Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves before you
and we assume a posture of submission and worship
as we come to your word to hear it read and preach.
We want to walk away struck by, inspired by the glorious vision
that Luke conveys to us here of Jesus Christ our King
who satisfies us, who saves us, who loves us.
So please, God, by your spirit, move.
Illuminate the eyes of our hearts so that we might see through eyes of faith
and take hold of these truths.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Luke chapter 9, verses 1 through 17.
And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases.
And he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.
And he said to them,
And they departed and went through the villages,
preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
Now, Herod the Tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was perplexed,
because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead,
by some that Elijah had appeared,
and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen.
Herod said,
John I beheaded,
but who is this about whom I hear such things?
And he sought to see him.
On their return, the apostles told him all that they had done.
And he took them and withdrew of heart to a town called Bethsaida.
When the crowds learned it, they followed him,
and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God
and cured those who had need of healing.
Now the day began to wear away,
and the twelve came and said to him,
Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside
to find lodging and get provisions,
for we are here in a desolate place.
But he said to them,
You give them something to eat.
They said,
We have no more than five loaves and two fish,
unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.
For there were about five thousand men.
And he said to his disciples,
Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.
And they did so,
and had them all sit down.
And taking the five loaves and the two fish,
he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them.
Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples
to set before the crowd.
And they all ate and were satisfied.
And what was left over was picked up.
Twelve baskets of broken pieces.
This is the word of the Lord.
In Judges 7,
God commands Gideon to reduce his army of 32,000 soldiers to 300
before going to war against Israel's Midianite enemies.
In Exodus 3 and 4,
God calls a nobody named Moses,
who has speech impediments,
to go and tell Pharaoh,
the most powerful king,
the ruler at the time in the world,
to free the Israelites who made up his slave workforce.
And Moses is sent there with nothing but a staff in his hand.
And in his Sermon on the Mount,
Jesus says in Matthew 6, 25-34,
that his disciples have to seek first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness
and not worry at all about what to eat,
drink, or wear.
So all of these things,
they kind of form a pattern.
They represent a pattern of God's activity throughout Scripture
that he does not use competent,
confident, independent,
and self-sufficient people
as his normal mode of operation.
rather,
he uses the humble and weak people
who are dependent on him
to accomplish his purposes.
And God does this for his own glory.
Because prideful and self-sufficient people
take the credit themselves
after doing what God told them to do.
But humble and dependent people
bring God glory.
And we see this pattern play out
in our passage for today,
which teaches us,
the main point is that we are to declare
and demonstrate the kingdom of God
with the power and provision
from the Lord Jesus Christ.
And we see,
first,
Jesus empowers the apostles,
then Jesus perplexes Herod,
then Jesus provides for the crowd.
First,
let's look at how Jesus empowers the apostles.
It says in verses 1-2,
that Jesus called the twelve together
and gave them power and authority
over all demons
and to cure diseases.
And he sent them out
to proclaim the kingdom of God
and to heal.
So earlier in chapter 6,
Jesus appointed his twelve apostles
and he chose twelve of them
intentionally as an allusion
to the twelve tribes of Israel.
These are the people
who will lead the charge
in bringing together,
gathering the people of God,
the new Israel.
And in this passage,
Jesus calls these twelve
and he gives them,
on the one hand,
power,
and on the other hand,
authority over demons
and diseases.
The authority is the right
to do something
and power is the ability
to do something.
The other gospels use the word
to capture authority
to capture both meanings,
but here it distinguishes them
because you could have authority
like a king
but actually have no power
and you could be like a rebel
who has power
but has no actual authority
and a right to do something.
And Jesus has both
and imparts both
here to his disciples.
He is the son of God
and the Messiah
and therefore he has the authority
to speak and act for God
as the divine agent
and he has demonstrated
throughout the last chapter
in chapter 8
his power over natural disasters,
over nature itself,
and over diseases,
and over demons,
and over death itself.
He has shown that
systematically
throughout chapter 8
and now that same authority
and power
he is giving,
bestowing on his disciples
as he sends them out
to proclaim the kingdom of God
and to heal.
And this authority
over demons and diseases
represent the signs
that God gives
to demonstrate
the arrival
of the kingdom of God
and that's the purpose
it serves.
It points to something else
that the kingdom has come,
that Jesus is the king
that was promised
and Jesus is permitting
and empowering
these apostles
to extend Jesus' mission.
And Jesus' mission is this,
to proclaim the kingdom of God
and to heal.
Here and in the summary
that's given in verse 6,
there are two parts
to this mission.
The first part is
that there's something
we must say
and the second part
is that there's something
we must do.
It involves proclamation
of the good news
of Jesus Christ
and the second,
the demonstration of it
by good works.
The word proclaim
is the Greek word
from which we get
the English word evangelize.
It means to share
the good news
of the kingdom of God,
the good news
of the arrival
of King Jesus
for our salvation.
That Jesus,
who is the king,
took up the cross
as his throne
and put on the wreath
of thorns
as his crown
and from there
he reigns over his people
and have been raised
from the dead
after his death.
He reigns over his people
and brings them
to himself.
And because this is news,
it has to be shared,
it has to be spoken,
it has to be announced,
requires verbal communication.
The word heal,
as I mentioned earlier,
is also representative
of the kind of good works
that God's people
are to do,
that give evidence
of the kingdom of God.
Works of healing
can be done
through miracles
and gifts of healing
like 1 Corinthians
chapter 12
verses 9 to 10
talk about.
They could also
take place
through gifts
of service,
generosity,
and acts of mercy
as Romans 12,
7 to 8
talk about.
All of these
are described
as spiritual gifts,
gifts that are
sovereignly distributed
by the Holy Spirit
and for that reason
it's not biblical
to make a distinction
and say,
well,
these are supernatural gifts
and these are
natural gifts.
They're all energized
by the same Spirit of God
and they have the same
divine origin.
And they are given
so that we might heal
and give evidence
of the kingdom of God.
And both of these
are indispensable aspects
of bearing faithful witness
to Jesus Christ.
And of course,
for that reason,
it's Satan's business
to tempt us to do one
while neglecting the other.
And he likes
to swing the pendulum
from one extreme
to the other.
For example,
there are Christians
who think
that just because
they're helping the poor
throughout the city
or because they volunteer
their summer vacation
to go build houses
or dig wells
for people without clean water
that they're now engaging
in holistic ministry
despite the fact
that they haven't taken
the time
to share the saving news
of Jesus Christ
with anyone
that they're helping.
That's not a holistic ministry.
That's a reductionistic ministry.
A truncated ministry.
And the allure
of that kind of ministry
is obvious.
Everyone wants
to receive healing.
Everyone wants
a more just society.
So it's popular
to do these works of mercy.
But it's decidedly
not popular
to tell people
that they are sinners
in need of a Savior.
that all of their social ills
ultimately stem
from their alienation
from God
from the fundamental
problem of sin.
That they must submit
their lives
to King Jesus.
But we can't
compromise that message.
In his,
in the modern classic
theological work
Knowing God,
theologian J.I. Packer
puts it this way.
We have all heard
the gospel
presented as
God's triumphant answer
to human problems.
Problems of our
relation with ourselves
and our fellow humans
and our environment.
Well,
there is no doubt
that the gospel
does bring us
solutions to these problems.
But it does so
by first solving
a deeper problem.
The deepest
of all human problems.
The problem
of man's relation
with his maker.
And unless
we make it plain
that the solution
of these former problems
depends on the settling
of this latter one,
we are misrepresenting
the message
and becoming
false witnesses
of God.
For a half-truth
presented as if
it were the whole truth
becomes something
of a falsehood
by that very fact.
Those who heal
without proclaiming
the good news
are like lawyers
who present
their evidence
without bringing
a claim.
without arguing
the case.
On the other hand,
there are Christians
who evangelize
without healing.
They're eager
to share the gospel
and engage
in Christian apologetics
but they seem
to lack the grace
and charity
of Christ.
They proclaim
the love of Christ
but don't give evidence
of the love of Christ
through their lives.
and the allure
of that kind of ministry
is obvious also.
You short-circuit
the gospel
and you engage
in proclamation
without transformation.
You share the good news
with people
without doing good
to them
and for them.
In Titus chapter 2,
Paul teaches us
that a believer's life
is to be characterized
by good works
so that the word
of God
may not be revived.
So that in everything
they may adorn,
the good works
may adorn
the doctrine
of God our Savior.
Our good works
are supposed to adorn
our good news.
And when the king
begins to reign,
his policies,
kingdom policies
begin to take effect.
So if you're telling
someone that Christ
the king reigns
in your life,
you need to show them
the effects
of the kingdom.
How has the rule
and power
of this king
affected your life
and the life
of those around you?
Those who proclaim
the kingdom
without healing
are like lawyers
who vigorously
make their case
but present
no evidence.
It brings disrepute
to the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
And the church
throughout its history
has done both.
Historians,
Alvin Schmidt
points out
in his book
How Christianity
Changed the World
that it's Christian
influence on government
that was primarily
responsible for
outlawing
infanticide
and child abandonment
and abortion
which disproportionately
affected
baby girls
in the Roman Empire.
the same was true
for outlawing
the Roman
gladiatorial games
and instituting
prison reforms
such as segregating
males and females
in the prison
stopping the practice
of human sacrifice
among the Irish
the Prusians
and the Lithuanians
as well as
among the other nations
outlawing pedophilia
granting
property rights
and other protections
to women
banning polygamy
prohibiting
the burning
alive
of widows
in India
outlawing
the painful
and crippling
practice
of binding
young women's
feet
in China
persuading
government officials
to begin
a system
of public
education
in Germany
William Wilberforce
a devout
Christian
fighting for
the abolition
of slavery
as well as
many others
here in the U.S.
the two-thirds
of the American
abolitionists
in the mid-1830s
were Christian
clergy
two-thirds
and not only
these works
of healing
these Christians
throughout history
have faithfully
proclaimed the word
of Christ as well
that salvation
is found
in no other name
but the name
of Jesus
that eliminating
poverty
and helping people
get out of debt
on earth
is not enough
but that we must
teach people
to store up
treasures in heaven
and to use
every penny
that they own
for the glory
of God
that abolishing
slavery on earth
is not enough
but that we must
abolish slavery
to sin
and to Satan
so that they
experience the
freedom of the
Holy Spirit
that merely
educating people
to read,
write,
and do math
and sciences
is not enough
that to gain
employable skills
is not enough
but that they
must learn about
the person
of Jesus Christ
who is the way
the truth
and the life
we have
to do both
so let's be a church
that does both well
and we have great
opportunities to do that
today is Palm Sunday
next Sunday
is Resurrection Sunday
and there will be
a group of people
as we announced
that will go around
today after service
going door to door
through our neighborhood
sharing the gospel
and inviting people
to come
if you normally
shy away from
those things like that
this is a great
opportunity for you
to step out
in faith
we also have
a week of service
coming up
as Rick mentioned
if those are things
that you don't
normally bother with
that's a great
opportunity for you
to demonstrate
the kingdom of God
through our love
and good works
and after this
teaching Jesus
gives some more
specific instructions
that are very curious
he says in verses
3 to 5
take nothing
for your journey
no staff
nor bag
nor bread
nor money
and do not have
two tunics
and whatever house
you enter
stay there
and from there
depart
in other words
they are to go
as they are
without taking time
to pack extra
provisions
for their journey
instead of relying
on their own
resources
they are to depend
on the hospitality
of those who
receive them
and their message
and instead of
going from house
to house
they are to use
the first house
that they enter
into in a village
as their base
and stay there
and minister
until they leave
the town
this of course
raises the question
of whether or not
we should be doing
missions the same way
and in fact
there are some
missions and organizations
I think miscited
that do exactly this
but I think
Luke chapter 22
35 to 37
when Jesus
recalls this incident
with his disciples
answers that question
and Jesus said
to them
when I sent you out
with no money bag
or knapsack
or sandals
did you lack anything
they said
nothing
he said to them
but now
let the one
who has a money bag
take it
and likewise
a knapsack
and let the one
who has no sword
sell his cloak
and by one
for I tell you
that this scripture
must be fulfilled
in me
and he was numbered
with the transgressors
for what is written
about me
has its fulfillment
so Jesus
clearly
before his
death
on the cross
he modifies
this instruction
for the twelve
and the reason
he modifies it
is that for
I tell you
that this scripture
must be fulfilled
in me
and he was numbered
with the transgressors
in other words
Jesus will be
treated
he will be persecuted
and he will be killed
as a sinner
and he will be
and for that reason
those who follow him
will likely be
persecuted
as sinners
and for that reason
they are no longer
to count on the
receptivity
and hospitality
of the people
around them
they are to take
provisions with them
so obviously
Jesus' instructions
to the twelve
here in our passage
does not apply
directly to us
literally
but if that's the case
why does Jesus
instruct his disciples
this way now
why did God
preserve this account
for us
to benefit from
and learn from
because even if
the specific
practice
does not apply
to us now
the general principle
that this passage
is teaching us
I think does
still apply
and that
point is this
first
by traveling
with no extra
provisions
the apostles
are forced
to learn
dependence
on God
on God's
provision
a Bible commentator
named James Edwards
helpfully puts it
this way
Jesus sends them
into mission
with a calculated
deficit
reminding them
clearly
perhaps even
painfully
that they are
prepared for mission
only as they
depend on him
service of Jesus
is characterized
by dependence
on Jesus
and dependence
on Jesus
means
going where
Jesus sends
despite
material shortfalls
and unanswered
questions
a calculated
deficit
some of you
feel that you
are inadequate
for what God
is calling you
to do
perhaps you're
a husband
that is called
to love
his wife
as Christ
loved the church
and gave himself
up for her
in order that
you might
sanctify her
but you find
that you're not
patient
gracious
and selfless
like Jesus
perhaps you're
a mother
that is called
to love
and care
for her children
and bring them
up in the
instruction
and discipline
of the Lord
but every day
you feel
physically
and emotionally
exhausted
and you're
at the end
of your
rooms
perhaps you're
a student
called to share
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ
with your
peers
in an
environment
that is
intellectually
hostile
toward
Christianity
and you
don't feel
qualified
competent
enough
to do that
perhaps you're
a church
planting pastor
or a missionary
that does not
know where
the funding
is going to
come from
perhaps you're
an overworked
employee
wondering just
how you're
going to
find the
time to
love
and share
the good
news of
Jesus
with your
co-workers
and neighbors
you don't
feel smart
enough
you don't
feel trained
enough
you don't
feel godly
enough
you don't
feel old
enough
you don't
feel young
enough
to proclaim
the kingdom
and to
heal
but have you
considered that
God has
given you
a calculated
deficit
to make
you depend
on him
have you
ever
considered
that God
hasn't
answered
all of
your
questions
because he
wants you
to learn
to walk
by faith
not by sight
Jesus
sends out
his apostles
not with
their own
authority
and power
but with
his
authority
and power
and he
sends them
out
not with
their own
provisions
but dependent
on the
provision
of God
now that
does not
mean that
those who
depend on
God
will never
know
any lack
in verse
five
Jesus
clearly
anticipates
occasions
when the
twelve
will not
be received
hospitably
by the
townspeople
so there
will be
times when
they are
not
received
and they're
going to
have to
make that
long and
arduous
journey
to the
next town
without
food
and without
money
but that
too is
a calculated
deficit
so that we
look to
God for
provision
instead of
providing for
ourselves
and likewise
we as
the church
we are to
declare and
demonstrate the
kingdom of
God with
the power
and provision
from the
Lord Jesus
Christ
that's our
calling
and that's
what we can
boast in our
weaknesses
and come
to our
city with
empty
hands
praying that
we can
use us
amen
the second
point of
Jesus'
instruction to
his messengers
is this
they have to
minister with
simplicity
integrity
and transparency
and not
use the
gospel for
selfish gain
in Matthew
10
9-10
it explicitly
says this
it's a
parallel passage
to this
is to
acquire no
gold or
silver or
copper for
your belts
no bag
for your
journey
or two
tunics or
sandals or
staff
for the
laborer
deserves
his food
gospel
laborers
like other
laborers
deserve their
food
they deserve
a living
wage
but and
God is
going to
provide that
through the
hospitality
of their
hosts
however
they are
not to
use the
people's
hospitality
and
generosity
as an
opportunity
for selfish
gain
to
acquire
gold or
silver
or copper
for their
belts
they are
to travel
without bag
and money
and stay
at one
house the
whole time
that they're
in the
town
this was
in stark
contrast
to the
traveling
philosophers
and other
religious
missionaries
and teachers
of their
day
they were
these
Greek
and Jewish
itinerant
preachers
they carried
a bag
with them
which they
used to
beg and
to take
up
collections
and instead
of staying
in one
house
they would
go from
house to
house
and make
collections
in each
one
but Jesus
says you
are not
to do
that
do not
enrich
yourself
with the
gospel
they have
to proclaim
the kingdom
and to
heal
to benefit
the hearers
not to
exploit
them
those who
peddle the
gospel
for selfish
gain
cheapen
the cost
that Jesus
paid to
save us
Jesus
paid for
our salvation
with his
blood
he died
for us
he gave
his life
for us
and you're
going to
sell that
precious
gospel
for money
currency
that has
zero
value
in eternity
that's to
cheapen
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ
the gospel
is not
a commodity
to be
exploited
for God
Jesus
also adds
in verse
five
and wherever
they do
not receive
you
when you
leave that
town
shake off
the dust
from your
feet
as a
testimony
against
them
this is
a very
serious
warning
to those
who might
reject
the twelve
those who
might
reject
Jesus
the expression
shake off
the dust
from your
feet
is very
close to
the way
you use
the expression
like shake
it off
and it
means good
witness
you shake
off people's
criticism
their rejections
and then you
move on
it was a
common practice
among the
Jews
to shake
off the
dust
from their
feet
when
leaving
Gentile
territory
basically
saying to
themselves
let the
uncleanness
come off
of me
and what's
radical about
what Jesus
is saying
here
is that
he's
supplying
that figure
of speech
to Jewish
towns
Jesus
is saying
if you
reject my
message
if you
reject my
messengers
your
ethnicity
your
nationality
your
class
your race
make no
difference
you're cut
off from the
saving grace
of God
there's no
salvation apart
from the name
of Jesus
Christ
and you're
not a member
of the kingdom
of God
if you have
shunned
in
and so
this
shaking
up the
dust
is a
visual
representation
of God's
judgment
and this
message of the
kingdom
now spreads
through the
apostles
and as the
message spreads
it reaches
the ears
of even
the rulers
and we get
to your second
point here
Jesus perplexes
Herod
which is
Herod
the
tetrarch
Herod
is described
here as
the tetrarch
in order to
distinguish him
from Herod
the first
also known as
Herod the great
was not so great
he is the one
who ordered the
massacre of all
boys under the
age of two
in Bethlehem
in an attempt
to kill Jesus
in Matthew 2
Herod died just a
couple years
after that
and this is
Herod the tetrarch
a different
Herod
his name is
Herod Antipas
he reigned
over a quarter
of the Roman
empire
starting in 680
and he was
the ruler
over Galilee
which is the
region of
Jesus' primary
ministry
it says in
verses 7 to 9
that now
Herod the tetrarch
heard about
all that was
happening
and he was
perplexed
because it was
said by some
that John
had been raised
from the dead
by some
that Elijah
had appeared
and by others
that one of
the prophets
of old
had risen
Herod said
John I beheaded
but who is
this about
whom I hear
such things
that he sought
to see him
in Luke chapter 3
we were told
that this
Herod
was rebuked
by John the
Baptist
because he
married Herodias
who was his
half brother's
divorced wife
so Herod and
Herodias had
both divorced
their respective
spouses with
knowledge in
order to
remarry each
other
so this sin
was simultaneously
adulterous
and incestuous
and John the
Baptist
courageously
rebuked him
for that
and this
angered Herod
and Herod
put John
in prison
so here in
verse 9
we learn that
Herod did not
stop but
imprisoning John
he actually
went further
and beheaded
him
and so when
Herod heard
about all
that Jesus
and his
apostles
were doing
he was
perplexed
there were
three main
speculations
about who
Jesus might
be
and the
first
was the
possibility
that Jesus
was a
resurrected
John the
Baptist
that obviously
would have been
a frightening
possibility for
the guy
who beheaded
John the
Baptist
you can tell
he's carrying
a guilty
conscience
with him
second was a
rumor that
Jesus might
be a
reappearance of
Elijah
since the
prophet
never died
according to
scripture
2nd Kings
2 11
he was taken
up by a
whirlwind
and since
Malachi
prophesied in
particular that
God will in
his last day
send the
prophet Elijah
to go before
and prepare
the way
for God
there was
this expectation
for Elijah
to return
but we know
from Luke
1 chapter
17 that
it's not
Jesus
that's
Elijah
it's John
the Baptist
that's
Elijah
and preparing
the way
for God
who is
Jesus
the son
of God
God
in human
flesh
the third
speculation
was that
people thought
well people
still
sometimes people
mistakenly think
that this is a
form of
reincarnation
of one of
the old
prophets
had risen
again
there's no
concept of
reincarnation
for people
in the Jews
in this context
they only
believed in
resurrection
and so they
were speculating
that some
of the old
prophets perhaps
had been
resurrected
or maybe
that someone
like them
had come
so in
Deuteronomy
18 15
it says
that God
would raise
up for his
people a
prophet like
Moses
so there
were popular
expectations
for return
of some
great
prophet of
old
like
Moses
that will
lead Israel
back to God
and restore
the kingdom
of God
so these
reports and
rumors puzzled
Herod and
he wondered
who is this
about whom I
hear such
things
he sought to
see him
and that
question is a
recurring question
throughout the
gospel of Luke
who then is
this
that's the same
question that's
been asked three
times already
who is this
Jesus
and that's the
right question to
ask and you
should ask it
yourself
who is this
Jesus
have you come
to terms with
who Jesus
really is
but there's a
lesson here for
us as we
consider that
question
in Herod's
curiosity
it says twice
in verse 7
and verse 9
that Herod heard
about Jesus
but that wasn't
enough for him
he sought to
see him
it says in
verse 9
and there's a
contrast here
between hearing
and seeing
that's been
played on in
the past in
the gospel of
Luke
and Jesus
repeatedly
emphasized in
the parable of
the sword
given in
chapter 8
that the good
news of the
kingdom is to
be received
through the
hearing of the
word
and Jesus
taught this
he said take
care then how
you hear
Luke 8
18
and he said
that the
family of God
is made up of
those who hear
the word of
God
and do it
that's why
Romans 10
17 says
so faith
comes from
hearing
and hearing
through the
word of
Christ
in light of
that background
it's suggested
that Herod
hears
but instead
of believing
he seeks to
see Jesus
Herod lacks
faith
and we see
this clearly
later in
Luke chapter
23
when Herod
finally sees
him
he says
when Herod
saw Jesus
he was very
glad
for he had
long desire
to see him
because he
had heard
about him
and was
hoping to
see some
sign
done by him
Herod
wanted a
spectacle
he wanted
Jesus to
prove himself
according to
Herod's
lofty standards
but in
Luke 11
Jesus
explicitly
condemns
such
self-centered
and presumptuous
demand for
signs
this generation
is an evil
generation
he seeks
for a sign
but no sign
will be given
to it
except the
sign of
Jonah
for as
Jonah
became a
sign to
the people
of Nineveh
so will
the son
of man
be to
this
generation
the sign
of Jonah
is a
reference
to Jesus
death
and
resurrection
God has
sent his
God has
sent his
only son
Jesus Christ
to die
for our
sins
and to
be raised
from the
dead
to give
us eternal
resurrection
life
and we
have the
nerve
to ask
him for
a sign
forgiveness
we are
the rebels
that should
be bowing
down
before the
king
begging
for his
pardon
and we
are the
criminals
that should
be pleading
guilty
and begging
for clemency
before the
court
of the
judge
we are
the sinful
creatures
that have
violated the
will of
our creator
that should
be coming
begging for
his forgiveness
and yet
these
human beings
have the
audacity
to ask
God
for a
sign
God will
not
demean
himself
by
caring
to our
frightful
whims
just so
to clarify
Jesus did
perform signs
and wonders
that proved
his messianic
identity
but he did
that for
those who
hungly put
their trust
in him
he refused
to pander
to the
presumptuous
demands
of the
faithless
and that's
because of
this
because following
God requires
faith and
humility
it requires
faith and
humility
to take
God at
his word
and to
submit to
him every
aspect of
our lives
and those
who will
only believe
when God
performs some
kind of
miracle on
demand that
erases all
doubt
show that
they are not
willing to
submit to
God on
his own
terms
those who
will only
believe God
on their
own terms
will only
obey God
on their
own terms
instead of
conforming their
life to God's
purposes
they will conform
God to their
own personal
preferences
and because
they are still
seeking to
maintain control
of their lives
and stay in the
driver's seat
no Jesus will
not cater to
that
if you ask
this question
who is
this
Jesus
you have
now heard
of this
Jesus
do you
believe him
or are you
still waiting
for a sign
are you
intrigued
curious
perplexed
perhaps
but nothing
more
are you
still on
the outside
looking
in
enter
in
join
join us
as we
follow Jesus
together
so Jesus
empowers
the apostles
he perplexes
Herod
and in this
next session
Jesus provides
for the crowd
and by doing
so Jesus
further reveals
who he really
is
he says in
verse 10
on their
return
the apostles
told them
all that
they had
done
and he
took them
and withdrew
apart
to a town
called
Bethsaida
so the
twelve
apostles
have returned
from their
mission
journey
and they
report back
to Jesus
what they
have done
and such
an intense
mission
journey
it's
after such
an intense
journey
it's natural
to withdraw
for some
privacy
and rest
that's exactly
what Jesus
seeks to do
for his
disciples
in verse
10
but things
don't go
as planned
because he
said in
verse 11
when the
crowds
learned it
they followed
him
and he
welcomed
them
and spoke
to them
of the
kingdom
of God
and cured
those
who had
need
of healing
Jesus
is not
annoyed
that the
crowds
won't leave
them alone
for some
much needed
rest
he doesn't
turn them
away
instead he
says he
welcomed
them
and once
again he
proclaims the
kingdom
and he
heals
them
we can
see Jesus'
compassion
in this
story
because when
we bring
our needs
to God
he's not
fed up
with us
our unceasing
requests
he's not
irritated
by us
he's gracious
and full
of compassion
he welcomes
us
we sin
countless
times
and sometimes
it's the same
sin over
and over
again
and yet
when we
come to
Jesus
for forgiveness
and healing
what we
need is not
an exasperated
Lord
but a
compassionate
one
doesn't that
make you want
to come to
him
with all
of your
needs
he's
magnanimous
so much
so he
says in
verse 12
now the
day began
to wear
away
and the
twelve
came and
said to
him
send the
crowd away
to go into
the surrounding
villages and
countryside
to find
lodging and
get provisions
for we are
here in a
desolate place
I'm checking
the time here
and I'm running
a little late
but I'm not
running as
late as
Jesus was
the day
wore away
and they're
in the middle
of nowhere
so if you
don't send
them off
quickly
they're
going to
get stranded
and they're
going to
starve
for that
night
and so
disciples
make a
thoughtful
and reasonable
suggestion
but Jesus
responds
surprisingly
in verse
13
you give
them
something
to eat
you brought
up the
concern
so you
should do
something
about it
so Jesus
is again
trying to
involve
his
apostles
and now
they're
no longer
to be
mere
bystanders
and observers
of Jesus
ministry
they're to
partake
in his
ministry
but as
far as
the twelve
are concerned
they only
have two
viable
options
they could
either
share the
food that
they already
have
or they
must go
buy food
for all
of the crowd
but the
first option
is out of the
question
because they
don't have
enough food
all that they
have is five
loaves of bread
and two fish
the second option
is also out of the
question
because as it
says in verse
14 there were
about 5,000
men
notice
look that
it says
specifically
5,000
men
in the
original
Greek
that's not
a generic
word
referring to
men
and women
it's
referring
specifically
to
males
it was
common
in the
ancient
world
to estimate
a large
crowd
size
simply by
counting
the number
of
males
then you
can get
inferred
from that
pretty accurately
how many
children
and women
there are
and get
the size
of the
whole
crowd
so a
conservative
estimate
for a
crowd
in the
ancient
world
with 5,000
males
is 20,000
men
women
and
children
there's
no way
they're
talking
to
afford
that
and if
they
could
they
would
not
be able
to
carry
that
so
there's
no
doubt
here
that
the
disciples
are a
little
bit
shocked
and
credulous
but
Jesus
says
to
the
disciples
in
verse
14
have
them
sit
down
in
groups
of
about
50
each
and
they
did
so
and
have
them
all
sit
down
dividing
up
the
crowd
into
more
manageable
sizes
makes
sense
for
the
distribution
of
food
but
I
think
there's
another
biblical
illusion
here
because
Luke
uses
numbers
to
make
important
points
throughout
his
gospel
there's
only
one
other
instance
in
the
entire
Bible
where
the
exact
phrase
50
each
occurs
and
that's
in
1st
Kings
18
13
of
the
Greek
version
of
the
Old
Testament
there
Obadiah
tells
prophet
Elijah
that
when
there
was
a
famine
in
his
queen
Jezebel
wanted
to
exterminate
all
the
prophets
of
the
Lord
that
he
hid
the
Lord's
prophets
by
50
each
in
a
cave
and
fed
them
with
bread
and
water
so
then
this
crowd
of
50
like
the
last
remaining
prophets
of
the
Lord
during
the
days
of
Elijah
are
of
remnant
here
the
last
they
are
the
followers
of
Christ
that's
the
remnant
they
are
the
remaining
population
that's
faithful
to
Jesus
still
loyal
to
God
and
he's
following
him
and
he
is
graciously
providing
for their
needs
and preserving
them
verse
16
continues
and
taking
the
five
loaves
and
the
two
fish
he
looked
up to
heaven
and
said
a
blessing
over
them
then
he
broke
the
loaves
and gave
them
to
the
disciples
to
set
before
the
crowd
Jesus
building
his
apostles
faith
through
this
miraculous
provision
and
notice
that
it's
the
disciples
that
are
given
the
task
of
actually
distributing
the
bread
you can
just
picture it
these
disciples
kind of
sheepishly
approaching
Jesus
I guess
I gotta
do
this
he wants
me to
take
these
broken
pieces
of
bread
and
they
take
it
and
as
they
start
going
by
one
group
of
fifty
to
the
next
and
as
they're
distributing
these
broken
pieces
of
bread
their
unbelief
turns
to
disbelief
and
then
to
joyous
worship
as
they
see
that
the
bread
does
not
run
out
and
it
says
in
verse
seventeen
they
all
ate
and
were
satisfied
and
what
was
left
over
was
picked
up
twelve
baskets
of
broken
pieces
Jesus
did
not
merely
wet
their
appetite
and
then
give
just
enough
to
save
up
their
hunger
pains
until
the
next
meal
Jesus
satisfied
them
just
as
he
had
promised
in
Luke
6
21
it's
a
foretaste
of
what
he
promised
blessed
are
you
who
are
hungry
now
for
you
shall
be
satisfied
it's
a
foretaste
of
that
promise
blessing
that
will
come
these
are
the
remnant
these
are
those
who
are
hungry
now
in
this
world
they
are
those
who
hunger
for
righteousness
in
this
world
they
are
those
who
hunger
for
the
fullness
and
plenty
of
the
kingdom
of
God
but
are
hungry
they
will
be
satisfied
this
is a
foretaste
just
as
God
fed
his
people
with
bread
from
heaven
in
the
wilderness
after
the
exodus
Jesus
provides
bread
for
his
people
and
lest
you
doubt
the
sufficiency
of
Jesus
to
provide
for
his
people
there
are
12
baskets
of
broken
pieces
I
wonder
why
it's
12
enough
to
satisfy
all
God's
people
the
12
tribes
the
12
apostles
had no
means
of
providing
for
the
brows
for
the
remnant
but
Jesus
in
Jesus
they
had
enough
and
they
stepped
out
in
faith
to
obey
his
command
and
they
witnessed
his
miraculous
provision
and
likewise
when
we
feel
inadequate
to
share
the
gospel
of
Jesus
and
demonstrate
his
love
to
others
we
have
to
step
out
in
faith
and
obey
and
know
that
there
is
a
calculated
deficiency
that
the
Lord
Jesus
himself
will
fill
we
have
to
declare
and
demonstrate
the
kingdom
of
God
with
the
power
and
provision
from
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
and
Jesus
has a
very
particular
way
of
doing
this
he
first
takes
the
bread
he
breaks
it
and
then
he
gives
it
he
takes
it
he
gives
thanks
and
then
he
breaks
it
and
he
gives
it
so
that
exact
formula
is
preserved
and
used
three
times
throughout
the
gospel
of
Luke
each
time
it
refers
to
something
in
connection
to
the
Lord's
Supper
this
here
points
to
the
Lord's
Supper
which
represents
the
broken
body
and
poured
out
blood
of
Christ
here
the
bread
that
is
broken
and
multiplied
represents
Jesus'
body
broken
for us
for
our
salvation
so
that
we
might
for
our
spiritual
nourishment
so
that
we
might
have
life
and
it
does
not
run
out
we
are
all
sinners
in
need
of
a
savior
sure
when we
compare
our
lives
maybe
to
some
other
people
around
us
we
might
not
look
so
bad
relatively
speaking
but
when we
set
our
lives
next
to
the
perfect
law
of
God
when
we
let
the
light
of
Christ
shine
on us
all
our
filthiness
is
exposed
we
are
impoverished
spiritual
beings
and our
resources
our
virtues
our
good
works
are
insufficient
to
meet
our
needs
but
when
we
come
to
Jesus
in
our
hunger
he
does
not
despise
us
and
turn
us
away
he
has
compassion
on us
he
welcomes
us
he
feeds
his
own
body
and
blood
broken
on the
cross
for the
sin
that we
have
committed
many
of you
have
sought
to be
filled
with
things
in
life
by
beauty
sex
affirmation
money
success
respect
but you
always
return
hungrier
unsatisfied
by the
richest
fairs
that this
world
has to
offer
the
word of
god
points
us
to a
spiritual
banquet
table
that
will
fill
us
and
satisfy
us
forever
that
banquet
table
is the
cross
of
Jesus
Christ
and
that
bread
of
life
is
the
body
Jesus
Christ
and
eat
it
by
confessing
with
your
mouth
that
Jesus
is
Lord
and
believing
in
your
heart
that
Jesus
died
and
was
raised
from
the
dead
for
God's
eternal
glory
and
for
your
eternal
satisfaction
that
's
right
HELP
lunar
pi
depuis
ace
ooh