Contagious Holiness 4: Luke 9

Austin Prince

Contagious Holiness • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

0 ratings

· 5 views

Notes

Transcript

Luke 9:1–17 (ESV) — 1 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. 7 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, 8 by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen. 9 Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him. 10 On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. 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. 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.” 13 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.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 And they did so, and had them all sit down. 16 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. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Luke 7 - Jesus calling sinners to a meal (Levi)

Luke 14 - Jesus calling out the hypocrisy of the religious leaders - how they choose to sit and eat with others for pride and gain while neglecting the poor.

Luke 9 - Jesus’ compassion for the masses and his charge to the disciples.

Jesus Sends Out The Twelve:

Luke 9:1–6 (ESV) — 1 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Jesus gave the twelve power - they were to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. They were to be representatives of Jesus.

They were not to take anything with them. Their ability and means came from Jesus. He have them power and authority.

Herod’s Rumors:

Luke 9:7–9 (ESV) — 7 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, 8 by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen. 9 Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.

Here we have Herod trying to figure out who Jesus really is.

The rumors where that Jesus was either Elijah, who never died but was taken up to heaven, John, who Herod had killed, or a prophet of old - possibly Moses who said a prophet like him would come one day (Deut. 18:17–19).

Now skip past our story to v.18 and look at Jesus’ interaction with the disciples regarding his identity.

Luke 9:18–20 (ESV) — 18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

This story is about the identity of Jesus, the ability to become a follower being granted by the Father (John 6), and the inability of the disciples to do this work on their own.

The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 explains Jesus’ true identity.

Luke 9:10–17 (ESV) — 10 On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. 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. 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.” 13 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.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 And they did so, and had them all sit down. 16 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. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Access to Jesus. He welcomed the crowds, spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.

From Matt. 9:

Harmony of the Gospels Sec. 70: Jesus Sends the 12 out by Twos

36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Harmony of the Gospels Sec. 72: Feeding 5,000

Mk 6:34, 39 The description of the people as “sheep without a shepherd” recalls numerous OT indictments against Israel’s leaders and the promises that God Himself would shepherd His people (Ezk 34). Jesus acts as the divine Shepherd (Ezk 34:11–16) and the Davidic servant (Ezk 34:23–24). As a faithful shepherd, Jesus causes His sheep to recline in green pastures and prepares food for them so that they will not be in want (Ps 23:1–2, 5).

The disciples suggest that Jesus send the people away because it was a ‘desolate’ place.

There were 5k people, Matthew says besides women and children (Mt. 14:21). Where were they to get that much food?

Mark said that the disciples came back to tell Jesus how their journey went and didn’t even have time to eat (Mk. 6:31). They were tired and hungry - I wonder how they took the command to serve and feed the crowd.

Jesus said, “you give them something to eat.”

There is a time with every disciple or student or child where the teacher says, ‘now it’s your turn.’ You’ve seen what I have been doing and how I do it, now you give it a try.

Jesus here lays down the expectation, but it’s also a lesson - the disciples don’t have any food, certainly not enough for 20k people.

They scrape up what they do have and bring it to Jesus. 5 loaves and 2 fish.

Jesus gives thanks and blesses the food. And he gives the food to the disciples to distribute to the crowd. They all eat and are satisfied.

The food continues to come - it’s a sign of the messianic banquet.

No rituals. No ceremonies. No tithing. Just feasting with Jesus.

Twelve baskets of leftovers are collected. Jesus takes what little the disciples had and blessed it (seed and sower - leaven). There was enough for the disciples after all were served.

The Rumors:

Elijah:

2 Kings 4:42–44 (ESV) — 42 A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” 43 But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ” 44 So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.

Here you have a story with Elisha that is similar to what is happening in Luke. Elisha is the successor to Elijah. It looks as though Jesus is the possible successor to Elijah, too. Possible.

John:

From Mark 6:

Harmony of the Gospels Sec. 71: John the Baptist Beheaded

14King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.

Jesus is known for his miraculous powers

He also is known for his words - he is like a prophet - like John who called Herod out for his sinful relationship with Herodias.

But, Jesus came feasting when John came fasting (Lk. 5:33).

Moses:

Exodus 16:1–3 (ESV) — 1 They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Jesus provides ‘manna’ in the wilderness

Jesus is about to lead a new exodus - from sin.

The Truth

The key is in John 6

Jesus is the true manna. He is the grace of God given to man (Jn. 6:33).

Grace and truth — Grace (food, healing, community) is attractive

The point is that man is not satisfied until he comes to Christ.

We are called as laborers in the harvest. What do we have to offer? Not much, but God can bless it greatly. He is sufficient.

We don’t have a God that is hungry and needs food from us. We have a God who provides, not only our daily bread, but for the wholeness of our souls, now and forever.

Two

Jesus is the ultimate provider.

As he commissions you to go. A laborer in the harvest. As he says, “you give them something to eat.” You come with what you have and you give it to the Lord; he will make what he wants of it. It will be enough to bless others and he will make sure that you are taken care of, too.

Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. (Isa. 55:1–2)

Notes:

13). Third, maybe Jesus is “one of the prophets of old.” Moses had promised that one day a prophet like Moses would come (Deut. 18:17–19).

Chester, Tim. A Meal with Jesus (p. 56). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Hundreds of years before, God had rescued his people from slavery in Egypt. But soon the people were complaining about a lack of food. So God sent manna: “I am about to rain bread from heaven for you” (Ex. 16:4). The people in Luke 9 are again in a wilderness without food (Luke 9:12). And Jesus looks up to heaven, and bread miraculously comes down (v. 16).

Chester, Tim. A Meal with Jesus (p. 57). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

A New Elijah The feeding of the five thousand would have reminded people of a second Old Testament story. Elisha told his servant to feed a group of prophets with twenty loaves. “But his servant said, ‘How can I set this before a hundred men?’ So he repeated, ‘Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, “They shall eat and have some left.”’ So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord” (2 Kings 4:42–44). Elisha tells his servant, “You feed them.” The man protests. But there’s not only enough, there’s leftovers. And now Jesus tells the disciples. “You feed them.” They protest. But there’s not only enough, there are twelve baskets full of leftovers. When Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha took his cloak as a sign that he was Elijah’s successor. He was the new Elijah. So for Jesus to be doing things like Elisha was to suggest he might be the new Elijah. So maybe Jesus is the new Elijah who provides for God’s people. Maybe. But he’s more than that. Peter says Jesus is “the Christ of God.” That’s because the feeding has a third Old Testament resonance.

Chester, Tim. A Meal with Jesus (pp. 57-58). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Eight hundred years before Jesus, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed this promise from God: On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,

of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples,

the veil that is spread over all nations.

He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,

for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.

This is the Lord; we have waited for him;

let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” (Isa. 25:6–9)

Chester, Tim. A Meal with Jesus (p. 58). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Now we are invited to feast without money: Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. (Isa. 55:1–2)