Bible Materials

Luke 9:1-9 (2011)

by Paul Choi   03/20/2011   Luke 9:1~9

Message


THE FIELD WORK TRAINING

Luke 9:1-9

Key Verse: 9:2 “…and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

  In chapter 9 we learn that Jesus’ focus was turning from public ministry to the training of his twelve disciples. There were distinct reasons and purposes why Jesus would do this. Today Jesus called his twelve disciples and sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Thus far his disciples had been observers while Jesus was doing the work of God. But now, Jesus trained them to participate in the work of God as shepherds and apostles. Let’s see how Jesus trained them to participate in the work of God.

First, the purpose of the field work training. (1) No one likes the word, “training”. Training sounds too much like restricting our human freedoms and giving us a hard time. However, we must emphasize the necessity and efficacy of training.  Without training, no soldier can be qualified to fight. Without training, no worker can carry out his task properly. The word “disciple” comes from ‘discipline’. Disciples are not born, but made. When Jesus called his disciples, he had clear purposes and hopes for them to grow as spiritual leaders, especially as shepherds for God’s flock of sheep. Jesus’ disciples came from ordinary walks of life, such as fishermen, tax collectors, zealots, unemployed and so on. Even though they were ordinary people, Jesus had great hopes for each of them to grow as great shepherds and spiritual leaders. In order to become shepherds and leaders, they needed discipline.

  When God called Moses, Moses was a prince in Egypt. He had received all kinds of princely education in the palace, but he was a useless man in the sight of God. He was full of self-righteousness and emotion. So God sent him to the desert to feed sheep as a shepherd for 40 years. While serving smelly and dirty sheep for forty years in the desert, Moses became humble. He learned how to serve others instead of being served as prince. Through this field work training, Moses became a useful man of God and a wonderful leader for 600,000 Israelites.

  Jesus called the twelve and made them walk with him so that they might learn from him. Jesus wanted them to learn his love, faith, compassion, and power so that they might become shepherds for God’s flock of sheep like him. God called Ben West and Priscilla and educated them spiritually through one to one Bible studies. Recently they finished their 12 steps Bible study and received certificates as Bible teachers. God’s calling and his gifts are irrevocable. (Ro 11:29) God wants to raise them as shepherds and spiritual leaders for this generation. Amen.

Second, Jesus gave them power and authority (1,2) Look at verses 1,2. “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” Jesus called the twelve and sent them out as apostles. But he did not send them out empty-handed. Jesus gave them power and authority. Here Jesus gave them power to heal the sick and to drive out evil spirits. It is amazing that Jesus gave them the same power which he himself had. 5:17 says that while Jesus was teaching the Pharisees and teachers of the law, the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. As we studied last week in 8:46, Jesus felt power go out from him when a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years was healed. Jesus has power to heal the sick and to cure diseases. Jesus gave the same power to his disciples.

  Jesus also gave his disciples authority in teaching and preaching. From a human point of view, Jesus’ disciples had no authority at all for teaching and preaching. They did not have any degrees from seminary school or even certificates as Bible teachers. They were nobodies compared to the Pharisees and teachers of the law. They were kind of like our UBF missionaries and shepherds.  But Jesus gave them authority, spiritual authority to preach the word. Was their authority valid? Yes, absolutely! Their authority came from Jesus, who is the Lord of Creation and the author of our lives. In Matthew 28;18-19, Jesus said to his disciples, “…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

Last week, one of our UBF missionaries, Dr. Paulus Star Oh became a Korean Ambassador to Spain. An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat appointed by a country and a government. Ambassadors work as representatives on behalf of their president or king. The Apostle Paul said, “We are the ambassadors of Christ Jesus.” (2 Co 5:20). We are special representatives who work for our King Christ Jesus and for his name’s sake and for his kingdom. We deliver our king’s message and do his will. We are also shepherds and protect his people, the children of God’s kingdom.  As ambassadors of Christ, we have authority and dignity. One of our church members visited campus to invite students to Bible study. After several rejections, he became despairing. However, he did not have to lose heart.  We are Christ’s ambassadors. We deliver God’s message, the message of repentance and of salvation. Others’ response to our message determines their eternal destiny. Jesus said in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Our responsibility is to deliver our King’s message. Whether they accept it or not is not our responsibility, but their responsibility. Therefore, we must have spiritual authority and dignity as Bible teachers, shepherds and as ambassadors of Christ Jesus. Amen.

  What did the twelve preach? What was their message about? Verse 2 says that Jesus sent them out to preach the kingdom of God. According to Mark 6:12,  Jesus’ disciples preached that people should repent. They preached as their master Jesus did, “The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mk 1:15)  What is man’s chief and ultimate goal? Isn’t it to become happy? People do many things to make themselves happy. They believe that making much money makes them happy. However, they soon realize that they cannot buy happiness with money. Happiness comes when we possesses the kingdom of God in our hearts. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 5:3) Here, the word ‘blessed’ is ‘happy.’  A happy man is one who possesses the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven comes through reconciliation with God.  Without reconciliation with God we cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven. For reconciliation between God and us, Jesus died on the cross. Jesus himself became a sacrificial lamb for the atonement of our sins. Through his sacrificial death we are reconciled with God. Through Jesus’ death, we have peace with God. When we have peace with God, we are really happy (Ro 5:1). When we have peace with God, we possess the kingdom of God in our hearts.  That’s why Jesus’ disciples preached that people should repent. People should repent and receive the kingdom of God through the forgiveness of sin.

Third, depend on God only (3-5) Jesus gave his disciples not only power and authority, but also special instructions for their journey. Look at verses 3-5. “He told them: “Take nothing for the journey-no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.” Every other Monday I go to Chicago to join the staff meeting. The night before, I usually put several things in my backpack for the trip such as a breakfast package, my laptop, a water bottle, an inflatable pillow, an extra jacket and so on. I never forget to carry my ID, credit cards and some cash. But today Jesus instructed his disciples to take nothing for their journey, not even a staff, bread, money, nor even an extra tunic. At that time people usually carried staffs for protection from animals or thieves. Jesus asked his disciples not to take staffs so that they might trust in God who would protect them during their mission trip.  Jesus did not allow them to take bread or money so that they might meet with God personally, who would provide them with each meal. Jesus also asked them not to carry an extra tunic which they usually used to cover themselves during the cold night. Jesus helped them to believe that God would provide housing for them during their mission trip. In this way, Jesus helped his disciples to depend on God for their basic needs.

  Next, Jesus told the twelve to concentrate on the work of God. In verse 4, Jesus said, “Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.” What Jesus meant was, “Do not go here and there to find better houses or kinder people.” During their mission trip there were many things to distract the disciples from the work of God. But they were supposed to concentrate on doing the work of God. The servant of Abraham in Genesis gives us a good example. This servant was sent to the town of Nahor to find a wife for Isaac, his master’s son. When the servant arrived there, he prayed to God to give him success in his task. Even before he had finished praying, God sent Rebekah, a beautiful woman of God and shepherdess, to the servant. The servant was welcomed greatly by Rebekah’s family. Delicious food was set before him. But the servant said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.”(Ge 24:33) When he had convinced them that Rebekah was the woman whom God had provided for his master’s son, he immediately was ready to go back to his master despite Rebekah’s family’s request for him to stay longer. (Ge 24:56). The servant was not distracted by people’s favor or by his human situation. He focused on carrying out his mission. He concentrated on his mission. This is what Jesus wanted his disciples to do when they entered homes. He wanted them to stay there until they finish their mission. He wanted them to pray and wait for God’s leading. Then when they finished their mission, he wanted them to leave the place quickly so that they would not be distracted.

  Jesus also told his disciples not to compromise the gospel.(5) Look at verse 5 again. “If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.” When we go to reach out on campus, we encounter many different responses from students. Some listen to us and open their hearts. Others do not pay attention at all. Still others respond with hostility. Jesus’ disciples might have had the same experiences as us. They might have been rejected or reproached by hostile people. However, they didn’t have to be discouraged. They needed to believe in the power of the gospel. We should not compromise the gospel. God wants us to teach the gospel as it is. The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. (Ro 1:16) 

  To shake the dust off their feet was a sign of repudiation to the people for their rejection of God’s message and a gesture separating the apostles from everything associated with the place. This symbolic act was originally practiced by the Pharisees when they left a ceremonially unclean Gentile area. When Jesus’ disciples shook the dust off their feet, they meant that they were not responsible for people’s unbelief and for all of the consequences of their unbelief. Therefore, as the Apostle Paul said, we are not ashamed of the gospel. We visit campus with confidence and preach the gospel by faith.

How did the twelve respond to Jesus’ instructions? They all obeyed and went. Look at verse 6. “So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.” When they obeyed, miracles happened.  Mark 6:13 says that they drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. They did exactly what their master Jesus did. They had power to heal the sick and to drive out demons. Their preaching and teaching had power and authority.

When King Herod heard about Jesus’ disciples doing the great work of God, he became very nervous and fearful because Herod had beheaded John the Baptist. Some were saying that John had been raised from the dead. Others said that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. (7-9) For those like King Herod who do evil, the work of God becomes a great challenge and a message of repentance. For those who do not have a personal faith in Jesus, the work of God is speculation and assumption.

  People easily calculate and hesitate.  Even Christians think this and that instead of ‘just do’. Those who only think and calculate cannot experience the power of God. Those who hesitate and do not act cannot possess the kingdom of God. Jesus’ disciples did not think about their limitations. They did not hesitate in obeying Jesus’ word. They just obeyed, went out, preached and healed the sick. Miracles come from obedience, not from intelligence.  

  In today’s passage we learn why Jesus called the twelve and sent them out. Jesus wanted them to grow as responsible shepherds and spiritual leaders for their generation. Among them was Peter, who became one of the most influential leaders in human history. He said in his first letter to the Church, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be…” (1Pe 5:2) In the past Peter was a burdensome sheep. But through discipleship training he became a great shepherd. Let us pray for our young students to grow to be shepherds and spiritual leaders like Peter. May God give them spiritual power and authority to carry out God’s work. May God use each of us as ambassadors of Christ to teach the gospel and drive out evil spirits through one to one Bible study. May God bless our Easter Bible Conference and make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Amen.


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