Jesus Equips and Sends the Twelve
Notes
Transcript
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.
7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed, because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8 others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. 9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.
Introduction
Introduction
For the past while, we’ve seen a number of profound miracles that Christ has performed. We’ve considered some of his important teachings, both through that wonderful Sermon on the Plain, and also through other parables that are important.
Through all of this time, the disciples have been following Jesus. They have been present with him. They have been learning from Him.
This is really what it meant to be a disciple in that day. The word from the original language didn’t simply mean that you were a follower. Rather, the disciple was literally a person who followed another person around as pupil, with the view to learning from that person, and then putting into practice what they were doing, and so becoming like them.
40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
The disciples were following Jesus and learning from him in order that they might be like him. They were not merely admirers. And let us be sure, that we are also disciples of Jesus Christ, and we are called to imitate him, to learn from his life as recorded in the Scriptures, and so to put into practice what we’re learning, and so become like him!
It is indeed our greatest goal in this life… to become like our Saviour, and to proclaim our Saviour!
With that in mind, we need to recognise that there comes a time in each persons learning that they are to be thrust out into the “real world” as it were, and begin to put into practice that which they’ve been learning by observation and teaching. And that is where we now find ourselves as we come to this text.
Christ has come to the point where sufficient teaching has been given, sufficient miracles have been performed in their presence, sufficient practical demonstration has been given as to his responses and way of life, and it is now time that the disciples are sent out by Jesus in order to begin to put into practice what they have been learning.
This is essentially what we could call a practical internship. The Lord will now send out his disciples. They will not go out alone. They will go out two by two. But they will go without his direct oversight.
At this point in the ministry of Jesus, it is estimated that the crucifixion of Jesus is only about 18 months away. Already there have been some signs of animosity towards Jesus, and desires to have him stopped (particularly from the side of the religious leaders) and so it was appropriate that he begin to prepare the disciples for ministry.
We must, however, keep in mind that they still were unaware of the precise nature of his kingdom, and that Jesus would not be establishing his final reign at this time. Nonetheless, it was the time for them to be sent out in order to proclaim the Gospel message.
With that in mind, let us consider how some important aspects related to this sending out of the 12 Apostles for ministry.
The first thing that we must take note of in our text is...
1. The Saviour Prepares (vv.1-5)
1. The Saviour Prepares (vv.1-5)
As Christ would be sending out his disciples in order to preach the Gospel of the kingdom, it was necessary that he prepare them for the work for which he was sending them.
God is a God of order, not a God of disorder and chaos. And since the beginning of the establishment of His kingdom rule, He has worked to establish the church through equipping the saints, preparing the saints, and empowering the saints.
This was a mini preaching mission. It was not the final commissioning of the saints. But even here, there would be a very clear picture of Christ preparing these men for the work that they were to do.
In verse 1 of our text, we see that the first thing that Jesus does was that he called them together.
Immediately we need to see that the time that Jesus spent with his disciples was extensive, it wasn’t the case that they spent the entire three years of Jesus’ earthly ministry never leaving each others company. They certainly had times when they were apart from each other. Some of them had families, and they would have had to see their families and provide care and oversight, etc.
But at this time, they are called together by Jesus for a specific purpose. Flowing out of that, we see firstly...
1.1. The Disciples Equipped (v.1)
1.1. The Disciples Equipped (v.1)
Verse 1 tells us...
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,
Up until this point in time, Jesus has been demonstrating to his disciples, and to all the people that were witnesses of his work, the great power and authority that belonged to him.
The disciples themselves had been the key witnesses to the extent of the power of Jesus.
Demons had obeyed Christ instantly as he spoke to them and commanded them to come out of those who they possessed.
Even the elements of nature- the wind and the waves - obeyed Jesus when he commanded them to be still.
If there was one thing that the disciples had imprinted on their own minds, it was the extents of the power and authority that belonged to Jesus to perform the miraculous.
But in this present instance, we see that not only did Jesus possess this power and authority, but he even had the power and authority to give a measure of this power and authority to his disciples.
Notice the two aspects that are considered here. They are firstly given power. That is, they were given the ability to cast out demons and to heal diseases.
But he also gave them authority - the right to do what he was sending them to do.
In doing this, Christ perfectly enabled the disciples to go out and perform miracles as part of the work that he was sending them out for.
I want us to keep in the back of our minds why this was so important at this particular time in their ministry. You will recall the response that Jesus gave to the disciples of John the Baptist when he sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the one to come, or if they should expect another.
So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Here were the marks / signs that Jesus said would be the authentication of the fact that He was the Messiah. This would be the confirmation to those who were hearers of his teaching that he was indeed the promised Messiah, and this was authenticated by the power that he exercised.
And it’s the same in the instance of the twelve. It is these twelve Apostles that will be the ones that later on will be sent out in the establishment of the New Covenant people of God. And as they did that, they would have this ability to perform these great miracles in order to demonstrate the authenticity of the message that they proclaim.
And so, even now, as Christ sends them out on their first ministry trip, he equips them with the power and authority to drive out demons and to heal the sick.
But notice further from our text...
1.2. The Mission Explained (v.2)
1.2. The Mission Explained (v.2)
Verse 2 outlines for us the task specifically for which these disciples were sent out.
and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
They were sent out at this time, for healing and for heralding.
The first thing that we must take note of in this regar is that clearly the work for which they were sent at this time was an extension of his own ministry. The tasks for which he sends them are precisely the same tasks as he himself had been performing.
What is significant - and we should not lose sight of this in our own day - is that they were sent out in order to minister to people’s bodies as well as their souls. They were sent out to preach the Gospel, but they were also sent out to demonstrate compassion and care for the physical needs of the people they preached to.
The primary responsibility of course was to preach the kingdom of God. They had already spent much time under the preaching and teaching of Christ himself.
They had listened to sermons that he had preached.
They had listened in the synagogues as Jesus took the Old Testament scrolls, the law of Moses, the prophets, the writings, and proclaimed that their fulfilment was taking place even in their midst.
They had listened as he had responded to the questions that the people had posed to him. They had heard the manner in which he had been confronting those who opposed him.
But this was now their turn to take the message of repentance from sin, and faith in the person of Jesus Christ to the world around them.
The word that is used here for “preach” properly means to “herald”.
This biblical word for preaching (kēryssō) has its origins in the royal court, where a herald would go out and announce the arrival of the king or some other news of public importance. In a similar way, the apostles went out as gospel heralds to announce the coming of Christ as King.
This really was the primary dimension of their work. They were declaring to the people of that day, to the people who lived under the power and authority of the Roman empire, that there was another King, and he had arrived and was preparing to take up his place as their true King.
Christ is King, and the preaching of the Gospel in our day declares nothing less! Christ is the true king that is to be worshiped and honoured. He is the one before whom all people must bow in reverence and awe.
As Christ sent them out, he sent them with the primary task of proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom.
But even as they did this, they would be empowered by him to bring healing. They would be empowered to perform miracles in order to demonstrate the authenticity of the message that they were conveying.
Now, pause for a moment and consider who these disciples were. These were people that we would consider very ordinary men. They were not men of high standing, or with some kind of political clout. They were ordinary fishermen, tax collectors and the like.
We get some sense of their ordinariness in Acts 4:13…
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
Jesus didn’t come into the world and call those that were respected, powerful people that would advance his cause because of their great ability, or their connections, or the respect that people had for them.
Christ chose ordinary people. And then he empowered them!!
Even as he did this, there would be no basis for them to call any attention to themselves, but they would instead be pointing to Christ. It was His Gospel mission. It was His power that was at work within them in order to go out and proclaim the Gospel of the kingdom. It was his power that would enable them to heal people in order to authenticate the ministry in which they were engaged.
Thridly, in terms of Jesus preparing his Apostles, note...
1.3. Practical Instructions (vv.3-5)
1.3. Practical Instructions (vv.3-5)
A number of instructions are given to the Apostles at this stage. And these were simply very practical instructions for them as they went out...
The first instruction concerns what they are to take with them… or perhaps more appropriately, what they are not to take with them!!
He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic.
The Apostles were being sent out on their first preaching trip, and they were told to travel light. Extremely light!!! Essentially, they were to go out merely with the clothes that they had on their back, and little else.
Just pause and think through what must have gone through their minds here…
As they were preparing to go out on this journey, Jesus said that they were not even to take bread, or any money, or any extra tunic.
The clearest observation from this instruction is that they would be depending entirely on God for their provisions. They were not to take along any means of supporting themselves.
Rather, they would be going out relying upon God to move the hearts of the people to whom they ministered to provide for them everything they needed.
Now, we must not have in our minds that they were going for merely a day trip, preaching in some town or village. This would be a trip where they would go from town to town, and they would preach in that town for a time, and then move on.
Let us just say, it must have been extremely daunting for them!! We know well the account of the rich young ruler that came to Jesus. And when Jesus told him to sell all his possessions, give them to the poor, and follow him, he simply couldn’t bring himself to do that.
I don’t know that we’d fare much better, apart from a divine work of God within us. But I say this simply to bring home to us the radical nature of the command of Jesus to his disciples at this point, and how it must have impacted them!
One further point that I must make about this is that this does not present for us a normative picture. Some Christians have used this text in order to suggest that every missionary should travel in the same way, essentially taking nothing with them.
That’s a very good example of very bad exegesis!!
The instructions that Jesus was giving here are not prescriptive for the church. Rather, this is a descriptive text - it tells us what was unfolding at the time. The instructions given in this instance were instructions for the disciples themselves, and in this particular instance!
Later on, even these very same Apostles would be sent out, but told to take provisions with them.
He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.
Quite different instructions!! That is simply to say, let us be careful to not misuse Scripture in this way.
But note further from our text what Christ instructs in terms of lodging arrangements.
Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.
As the disciples would come into a town, they would need to find a place to stay from which they could minister. We must keep in our minds that these were Israelites, and they were going about proclaiming this Gospel message within the territories of the Israelites. As such, they would have had to be accommodated by their fellow Israelites in accordance with the law of God by which they lived.
“Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave.
And so, the disciples would need to go to each town, find a person that was willing to receive them for the period of time, and then go and stay with that person. But they were not to look around for other places to stay… perhaps looking for a better / more comfortable place. Rather they were to remain where they were until they were ready to move on.
Christ continues with practical instructions in verse 5...
If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.”
Christ was not under the delusion that every town would gladly welcome these disciples. Even Christ himself, when he ministered in the region of the Gerasenes, was rejected by the people, and essentially asked to leave.
When Jesus had gone to preach in his home town of Nazareth, the people of his own home town had rejected him, and even wanted to put him to death. It would no doubt be very similar for the disciples. There would be towns that would reject the message of the kingdom that they were bringing.
But we must note the importance of the statement that he makes here concerning those towns that refuse to hear them. Jesus tells them that they must shake the dust off their feet when they leave that town as a testimony against them.
Now, what did that mean?
In that day, the Jews had a custom that when they traveled through the towns or territories of heathen (Gentile) nations, once they were through those regions and returning to their own land, they would shake off the dust of those places from under their sandals, because they didn’t want to enter into the holy land (where ceremonial cleanliness was of great importance) with the dirt and impurity of people and places that were unclean.
What Jesus is saying here, then, is that if any town or home or village rejects the message that you bring them, you are to give them this picture that they are unclean, and must be treated as such.
Jesus was saying to his disciples that they should treat any town that rejects them as unclean Gentiles! To reject the Gospel of the kingdom is to render them unclean before God!!
Paul and Barnabas themselves did this as they travelled around ministering the Gospel.
But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.
Matthew adds in his account that Jesus said to his disicples that there would be great judgment for those towns that refused to accept the message that was brought.
I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Well, having considered their equpping, we must note secondly...
2. The Apostles Proclaim (v.6)
2. The Apostles Proclaim (v.6)
Verse 6 tells us that having been properly equipped and instructed by Jesus, the Apostles then set out in obedience to Christ…
So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.
Some very brief points to take note of from this.
Firstly, their trip covered a considerable area within the region of Galilee. Our text tells us that they went from village to village, preaching the Gospel. Further on the verse tells us that they preached and healed people everywhere…
Christ himself had proclaimed the Gospel of the king. Now his twelve Apostles were going and spreading the same Gospel message to the people all over. Here was the seed of the spread of the Gospel that would eventually go out into all the world.
A second observation from this verse is the connection with verse 2. In verse 2, we read that these disciples were sent to “preach the kingdom of God...” In this verse, we are told that they “preached the Gospel.”
“In other words, the gospel announces the arrival of blessing through Jesus in conjunction with the kingdom of God. The deeds of healing make evident the rule of God (8:22–56; 11:14–23). God has the power to deliver humanity from forces hostile to us, as Luke has just recorded in the four preceding miracles.” (NIVAC)
And Christ is the one through whom this deliverance will come.
We see also in verse 6 of our text that the authority and power that Jesus had given to the disciples was effective. Our text tells us that they not only preached, but they also healed people everywhere.
In essence Jesus was now performing his work of Gospel proclamation and power through his disciples. They were his agents.
Thirdly and finally from our text, we must consider...
3. The Tetrarch Perplexed (vv.7-9)
3. The Tetrarch Perplexed (vv.7-9)
Verses 7-9 say...
Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed, because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.
We don’t know precisely the extents of what Herod had heard, and all the details to which he was privy. But one thing is for sure - word was getting to Herod that strange things were taking place in the region over which he was responsible.
Christ himself had performed many miracles and had been proclaiming very clearly the Gospel of the kingdom.
Now the disciples themselves were going out and were proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom, they were proclaiming and acknowledging Christ, and they too were healing people.
Christ and the ministry of the disciples was leaving a profound impact upon the lives of the people that were touched.
Herod recognised the supernatural power that was at work in this instance, and it perplexed him!
What was more perplexing were the stories that were being conveyed to him concerning who Jesus was. Some were reporting that Elijah had appeared… others that one of the prophets from long ago had come back to life…
But even more concerning for Herod, and what would have played greatly on his own conscience, was the fact that some were claiming that John the baptist had been raised from the dead.
This would have greatly troubled Herod, since it was he that had given the instruction to have John the Baptist beheaded.
It is quite striking that we hear quite incidentally about the murder of John the Baptist. The last we heard of John, he was sitting in prison, and was sending his own disciples to Jesus to question him.
Now we read that he has been put to death, murdered by Herod!!
And so we read in our text that Herod “tried to see him.”
We also see that Herod was asking the right question… “who, then, is this I hear such things about?!”
He rightly asked the question about Jesus. And all people need to ask this same question - who is Jesus?!
But friends, let us be clear, that the manner in which we respond to that question is critical! It helps little to ask the right question, while we come to the wrong answer.
Herod asked the question, but failed to ask it with the right motives. He didn’t want a Saviour, but rather an entertainer. He didn’t want to submit to the Lordship of Christ, but rather to exercise his own dominance and power over Christ.
Later, in Luke 23, we read the account of Pilate sending Jesus to Herod because Jesus was being accused by the JEwish religious leaders. And when Pilate heard that Jesus was a Galilean, he decided to send him to Herod, because Herod ruled over that region.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle.
Herod ended up asking Jesus all kinds of questions, which Jesus didn’t respond to. But ultimately, we find that Herod rejected the person of Jesus.
Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.
Herod ridiculed and mocked Jesus. He was intrigued by JEsus, but he rejected Jesus. Philip Ryken writes...
“Herod’s example shows how absolutely crucial it is to make a firm decision for Christ. If we do not receive him by faith, we are really rejecting him, and eventually he will reject us. This is true even if we express some interest in Jesus. Herod was interested in Jesus, too. He found Jesus fascinating. He wanted to meet him and know more about him. But he never trusted him for salvation.”
Let us be sure that we turn to Jesus and trust him for salvation. An idle curiosity does not lead us to salvation, but rather will ultimately lead to condemnation if we fail to embrace Christ in obedience and faith!
Application / Conclusion
Application / Conclusion
I want to bring some important practical application from this text to us as a church. The first point of application is that...
A.1. We are Equipped
A.1. We are Equipped
The account here of the disciples was a very specific one. It happened within a specific timeframe in terms of God’s redemptive plans in history. Christ equipped his disciples in a particular manner that was pertinent to them, and in order to ensure that as they proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom, it would be done so in an effective manner, and in a manner in which those who heard the Gospel proclaimed could not say that there was insufficient evidence.
The manner in which Christ equips us today may not be precisely the same. But Christ equips us nonetheless, and he equips us as the church to the extent that it is necessary to take the Gospel of the kingdom out and so bring in a harvest to the glory of God.
Particularly, we have the joy of the established church, where the Gospel is proclaimed, and the saints exercise their gifts of ministry as Christ has empowered them, so that the church may be built up, and we may proclaim the Gospel of the kingdom to others.
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
In our day, it is the offices of Pastor and teacher that are used of God to equip the saints for works of services, so that all believers together may be built up.
But notice verse 16 of that same text...
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Christ is strengthening and building his church. Another text that brings this out beautifully is Hebrews 13:20-21...
May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
God the FAther, our Saviour Jesus Christ, the working of the Holy Spirit within us - they equip us for every good work. Primarily, this is done through the ordinary means of grace, and particularl through the proclamation of the Word…
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
A.2. Our Mission has been Explained
A.2. Our Mission has been Explained
Christ has not left us in this world without giving instructions in terms of what He wants done. In summary form… He wants us involved and participating in the work of proclaiming and living out the Gospel of the Kingdom.
We are to make disciples of all nations. We are to take the same Gospel message, and proclaim this message to the world that is in darkness. We are to live day to day as the salt and light in the world that is in a state of decay and degradation and moral corruption.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
A.3. Our Instructions have been Given
A.3. Our Instructions have been Given
Dear friends, we have been given instructions in the word of God so that we as believers may live out our lives in a particular manner in this dark world. While some may argue that our instructions are not specific enough, let us be sure that our instructions are sufficient.
The Epistles are filled with wisdom in terms of how we are to live out our lives in this world. Instructions have been given to us about how we are to speak; how we are to live; what kinds of things are to mark our thought lives; how parents are to treat and instruct their children; how children are to respond to their parents; how employers and employees are to live in relation to one another; how we as members of the body are to love one another, pray for one another etc; how we are to do things if someone sins against us. All of the instructions pertinent to the task assigned to us have been given in the Scriptures.
But we are to take those Scriptures and learn!!!
What remains, then, is our obedience to Christ. Let us put into practice that which he has commanded us. Christ started by ministering to the 12, teaching them. Then he equipped them, and sent them out, with all the necessary instructions. Ultimately, we are the product of the wise working of our Lord.
Let us be faithful to continue in the task, and hand down this faith to others for the glory of our Saviour!