Series: Things Jesus Wants Us To Know
Part 7 -
Luke 9:1-6; Luke 7, 8
INTRO: Six weeks ago I started a series entitled "Things Jesus Wants Us To Know." Part 1 was, "He Is The One Sent By God For You." In that we saw that Jesus was and is identified as the only Son of God in whom we can place our trust and confidence in for salvation. Part 2 was, "Satan Can Be Defeated (Through Jesus)." Jesus wants us to know this as He set the example and gives us encouragement to fight and resist Satan. Then, for Part 3 I looked at Luke 5 where I used, Come And Follow Me (All The Way)." For Part 4 I looked into Luke 6 and our need to take time out for God while we can. For Part 5, I continued in Luke 6 and we saw that Jesus wants us to think about how we plan and live our lives. Last week, for Easter I jumped ahead in the book of Luke and we looked at a time just after the resurrection. It was there that we saw how important Jesus considered His disciples and followers, and how much love He showed. He sees us as important today and His love is still available for all that would call.
Today I will continue with the series looking further into what Luke tells us about Jesus' life. I will look at Luke 9 where Jesus sent out His disciples. It is here that we see His instructions given to the twelve, as they are about to face society in the position of representative or servant of the Great Master, Jesus Christ our Lord. It is with this we can know some things Jesus wants us to know. Today my title is, "Unpack Your Bags."
Have you ever packed too much for a trip? Have you ever wanted to just have enough for a carry-on bag and just couldn't quite make it? Have you ever have someone tell you, "You cannot take that, its too much baggage?" Well that is what the Lord told His disciples some two thousand years ago and He is telling us today, "Unpack Your Bags, Get Ready To Go."
It is in Luke 9 that we start this morning to set the stage, then we go back to look at the ideas for a successful trip that Jesus has been teaching the twelve in Chapters 7 and 8. Let's read…
Luke 9:1 - 6 1Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2
And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.3
And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.4
And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.5
And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.6
And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
First, Jesus wants us to know…
What we should unpack
Our poor excuses - vs. 1
The Lord gave them power and authority
He gave them a task
He is willing even glad to help us accomplish for Him great things
Our excuses are extra baggage that we need to toss away
Our excuses are usually flimsy
Our excuses are counter-productive
Our excuses are excess baggage
Our excuses weight us down
Our excuses get us in trouble
Slick brochures for vacation hot spots and runabouts - vs. 2
Jesus was sending them on a work detail, not a junket
He wants our efforts not our sightseeing attitudes
We are dealing with serious ministry
Souls involved
Lives affected
Souls are to be healed too
A sense of urgency
A plan of action - Jesus sent them out together
Our weighty worldly goods - 3
Our "stuff"
Personal protection - staves
Bags - scrip
Bread - sack lunch
Money
Extra suits
He wanted them to trust in and depend upon Him not their own abilities or resources.
We do not trust in the Lord enough
We do not plan on trusting upon Him
The idea is we leave Him no room for trusting Him
Our preconceived partiality or perceived preferences - 4
Idea is to not be influenced by special treatments
He wants us to really be impartial to whom we try to reach with the gospel message
He loves them all
He wants us to reach out to all we can
He wants His message of truth share with all
He wants our message to be straight not slanted to suit the hearers
He does not want our attention to be sought after by the highest bidder
He wants us to unpack…
Our passiveness - 5
Very hard saying
It is they who reject the message of Christ
We need to look forward towards others in need
And last we see He wants us to unpack…
Our swim trunks, sunglasses, sunscreen, golf clubs, fishing gear, earplugs, best sellers list novels, video games, shopping bags, crochet needles, etc. - vs 6
Wants us to do His work
Wants us to "preach" His message
He wants spiritual healing applied to lives we touch
Okay, okay, okay we get it you may say. What can we take with us for our journey? What is so important that we need to pack it in our "bags?" - glad you asked!
If we look back in Chapter 7 we can see He was showing them by example…
What He wants us to bring or pack
Humbleness - 6-8
"Pride goeth before a fall" the scripture teaches us
The Lord wants us to be dependent on Him not our abilities
Haughtiness will not reach people while true humbleness will help do so
No matter how great we think we might be, it will take the Lord's help and blessings to make a difference.
Humbleness will help keep us out of trouble
A diet of "Humble pie" is better than egg on our face
Faith - 9
Jesus can use faith
Faith is trusting the Lord
Hulon's acronym:
F
orsaking All I Trust In HimFaith is not a contest
Faith is a winning track
Faith can move mountains
Compassion - 11-17
We must have compassion for those we meet
We need compassion for the lose or we will give up on them
Without compassion we will not have the right attitude
We need to pack…
Godly works - 18-35
You are His representative - never forget this
They are watching you (closely)
When we have godly works in our lives they will notice
Don't give the critics any room for criticism (they do alright fabricating)
When we pack our bags, we need to include a good dose of…
Forgiveness- 36-50
There is much to forgive
The Lord is willing to forgive - should we be?
He offers forgiveness, let us model it too
Forgiveness brings relief
Forgiveness is strength not weakness as the Devil would have us to believe
Forgiveness is of the Lord
Faith seeks forgiveness - love answers with it - 50
Last I want to look at the 1st verse in Chapter 8, and there we see, the Lord wants us to pack…
Consistent obedience
In private
In public
It was this example he set for us to see
It is this example we need to hold up high for others to know
Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 041507am