Sending Out the Sent Ones

In the last three weeks, we have been reminded again and again that Jesus Christ is Lord over all.  In other words, He has complete power over all of life.  He has complete authority over all of life, and that includes storms and Satan and sickness.

 

Therefore, if we are His followers, and we have Jesus living with us, and He is Lord over all, what does that mean for us?  It means that in order to maximize efficiency, Jesus is sending us on His behalf to do His work.

 

Take your Bibles and find Luke 9:1. I want to share a message with you entitled, “Sending Out the Sent.”

 

We are going to see in today’s text that Jesus sent out the twelve disciples on His behalf to do His work.  These men are also called the twelve apostles.

 

The word apostle means sent one or messenger.  In verse 2, we see that word, “sent.”  Therefore, Jesus sent out the sent ones.

 

 

1. Jesus sent out the sent ones with authority, Luke 9:1.

1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.

 

So Jesus called the twelve together and gave them the power and authority that He had.  Jesus had power and authority over demons and over disease, and He gave that power authority to the twelve.

 

Do you remember how we know that Jesus had authority over demons?  In 8:27-29, Jesus removed the demons from the Gaderene Demoniac.

 

27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.

 

Do you remember how we know that Jesus had authority over diseases?  In 8:47-48, Jesus healed a woman who had been diseased for twelve years.

 

47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.  48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

 

Furthermore, Jairus’ daughter had died from some disease, but Jesus healed her as well by bringing her back to life.  See 8:54-55.

 

54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.

 

Jesus sent out the sent ones with authority.

 

 

2. Jesus sent out the sent ones with orders, Luke 9:2-4.

2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  4 “Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.

 

Jesus sent out the sent ones with authority and with orders.  What were they?  They were three: what to do, what to take, and where to stay.

 

First, what did He order them to do?  They were to preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick.  In other words, they were to preach the gospel and see lives changed.

 

And this exactly what they did.  See 9:6.

 

6 So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

 

BTW…let’s remember what is the gospel.  First, the God who is Creator is holy.  That means He is without sin and perfect.  Second, He created us to be in a personal relationship with Him.  Third, but we sinned, and our sin separates us from God.  Fourth, Jesus, God in the flesh, came to earth and lived a perfect, sinless life, and died on the cross for our sins.

 

In order to authenticate all that He did and said, He didn’t’ stay dead.  He rose from the grave, and has invited the entire world to follow Him and be saved from their sins. 

 

Second, as the twelve were going and doing, what were they to take?  In verse 3, Jesus said don’t take anything.  This order demonstrated brevity of the trip and the need for them to trust Jesus to provide. 

 

Remember, it is a biblical truth that were God guides, He also provides.  That was true then.  It is true today.  It is true in sharing the gospel.  It is true in building a Family Life Center.

 

Third, where they to stay?  They were to stay with locals who had also chosen to follow Jesus, and stay with them the entire time.  Don’t jump from house to house.

 

Jesus sent out the sent ones with orders.

 

 

3. Jesus sent out the sent ones with opposition, Luke 9:5.

5 And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 

 

Just like no fisherman has ever been perfect, not witness will ever be perfect.  Jesus prepared His sent ones for rejection.

 

They were to shake the dust off their feet as a testimony against them.  However, notice this is a one-time act that trusts God for the judgment. 

 

So many times, we think when someone doesn’t agree with us or isn’t ready to commit that then are enemies.  That it isn’t true, but even if it was, God is the judge not us. 

 

When people reject the gospel, we don’t have to post about them on FB.  We need to pray for them to repent. 

 

In verses 7-9, Jesus and the sent ones had garnered the attention of Herod.  Because of what he was hearing, he wanted to find out more.

 

 

Conclusion

So what does all of the mean for us today here at EBC?  Like these twelve disciples, we also as follower of Christ, have been sent. 

 

Furthermore, as we have been sent, we have authority to lead to share the gospel and lead people to faith in Christ.  However, our message isn’t going to be authenticated by casting out demons and healing the sick.

 

Instead, our message is authenticated when we live changed lives because of Jesus.  When we are faithful to our spouse and the hardest working employees and tell the truth at school, our message is authenticated, and that is the way it is supposed to be.

 

However, when our walk doesn’t match our talk, you know what else happens?  We end up turning people away from the gospel.  We are stumbling blocks to others when we don’t love our spouse and don’t obey our parents and are lazier workers than lost people. 

 

But here me say this, God is not disappointed that His mission has fallen to us.  We aren’t plan B.  The Church is plan A in taking the gospel to the world!