 NKJV
23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.
Jesus is not just for the Jews. He is for the world! He is not an American god. He is God over all created things. The entire world needs to know the grace and redeeming love of God at work through the sacrificial death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. We, the Body of Christ, like the Jews of old, are entrusted with a knowledge of God that is to be sown in the world producing a harvest of 100 times more. We, just as that first nation, are not to bury the talent we have been given, we are to steward it and multiply it as ministers of God’s grace. Go into all the world and make disciples!
Many commentators are eager to point out the special case of the disciples here. That this event is specific to these men at this time is clear, but I also believe that we are looking at timeless and universal principles that apply to the people of God today as well.
The first principle we can learn here is that we are to
Ephesians 5:1 NKJV
1 ...be imitators of God as dear children.
It is one thing to say that you believe in God or to claim Christ as your Savior. It is something else entirely to walk as He walked, to live as He lived, to do the things that He did. Every Christian is to pattern their life after the life of Jesus. In the same way that He trusted God, so must we. The same message of salvation and grace that He preached, so must we. And yes, in many cases, the same power and authority He exercised over demons, disease, and death so must we as the Spirit of God enables us. This is why the apostle Paul told the church in Corinth,
1 Corinthians 2:4–5 NKJV
4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Jesus didn’t just send the Twelve out to talk about the Kingdom of God, but also to expose hearers to the life changing power of God’s kingdom.
The author of Hebrews reminds us of this importance by stating ,
Hebrews 2:4 NKJV
4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
This is right in line with the closing comments of Mark’s record. Now, it’s believed that this final verse was added sometime later, however, it aligns with the rest of God’s recorded Word throughout the NT.
Mark 16:20 NKJV
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
A time will come when we will see God do many of these same works through His Church as we are obedient to go where He goes, to preach what He preached, and to live as He lived. God will confirm His Word in miraculous ways.
F.R.O.G. (Lk. 9:3-6)
Several years ago after speaking at Living Faith Ministry, an older lady approached me holding a ziplock bag with several small plastic and rubber frogs in a variety of colors. She reached in the bag, pulled one out, and handed it to me. I thought it was the strangest thing until she then explained to me how God had given her a dream of frogs during a time in her life when things didn’t look so good and she felt as though her life had no purpose. In the dream she was reminded to Fully Rely On God (F.R.O.G.). We actually have a group of ladies in this church who meet weekly for Bible Study and they call themselves Frogs.
Turn to verse three of Luke chapter nine.
Luke 9:3–6 NKJV
3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.
4 “Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.
5 And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
6 So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
A second principle found in this section of chapter nine is this, as Christ instructed the Twelve to Fully Rely On God for the provisions of their lives, so must we. The psalmist encourages our hearts with these words,
Psalm 37:25 NKJV
25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.
The lack of provisions was intended to have the disciples fully depend on the Father for their needs to be met just as Jesus, before them, had depended on the Father to meet His needs. And we know that they did rely on God and God was faithful to supply what was lacking on their journey.
Luke 22:35 NKJV
35 And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.”
Psalm 23 reminds us,
Psalm 23:1 NKJV
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
This isn’t just a cute phrase to slap on a bumper sticker or t-shirt folks. This is real, kingdom of God, living.
2 Peter 1:3 NKJV
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
The disciples were to pack light and not concern themselves with an itinerary. I’m sure that causes you list makers to short circuit. When Alicia and I first got married and we would go camping, she needed to know every detail about what was going to take place from the time we left home to the time we returned. Whenever I camped with my group of guy friends, we would just figure things out once we arrived at our campsite. That didn’t work for Alicia. I’ve since changed.
The disciples were to take no staff, or perhaps no staff besides the one they had at the time. Mark tells us,
Mark 6:8 NKJV
8 He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts—
No staff, no food, no knapsack, you’re not taking donations or raising support like missionaries do today and you’re not collecting souvenirs. No money, that would be akin to saying, don't bring your cellphone with Apple Pay or your Google Wallet or your smartwatch or debit/credit card. And, only one tunic, or basically don’t even grab a change of underwear. Just go! The mission was urgent.
According to David Garland, Jesus’ instruction to leave in this way was,
“...intended to exhibit ‘their detachment from their cares and concerns of this world and signifies trusting dependence on God.’ Jesus cited Deut. 8:3, that a person does not live on bread alone (Lk. 4:4), to rebuff the devil, He now wants His disciples to be as ‘radically dependent on God to supply their physical needs’ as He has been. They are neither to be beggars going from house to house, nor peddlers, hawking the gospel for profit.”[1]
Furthermore, they are to expect hospitality and hostility on their mission. What an encouragement this is. Too often we have an unrealistic expectation that when we share the hope we have in Jesus that people are going to immediately respond favorably. We should not be surprised when our preaching is met with resistance. On the other hand, in this day and age with how our world is, I think it should blow our minds when our preaching is welcomed in this world.
Jesus reminded the apostles,
John 15:18–20 NKJV
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
Jesus tells them to shake off the dust from their feet whenever they leave a hostile environment. It is understood that in those days, when strict Jews traveled to a Gentile area and returned home, they were to shake off all the dust from the Gentile area to remove the uncleanness of those who were not God’s people. This symbolized the difference and separation between Jew and Gentile. Well, Jesus applied this custom in a way that did not favor the Jew but rather implicated them in their sinfulness against God. This was to serve as a warning to those who rejected the message of God’s redeeming love and grace. The people of the Jewish towns would be considered as unclean as Jews considered Gentiles to be.
They were not to argue their case or twist anyone’s arm. They were not to beg for understanding. They were to turn them over to the wickedness that they preferred. Jesus, as well, left where He was not welcomed. We saw that in the region of the Gadarenes after Jesus delivered the demoniac.
We see a great example of this very thing happening with Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13. Luke tells us that the Gospel of God’s Kingdom was being preached among the Jews but they would not listen, therefore, since they rejected the grace of God, the apostles were rejecting them.
Acts 13:46–52 NKJV
46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
We will not always be welcomed where we go with the Gospel, but we must go anyway.
1 Peter 2:21 NKJV
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
Respond
Just as my professor had taught us some best practices of ministry, how to mourn with those who mourned and rejoice with those who rejoice. How to be inquisitive instead of assuming. How to listen with one ear of our heart to the patients in hospital and the other ear of our heart to the Spirit of God, so had Jesus taught His disciples before that. And just as the lessons we learned were not intended to remain in the classroom of the university, but instead to be taken out into the hospital where the physically and spiritually sick were, so had Jesus launched His disciples out into a world of sick people in desperate need of a touch from God.
We - the Church - are now those disciples that Jesus calls to Himself, that He empowers and authorizes to do what He did and He sends us out to in the power of His Holy Spirit to preach the kingdom of God and bring healing to those in need. But in order to be a part of this mission, you have to first surrender your life to Jesus Christ as Lord and Master.
David Garland, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Luke, 377
