Daily Devotion, April 26, 2023

 

Devotion:

Read Luke 9:1-6.

Until Luke 5, Jesus had been teaching and healing without being accompanied by disciples. Beginning with Luke 5:1-6:16, Jesus begins to call others to leave everything and join him in the work of the kingdom. In Luke 5: 10b, Jesus says to Simon and the fishermen “Don’t be afraid; from now on, you will be catching people.” Then in Luke 6:12-16, the twelve disciples are chosen and named.

Here in Luke 9, even before Easter, Jesus commissions and empowers his disciples. Jesus is sending his disciples out to begin to learn how to put his “fishing lessons into practice.”  “Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.”  

Yes, their work as fishermen was great work! But here, Jesus has called them together to give them power and authority! These disciples who had had very little power and authority before meeting Jesus, now had these gifts! Jesus would spend a great deal of time teaching his disciples not to misuse their power and authority.

The word, “disciple” means to be a “learner”. In particular to this scripture passage, it meant to be a learner of Jesus, the Messiah, or translated in the NIV, the Christ. Jesus then teaches his disciples in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” 

Dr. R. Alan Culpepper writes in the New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, “Jesus’ instructions for the mission are still important today. First, commitment to the redemptive mission is inseparable from the commitment to being a follower of Jesus. Being sent out is the natural result of being with Jesus. In other words, missions and inviting others to follow Christ are the natural result of worship, Bible study and prayer.”

Dr. Culpepper adds, “The Christian calling to be a faithful learner and follower of Christ… is a calling to extend God’s grace and care to others.”

Personal Worship Option:

Our church’s mission is “Learning to live the way of Jesus Christ and inviting all to follow him.” Sometimes we are led to learn and sometimes we are led to invite. Which direction is God leading you today?