Book of Luke - Ch. 9, Vs. 1-23 (06/29/2003)

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve With Authority and Instructions

Then he called his twelve disciples together, gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves nor script, neither bread, neither money, neither have two coats apiece, and whatsoever house you enter into, there abide and since depart.

So, is this the first time, David, that our Lord has sent the disciples out on their own? Well, maybe you can answer this then. He gave them authority over all of the demons and to heal diseases. Do you think that would have happened had he not given them the authority?

We'll get to that in a little bit. Just hold that question. Well, he sent them to do something. Which was what, Russell? Clarence, you answer. I'm glad I'm not that old. David, you answer. Let me start all over.

Jesus sent them to do something. Clarence, what was it? He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And he said unto them, Now, here's where the modern day evangelists and these show a sharp contrast.

And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey. When he said nothing, he meant nothing. Neither staves, or walk and stick, neither script, neither bread, neither money, neither have two coats apiece.

An apostolic preacher who goes to the wilderness to seek the lost sheep will be exposed to hunger, be exposed to cold, many inconveniences. He must, therefore, resign himself to God, depending on his providence for the necessities of life.

We know that if God has sent him, he will take care of him. That's God's way, not just to send you out. So, a person that has anxiety over all of these things, he insinuates a bad opinion of the master who has employed him.

Have no money in your purses, it's a command. Obedience to which was secured by the narrow circumstances of most of the primitive, genuine preachers of the gospel. Now comes today's evangelistic preacher.

First of all, what does evangelistic preacher mean, David? Yes. What did it mean in the original? That's right. Big difference. And whatsoever house you enter into, there abide and thence depart. Clarence, why were they to stay at one place?

All right. Also, it helped the people know where to contact him. He wasn't moving around. Today, no preacher will come to a church unless the money and benefit are first in agreement. Even for a revival, if they knew they would receive no money, there would be far less evangelists.

You are to stay in one place so people know where you are. And whosoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them. Now, Russell, what does this mean, shaking off the dust from your feet?

That's right. Do not force yourself on them. Never force the gospel on men. You don't have to. I've heard preachers just beg and beg and beg and beg and then beg some more for people to come down to the front.

Yes. That's right. Man does not get them saved. Never.

He'll know what. Just brush off your cold blood and let it all go on. Don't you think that sometimes that makes you feel better? You cry and cry and cry and you breathe and then you just kind of just, well, just brush it off and move on.

Don't you think that's another way of saying just brush it off and move on? That's exactly right.

Think no more of it. Well, we're to never force the gospel on men and never force men to conform to your method of spreading the gospel. Six, and they departed and went through the towns preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Herod Hears About Jesus and the Power of Conscience

Somebody I haven't called on. I don't see anybody. All right, Paul. Jesus has sent them out and he says all 12. Did he send Judas out with them? Did he preach and perform miracles? How do you account for that?

What? Who's answering? It says 12 sent all of them. It didn't say that each one did all things. So, Paul, you're probably right, but we don't know. Did the other disciples realize the position Judas was in?

Paul, can you imagine Clarence being in a group of 12 and not knowing one of them was of the devil? That's right, and they did not. Yes, we get confused a little bit because we have the Holy Spirit and they did not.

What you said was right. Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was done by him, meaning Jesus, and he was perplexed. I would have been, too, because it was said of some that John was risen from the dead.

Well, Herod was a Sadducee. What did they believe, Russell, about the resurrection? Say what? No, so it really did perplex him. He knew that this man could not be John the Baptist and it's because he did not believe in the resurrection.

And of some that Elias had appeared, of others that one of the old prophets was risen again, and Herod said, John have I beheaded, but who's this of whom I hear so many things? And he desired to see him.

So he knew it wasn't John. He knew it for the wrong reason, but his conscience bothered him. The power of our conscience is tremendous. David, how do you know when and if you sin? Can your conscience set it right?

That's right. It cannot forgive. Only God forgives for the Lord. Well, it's faithful to recall past sins, but it cannot cancel sin. Curiosity is the kernel of the forbidden fruit. You're curious about it.

Sometimes it'll stick in the throat. It'll almost choke you. I don't know why I thought of it, but it came to me at this point. Does God like bumper stickers? He doesn't even see them. And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all they had done.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand and Reveals the Effects of Divine Grace

And he took them and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. The people all lived together, and they farmed the country, the land around them. That's the way we are here.

They followed Christ, and they will lack nothing, not even in the wilderness. The word signifies a desert. Note this was not in the town of Bethsaida. And the people, when they knew it, followed him, and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, healed them that had need of healing.

There's four or five things here, the effects of divine grace. First, the people are drawn to follow him. Effect one. Effect two, he kindly receives them. Three, he instructs them in the things of God.

Four, he heals all of their diseases. And five, he feeds their bodies and their souls. Jesus is the same to present moment. Follow him, and you will receive instructions, healing, feeding, and saving of your souls unto eternal life.

Twelve, and when the day began to wear away, then the twelve, then came the twelve and said unto him, send a multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about and lodge, get victuals, for we are here in a desert place.

Do you see how that the disciples themselves put themselves in the office of advisor? They came and told Jesus what to do. Does he need our suggestions? But he said unto them, give you them to eat, and they said, we have no more but five loaves and two fishes, except we should go and buy meat for all of these people.

Now they've become his financial advisors. For they were about five thousand men. Can you imagine that many just following him? And he said to his disciples, make them sit down by fifties and accompany.

The gifts of Jesus are to be received in an orderly manner. And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and break, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.

And they did eat, and were all filled, and there was taken up fragments that remained to them twelve baskets. Those who Jesus feeds, he feeds enough. Notice they were all filled, and there were twelve baskets left over.

When he gives, he gives enough, doesn't he, Russell? Now, sir? I just had a thought. Yes. I want to feed the disciples. That's right. And every time you study it, you'll see something new. Now when the little boy arrived home, what did he tell his mother about the lunch?

Can you imagine? I can come up with all kinds of reasons. And he came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him, and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? The answering said, John the Baptist, but some say Elias, and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.

He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter was the first to answer, as usual, and he said, This the Christ of God. Whom say ye? And in the Greek, the little word ye here means each one of you.

Whom say ye, and ye, and ye, and ye? Whom say ye that I am? Peter did not answer for the entire group, although they probably agreed. I think this is the finest thing Peter ever said. The Christ of God.

The Christ of God. Christ came out from God. He was in God. But to deal with man, since God would not, because man was sinful, or would become sinful, he brought Christ out. Christ deals with man. Then Christ had to have a body, so he became Jesus.

Jesus the Christ. 21. And he straightly charged them and commanded them to tell no man that thing. Did Jesus ever mention his death without mentioning the resurrection, David? Well, up to this point, they've been thinking how to prevent his suffering.

And by the way, he never did mention his death without mentioning the resurrection. But now they must prepare for their own. We must grow accustomed to self-denial and patience, saying the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain and be raised the third day.

There it is. Why do you suppose Jesus mentioned these things, saying the Son of Man must suffer and so forth? David, why did he say that? Exactly right. To crystallize in their thinking who he actually was.

Can you imagine walking with a man for some two to three years, and slowly but surely learning who he really was? And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Necessity of this duty has been shown in many, many places. The extent of it is specified here. Therefore, that day is lost wherein no cross is taken up. We are to take it up daily. I must quit. Is there any thoughts from anyone?

Yes. Every waking moment, we are to deny ourselves. We are to do it while we're asleep, if possible. Deny ourselves. Anything else? Russell, will you dismiss us, please? Yes.