Commissioned By Jesus

Luke 9:10-36

INTRODUCTION:

Today we continue our study on the Red Letters from the Book of Luke!

I. Luke 9:10-17: The God of Impossibilities (Feeding the 5000)

A. Jesus asked the disciples to do something that was totally impossible in their present situation.

1. The evening was coming on and they were in a “remote place”.

2. “All we have are five loaves and two fishes.” - “unless we go buy for all of these people…”

B. The Power of Divine Order

1. Have them set in companies of 50

2. Jesus blessed the food and “gave to the disciples to distribute.”

3. The distributor’s are the ones who picked up the 12 baskets that remained!

C. Life Lessons

1. With man things may seem impossible but with God all things are possible! - Matthew 19:26

2. Divine Order - Positioning ourselves to receive.

a) The companies of 50 (those who were obedient ate, those who weren’t…)

b) The disciples were instructed to distribute, not eat. (The Power of Seed Time and Harvest)

(1) Don’t eat your seed… plant it!

- There’s A Time to Sow,

- A Time to Wait,

- A Time to Water,

- A Time to Weed &

- A Time to Harvest

(2) There will be enough harvest for you to replant and enjoy the fruits of your labors also.

- Get into God’s System

- The Word Will Work IF You Work The Word

3. Harvest time comes AFTER obedience: The disciples harvested an entire basketful each!

a) How come there weren’t 13 or 14 baskets left over? - There were only 12 disciples!

b) The little boy sowed his lunch and had more than enough to eat but harvest time for him would come later. (I wonder what it looked like!)

c) Make up your mind right now… I’M GOING TO OBEY GOD!

II. Luke 9:18-22: The Revelation of Jesus Christ

A. 18 - Jesus asked the disciples privately, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

1. They answered that there were many different opinions of who He was.

2. It’s striking that after all of the teaching and visible miracles that some were still not clear about who Jesus was!

B. 20 - Jesus asks them, “What about you? Who do you say I am?”

1. Peter spoke up and declared that He was “God’s Messiah.”

C. Declaration is the Offspring of Revelation & Revelation is the Mother of Formation

Matthew 16:17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.”

1. After Peter declared emphatically that he knew that Jesus was indeed the SON OF GOD (The Messiah) Jesus declared, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!” (Formation) - Matthew 16:18

2. Power to perform. “I will give unto you the keys…” - Matthew 16:19

1. Jesus will never ask you to do something that He will not equip you for!

D. Jesus prophesied privately to them concerning His death.

Luke 9:22 And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

III. Luke 9:23-27: The Call to Follow

A. 23 - THE WANT TO: You have to “Want to” be a disciple of Jesus!

1. It’s a Daily Commitment - Deny yourself everyday AND take up your cross everyday and follow Jesus.

B. SAVING AND LOSING LIFE: There are things you will need to turn loose of in order to grab ahold of God!

1. Luke 9:25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

C. THE CALL TO BOLDNESS: Luke 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

D. Luke 9:27 finds its fulfillment in Verses 28-36 when Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration.

1. The Apostle Peter later wrote of this in 2 Peter 1:16-18 - For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

CLOSING: SALVATION ALTAR CALL