Reading: Luke 9:1-6
Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece. And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. 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. And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
In the passage we read today the Lord Jesus sends his disciples out into the region sharing the message they have heard from Himself, “The Kingdom is among you, repent, seek God.”
Let us meditate on two interesting issues:
Authority: although the disciples are not especially prepared people (they are not rabbis or priests) the authority of their message comes neither from their preparation nor from their lack of it, but from the One who has sent them. We thank God because today there are excellent ways to train and prepare oneself to serve the Lord and it is indispensable that everyone who wants to be a worker for Christ, prepares himself (with all the means at his disposal) to do so. Nevertheless, we must always remember that Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches, and that apart from Him we can do nothing. He has, and He gives, power and authority, if we are depending on Him.
The impact of the preaching of the Gospel: wherever the disciples went, they shared the message. The preaching was accompanied by miraculous signs, pointing to Jesus and His divine authority. Wherever the disciples went, the sick were healed and those oppressed by demons were set free. But wherever they were rejected, the disciples shook the dust from their feet, as a sign of judgment. The Gospel is salvation, and judgment (John 3:16-19).
MEDITATE: Thinking about these two questions, do we depend on Jesus and His authority in all circumstances, and are we aware of how the Gospel, if rejected, leaves man in the deepest darkness?
