 Luke chapter 9, beginning at verse 1, reading to verse 6, Luke writes, Then he called his twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And he said to them, Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money, and do not have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there and from there depart. And whoever will not receive you when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them. So they departed and went through the towns preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. Jesus is teaching his disciples ministry. And the reason that he is teaching them the basics of ministry is because these are the men who are going to take his message of redemption throughout the whole world. They're going to be taking the message of the gospels called the gospel of reconciliation to what that God was in Christ Jesus as Jesus Christ came and that Jesus Christ reconciled the world to the Lord God, his Father, through his death on the cross. And that's what was taking place and that is what these people are being equipped to preach. The message of redemption, that Jesus Christ has come to save the world. And so because Jesus' personal ministry lasted somewhere around three years, it was necessary for him to train these men up so that his ministry could continue through them after his death and resurrection. And so he's preparing these 12 men to carry on his ministry. You see the only plan the Lord has for reaching the world is for those who know him to take his message throughout the world. That's why we gather for Bible studies is so that we might be equipped for works of service, that we might do the ministry. So that we might have a knowledge of the things of God and that we might share those things with other people. When our church first began, I gave to our church the four basics that we were going to build this ministry on Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone. But we are going to be into the Word of God. We're going to worship God. We're going to enjoy the fellowship of God's people and we're going to take this message to the world. That's what I've been proclaiming to this church for basic things for the last 26 years in the history of this fellowship because Jesus Christ gave to us a very basic plan and that is be equipped for works of service. And his disciples are going to be taken on this ministry and taken the message throughout the world so that it ultimately will reach the four corners of this earth. And so what he does is he calls his 12 disciples. That's verse one here in chapter nine. It simply says he called his 12 disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons and the cure diseases. So he calls his 12, his 12 disciples. Now that word disciple there simply means a learner or a pupil. It speaks of a follower. These are those that were amongst the many who have been pulled out of the disciples and ultimately are referred to also as apostles. Now these are the 12, the 12 apostles. The word apostle speaks of an individual who has been given authority and delegated with authority and given a message. And these apostles are 12 or number 12 because they represent the government of the kingdom of God. These are 12 men, a small select group who are to teach with authority and exercise delegated power to perform miracles. These are men who were selected by Jesus Christ. They did not choose him even as he says in John 15 verse 16. He says there, you didn't choose me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. So these disciples have been called out, also named apostles and they are now the building blocks that God is using to lay the foundation for his kingdom. If you take notes Ephesians chapter 2 verses 19 and 20 reads, you are no longer foreigners and aliens but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. So Jesus is sending these 12 men on a ministry mission. Before he sends them, notice with me, he gives them power and he gives them authority. He gives them power to perform the task, undoubtedly this power that he's spoken of here is the power of the spirit of God because a spiritual message must be given in spiritual power and so he gives to them power as well as authority. They receive this because they're proclaiming the message of the kingdom of God and God's kingdom is a kingdom that is over all things. I want you to notice it says here that he gives them authority over demons and also to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And so in the kingdom of God there is no demonic oppression in the kingdom of God, there is no illness and so what is happening is he's sending them out as a foretaste of the kingdom of God that is now present with them. He wants them to go out and prepare the people to receive the king or Messiah who will rule and reign over all things. Even as Exodus chapter 15 verse 18 says, the Lord shall reign forever and ever. And in his kingdom there is no rebellion, in his kingdom there is no disease. And so the apostles go out with his authority to reveal that Messiah is present and notice in verse 2 it says, he sent them to preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick. Now I want you to notice that he sent them to preach. That's one of those words that people don't like. Several years ago there was a woman by the name of Madonna, we all know Madonna and there was a song that she sang, something like Papa Don't Preach or something like that. You know and it's a funny thing because the title of that song, Papa Don't Preach, the word preach is used in a negative connotation but you know the Bible doesn't teach the preaching is negative at all. The Bible teaches that when somebody is preaching they are actually given a great message, a message of joy, a message of hope, a message of redemption, a message of reconciliation, a message of love and joy and peace. That's the message that God gives to us and we proclaim that. The word preach simply speaks about proclaiming and so they're to go out and they're to proclaim the kingdom of God. They're out to preach the fact that God is present in Jesus Christ and that you can have a relationship with God and you don't have to be oppressed by Satan and you don't have to go through those terrible times of oppression any longer because he's come to set you free. It's interesting how in 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verses 17 and 18 the Apostle Paul said this. He said, Christ didn't send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it's the power of God. And so he didn't send me just to baptize. He sent me to proclaim a message of redemption. He sent me to proclaim a message of salvation. It's the foolishness of the message that God took upon himself human flesh and dwelt amongst men and that he walked the face of the earth amongst men as man for 33 years and that he ultimately took upon himself a cross and died on that cross in our place. And he ultimately Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Now that message even 2000 years ago to some was foolish. I'm thinking about the Apostle Paul was in the city of Athens on one occasion and as he was there his spirit was grieved because he saw that the entire city had been given over to idolatry and he was so moved by this that he began to share and to speak concerning Jesus Christ and all and some of the intelligentsia of the city. People who like to do nothing other than debate new thoughts and hear new ideas came and members of some groups of people the Stoics and the Epicureans were listening to him speak and as they were hearing him speak he was speaking of Jesus and resurrection and in the Greek language the word resurrection is anastasis and so as they were listening to him speak of Jesus and anastasis resurrection they thought that he was bringing two new gods to their hearing and thus they wanted to hear what he had to say about this new goddess anastasis as well as this new God Jesus and just because he was interesting to them that they wanted to hear him so they took him to a place there on Mars Hill and they said well speak to us and share with us concerning the things that you are speaking and and thus he did he began to share with them and preach to them a little bit quoting their own poets and all but when he got to the point of saying that God raised Jesus from the dead and defined resurrection for them well they who had already called him a babbler somebody who was just he picked his ideas from the gutter and they said this person let's listen to what he has to say when they heard him speak concerning the resurrection and actually defined resurrection as being an event that where God had raised Jesus from the dead they said this is ridiculous we want nothing to do with it and so their belief at that time their rejection of resurrection and the message of the gospel at that time for the last 2,000 years has remained the same there's still many people who will not listen to the message of the resurrection so for them the preaching of the cross is simply foolishness it doesn't make any sense the fact that that we Christians actually believe with all of our heart that God was took upon himself human flesh and died for us and was resurrected 3 days later well they just didn't want to hear that and they couldn't hear that but that's the message of the gospel that Jesus took our place and and it's our responsibility to go forth and to proclaim the reality of God in Christ in Romans chapter 10 verses 13 and 14 Paul says it this way he says whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a preacher how's it going to happen he's saying if you don't go out and share that message well that's what they're doing they're going out and they're giving the message now in the side a very quick aside the other day I was in a in a restaurant actually I maybe I'll tell you both these stories I don't know why maybe I should I'll tell you both of them anyway I was anyway there is a point to it but the first one there's no point to other than I'm just gonna say it I was getting something to eat the other day and the young lady waitress walks up to me and it's Marie and Anna and in me we're grabbing some lunch and she comes up and gives us the water and menus and all of that and she comes like two times and she comes a third time and as she's standing next to us there she looks at me and she says you don't look the same up close and I smiled at her and I said no and she goes I go to your church she says but I sit in the very back and I see you on the screen and you look like Robin Williams I said oh I said oh that is a terrible insult how can you say such a thing and I left her no tip but as we anyway I was thinking about that but later on we went to another place and as we went to this other place and buying a hamper young lady behind the desk there looks at me and she says the count and she says you're the preacher now see I'm not used to be calling being called a preacher I'm not I'm not used to that I'm used to be calling being called pastor or the teacher but I'm not used to being called the preacher you know and so I smile that and I said she says you're the preacher aren't you and I smile that and I said well I suppose I am and she says oh yeah she says I used to go to your fellowship and I moved in this and that and I'm planning on coming back you may even be here tonight right now as I'm speaking I love you you're great you know you're wonderful and all of that but I'm not used to hearing the word preacher because that word preacher even in my ears sometimes has just a different connotation it just has a different sound you see it's a great word a proclamer somebody speaks forth the good news and that's what God has called us to do and that's what God did here that's what Jesus was doing he called 12 men whom he had named apostles and he sent them out notice that he called them he gave them power and he sent them out and he sent them to preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick verse 3 and he said to them take nothing for the journey neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money and do not have two tunics of peace this task is so important you are not to waste any time you are to go out and you are to preach and so what he's saying here is this is an urgent obligation do not get bogged down with your material needs because what you're gonna learn is that God will provide for you wherever there is a need and he will take care of you as you serve him they are to minister with no thought about personal gain the reason that they are to minister with no thought for personal gain at least one reason is because false teachers preach for money false teachers are the ones who complain about not having enough and push and push and push for finances the Bible tells us concerning false teachers in first Peter chapter 2 verse 3 that by covenants covetousness false teachers exploit you they make merchandise of you using deceptive words they beguile and trick you they they they will lie to you in order that you will support them they they make merchandise of you and that's why Paul would say in 2nd Corinthians chapter 2 verse 17 we are not as so many peddling the word of God but as of sincerity but as from God we speak in the sight of God in Christ and so the Apostle Paul made it very clear that he preached with a clean conscience false teachers do not and so these disciples of Jesus these apostles who are taking this message throughout the world have to learn a simple lesson and that lesson is that God will provide your need in ministry that is a very important lesson to learn I didn't prepare anything for you concerning this other than what I have on my paper but I I can say to you very briefly that when this fellowship began 26 years ago and for the first several years into 15 or 16 years or so of the ministry's existence perhaps a bit longer we didn't even receive offerings in this church because I just felt that I didn't want anybody to make a false accusation saying that that church is after our money so we didn't even receive offerings we still have boxes for you for those who don't like to give your finances in a bucket that's passed in front of you we still have boxes there on the grounds for you for those who want to give in that way and feel more you know inclined towards that because we never wanted to make money an issue money ought not to ever be an issue and yet at the same time the lesson that they had to learn that we all have to learn is that God provides where God guides God provides you know without receiving offerings over the first several years of this ministry we rented buildings we built out buildings we purchased land we bought this property here without receiving offerings and all and I can go on and on and on and share with you how the Lord did some tremendous things and in marvelous ways demonstrating his presence with us and so that's what God wants to teach us all that he's with us that he'll care for us that he's there supplying our need we need to know that and and I've been learning that lesson as a young believer into the ministry and I know that my God shall provide all that I need I know that I was sharing recently with one of my kids concerning how God provides and how that at one point in my life by Marie and I were married and I I had to quit school and when I quit school I had a bill in the bill I think was $700 and I was going to Biola at that time and and I went in and I met with a financial officer there and I said to him I don't have $700 to pay for this bill and and back in the early 70s mid-70s $700 was an awful lot of money and and and all and and I didn't make any very much money at all at that time I think I was making three and a half dollars an hour I just did not have $700 to pay off this bill and and so I went in and spoke to him and we began to speak and negotiate a little bit and I didn't come in to negotiate but he began by saying well how much can you afford to pay he said can you afford to pay $50 a month on this bill and I looked at Marie who who took care of our our finances and I looked to her and and she says no and I looked at him I said no can you afford $45 a month and I looked at Marie and she no and I looked at him and said no and we kept going and kept going and kept going and finally he cut my bill down to $350 and he said look it we will grant you $350 and now you owe us $350 he says and you'll be paying us something like $20-$25 a month over this amount of months and everything and I walked out saying to Marie how are we gonna afford $25 a month we didn't have $25 a month to spend I mean that was a time when I bought a bed for us Marie was pregnant with Corinne and I bought a waterbed because the only bed we took into our marriage was one of those fold-out beds those hide-a-bed kind of things in a sofa and and it was so uncomfortable for her I bought a waterbed and we were standing in this place buying a waterbed and there was one we wanted for $25 a month and there was one that we could afford at 20 and we bought the one for 20 because I didn't have five extra dollars and so at that time we just didn't have the money and I can still remember going home thinking now Lord how am I going to be able to pay this off I don't have this money but I got a phone call the next day from Biola and they said you don't owe us a dime because somebody has sent in a check to pay off the balance of your bill and we learned those things very early how people would do that help how the Lord would touch people's hearts to do that especially when you're serving him and trying to do your best and all and that's what Jesus wants to teach these men so he says listen I don't want you to go out and taking staffs and bags and bread and money and and two tunics he says I don't want you to go out in that way because you're not to waste your time you're just to learn that one it's an urgent obligation to preach and to my God shall supply that's what Philippians 419 says my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus now when Paul said that my God shall supply all your need he didn't say my God shall supply all your greed there's a difference in and what God does is he supplies the need those things that we have need of and so they need to learn to trust God that he might provide for their material needs now he says in verse 4 whatever house you enter stay there and from there depart don't be moving from place to place looking for better accommodations when you enter into a home allow your greeting to come upon it in other words bless the home and if they're receptive to that blessing remain with them and as you remain there it adds credibility to your ministry it's protecting your message it's safeguarding you from temptations to move and look for something better you're not to make demands in other words you're to receive people will care for you but you need to be careful not to make demands on them now notice in verse 5 he says whoever will not receive you when you go out from that city shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them now that's an interesting scripture whoever will not receive you when you go out from that city shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them who will not receive you concentrate for those of you who minister who share your faith here's something for you concentrate on those who are truly receptive don't waste your time trying to convince somebody who can care less about that message sometimes we get so caught up with people that we just for some reason have a great desire to see them want to the Lord that we remain there wasting our time we concentrate on them and we miss what God wants to do with somebody else I was in the military and there was a young man by the name of I still remember him his name was Bobby Richardson Bobby Richardson was from Brooklyn New York I believe was Brooklyn he was from New York I believe was Brooklyn it's been so long now but Bobby shared with me we had we're on a friendly basis and all and Bobby had shared with me his life and and prior to his going into the military he was a pimp that's what he did he went into the military in order to try and straighten up and there was somebody that he roomed with that I had set my sights on I wanted to win this person to Christ and I can still remember going in and sharing the gospel with this person Bobby's roommate and I looked at the guy after sharing with him and I said to him would you like to receive Christ as your Lord and your Savior would you like to pray and receive him and the guy looks at me and he says no but Bobby who is right next to me I hear him he says I would and do you want to know to my shame I was concentrating so much on this other guy that I didn't even hear what Bobby was saying when he said to me I want to receive Christ and I just stayed focused on this one guy and I walked away without even praying with Bobby I'll never forget doing that I'll never forget doing that and the Lord has taught me so much since then and one of the things that he taught me is what I'm sharing with you right now do not waste your time with those who could care less concentrate on those who are hungry and there are plenty of people like that you see when Jesus says whoever will not receive you when you go out of that city shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them you say and there are people who will reject the message notice how he says whoever will not receive whoever will not receive you that word receive means to give ear to or embrace to receive means to make something your own or to approve something that has been taught so when he's speaking here and he says they will not receive this speaks of them willfully rejecting their message and there are those who do in John chapter five verses 39 and 40 Jesus said it this way to some who rejected him he said you search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life and these are they which testify of me but you are not willing to come to me that you may have life there are some who hear the message but are not willing to receive the Lord they hear the message it's not that it's unclear it's just that they remain unwilling now what happens though in rejecting the apostles and the message of the gospel they actually are rejecting Jesus himself because when we get to chapter 10 in verse 16 Jesus says there he who hears you hears me he who rejects you rejects me and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me and so when you reject the gospel you reject the God who gave the gospel when you reject the minister of the gospel and that message you're rejecting Messiah who sent him and the God who gave that message to them in the first place what are they to do well verse five says shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them now when he says shake off the dust from your feet that that's a picture of breaking all association with him and saying i don't even want the dust from your place to cling to my souls and this is a terrible warning because people who are contemptuous of God's grace will face his justice and greater opportunity will always give greater responsibility because the more you know the more you owe if you haven't heard or heard clearly the message versus hearing understanding and hearing it very clearly the more you know the more you're responsible for you know why Josiah who's four years old can't be responsible for an awful lot yet he's only four but when he's fourteen he's going to be responsible for an awful lot more that's the way it is with kids that's the way it was with my children it's the way it is period the more i know the more i'm responsible for and so when they go out and they preach the message and people hear it yet willingly rejected they ultimately stand before God receiving stricter and greater judgment you see it's actually a dangerous thing to go to church every week to hear messages that are clear from a bible and to not respond it's actually a very spiritually dangerous thing to hear over and over and over again and to do nothing because that gives you more and more to be responsible for and you'll give an account of that before the Lord that's why it's wise to receive and to act on that what you hear immediately and so in verse six they departed and went through the towns preaching the gospel and healing everywhere so in obedience they go out they fulfill the assignment Jesus gives to him his divine power and authority enable them to fulfill his orders which is preaching that gospel and they go forth and do so no in verse seven Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him and he was perplexed because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead and by some that Elijah had appeared and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again and Herod said John I've beheaded but who is this of whom I hear such things and he sought to see him and so Herod Herod is a tetrarch he's a governor he governed in Galilee and he's been hearing rumors about Jesus Christ you see the disciples have gone out and they've gone out for some time preaching that gospel and healing everywhere and as they've gone forth and all the works that they have performed have reached the ears of a man by the name of Herod the preaching of the gospel and their compassionate works have gotten his attention and I find it interesting I want you to see this because when it speaks concerning Herod the tetrarch I want you to note that he it's mentioned here that he beheaded John but there are some who are saying that John has been resurrected and he's hearing that rumor and there are others who are saying that Elijah has appeared Elijah is a forerunner of Messiah so he's interested in that there are others who say it appears that at least a great prophet one of the old prophets have risen again and he's hearing these stories and you'll see this later on because Jesus is going to make mention to to his disciples about it later on but this is all taking place at that time and all and as they've gone out there's something that has happened and I want you to think about this with me for just a moment he's been hearing he's been hearing about their good works he's been hearing about their preaching he's been hearing about the compassionate words and works and that has gotten his attention he's a political leader and the works of the believers have gotten his attention the attention of political power has been arrested by the goodness of the life of the followers of Jesus Christ the compassion and their mercy their preaching has come to his ears and they have made an impact and it isn't their protests that have gotten his attention it's their proclamation that to me is a very important thing I'll say this briefly because our fellowship is is fairly well known this is something that you may not even be aware of and therefore I hesitate to even share this but because our fellowship is fairly well known and because we have radio ministry and there's a variety of other things I've been invited as as a pastor of this fellowship on many occasions to be involved in a variety of things and I never bring these things up to you because I don't consider them that important but I will use it by way of illustration and some of the things that I'm invited to over the years involved some kinds of political involvement in all and I made a decision a long time ago and sometimes those decisions can be very difficult frankly when you when you weigh them through and everything because there are things that you would like to do because you have a heart for but you become aware of one thing there's a reason for you to exist and that is to proclaim the message of the gospel and not to get caught up with overtly political just involvement on the one hand of course we as citizens of the united states have an obligation a responsibility to use the god-given rights that we have those rights that have been endowed by our creator to us we should use them and we should be involved obviously in the political process here in the united states I don't preach against that what I am saying is this I think that sometimes we get involved and we can get involved on causes in causes that allow us to lose the central message of our reality which is God in Christ reconciling the world himself we can get caught up with political causes to the point where we almost think that if we elect a christian president that there's going to be revival in the united states and I have to hasten to say that's just absolute nonsense of course that's not going to happen what we really need is a god-fearing president of course in a god-fearing government yes but what is my responsibility my responsibility is to proclaim the message and I've discovered something I've discovered that if you just teach about the Lord and love Jesus Christ that makes a tremendous impact on quite a number of people and and it can also even go so far as to hit people in high office that's exactly what's taking place here with Herod Herod is heard he's heard concerning Jesus of course now he's confused because he's here in rumors you know some say that John the Baptist has been resurrected but he says within himself no wait a minute I cut his head off how is it possible others are speaking concerning he's one of the old prophets who's arisen and he's thinking about that is that a possibility and others are saying it's Elijah Elijah was known for being a miracle working prophet and Jesus Christ is performing miracles and could it possibly be him so what has happened though is the works and the words the compassion and mercy that is being shown through the preaching of the gospel and healing the sick has arrested his attention to the point that he desires to see Jesus Christ it says in verse nine he sought to see him this political leader wants to see Jesus Christ now ultimately he does see him if you take notes you'll see this in Luke 23 verses 8 and 9 ultimately Jesus does stand in front of him and this is what happens it says when Herod saw Jesus he was exceedingly glad for he had desired for a long time to see him because he had heard many things about him and he hoped to see some miracle done by him he questioned him with many words but Jesus answered him nothing when he ultimately has his opportunity to have a face-to-face confrontation with Jesus Christ and see him do something Jesus doesn't respond and does not do a miracle but he sought to see him and continues to do so until he ultimately does at the very end of Jesus's ministry verse 10 and the apostles when they had returned told him all that they had done and he took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida but when the multitudes knew it they followed him and he received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who had need of healing now I want you to see this the apostles returned and they they gave an account they told them all they had done they have they have returned from their mission outreach and and now they're ready to share with him what occurred on their journey so what does he do well he takes them to a quiet place a place they're called Bethsaida which is about a mile outside of the Sea Galilee to the northeast and according to mark chapter 6 verse 30 they shared with him what they had done and what they had taught in other words they're accountable they're accountable to God for what they did and what they said in his name because if they need correction if they've done something or said something wrong then they need to receive it from Jesus Christ they need to be corrected in ministry you need to have accountability I have accountability and and my men have an accountability and those who serve alongside of us here in this fellowship always need to have an accountability and that's what I get out of scripture the apostles when they returned told him all that they had done they were accountable to him so if they had done something wrong or said something wrong Jesus could correct them there in order that they might be able to be improved in their ministry there's a young man in scripture by the name of apollos and apollos is a man who is trained in knowledge in the the intellectual center of alexandria and he was very eloquent and very very well schooled and he had heard the message of the gospel at least certain portions of it not completely as a matter of fact he was pretty well acquainted with the baptism of john but knew very little beyond that and so he went out and he began to preach and he preached with great power and people would listen to him but on one occasion there were two people there who were basically just members of the church aquila and priscilla and as they were listening to apollos speak and he spoke with such force and such eloquence and such intellect and he was such a riveting speaker and all as they listened to him speak they finally took him aside because they could see that his understanding was limited and the scripture says that apollosan was was corrected by by aquila and priscilla they sat with him and they gave him further instruction in order that he might learn and i have been fascinated with that for years because you see sometimes when you have a young a young guy who's has got a lot of a lot of passion and a lot of personality and and speaks well and is very entertaining and communicates well and is an intellect and and can draw people's attention and they like his pulpit personality very much to the point that they'll come and listen to him and all of that is good but when you take him aside and say you know the message you gave today well there are a few things in it you need to fine tune because you are incorrect when you said this i have had that opportunity over the years want to be a young man with a lot of women bigger and go up there and preach with all this power and everything and and now i'm an older man who can listen a lot more clear than i speak and i and i've been there where you've taken the younger man aside and you said you know you need to be aware of this because when you share these things are important and then sometimes they're very wise they will listen to you and they'll say you know what i need to hear that because i want to preach in a way that God is honored and and i want to make sure that the word goes forth properly divided and and and then there are others who will say oh yes well you know what move over it's a new day there's young pastors coming and we've got things to say that you older guys haven't got to say anymore you've had your time and you you filled it and everything and now we now just get out of the way because here we come and i'm telling you if you're going to be used by the Lord i don't care if you're 16 or 60 you need to be accountable you need to be open to correction and i learned that from watching these apostles they had received power and authority from Jesus Christ you know they went and did incredible things i mean what we're seeing right here in in Luke chapter 9 is an abbreviation because when you cross-reference this with Matthew chapter 10 you'll note with me that that when Jesus sent them out to do works according to Matthew 10 verse 8 Jesus said to them heal the sick cleanse the lepers raise the dead cast out demons they were doing incredible things incredible things raising the dead cleansing lepers unheard of and yet they come back to Jesus and they say this is what we did and Jesus is able to listen to them as they share their testimonies of what God has done and if necessary he can correct them i love it when people come back from missions journeys and they'll walk up and they'll share with me you should have seen what the Lord did it was so cool we saw God move in such wonderful ways if you've never gone out on a short-term mission thing you really ought to you really ought to it's more blessed to give them to receive and when you receive teaching you ought to go out and put it into practice you will be amazed how exciting it is to take three days and to go do something with what you've been taught to go and share with somebody to go and minister to somebody and and there's just the humbling that takes place because sometimes people can be seated out in the church and they'll say well i've heard this bible study before he should have used this cross-reference and should have done this is one thing to sit into kibbutz it's another thing to go out and do it's another thing to go out and actually put into practice what you've been equipped to do and i'm telling you that when you obey the Lord Jesus begins to manifest himself to you in a deep and a personal way he begins to reveal things of himself to you and then you begin to say so that's what that scripture means that's how that works my god does supply all my need he is there with me he does do these things that he promises to do he is able to do that god does answer prayer god does provide and you discover that when you go out and do works of ministry and so jesus wants to minister to them now in verse 11 but when the multitudes knew it they followed him and he received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of god and healed those who had need of healing and so these multitudes here where he's at and they go and they basically surround him now how does he deal with these multitudes what he does is he ministers to them he heals and he teaches them that's because he has compassion on them these are people who are like sheep without a shepherd ezekiel 3412 says as a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered so will i seek out my sheep and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day so he has compassion on them and the compassion of christ moves him to minister to these people to teach them to heal them because he's not distant and he's not uncaring he sees their pain he knows their need and he ministers to them and he ministers to them revealing something to them about god that they need to see you can have a theory about god but jesus is god in the flesh and so he shows them what god is like and what is god like god is compassionate and merciful psalm 145 8 says the lord is gracious and compassionate slow to anger and rich in love and as the lord jesus christ is there ministering to them he sees this multitude and and by now he has to be absolutely dead tired he's constantly ministering and all but the minute he sees these multitudes he takes it as an opportunity to share with them concerning the things of the kingdom of god he sees those who are sick and he reaches down and touches them because he loves them he shows them the compassion of god and he heals those who have need of healing and that's what the lord desires to do through us in one way or another may god equip us for works of service may god teach us to have hearts of compassion to understand people and to minister to them to see them for what they are sheep without a shepherd in need of the love of christ the good shepherd