Jesus sends the twelve

(Transition) Today we are going to see the training turn to practical application in preparation for what they will have to do when He returns to the Father. Our lives as believers are training and application too. We get our training from the bible, and the application by what we do with God’s word.

A Sending Passage

Luke 9:1–2 NASB95

1 And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2 And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.

Luke 9:3–4 NASB95

3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. 4 “Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city.

Luke 9:5–6 NASB95

5 “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.” 6 Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Luke 9:7–8 NASB95

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, 8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again.

Luke 9:9–10 NASB95

9 Herod said, “I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see Him. 10 When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida.

Luke 9:11 NASB95

11 But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.

If you were to sum up this passage how would you do it, briefly?

Details matter, what did Jesus do, give, instruct the twelve (vv.1-2)?

He called them together.

He gave them power and authority over demons and to heal diseases.

He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

Instructions, what instructions do you see (vv.3-4)?

Take nothing (staff, bag, bread, money, or two tunics)

What house you enter, stay there until you leave the city.

If people do not receive them what are they to do (v.5)?

Shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.

So, they departed, then what happened (v.6)?

They did exactly what Jesus instructed them to do, preaching the gospel and healing.

Why was Herod perplexed (vv.7-8)?

Because he heard that maybe John had risen from the dead.

People thought maybe was Elijah, other prophets.

What did Herod want (v.9)?

Who is this man?

He kept trying to see Him.

The Apostles return and what did Jesus do (v.10)?

He took them with him and withdrew to Bethsaida.

The crowds knew where He was and went to Him, and what did Jesus do (v.11)?

He welcomed them

He spoke to them about the kingdom

He cured those in need of healing

The Commission

Luke 9:1–2 NLT

1 One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. 2 Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Luke 9:3–4 NLT

3 “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. 4 Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town.

Luke 9:5–6 NLT

5 And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.” 6 So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.

They had be ordained for service some months earlier (Lk6:13-16)

Luke 6:13–14 NASB95

13 And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles: 14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James and John; and Philip and Bartholomew;

Luke 6:15–16 NASB95

15 and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Before sending them out, He gave them the needed equipping for the mission (Power, Authority).

What equipping has God given you for your mission?

I think we may grab a little more details from (Mt10:5-6)

Matthew 10:5–6 NASB95

5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Luke had no need for this detail since he wrote to a Gentile audience, and his focus was world wide fulfillment of the gospel.

Jesus did not just send out, tell them to go, but gave them power and authority. Oftentimes we may give someone instructions to do something but do not give the authority, ownership of the thing they are asked, instructed to do.

Power is the ability to do something, authority is the right to do it. Jesus gave both to them.

Jesus gave some simple instructions, preach and heal.

Preach about the kingdom

Given authority over demons, cure diseases

So, can you see both the spiritual and the physical here?

What do you think the most important task was?

To preach the kingdom, the Good News of the kingdom

Then the special gift of casting out and curing which would be proof, evidence that God sent them through the Christ.

I found this quote about miracles from Wiersbe that is pretty good.

“Today we test a person’s ministry by the truth of the Word of God (1Jn2:18-29; 4:1-6). Miracles alone are not proof that a person is truly sent of God, for Satan can enable his false ministers to do amazing things (Mt24:24; 2Cor11:13-15; 2The2:9-10).”

Jesus instructed them to take nothing with them.

This was a common teaching with and shows in the Talmud that Rabbi’s would go to the temple mount they would take nothing with them, no staff, shoes, girdle of money or dusty feet.

Barclay says “The idea was that when a man entered the temple, he must make it quiet clear he had left everything which had to do with trade and business and worldly affairs behind.”

Travelling light kept them dependent on God. If they could not trust God how could they teach others to trust Him?

Their commission, their task in preaching, proclaiming was not primarily to change people’s minds. They were to persuasively present the message. If people did not want to receive it, they could knock the dust off and move on.

“If Jewish people of that time had to go through a Gentile city, as they left them often shook the dust off their feet as a gesture saying, ‘We don’t want to take anything from this Gentile city with us.’ Jesus told him disciples to regard a Jewish city that rejected their message as if it were a Gentile city.” (Guzik)

The confusion

Luke 9:7–8 NLT

7 When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything Jesus was doing, he was puzzled. Some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. 8 Others thought Jesus was Elijah or one of the other prophets risen from the dead.

Luke 9:9 NLT

9 “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “so who is this man about whom I hear such stories?” And he kept trying to see him.

Herod Antipas, is son of Herod the Great.

Herod is the one who had John the Baptist beheaded (Lk3:19-20; Mt14:1-12)

Herod was perplexed by this miracle worker he had heard about.

Was this a reincarnated John? Who is this guy?

There is no evidence that Herod was a spiritually discerning, inquiring man. This it appears is to check out and see what he can get from this man, to see if the man is a threat to him.

Herod wanted to see Jesus, but Jesus gave no mind, no attention to Herod, even when sent to him in Jesus trial.

Jesus was not moved by the rich and the famous, the high and the mighty, the powerful, movers and shakers of the day. He came to usher in the kingdom of God and to save sinners. Jesus even later calls Herod a fox.

Luke 13:31–32 NASB95

31 Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him, “Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.” 32 And He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.’

The return

Luke 9:10–11 NLT

10 When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.

The apostles return and tell of the great things that were done.

Are you excited to talk to people about trips, adventures you have taken, or about the work God has done in your life?

After the adventure it was time to be alone with Christ for physical and spiritual replenishing.

Gee, I think we can learn from that at times too.

When Jesus sent them out, He called them the twelve, or the disciples, upon their return He addresses them as the Apostles.

Apostles: One sent with authority and a message. That is what they had. Now from training to be an apostle, they were apostles!

Crowds were attracted to this miracle worker, they would hear and follow. When Jesus and the freshly commissioned Apostles got near the city, the crowd was already there.

Jesus mission, even when his intentions were to have alone time with the Apostles for rest and rejuvenation, never changed He had compassion for them (Mt14:13-14) and spoke regarding the kingdom of God and healed those needing healing.

(conclusion)

The Lord has commission for all his followers, to proclaim the kingdom of God

The Lord has given authority (the word is the authority)

The Lord has given us the power (His Holy Spirit) to accomplish the commission of proclaiming the kingdom of God.

May we come without our thoughts, our ways, and be fully trusting and relying on Him and His ways to accomplish His will.