Sermon Notes

1. The 12 are sent out

• Luke 9
  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.
     • notice the message: healing and the proclamation of the Kingdom are intimately connected.
  • read v.3-5
  1. And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
  • It was so dramatic, that even Herod heard about it (v.7)
  • Then they returned:
  1. On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida.

2. Jesus demonstrated the supernatural, and then tried to get them to do it

• Luke 9
  1. 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.
     • the same two things together!
  2. 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.”
  3. 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.”

3. The Disicples fail to heal

• Luke 9
  1. On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him.
  2. And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.
  3. And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and shatters him, and will hardly leave him.
  4. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”
  5. Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”
  6. While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
• In Matt 17:14-21 and Mark 9:14-29 we have the same story
  • Jesus told them that this kind of demon didn’t come out without prayer
  • (Keep this thought on hold for later!)

4. The command to proclaim the kingdom was not exclusive to the 12 or the 72

• Luke 9
  1. To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
  2. And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
  3. Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”
  4. Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (i.e. proclaiming it)

5. More labourers needed!

• Luke 10
  1. After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
  • but the 72 were not enough!
  1. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
  • What was their message? read up to v. 9
  1. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
• Then they return:
  1. The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
  2. And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
     • Refers to Jesus’ victory on the cross—in the future but it is so certain that Jesus speaks of it in the past
     • There is an “advance payment” of the power of this victory
  3. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
  4. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
     • It is well to remember that this is more important
     • It is unfortunately possible to cast out demons and yet not to be truly saved
  5. In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
     • What does this mean? (simple faith in Jesus as opposed to the “wisdom” of the religious leaders)
  6. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
  7. Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!
  8. For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
     • What does this mean? (In the O.T. they only saw visions of the Kingdom—this is the reality!)
• Then Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan
  • This shows us the heart that Jesus had for people
  • This is the heart that goes along with the Kingdom, with healing people
  • This should be our heart if we want to see people healed, not a heart of wanting power

6. How do we become labourers in the vineyard?

• Luke 11
  1. And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves,
  2. for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;
  3. and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’?
  4. I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
  5. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
  6. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
  7. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;
  8. or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
  9. If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
  • Why do we need the Holy Spirit? —for the work of the Kingdom

7. One more point: the “Finger of God”

1. Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled.
2. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,”
3. while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven.
4. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.
5. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
6. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
7. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
   • There are three other references in Scripture to God’s finger:
   • Writing in stone the ten commandments
   • Writing on the wall (Belshazzar: Dan 5:5) (does not actually say it was God, but we know it was)
   • Exodus 8:19 This is the main reference behind these words of Christ.
     • Even the Egyptian magicians warned Pharoh that the miracles were unmistakably God

Conclusion

• Jesus wants us to be labourers in the harvest
• This is about telling people about the Kingdom
• Which cannot be separated from the Gospel
• All of us will fail to bring healing at times
• But that should not stop us
• On the other hand we should pray
• For what we are looking for is the very “finger of God”