Being FOR Jesus~

Bible Study for Today?

Luke 9

  • Jesus had called the 12 disciples together – He gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure all diseases. He sent them to preach the KINGDOM OF GOD and to heal the sick.
  • He told them to take NOTHING for their journey, no coat, no money, no food.
  • He told them to enter a house to stay in on this journey
  • But if they enter a place that WILL NOT RECEIVE THEM, when they leave they are to shake the dust off their feet for A TESTIMONY AGAINST THEM.
  • They journeyed long and wide healing and preaching to many.
  • People started talking questioning if John had risen from the dead or that Elias had appeared or some other dead prophets were risen again.
  • This bothered King Herod because he knew he had beheaded John and desired to see him so the King took the disciples aside privately.
  • Even this made others follow them getting healed and listening to the Kingdom of God.
  • The people became hungry so Jesus instructed they should feed them – about 5000 men to be exact. All they had were 5 loves and two fishes.  After Jesus took the food, He looked up to Heaven and blessed the food and it was enough to feed them all enough and they were filled.  With the fragments left over they put into their 12 baskets for the rest of the journey.
  • Jesus went to be alone and pray then He asked the disciples… Who do the people say I am?
  • They told Him people were saying He was John the Baptist, Elias or one of the prophets of old.
  • They He asked the disciples… Who do you say that I am? Peter answered and said THE CHRIST OF GOD.
  • He told them NOT TO TELL ANYONE THAT.
  • He explained to them – The Son of Man must suffer many things and be REJECTED BY THE ELDERS AND PRIESTS AND SCRIBES AND BE SLAIN TO BE RAISED THE THIRD DAY.
  • He told them all: IF ANYONE SEEKS TO COME AFTER ME, HE MUST DENY HIMSELF, DAILY TAKE UP HIS CROSS (SUFFERING) AND FOLLOW JESUS.  He told them if they SEEK TO SAVE THEIR LIVES, THEY WILL LOSE IT but if they LOSE THEIR LIVES FOR HIS SAKE, THEY SHALL BE SAVED.
  • He told them it is of no advantage to gain the whole World and be lost or cast away.
  • Jesus also told them if ANYONE is ASHAMED OF HIM OR HIS WORDS, then He will be ashamed of them on the DAY HE COMES IN HIS OWN GLORY AND THE FATHER’S GLORY in the PRESENCE OF ANGELS.
  • He then told them – Some of you standing here right now will never taste death until they see the Kingdom of God.
  • Eight days later – Jesus took Peter, John and James to the mountain to pray. While He was praying HIS APPEARANCE CHANGED – His clothing became white and glistening.
  • And all of a sudden two men (Moses and Elias) appeared talking to Jesus. They too appeared in the Glory of the Lord sharing how Jesus must decrease in Jerusalem.
  • The three apostles had fallen into a deep sleep then woke up seeing Jesus, Elias and Moses in the Glory.
  • Peter then called Jesus – Master saying it is good for us to be here and unknowingly Peter said to Jesus, let us make three tabernacles, one for each of you.
  • As Peter spoke A CLOUD OVERSHADOWED THEM, THEY GOT VEAR FEARFUL and ENTERED INTO THE CLOUD. In the cloud they heard a voice saying THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, HEAR HIM.
  • After they heard the voice, they saw Jesus was alone standing there. They shared what they had seen and heard with no man – keeping it close to them (like a pearl).
  • The next day they came down from the mountain and many people met them.
  • A man brought his son to Jesus for deliverance from devils. He relayed to Jesus the disciples were unable to cast the evil spirit out.  Jesus said to them – You are a faithless and perverse generation – How long must I suffer you and be with you?  Bring me your son.
  • Jesus then rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child- returning him to his father.
  • They were all amazed by the power of God and wondered about the things Jesus did.
  • Jesus then told His disciples – LET THIS SINK DEEP INTO YOUR EARS, THE SON OF MAN SHALL BE DELIVERED INTO THE HANDS OF MEN. But they did not understand as IT WAS HID FROM THEM to perceive.  Out of fear they did not ask Him to clarify.
  • All of a sudden they began to dispute WHICH ONE OF THEM SHOULD BE THE GREATEST.
  • Jesus PERCEIVED THEIR HEARTS.
  • He took a child and sat that child RIGHT BESIDE HIM
  • He told them WHOEVER RECEIVES THIS CHILD IN MY NAME RECEIVES ME. WHOEVER RECEIVES ME RECEIVES MY FATHER WHO SENT ME.
  • Jesus then said THE LEAST AMONG YOU SHALL BE GREAT.
  • John then said to Jesus – Master we saw one casting out devils in Your Name but we forbid him to do so because he doesn’t follow us. Jesus said – FORBID HIM NOT, FOR HE THAT IS NOT AGAINST US IS FOR US.
  • The time had come for Jesus to head towards Jerusalem and be lifted up so He sent His messengers to ready a village in Samaria for Him but they did not receive Him. When John and James saw this they asked the Lord – Are you going to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them as Elias did?
  • Jesus turned and REBUKED THEM saying YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT SPIRIT YOU ARE OF. THE SON OF MAN IS NOT COME TO DESTROY MAN’S LIVES, BUT TO SAVE THEM.
  • So they went to another village.
  • A man approached Jesus and said Lord I will follow You wherever You go. Jesus said, foxes have holes and the birds have their nests but THE SON OF MAN HAS NO WHERE TO LAY HIS HEAD.  Then Jesus looked at another man and said FOLLOW ME.  But the man said – Lord wait for me to go bury my father.  Jesus replied with LET THE DEAD BURY THE DEAD WHILE YOU GO PREACH THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
  • Another man approached Jesus saying – I will follow you but first I need to go to my house and tell everyone goodbye. Jesus replied to him by saying NO MAN WHO PUTS HIS HAND TO THE PLOW AND LOOKS BACK IS FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD. (Once we follow Jesus, we can no longer return to our old life)

 Just a few points about this study:

The disciples errored when they forbid someone WHO DID NOT FOLLOW THEM from casting out evil spirits.  Jesus relayed to them that as long as SOMEONE IS FOR US, THEY ARE NOT AGAINST US.

The same is true IF SOMEONE IS AGAINST US, THEY ARE NOT FOR US.

How would we know?  Contention and strife with accusation.  Which is a good reminder to us to not accuse anyone at any time.

In Greek to be AGAINST someone means – to accuse or go against

So here we can perceive – as long as someone is following Jesus then we should not interfere, stand in the way of, forbid what they are doing, accuse them or come against the means by which they are serving the Kingdom of God.

Who are we to know fully the plans of the Lord?  Can we really for a fact know that certain people who are not following us are not performing according to how the Lord is directing them?  This is especially true for anyone who says Jesus is Lord in their lives.

I believe many of us do struggle and have errored in this way on numerous occasions.

Lately, I just keep being pressed in my Spirit continually to NOT BLAME anyone for anything, which grieves the Holy Spirit greatly.

The whole premise of this Chapter gives us a relevant view of just WHAT IT DOES LOOK LIKE TO FOLLOW JESUS:

  • Take nothing with you
  • Enter places and only stay if you are received
  • You leave a place if you are not received and shake the dust off
  • You are on a long journey and during the course of your life’s journey you will meet up with many to tell about the Kingdom of God, to heal, deliver, cast out evil spirits ALL BY THE POWER OF THE LORD
  • You will see the Glory of the Lord appear
  • You will feed many people and always have enough sustenance for yourself
  • There will be times that the Lord reveals a mystery that is only for you and a couple witnesses but you are not to share it with others
  • You will know Jesus is the Son of God
  • You will be rejected just as He was by elders and higher ups in the church – religious people – but Jesus will raise you up again
  • You must continually deny yourself to follow Jesus
  • There is suffering on the journey
  • You will no longer seek to save your life
  • In losing your life, you will be saved eternally
  • You are not ashamed of Jesus and therefore He will not be ashamed of you
  • You are promised intimate times with Jesus
  • You will be full of faith, no longer perverse
  • You no longer desire or care who is the greatest because as a child you shall believe and walk
  • You start to see all others as children and therefore you receive them in His Name just as you receive Him
  • You never forbid or refuse another from serving the Lord whether they follow after you or not is irrelevant
  • You do not call fire down upon another or a place knowing Jesus seeks to save man not burn them
  • You willingly leave all things behind to follow Jesus
  • You no longer look back at your old life desiring those things you once did
  • First and foremost above all things, you are devoted to ONE-JESUS.

This study was beautiful and encouraging.  Like me, you probably can strike several things off your list and yet still see several other things that need worked on in order to live a life laid down fully to Jesus in order to assure we are serving His Kingdom purpose.

Heavenly Father, today we once again say yes to You and that we will live a life laid down in full submission to Your will.  Help us Lord to overcome all obstacles of the flesh in order we shine a little brighter for You in this dark World.  We give You all glory and honor and praise the for the timeless gift of Your Son Jesus.  May we continue to grow in Faith and walk with Him each day. In His Mighty Name we pray. Amen

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *