On Line Bible Study - For the Week August 30-September 5, 2010

Lesson 455

Luke 9:¹When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, ²and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³He told them: "Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. ⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. ⁵If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them." ⁶So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.

Two critical things are going to happen in this chapter - Peter will confess his faith in Christ, and Jesus will be transfigured. These two events are preceded by Jesus sending the twelve on their first mission.

The disciples have power and authority as a gift from Jesus. What they do - and what we do - for the sake of the kingdom of heaven is done from a power derived from Jesus. The disciples' mission is always spinning around Jesus, the source of their strength and identity.

Traveling light enables us to travel honestly.

I recently watched a movie about the conflict between Sparta and Persia. In the film, Xerxes is presented as a man-god, and his body is laced with silver and gold. He is more girded than dressed. In the film, however, the originality and splendor of his outfit stands in stark contrast to his actual power over the Spartans. We can fool ourselves - and others - with our fashion statement. What matters is our knowledge of the source of our strength.

St. Paul will say in Galatians 2:20 It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me... Traveling light can be a safeguard against pride and arrogance. (I am also reminded of Psalm 33:17 The horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.) It is explicit - Jesus is the source of salvation's power.

The church does well to remember this simple fact. It's not the size of our sanctuaries or the complexity of our programs or the smartly-invested endowments that give evidence to our faithfulness; it is Jesus, always and ever at the center of our motives and our actions. Another way to think of it: Healing happens through us, not because of us.