January 5, 2016
Scripture Reading: Luke 9:1-6
1When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.
Questions for Reflection:
The goal of the daily Bible readings is not the mere transfer of knowledge or to equip you to become experts at Bible trivia. The goal of the Bible readings is to equip you with greater understanding of the text and how to apply it to your life. One way that helps you gain understanding is when you personally engage with the text. Take a moment and summarize the passage above in your own words. As you do so, answer the following questions: Who gives the Twelve their power? What did he send them to do? What instructions did he give them? Why would he instruct them to take nothing with them? What was the result of their ministry?
As we prepare for our study of 1-3 John, we need to understand the experiences that John had as a disciple of Jesus. What might his thoughts have been as he prepared to go out on this missionary expedition? Keep in mind that church tradition teaches that John was the youngest disciple, perhaps even being a young teenager. How would you have responded as a 13 year old to the instructions that Jesus gives in this passage? What would have been the impact of doing ministry and seeing people healed impacted John’s life?
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, there is a combination of word and deed. Jesus rarely teaches without demonstrating to the audience his heart for them. However, Jesus rarely performed a miracle without calling people to the kingdom of God. New Testament scholar Darrell Bock notes, “When Jesus sent out his disciples, they were to trust in God’s care and become directly engaged with those to whom they were ministering.”
How can we as followers of Jesus today embrace this philosophy of ministry? What would it look like if the church was as committed to healing the social ills of our day? How can we engage in our neighborhoods and cities to demonstrate the love of God in tangible ways? How can we get involved in serving and loving those in need in our community while sharing biblical truth with them as well?