JESUS SENDS OUT THE TWELVE

Luke 9:1-9 / Keywords 9:2

and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

 

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8 others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. 9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.

1. Jesus gave the Twelve spiritual power and authority and sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them to take nothing for the journey so that they could depend only on the Lord, not on material things. They were to leave the town where people did not welcome them, shaking the dust from their feet. They were to move on to other towns where they were received. The Twelve went out, proclaimed the good news, and healed people. Discipleship training is to be evangelistic and practical—preaching the gospel and shepherding the needy (healing). The love of God through the gospel must be proclaimed; it must be practiced through shepherding. When our preaching is not welcomed, we are to move on and go to someone or some other place that is open.

 

2. Herod heard the work of Jesus through the disciples. Herod had beheaded John the Baptist for speaking the truth. In his perplexity, he said, “Who, then, is this?” Herod should have gotten the answer to his question. Who is Jesus? To know him, we must come to him and listen to his teachings. Jesus is the gospel of the kingdom of God; he is the healer from heaven.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for growing us as Jesus’ disciples through preaching and shepherding. Help us know Jesus more.

One Word Walk the walk: preaching and healing