Luke 9

Written on 05/10/2024

Verses 1-2, 6

As Jesus' disciples sent out to do His works (John 14:12) and taught to the works of the apostles (Matthew 28:20), we should also share the Word of God with others and heal the sick.
- Both of these works are important for the kingdom, but remember that preaching the Word is most important. Eternal salvation is more important than temporary healing.
- Understand that, as your faith grows, you will see more healings when you pray for people.

Verses 3-5

Verses 3-4. In this moment, Jesus purposely sent out His disciples with nothing but the clothes on their back because He wanted them to learn to trust that God would take care of them, through the provisions of the households they preached to, as they traveled.
- We can learn, for our lives, that even in times where we might not have as much as we feel we need, God will provide for us if we keep our focus on making disciples of Christ and doing everything to further that single cause (Matthew 6:33).
- Yes, work a job and make money, but don't trust in money! Always look to God in prayer, no matter how much you have or do not have!
Verse 5. And when you share the Word with others, move on from the conversation if they don't want to talk about the Word, and/or move on from the relationship if they don't want to interact with you period.
See teaching on Matthew 10 for more details.

Verses 7-9

See teaching on Matthew 14 and Mark 6 for commentary.

Verses 10-17

See teaching on Matthew 14 and Mark 6 for more details.
Verse 14. Notice that Jesus did this in an organized and efficient manner. He always avoided disarray and chaos in His tasks.
- Jesus even delegated passing out the food to His disciples, so they could feed more people at the same time (verse 13,16).
- If you want to be like Jesus, be organized!

Verses 18-27

See teaching on Matthew 16 for commentary.
Verse 23. Luke adds a unique detail here. Jesus said that we should take up our cross daily.
- This reminds us that bearing the discomfort and disciplines of following Jesus is an intentional decision that we have to make every day. Every day we need to choose to keep following Christ.
  - Be conscious of your commitment to Christ every day. Don't let days pass and go to waste. Take it a day at a time, and live every day well!

Verses 28-43

See teaching on Matthew 17 and Mark 9 for more commentary.
We can learn from the story of this epileptic boy, who was demon-possessed, that demons are able to do many things to the victims they dwell in. Simply be aware of these things.
- Demons can physically bruise, throw, or convulse bodies they possess (Mark 9:18,22).
- Demons can cause a person they possess to bring harm to themselves (Mark 5:5).
- Demons can cause infirmity in bodies of people, including blindness and muteness (Luke 13:16, Matthew 12:22, Job 2:7).

Verses 44-45

Notice that Jesus wanted His disciples to pay attention to this statement, and yet it was hidden from them, and they didn't understand it.
- Know that some things are important to know, but we won't understand them until later.
  - Everything in the Word is considered important. Read all of it, and know that understanding comes in time, as you seek it.

Verses 46-48

Verse 48. “For he who is least among you all will be great.” In the kingdom of God, values are reversed. Being great, as defined by man, is to be the least in God's eyes. But being the least in man's eyes is to be great in God's eyes.
- Don't desire to do certain things because they get a lot of attention from people.
  - The more popular works—miracles, signs, and wonders—are not the most important. They get too much attention.
- Do the things that Jesus says are great—serving others in what they need, being humble like a child, etc., and do these things for no other reason than to glorify God!
See teaching on Matthew 18 and Mark 9 for more commentary.

Verses 49-50

See teaching on Mark 9 for commentary.

Verses 51-56

The Israelites in the Old Testament had a different covenant (relationship) with God than the one that Jesus came to bring.
- Under the Old Covenant, there were many cases of immediate judgment and destruction on sinful people. But Christ came to save us from God's judgment (John 12:47).
The disciples did not yet understand this, and assumed that those who rejected Jesus should be destroyed by fire immediately.
- Verse 55. One day, judgment will come; but for today, we have a Spirit within us that implores us to show love and kindness to our enemies, not to destroy them (Matthew 5:43-48).
- Knowing you are of Christ, you must know that we are not here to preach destruction, but to preach salvation.
  - When you preach the gospel, focus most on telling people that God is sparing His judgment, and showing us mercy, to give us a chance to be saved (Acts 17:30-31).
  - “The Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.”

Verses 57-62

See teaching on Matthew 8 for more details.
Jesus teaches us three things about following Him here:
- Verse 58. To follow Jesus, we must not expect to feel at home in this world, and we must be willing sacrifice comfort for the sake of the kingdom.
  - Jesus does not say here that He is poor. He's simply saying that He doesn't live comfortably, nor does He seek settlement in this world. He's given up comfort in order to serve and save others.
- Verse 60. To follow Jesus, we cannot procrastinate; and we must put obedience to the Word before family obligations. We must also focus on helping those who are living rather than incessantly grieving the dead.
  - It is wrong to relax the commands of Scripture for your family, in order to avoid offending them. Jesus was not afraid to offend His family (Luke 4:20-22, Mark 6:3). Jesus taught that we should not continue to fulfill any familial or cultural obligations that compromise our obedience to the Word (Luke 9:59-62). The fear of disappointing or offending one's culture or family hinders many from being willing to turn to Christ.
  - And when people lose a loved one, and grieve them for years, they largely forsake the call the help those who are living because they selfishly idolize the person they lost. Focus on helping the living! Leave the care of the dead to God. The dead are now in either heaven or hell, where the rest of the dead are.
- Verse 62. To follow Jesus, we must stay focused and not miss anything from our past life.
  - Don't miss old ways, old sins, or old habits. This kind of attitude will only weigh you down.