Luke 10: 1-16 As Jesus continues His journey towards Jerusalem He sends 72 more disciples out to the cities ahead, to prepare the way. They were given authority to minister in His Name as they went.  They were "laborers" sent out to reap a harvest that was ready and plentiful. 

Like the 12, these disciples were told not to take anything with them.. no purse, no shoes, no bag. They were to give peace to those who would receive them. They were to stay there and receive whatever the host would give them to eat.. and they were to "heal those.. who are sick" and present the Kingdom of God to them. 

Jesus expanded the message He had given the 12..   He had told them that those who received the little child in His name are those who received Him and they also received the Father.  This time He says, "The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me." 

When the message of the Kingdom "comes near"... we either receive it or reject it.  We either listen or we don't.   Jesus illustrated this with His words about Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum .  The kingdom had come near to them.. miracles had been done in them.. the Word had been given to them.. but they did not receive Jesus as Messiah.. They had not listened.  The comparison that Jesus makes with these cities with the cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom would have been shocking to the Israelites.. these cities were so wicked that the Lord destroyed them completely.  How could they be worse?  Jesus said they would be judged more harshly because God the Son stood right in front of them, proving Himself to be the anointed One with His words and His deeds.. and they would not listen or receive Him. 

We live in a world that is just as divided.. the Kingdom has come near.. and some will reach out and receive it.. listening to the Word, following Jesus.. and Jesus receives them and comes to live in them and the Father also comes to make them His own.  But, some will not believe.. they reject the Word, they reject Jesus, and they reject the God who made them, loves them, and who will judge them with right judgement. 

 O Lord , help us, send out more laborers into Your harvest field we pray. Open blind eyes and deaf ears, change hearts of those who are lost, who have rejected the Good News of the Kingdom. Let Your grace and mercy be poured out to our lost world once again.. to our lost family members.. to our towns and cities where we walk today.. Spirit of God, come! Empower us to go and tell others about Jesus! We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen

 Luke 9:57-62  This has been a long chapter.. quite a journey, starting out with the 12 going out to minister on their own;  Herod's questions about who Jesus was; the feeding of the 5000; the testimony of Peter that Jesus is the Christ..  the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain; the deliverance of the boy who was demonized; the discussion about what "greatness" really means in the Lord's sight.. and finally an explanation of the cost of discipleship. 

Someone along the way said to Jesus "I will follow You wherever You go."   Jesus didn't say yes or no.. instead He told the man, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."  Would this man follow when the way was unsure.. when there wasn't even a place to sleep.. when things got uncomfortable?  Remember what Abraham did when God called him to leave his home?  At the age of 75 "Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken,,," (Genesis12:4) Hebrews 11:8 says it this way, " By faith Abraham when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going."  

Going out anywhere, leaving your home and moving away is hard enough when you know where you are headed.. but to follow Jesus "wherever" He leads takes a greater measure of faith than some of us have.  Lord, strengthen us in Your strength; fill us with fulness of Your Presence that we might obey Your call to follow Jesus wherever He goes! 

In verse 59 Jesus called another man to follow Him.  This one wanted permission to go bury his father first.  I've heard messages that say this man's father was still living and that eventually, when he did pass away, the man would receive his inheritance and then.. he could follow Jesus.  But, Jesus did not accept this excuse, saying "Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God."  

God calls us to go into all the world to preach the gospel.. He tells us that we need to love Him more than family.. more than anything else.  I have known missionaries who have gone to far away lands, leaving behind friends and families and comfortable homes, to follow the calling of Jesus to proclaim the gospel "everywhere".  Lord, may we seek You first.. always... and go where and when You send us. Increase our love as well as our faith we pray! Conform our will to Yours!

In verse 61 we have one more person who pledges to follow Jesus, but he wanted to go say goodbye to his family.  That sounds pretty reasonable but Jesus says to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."  I am reminded of Elisha, who was plowing a field when Elijah came by and threw his mantle on him. Elisha asked to go kiss his father and mother goodbye, and Elijah told him to go. After he sacrificed the pair of oxen and gave the meat to the people, he turned and followed Elijah.  Jesus is emphasizing here in Luke's passage that there was no time to waste.. the decision to follow Jesus must be made immediately.. "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.. " Hebrews 4:7 says.  No more waiting.. no more delays... Lord, help us to hear Your voice and follow You

Father in heaven,  You have called us to follow Jesus and to make a commitment that leaves no room for excuses or hesitation. We admit that this is vital.. yet so difficult.  We seek Your power and Presence in our lives so that we might be fully sanctified and faithful to the calling You have given us.  Your will be done! Your Name be glorified. Your Kingdom come! In the mighty name of Jesus we bow before You and ask for Your grace and mercy. Amen. 

 Luke 9:46-48  The disciples of Jesus argued about "which of them might be the greatest." They were 12 individuals who all were called to follow Jesus.  Peter, James, and John probably were in the top three.. having gone up the mountain with Jesus and seeing Him in His glory.  But, the others were also among the "friends" that Jesus loved. The problem was that they were using the wrong criteria to judge their "greatness".  It wasn't about who did the most miracles or who had followed Him longest. It was a whole different criteria.. 

"But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, and said to them, 'Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for he who is least among you, this is the one who is great.' " 

Two things happen next.. 

John tells Jesus that they saw someone casting out demons in His name, but they weren't in their group. John wanted to stop him.. but Jesus told him that  he should not "hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you."  This person, in John's opinion, was of less value than the 12 and shouldn't have the rights that they had.. but Jesus turns it around.  This one was "least" among them in their opinion.. but he was really greater..for he was doing what Jesus came to do.. receiving one in need.. coming alongside and taking his hand to help him.  John did not "receive" this fellow believer... He had more to learn about greatness. 

Then as they headed towards Jerusalem, Jesus "resolutely set His face" towards His "ascension" As they approached Samaria He sent ahead some disciples to make arrangements for them to stop there, but because He was headed to Jerusalem no-one would "receive" Him.  This time James and John thought they should "command fire to come down from heaven and consume them."  Jesus rebuked them for this saying, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of: for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."  Jesus came to receive even these ones that would not receive Him... He came to take hold of the lost.. He came to save. 

What kind of spirit wants to destroy?  Not the Holy Spirit.  The disciples had much to learn about greatness.  So do we.  My bible titles this section  "The test of greatness".  The disciples failed the test at this point.  How are we doing?  Are we receiving the little children.. or sending them away ?  Are we receiving those of a different church or rejecting them because they aren't in our denomination, even though they follow Jesus? Are we wanting to  pray for fire to come down on unbelievers instead of telling them that Jesus came to save them? 

Father in heaven, help us to examine our own hearts and learn the truths that Jesus has taught us. You tell us to listen to Him..  He tells us to receive others in His name.. so that we can receive Him and You. Forgive our failures in receiving others, Lord.  Help us to abide in Jesus and in Your Word, to have our hearts shaped by Your Spirit and to live in humble obedience to Your will. We do ask this in the mighty name of Jesus, our Savior and King. Amen. 

 Luke 9:37-45  "And it came about on the next day, that they had come down from the mountain... "  I wonder what the discussion around the campfire that night was like!  They had been in the cloud.. in the glory of God's Presence.. were their faces glowing like Moses' did when he spent time on Sinai?  

But.. they came down to a multitude of people and the voice of a desperate father, shouting out for Jesus to please heal his son.  This boy suffered greatly.  An evil spirit would seize him, cause convulsions, throw him down, maul him, and cause him to foam at the mouth.  It must have been agonizing for the boy and for his father. He had begged the disciples to heal the boy, but they couldn't do it.  Jesus said, "O unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you, and put up with you? Bring your son here." 

Was He talking to the father?  Or was He talking to the disciples? Who was "faithless and perverse"? Who was failing to trust God.. who was opposing the plans of God?  

The father brought his son to Jesus.. even as "the demon dashed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion." And in a word, Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy.  "And they were all amazed at the greatness of God." 

It is at this very point in the story that Jesus says to His disciples, " Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men." 

The disciples didn't understand but "were afraid to ask Him about this statement."

The Father told the three on the mountain with Jesus to listen to the Son. Were they listening closely to the next things that Jesus said?   They all needed to have faith.. they needed to be ready for what was coming.. they needed to trust in the greatness of God and the authority of Jesus Christ.   As do we.. 

Father in heaven, what is the Word that You want us to hear today?  Are we the faithless and perverse?  Have we fully trusted You and remembered the greatness of our God?  Help us Holy Spirit to bring our needs to You.. to bring our heartbreaks to You.. to bring our children to You.. and trust You fully.. for You are Good and nothing is impossible for You. Thank You for being so patient with us and for loving us so much that You do "put up" with us.  Be with us today as we walk in the Light of Your Truth we pray. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

 Luke 9:28-36    In verse 27 Jesus said that  "some of those standing here"  would not taste death before they saw the "kingdom of God".  

Eight days later He takes Peter, John, and James up to the mountain.  As Jesus was praying He began to change in appearance.  The three apostles saw His face become different, and "His clothing became white and gleaming".  Not only that, but Moses and Elijah "appearing in glory" were there, talking to Jesus about His "departure".  

The disciples became "fully awake" and "saw His glory".  It's like the physical world opened a portal.. and the disciples caught a glimpse of heaven.. of the spiritual reality.. so filled with splendor and majesty and glory. They "saw" the Kingdom with their own eyes. As John later wrote, "... and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." ( John 1:14)

But, God was not finished with this revelation.. " And..a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud saying, 'This is My Son, My chosen One; listen to Him!'  " 

Remember what happened in Exodus?  Moses led the people to build a tabernacle to the specific design that God gave him.  When it was all ready what happened?  "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."  The cloud was so full of  the glory of the Lord that Moses could not even enter it.  (Exodus40:34-35)   Likewise, when Solomon had built the temple in Jerusalem and they were dedicating it "the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God." ( II Chronicles 5:13-14)  Solomon went on to say, "The Lord has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud." (6:1) This was a quote from Exodus 19:9 "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I shall come to you in a thick cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever.. " 

What Peter, James, and John experienced on that mountain top was more than Moses experienced that day.... more than Solomon experienced too... . for they were IN the cloud... they saw the glory of God..and heard God in His dwelling place. The message was simple and clear.. "Listen to Him!" 

Our Father in heaven, You dwell in the cloud of glory!  Praise Your Name!  You have opened our hearts to receive the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He is seated at the right Hand of glory!  He glorified You on earth and You have glorified Him in heaven.  This glory fills all of heaven and we long for a glimpse.. that we might be filled with joy unspeakable!  One day, Lord, we will be with You forever, to be with Jesus where He is, but until then, Father, may we walk in the Light of His glory, bringing  praise and honor to Your Holy Name.  May our ears be ever open to hear the voice of the Beloved Son clearly.  Help us Holy Spirit to listen and to do the good will of the Father we pray, in Jesus' name. amen. 

 Luke 9: 7-20   Herod..  The same man who had John the baptist beheaded at the request of his wife's daughter.. began to hear about what Jesus was doing.. "and he was greatly perplexed".  He was at a loss and wanted to know more about Jesus.  He seems to have sought out more information, but what he heard must have disturbed him.. was this John, risen from the dead? Was this Elijah or another prophet risen again?  None of these answers satisfied Herod.  He wanted to  see Jesus for himself.  This never happened until Jesus was arrested and tried by Pilate. 

Luke 23:8  "Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him."  But, Jesus refused to even talk to Herod. This angered him so much that he joined his soldiers in mistreating Jesus, mocking Him, and dressing Him up in a kingly robe.. and then sending Him back to Pilate. 

Luke switches the narrative in chapter 9 back to the return of the disciples from their mission.  Jesus takes the 12 back to Bethsaida. Though they sought a place to rest and regroup, the multitude followed them right into the wilderness area.  The disciples wanted Jesus to send the crowd away but Jesus had a different plan. He welcomed them, He spoke of the Kingdom to them, He healed them, and He prepared a table before them.. He took the 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed the 5000.  "And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full." 

Jesus asks His disciples a question... "Who do the multitudes say that I am?"  The disciples' answers are the same as those that Herod had heard.. John the baptist.. Elijah.. one of the prophets.. risen from the dead.  But, Jesus added another question.. "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter had the right answer.. "The Christ of God."  They had seen the Truth. Jesus was more than just a prophet. He had more power and authority than any man.. He had to be the Messiah, the Son of God. 

Father in heaven, when You reveal Jesus to us through the Word and the testimony of these disciples we can answer the same as Peter.. Jesus is the Christ of God.. He is the Anointed One, the Messiah, the King, Your only begotten Son. Thank You for opening our eyes and ears to know Him and through Jesus, to know You, our Father and our God.  Jesus told His disciples that You, Yourself love them and we take hold of this truth for ourselves.. You love us and sent Your Son so that we who believe in Him can have everlasting life. Praise the Lord, O my soul and all that is in me.. I praise You Lord! Amen. 

 Luke 9:1-6  Luke has presented the revealed authority of Jesus by shining light on 4 miracles - the calming of the winds and waves; the deliverance from a legion of demons; the healing of the woman who had suffered for 12 years of bleeding; and the restoration of the young girl from the dead. All authority has been given to Him who reigns eternally!   

Now, he writes that Jesus "called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to heal diseases." 

I never thought about this before, but notice that He did not give them authority over the creation.. wind or waves.. nor did He give them power to raise the dead.  What He did give them was a proclamation of the kingdom of God... the good news that God had come near.. that His power was present.. and His compassion was available to those who would receive it. 

The Lord gave His disciples instructions as He sent them out.. They were to preach. They were to heal. And they were to "take nothing for [their] journey.. "  The disciples were also told to stay in the house that received them and to go out of the city that did not, shaking the dust off their feet "as a testimony against them."  

Father in heaven, You see us even as You saw the disciples of Jesus.. You saw those who received them and those who did not.. You saw the dust that was on their feet and the dust that was shaken off as a testimony.  I am struck by this today. We, who follow Jesus, are sometimes received by those who want to know Jesus and we have the gospel message to share.  But, often times this wonderful truth of Your Kingdom is rejected and we are turned away.. and it is with sorrow that we leave behind those who will not choose the Life, the Truth, and the Way.  Father, our world, our community, and often our own families need Jesus. Send out workers into the harvest Lord God.. to proclaim Your Kingdom with power and authority... to proclaim Christ Jesus, the One who has been given all authority over heaven and earth. May all glory, honor, and praise be given to You in His name. Amen