Live With Power Series

Text: Luke 9:1-6

Theme: Live with Power

Greetings: The Lord is good and his love endures forever.

A preacher trained his horse to go when he said, “Praise the Lord,” and to stop when he said, “Amen.” The preacher mounted the horse, said “Praise the Lord,” and went for a ride in the nearby mountains. The horse started heading toward the edge of a cliff on a narrow mountain trail. The preacher got excited and said, “Whoa!” Then he remembered and said, “Amen,” and the horse stopped just short of the edge. The preacher was so relieved that he looked up to heaven and said, “Praise the Lord!” (adopted)

Context: Jesus called his disciples one by one at various occasions form their various vocations. Simon the Peter, James, and John (Luke 5:8-9). Then he called Levi (Luke 5:27). He spent the whole night in prayer (Luke 6:12) and in the morning he called the twelve and named them as apostles: Simon, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot (Luke 6:12-16). He taught them the values of his kingdom, he trained them in healing, caring, and in preaching. He taught them to face the crisis, needs and being faithful civilian. Now Jesus sends them to do the team ministry and later he sends them as two by two (Luke 10:1).

I would like to leave with you all three thoughts before you venture out as graduates of theology.

Your Power and authority, Your limitations in ministry, and your limitless field.

1. Power and Authority (Luke 9:1-2)

Jesus invested his time, energy, strength and the kingdom with them. Jesus gave them Power, authority to drive out demons, and to cure diseases, and heal the sick after preaching the kingdom. Jesus never sent anyone without power and authority. God calls and God equips. Jesus delegated the work with power and authority (Enduring Word Commentary). The equipping is understood and felt and experienced in the field and not in the class rooms.

“To give” (Greek didomi) refers to the ordination of the Twelve under the hands of Jesus himself. The Greek nouns are dunamis and exousia, common terms in Luke’s record to describe divine power and authority (Luke 1:35; 4:6, 14, 36). Dunamis means "power, might, strength, force, ability, and capability." It refers to the raw power needed to accomplish an action. Exousia refers to the power exercised by rulers or others in high position by virtue of their office, "ruling power, official power." dunamis is the raw power, exousia is the authority to use that power (Jesus walk ministries). They were ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood, full authority of the Apostleship (Luke 8:1 and 9:2). Hence, they apparently receive priesthood authority in steps and exercised priesthood powers (Luke 9:49–50).

Moses had power over Pharoah and the Egyptians through the Staff. The ordinary shepherd turned into powerful leader to bring the Israelites from Egypt. Gad told Joshua that no one would stand against him as long he lives. Gideon was given power to topple the enemies’ kingdoms through the pots. Samson was filled with spirit to do extraordinary things for God among philistines. Elijah was given power to command to the clouds and the rains.

The early Christians, the deacons and the evangelists were filled with power. They all have done their ministry, served people in their own generation and accomplished whatever the Lord has entrusted to them. Paul was possessed with power and authority to stand before the kings and the judges. God never sent anyone without power and authority. "to heal." (Greek therapeuo), "serve, be a servant," then "care for, wait upon, treat (medically), heal, restore." Pope Francis said the Church is a field hospital.

Jesus gave power “to preach” (Greek kerysso, keryx, “herald,” and kerygma, “proclamation”), tie particularly to the message about the kingdom of God and about Jesus. Their work of preaching might happen in open-air settings, street corners or marketplaces. It might happen in synagogues. It might happen in small groups or one-on-one conversations. Jesus used the media that was available to Him and used it well (Enduring Word). Ministry is to the whole person, feed the soul, heal the sick, treat the emotional disturbances. Jesus is sharing his own mission and his own powers with us in all our frailty.

2. Limitations in Ministry (Luke 9:3-4)

Whenever I get ready to take a trip, I pack my bag with extra clothes, put in my overnight kit, take something to eat and drink in the car, ensure the debit card on my pocket and some liquid cash for my immediate needs. Over-packing and over-preparing will shift the focus to what I might need, to what gives me comfort. But Jesus laid different principle when we put our legs on the mission.