"And calling the twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; nor have two tunics apiece. And whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them." And departing, they were going throughout the villages, proclaiming the gospel and healing everywhere."
Good Morning beloved,
We are so pleased to welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, it is both an honor and a privilege to have you here with us today this Lord's Day. It's such a tremendous blessing to witness the Lord's grace and mercy at work, not only in my own life, but in the lives of others, reminding me of both the blessing and importance of community. Your commitment to share God's Word with others is continuing to produce amazing results.
I confess that I absolutely love immersing myself in the Holy Scriptures, it is not only a passion of mine, I would venture to say there is nothing more characteristic of a true devoted follower of Christ than studying the Word of God and earnestly striving to live according to its teachings. However, I believe it is often those passages in Scripture with which we are most familiar in terms of the words, we are least familiar in terms of the significance, giving us the allusion that because we know what it says we automatically comprehend what it means. It has often been said, familiarity breeds contempt, meaning when we know something or someone too well, we tend to take it for granted, diminishing our appreciation and respect for it. We can then even spend a significant amount of time analyzing and criticizing someone or a thing we once held in high regard.
How many of us have read the Parable of the Good Samaritan, yet have failed to grasp it's deeper meaning of love and compassion that transcends cultural and social boundaries? Or how many of us have studied the phrase, "love your enemies," enough to lecture others yet fail to practice it in our own lives? I believe the struggle often lies in overcoming our learned biases and psychological barriers
towards those we perceive to be our adversaries. Therefore, I am convinced that it becomes imperative to approach Scripture with a fresh perspective, allowing its timeless truths to continually challenge and mold us, lest we begin to overlook the transformative power Christ's teachings were intended to have on our lives. I believe how a person feels about and handles the Word of God is a test, a test that reveals the spiritual condition of your heart.
We can safely say it is a mark of an unbeliever, a false Christian who looks for ways to interpret the Word of God, twisting and reshaping to conveniently align with their lifestyle choices, rather than to interpret the Word of God and strive to understand and embrace what it truly says, then look for ways to adjust their lives to live according to what it says. Jesus reminds us that not everyone who says to Him, "‘Lord, Lord,’" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of His Father who is in heaven will enter. Essential to every true believer's relationship to Christ, is the active pursuit of fulfilling God's will. Jesus frequently emphasized throughout Scripture, a genuine relationship with Him is linked to doing God’s will, obeying His commands.
To know Christ is to develop a deep and abiding love for Him, to fail to obey Him is to both fail to love Him and know Him for Who He is. Although my obedience is at best imperfect, often stumbling in one way or another, it is nevertheless the desire of my heart to faithfully obey His every Word, honoring Him with my speak and actions is characteristic of my relationship with Him. It's as David says in Psalm 143:10, "Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground." By living in accordance to God's will, we will not only strengthen our relationship with Christ, but we will also positively impact the lives of those around us that are struggling. Being a child of God, a devout follower of Christ, is the highest privilege of my life, it is the greatest privilege that anybody could ever have.
The church is called to embrace and welcome all individuals, regardless of their previous actions or current circumstances. This mission of inclusivity extends to accepting people from all walks of life, recognizing that everyone is unique. However, it is imperative that we do not ever compromise the message, or explain in such a away that dumbs down biblical convictions to make sinners feel welcome, guiding them away from transformation; that's not evangelism, it's hypocrisy. History has revealed that compromise with the world brings disastrous consequences to the people of God.
I strongly believe that is essential to maintain the purity and authenticity of the Gospel message without compromise, it is crucial to boldly communicate the unaltered Truth with courage and clarity, as it provides an unmistakable path to genuine transformative change in one's heart and profound growth in one's personal life. Listen, my steadfast dedication to the Truth goes beyond personal conviction; but is reinforced by countless examples found throughout Scripture. In his various letters to the church, the Apostle Paul, consistently emphasized the necessity of preserving the Gospel's integrity, warning against false teachers and urging believers to hold fast to the original message, as did the Apostle Peter, warning that false teachers will secretly introduce destructive heresies, warning that many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned. Therefore, I believe it is more crucial than ever to remain vigilant, committed to preserving Scripture's purity, particularly in today's society where misinformation and conflicting ideologies can spread rapidly through the internet and various media platforms. As someone who has been called to ministry, I am responsible to ensure that happens to the best of my ability, that's why I must call sinners to genuine repentance and to believe the Gospel, to turn away from sin and to embrace the Gospel's transformative power. We do that by loving them unconditionally, pointing them to Christ, and inviting them to have a life-changing relationship with the One Who radically transforms lives. The world will not care how much we know until they know how much we care. A process that also involves supporting them in their journey through various methods, including personal discipleship.
The answer is not found in an unfriendly church but in a body of believers who are committed to boldly proclaiming the Truth and living out that Truth, holding one another accountable, praying unceasingly with and for each other.
Let's pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we are so grateful for Your Word, it's always such a wonderful and enriching experience studying it. We are extremely thankful for the profound wisdom and divine guidance it provides, giving us insight and clarity. Lord, I confess that I am continuously amazed by the multitude of invaluable lessons it offers in my life. Thank You for the amazing opportunity You have graciously bestowed upon me to be able to share what I've learned with all these beautiful people. I am astonished by the numerous personal stories of how Your Word has continued to transform countless lives all around the world, it is truly a remarkable honor and a tremendous privilege to get to be a part of that process that extends to all people from all walks of life. Thank You Father for raising up faithful men who resolve to preach the Gospel, even in the face of adversity and persecution. Bless their hearers with saving faith. We ask and pray this in Christ's Name for Your glory.
Amen.
Today's Message: Empowered: Mission, Vision and Values
Well, we're moving right along in our study in the book of Luke, today we start chapter 9, it's hard to believe we've been in Luke for almost a year already. I pray that you're having a wonderful time in the tremendous Book of Luke that God has given us as much as I am. I love the Word of God, no matter what the text is. I was recently brought to my attention by someone very near and dear to me, someone that I cherish, so graciously pointed out that I seem to love all of the books of the Bible. And, that is certainly true, each book offers a wealth of wisdom, there's so much knowledge that spans centuries, profound insights, and invaluable guidance, there's so much comfort and correction found in the Word of God, gently steering us back on course when we stray and peace to those who seek it. It's unlike anything I've ever known.
So, let's open our Bibles and turn them to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 9. Today, we'll be looking at the first six verses where I hope we will gain some wonderful insights into how the Lord multiplied Himself through twelve ordinary, flawed men. I must say that I am particularly fascinated how God can transform broken and flawed men like myself and use them as leaders for His divine purposes. We all know that He certainly could have done it all by Himself, after all, He created the entire world, but He chose to do His ministry by using the most unlikely, least qualified men He could find. I must say it's encouraging to know that He did not choose them on the basis of their individual worthiness or personal capabilities, or very prominent men who would be well-received.
In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, these twelve men are not the cream of the crop, they are not the most educated, the most celebrated or influential, or even the most gifted humanly speaking. The truth is what truly set them apart from everyone else was not any extraordinary attribute or rare quality but rather their ordinariness. These average at best, ordinary men often resemble any number of us, facing the same difficulties and experiencing the same challenges. Humanly speaking, we would consider this risky because there is so much at stake. However, I believe the Lord's intention in selecting them was to demonstrate that greatness can emerge from the most unexpected places, regardless of their starting point, when one is fully surrendered to His will. It's as our Lord says in Mark 10:27, "With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."
This portion of the Word is very significant. What's the significance you ask? Jesus is past the halfway point now in His three year ministry, so there's only eighteen months or so left before He heads to the cross. Up to this point, He did it all Himself, there wasn’t anybody else preaching, there wasn't anybody else performing any miracles, or casting out demons. Everything was done by Him alone. First, He summoned these twelve ordinary men to follow Him, then they followed Him without any real training, then, He isolated them and trained them day after day, in the preparation for ministry, now the time has come, it is their time to be sent, to represent Him in the region of Galilee, to repeat the message they have learned. The Lord was probably feeling the pressure to multiply Himself, He had no plan B, and I believe this is still the way we must approach the ministry; transitioning a chosen few from being eager students of the Word to becoming preachers who boldly proclaim it, while grace is still available, because the time is short.
It is crucial to recognize that Jesus' teachings encompassed a balanced message, a fact that is often overlooked by contemporary preachers, proclaiming a one sided message, of love, compassion, and salvation. Our Lord delivered sermons that were stern and uncompromising, solidifying unrepentant sinners in their rejection of the Truth. His messages were not limited to comforting words as is common practice today; His messages included warnings of judgment, emphasizing accountability and the importance of repentance and turning away from sin, rather than celebrating it. Yes, in spite of the imaginary Jesus we hear so much about today, the Jesus of the Bible was a loving, compassionate, truthful, judgement preacher, Who loved people enough to tell them the Truth in an attempt to snatch
those destined for Hell out of the fire, before it's too late. Even the fact He chose these twelve unlikely men to be the leaders of Israel was a devastating judgment against the corrupt religious establishment. Love always speaks the Truth, preaches the truth, to those who are perishing, regardless of how unpleasant it is to hear. Although we may not always see the results of our efforts, we must continue plant the seed and pray for the lost, trusting the Lord of the harvest.
I hope you will follow along with me as I read these six verses, so that we can get the text set it in our minds, and allow it to settle deeply within our hearts, creating an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to transform our lives.
"And calling the twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; nor have two tunics apiece. And whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them." And departing, they were going throughout the villages, proclaiming the gospel and healing everywhere."
Verse 1, "And calling the twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases." Jesus had been going around preaching "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." It wouldn't be long before He would confront the self-righteous religious leaders, boldly condemning their hypocrisy, unmasking their corruption, denouncing their selfish motives and deception and apostasy, which was well hidden behind religious rituals and elaborate public prayers. He indicted them for the heavy burdens they lay on men’s shoulders, unwilling to move so much as a finger to lift them. He cursed them for making those they taught twice as much a son of hell as themselves. And, He did it publicly, so everyone knew what He thought about them.
This is the initiation of the Apostles. Here, Jesus calls the twelve together, who were sovereignly chosen through prayer, giving them simple directives, which they obediently followed then, He sends them out to preach and do miracles. It is easy to imagine these twelve men, much like many of us today who are called to ministry, standing there with a dumbfounded look in their eyes as their hearts began to sink, as the weight of their new responsibilities began to settle in. I vividly recall my own moments of insecurity and doubt, when the Lord called me to engage in a spiritual battle that I realized was far beyond my capabilities. I remember crying out to Him, "I can't do this! I'm not qualified for such a monumental task. You've obviously got the wrong guy!" I had no idea of the immense challenges that would lay ahead, however, despite my initial hesitation, I have learned through much prayer and divine guidance, all these years later, I am constantly reminded to trust in Him alone, that the real qualifications come from the Lord Himself, not from my own perceived abilities. He is not oblivious to the obstacles that stand in our way of serving Him, He deals with all them one by one. Allow me to point out that He ordains His ministers to preach the same message that He Himself proclaimed, any deviation from that message is a prostitution of the Gospel. In Galatians 1:8 Paul writes, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to the gospel we have proclaimed to you, let him be accursed!"
By the way, if you recall Luke ends chapter 8 with Jesus raising Jairus' daughter from the dead, after He said she was asleep and everyone present erupted into laughter. Then Luke goes right into chapter 9, verse 1: "And He called the twelve together." However, if you go back to Mark chapter 6, you'll notice that something significant happened in between, Jesus, knowing His ministry was coming to an end, He went back to His hometown of Nazareth to the same synagogue where He had grown up and attended with His family, the same synagogue where He had first gone to preach and they were so angry with His message because they were spiritually bankrupt, that they tried to kill Him, by throwing Him off a cliff. They never once denied His supernatural power to heal or cast out demons, they hated Him because of His diagnosis of their spiritual condition. Mark says in chapter 6, verse 6, "And He wondered at their unbelief. And He was going around the villages teaching." Like many of us who proclaim the Gospel to impenitent sinners, we often leave feeling rejected, shaking our heads in wonder at their unbelief.
We can assume by Luke's language, "And He called the twelve together," they didn't necessarily hang out together, obviously, Peter, Andrew, James and John knew each other well, having grown up together and being in the fishing business, but they weren't all pals. Like in many churches today, they probably had their little "cliques" or smaller groups that hang together within a much larger group, based on common interests, backgrounds, or previous relationships, except for Matthew, might have found himself somewhat alienated from the others, given his previous association with the Rome authorities as a tax collector. We've mentioned this several times before, tax collectors were typically viewed with disdain by their fellow Jews, as they were seen as collaborators with the Roman the occupying forces. Now it's time to call the twelve together, Peter, his brother Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor, this moment of gathering was significant, as it marked the beginning of a new phase in their spiritual training, which is basically phase two, being prepared to be sent out for their first evangelism assignment. This is a critical step in their journey, going from followers to active participants in spreading Jesus' message of the kingdom and then, they are to come back and report their experiences to Jesus. They're just like many of us today, they are learning to live under Christ’s authority and developing the skills to work together in harmony towards a common purpose, supporting one another in their mission. Whenever you begin to identify individuals who are going to help extend your ministry, it's important to start with those who have consistently demonstrated their loyalty and dedication over time.
In verse 2, "And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick." I believe that Jesus is emphasizing the importance of teamwork, ministry isn't supposed to be done alone, we've all been blessed with unique gifts and talents which are to be used for the collective benefit of the body of Christ. Jesus literally wore Himself out doing everything alone. Another reason is to confirm everything that they said was credible and trustworthy, based on the evidence of two witnesses. That's what Deuteronomy 19:15 says, right? "A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; at the mouth of two or three witnesses a matter shall be established." Mark adds that "He sent them out in pairs and gave them authority over the unclean spirits." The Greek term "eksousía" used here indicates that He endowed them not only with the right but also delegated the power to act with authority over all demonic forces.
This empowerment was crucial to effectively carry out their mission to preach, heal, and exercise spiritual authority. These twelve common men have been given the most extraordinary responsibility in the history of the world, to proclaim the profound message, that the Kingdom of God is available to those who will believe and place their faith in the Messenger He sent, Jesus Christ. For those who reject Him, there awaits eternal damnation. This is not only an overwhelming display of God's power but were gifts exclusively given to the apostles, which they had throughout the duration of their ministry as a permanent indication of their apostleship. The God who hears our cries doesn’t forget our suffering, He has mercy and compassion on us when we need it most. By the way, if anyone claims to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he fails to demonstrate the love, and mercy, and compassion of God, he is a liar. As we will see later in Luke 10, Jesus also delegated that power briefly to the seventy He sent out to
authenticate the message over the false teachers that oppressed people. In Mark 6:12, Mark adds "They went out and preached that men should repent." The message is exactly the same today, you have to confront sin, and you have to preach repentance. That's exactly what Jesus did, that's why the corrupt religious establishment wanted to kill Him. They were commanded to preach what Jesus preached. We're not to lower the standard. However, although we preach the same message the Apostles preach, we cannot function as they did, healing the sick, raising the dead and casting out demonic forces.
Verse 3, "And He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; nor have two tunics apiece." In Matthew 10:9, he emphasizes "Freely you received, freely give." I believe this underscores the importance of not commercializing the Gospel, exploiting vulnerable individuals for financial gain. As most of you know, I have addressed the issue of certain unscrupulous false teachers who view the ministry as a pathway to immense wealth, they require undiscerning believers to give large sums of money in order to receive spiritual blessings. These "preachers" frequently use their ministry platforms to manipulate their congregations by suggesting that their hardships are a direct result of not contributing "enough" financially to their ministries, placing an undue burden on the faithful who are already struggling. Many even aggressively market their latest books, seminars, and even essentially "prostituting" themselves for participating in speaking engagements, charging excessive fees for their presence and life-changing spiritual insight. The disparity between these prosperity preacher's affluence and their congregation's economic poverty is deeply troubling.
True men of God are deeply committed to proclaiming the Gospel free of charge, trusting the Lord to provide our financial needs as He moves in the hearts of His faithful servants that He has enabled to give, inspiring them to give generously. It's no secret that many missionaries and pastors often rely on the goodwill donations, volunteer work, and other forms of support from their congregations and devoted followers to provide resources such as food, shelter, and financial aid to ensure that the message of the Gospel can be spread both widely and effectively. There's nothing inherently wrong with being paid for doing the Lord's work. Paul did write in 1 Corinthians 9, "Do we not have a right to eat and drink? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel." The greatest lesson I have learned in ministry is complete dependence, trusting that God will provide. That is the same lesson Jesus is teaching the twelve here, to trust God on the highest level to provide everything they need. The point is never seek to be enriched from people who are suffering. Trust God for what you need. Once I learned to humbly accept what God graciously provides, I've never once lacked for anything, in fact, He's always provided more than I need. Jesus said in Matthew 6, "Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing? Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Verse 4, "And whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city." Whenever I have needed a place to stay and someone was kind enough to open their heart and their home, I stayed there and I was content. I didn't spend time trying to upgrade my accommodations. I was content with what God provided me. I have known some who think they're too good to stay in anything less than a 5 Star Hotel. A true servant of Christ demonstrates contentment to allow the Lord to meet our needs. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:6-10, "But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evils, and some by aspiring to it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." And, in Philippians 4:11 Paul says, "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am."
Then, in verse 5 He says, "And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them." This is pretty strong instruction from our Lord. By the way, The Message paraphrases this verse as "If you’re not welcomed, leave town. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on." However, I believe this loosely interpreted translation seems to stray far from Jesus' original intent, even in terms of the broadest interpretation. It's not surprising that the Message has become so popular among many liberal churches and pastors, it doesn't confront sin. Preaching the Gospel to sinners requires both boldness and courage, but it also requires discernment, you have to recognize when you're wasting your time in giving priceless spiritual truth to people who have no ability to grasp it. It's like Jesus teaches in Matthew 7:6, "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet." Notice He then instructs them to "shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them." This is a visual act of judgment, a testimony against them, judicially confirming their rejection of the Gospel of salvation. Luke adds in chapter 10:11-12, Jesus instructed the seventy-seven who were being sent out to say, "Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city." I believe it is important to acknowledge that not all of our efforts will be met with acceptance, even within the church. Rejection comes with the territory. I've learned that the only ones who are going to want to hear the Truth, no matter how difficult it is to hear, are those who belong to Christ. If someone rejects the Gospel, Jesus is saying, "Treat them with disdain as unclean." That doesn't sound anything like "shrug your shoulders and say oh well," to me.
And that brings us to verse 6, "And departing, they were going throughout the villages, proclaiming the gospel and healing everywhere." Mark adds "They went out and preached that men should repent." I love that, they did exactly as they were told. There are significant number of self-proclaimed preachers today who have lost their focus, I believe they would greatly benefit from reflecting on doing what Jesus commands us. "They went out and preached that men should repent." I couldn't begin to tell you the number of preachers who neglect to mention genuine repentance is part of the Gospel message. Jesus preached repentance for the forgiveness of sin, and in Matthew 28, He instructed all who will represent Him to teach people to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Many church leaders have made such damning alterations to the Gospel in order to make it more palatable, more inclusive, rendering it utterly ineffective in producing true followers of Christ. God sets the terms of our calling, He commands our obedience in ministry, to preach His Word not to give people our personal opinions or teach them well intended human philosophies. Every time a pastor opens his mouth, only the things of God and His Kingdom should come out. Not our personal or political opinions. We are commanded to preach the Word, to be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching. (2 Timothy 4:2) And we are to preach the Gospel with urgency, calling men unto genuine repentance leading to salvation. Nothing more, nothing less.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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