Luke 9.1-17

Intro: The story is told that after a famous artist finished his painting of the Last Supper he asked a friend to comment on the work.

  1. When the friend remarked that the cups were the most magnificent parts of the entire painting, the artist was dumbfounded.
  1. He picked up his brush and painted over every cup, explaining, "I failed. I wanted you to see Christ, but you only noticed the cups."
  1. Inscription on the Pulpit of a particular church - We would see Jesus - That is to be our goal As we study through the word / see our Lord.
  1. See His heart & understand His ways - Love the gospels - for us as a Church presently - God’s word to us CONSIDER JESUS.
    1. Keep our eyes on Jesus / don’t lose sight of Jesus.
  1. Today gain some insight into our Lord’s heart for people - our Lord

perspective on evangelism.

 

How you ever wondered about life during the time of Christ - what were some of the social problems of his day . Consider

  1. - SLAVERY was rampant -
  1. Homosexuality was big amongst the Romans / as was sexually immorality of all forms / Prostitution was a problem
  1. Governmental oppression - The Romans were heavy handed - rulers / and taxes were high. / They had their poor & oppressed. Beggars
  1. They even had a form of abortion - Child sacrifices were not uncommon - many pagan gods & Idolatry was a major problem

Now what I find interesting is that they had many of the same social problems we face but Jesus never addressed any of them.

  1. That was not His focus - His PURPOSE for coming into the world is to

give His life as a ransom for many

  1. So looking around at all the problems in society / what was Jesus solution

to the problem?

  1. Seeing a broken helpless world / seeing man driven by his lust & passions & becoming more wicked - what did Jesus do?

  1. He chose 12 guys to TRAIN & EQUIP to reach the World .

THE ninth chapter of Luke's Gospel marks the final year of the ministry of Jesus Christ

  1. For 2 yrs He had been training these men so that AFTER He was gone

they could carry the message of the Kingdom of God into all the world

B) for two years He had been training them / Training them by example

1) Teaching them to have faith in God

  1. This chapter is all about LEARNING TO SERVE/ Marks the - sending of the 12 for their first missions trip / first solo flight -

9:1 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.

SEVERAL THINGS WE WANT TO NOTE ABOUT JESUS - TRAINING & SENDING OF THESE MEN

1ST - HE CALLED THEM. They each had a calling.

A) QUOTE: A.W. Tozer A true minister is not one by his own choice but

by the sovereign commission of God.

  1. ALL Christian service BEGINS with the call of God

  1. There are certain things that we are all called to - we have all been

called to being SALT & LIGHT .

  1. All of us have been called to make disciples - … called to be witnesses

c) We are God’s vessels set apart & called to share His love w/ a lost hurting & dying world/ World w/ out Him - end up in HELL!!!

  1. That is the general call that we all have - but each one of us also has a specific call or function- w/ in the body of Christ.

  1. Called to Children's ministry / Helps / some called to be men or women's group leaders - /

D) Some full time mission field or Pastors

  1. But Whatever it is that you desire to do in the Kingdom of God, it MUST have it's beginnings with His call

E) Serving from a CALLING - so much better responding out of need.

 

SO Christian service is first of all a matter of being CALLED and secondly a matter of being EQUIPED

A) And Christ equips us with all that we need to do the work

  1. He will never send us out to do a work without first giving us what we need to accomplish that work -

1)We see that was true of the disciples - He gave them power and

authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.

C)Now The Bible tells us 1Jo 3:8 that one purpose why the Son of God was

manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

D) Interesting that Jesus was going to send mere men to confront and

overturn the works of the devil/ SPIRITUAL BATTLE

1) Human power can NOT overthrow such power

E) So Jesus not only CALLED them, He EQUIPPED them with the

necessary power and authority

1) Like wisE WE ARE TOLD STAND ..STRONG … POWER OF ….

D) POWER = The ability to do something

AUTHORITY = The right to do it Jesus gave them both

 

POWER = Dunamis......... Dynamite power

A) The power that raised Jesus from the dead

B) THIS is the power that Jesus gives to us

C) AUTHORITY = Exousia= The power that comes from authority

  1. Like a police man arresting you..... NOT by his inherent authority... but

by the authority VESTED in him by the city

E) WHAT IS OUR AUTHORITY ? NAME OF JESUS !!!!!!!!

NOTE: It is the authority of Jesus THAT gives us authority over demons/ HIS POWER / MIGHT / HIS NAME

 

SO He CALLS THEM / EQUIPPS THEM/ SENDING THEM-

3rd thing SENDS THEM W/ A MESSAGE .

a) he sent them to preach the kingdom of God & HEAL

Q. Joel Horne God never sends His messengers w/ an empty envelope.

NOTE: The great message they were sent to deliver was the message of the KINGDOM OF GOD

  1. In Scripture, the kingdom of heaven can be viewed in 4 aspects.

  2. 1ST The central message of the kingdom is the message about the King. By definition, a kingdom is the domain ruled by a king, its sovereign.
  1. But the essence of a kingdom is not the geographical area but the actual ruling of the king,
  1. It is the administration of his will over the citizens of the kingdom.
  1. The kingdom of God is above all the domain of God’s lordship, where

He rules by His divine will.

E) The Kingdom of God is the Kingship of God, the Sovereignty of God.

 

The 2nd aspect of the Kingdom of God is that it is manifest in conversion,

  1. A person comes into that kingdom of God when he enters the sovereign rule of God by trusting in Christ for salvation

The 3rd aspect is it is manifested in consecration,

  1. as believers live out the divine principles of God’s revelation by obedience to His Word.
  1. "The kingdom of God is ... righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy

Spirit" (Rom. 14:17).

  1. 4th Aspect of the kingdom will be seen in its glorious millennial form when Christ returns to earth to establish and rule it in person
    1. and then sets up His eternal kingdom
  1. That is what He sent them to preach. King was there / they needed to receive Him / He wanted to reign in their hearts / ready His return

What this age needs is the proclamation of the Kingship of God, the Kingdom of God.

A) This Kingdom is not postponed until the end of this present age.

The message is that He reigns now,/ HEARTS

  1. These men were sent to preach the Kingdom of God, and to declare its

availability to all men

1)but they could not realize its benefits unless they became as little

children, and turned back to God in repentance.

 

NOTE: Man can not put himself outside the Kingship of God, but he can live outside of it's benefits?

A) JACOB SURLEY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE & I KNEW IT NOT

  1. Jesus sent them to preach that God reigns, and He is available to the human soul.
  1. When a man yields himself up to that sovereignty can rule over

SO SENT THEM W/ A MESSAGE / 4th SENT THEM IN FAITH.

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."

 

PARAPHRASE: Don't take your visa card... Don't make hotel reservations... Don't take a suitcase... If someone invites you to stay at their house, great

  1. They were to be supported by those to whom they ministered

B)Their only wealth was their message, their power, their

authority; and the fact that they represented Him.

  1. They had very little by the worlds standards but With so little in the

material they did so much

C) They TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN

 

went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.

  1. NOTE: The picture of their mission is interesting

As they went, they evangelized.

B) As they went the blessings of the Kingdom of God were manifested

  1. QUEST. As WE go, do we HERALD this message of the Kingdom of

God?

6 So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. 7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was 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 old prophets had risen again.

9 Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?" So he sought to see Him.

10 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.

NOTE JESUS IS NOT JUST INTERESTED IN OUR SERVICE BUT ALSO OUR RELATIONSHIP

A) Perhaps as they were sharing, the weariness was present on their faces while they were sharing

B) SO - Jesus suggested that they go off to a deserted place

C)They got into their ship and headed for an area near Bethsaida

  1. It was NOT a DESERT / It was DESERTED

  1. QUIET PLACE / QUIET TIME / QUIET HEART - / REST

  1. Park younger - see free way - couldn’t hear it - Jesus spoke to me This

is what I want for you - places get away from that & hear me!

-11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.

PICTURE THIS SCENE : PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND THE LAKE

WHERE ARE YOU GOING ? JESUS - 5,000 SHOW UP

  1. Disciples - bugged eyed - turn this boat around - but not Jesus /

  1. Mark 6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd

  1. To the disciples the people were a bother - you can almost picture Peter saying - to Jesus - Lord tell these people to get a life!

  1. But Jesus was moved w/ compassion - saw that they were like sheep w/out a shepherd . wandering aimlessly - Hungry - confused -

 

I THINK JESUS STILL SEES PEOPLE THIS WAY TODAY. YOUR NEIGHBOR WHO IS ALL CAUGHT UP IN MATERIALISM

  1. The person you work w/ who is having an affair

  1. The guy or gal at the office who is going through a divorce -

  1. The relative who is using drugs -

  1. Jesus sees them w/ a heart of compassion - they are like sheep w/ out a shepherd - WE NEED TO SEE THEM IN THAT SAME WAY.

 

WORD COMPASSION MEANS TO FEEL THEIR PAIN - reminds me of the little girl who was late coming home from school - mother worried

Finally, when she got home, her mother asked her what happened.

The girl replied - "I stopped to help a little girl. She was crying because her doll had broken. Mother looked at her proudly & asked "That was kind of you. "Did you help her fix the doll? "No," replied the girl. "I stopped to help her cry."

 

12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."

13 But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."

And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."

NOW HERE WE SEE THAT JESUS GIVES THEM AN IMPOSSIBLE COMMAND

  1. Important to note this because he often does the same thing w/ us

  1. The story told in John’s gospel focuses on the reaction of 2 of the disciples - Phillip & Andrew -

  1. They were in the region of Bethsaida - & Phillip was from that area - so Jesus asked him - where can we buy some bread to feed these people?

  1. Now Jesus was not really asking for advice- but He was setting up--"a test"!

1) Jesus was like a stage director, setting this up to teach a lesson

  1. The Disciples said SEND THEM AWAY - but Jesus responded They don’t need to depart; YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT

f) It was an impossible situation - But that's how Jesus wanted it

G) Here was a perfect opportunity to test the 12... and especially Phillip

1) "Has Phillip learned to trust Me? Will he focus on My ability or the impossibility?"_

Phillip failed the Test He made a mistake in calculations.

His knowledge got in the way!

  1. He had a slide-rule for a mind..... quickly made a count & figured how

much each portion would cost.

B) Responded to Jesus John 6:7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread ( 8 months wages) is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

  1. He knew the need.... knew the area.... knew there wasn't a VON’S around..... he knew it wouldn't work!

  1. Instead of answering the question Phillip simply said -"We don't have

enough cash"

D) One of our biggest problems is our own knowledge & reasoning

It can be a blessing

  1. And It can be a curse--a handicap to trusting the Lord. That which causes us to doubt the Lord & LIMIT THE LORD.

  1. The Whole purpose of this miracle was to bring them a sense of

inadequacy so would turn it over to Jesus Christ/ How big is your God?

  1. Is the problem you are facing today overwhelming? IS it impossible?

OK, then leave it in the hands of a pro.

  1. If your watch breaks you don't take it apart/ If your body has a problem

you don't operate on it yourself--

QUOTE: When God is going to do something wonderful He begins with a difficulty... when He's going to do something very wonderful, he begins with an impossibility!"

 

ANDREW - "THERE IS A BOY - 2 FISH & FIVE LOAVES - BUT WHAT IS THAT AGAINST SO MANY." A little faith.

  1. Andrew is a connector! - He was always bring people to Jesus. Brother Peter - Greeks - this boy

  1. ANDREW has no food & no solution BUT - He finds this kid & brings

that kid in contact with Jesus

1) It resulted in a day that boy would never forget.

C) Thank God for the Andrews in life- The connectors

The ones who get people in touch with God.

D) The ones who introduce others to Jesus so a great work can be done.

E) These connectors are the stagehands.... Very often they are not seen nor recognized

CONSIDER THAT D.L. Moody was led to the Lord by a man named Kimball

D. L. Moody, uneducated and untrained, yet yielded to God, led Mordecai Ham to the Lord. Mordecai Ham, though not a great evangelist, was faithful to his task and won William Graham to the Lord. And Billy Graham has won countless numbers to Christ

ALL Andrews - connecting people to Jesus Christ If it weren't for these Andrews a huge chunk of history would be missing; a lot of lives untouched.

THIS STORY TEACHES US ANOTHER IMPORTANT LESSON

GOD CAN TAKE THE LITTLE BIT WE HAVE & DO A LOT W/ IT

  1. That which is insignificant & insufficient - becomes significant & sufficient in the hands of Jesus.

  1. Its like that through all Biblical history

C) Dust is insignificant.... But in the hands of Creator it became man

D) The Jawbone of donkey is INSIGNIFICANT... INSUFFICIENT to fight a battle with....

1) In God's hands - Samson killed 1000 enemies

E) A sling and 5 smooth stones are INSUFFICIENT for battle

David killed the great threat of Israel, Goliath

NOTE: A little, when surrendered to Jesus becomes powerful!

A) Don't think that what you have is useless because it is insignificant.

  1. You may not have the gifts & talents of others But don't forget to figure

God into the equation.

C) What makes a person great is that person in the hands of Jesus, that gift in the hands of Jesus

D)You will find that its more than enough for the task He calls you to do.

The mathematics of a miracle: 5 loaves + 2 fish = not enough

5 loaves +2 +Jesus Christ = MORE THAN ENOUGH

A) w/o Him - nothing... w/Him - everything)

 

 

NOTE: Jesus could've pulled this miracle off w/o any of this.

A) He could have lifted His hands and commanded manna come down.

B)He could have instantly created a loaf of bread in everyone's pocket

  1. Instead He shows His desire to work through the insignificance of

others to get His work done.

 

This miracle was a very important lesson for His disciples in light of a future NEED Later He'll tell these 12 - "Go into all world"

A) Tempted to ask - "What are we among so many?"

Someone has commented that a great writer can take a worthless piece of paper, write a poem on it and instantly make it extremely valuable. A famous artist can take a piece of canvas worth fifty cents and by painting a picture on it make it priceless. A wealthy man can sign his name to a worthless piece of paper and make it worth a million dollars. In an infinitely greater way Jesus Christ can take a worthless, corrupted, and repulsive life and transform it into a righteous child of God and a useful worker in His kingdom.

A church in Strasbourg, France, was severely damaged by bombs during World War II. Although a beloved statue of Christ had survived, a ceiling beam had fallen across the arms and broken them off. A local sculptor offered to restore the statue without charge, but the townspeople decided to leave it as it was. Without hands it would be a continuing reminder to them that God does His work through His people. His earthly hands.

Jesus Christ chooses human hands-and minds and arms and feet-as the instruments of His eternal work of redemption.