Category: Devotions

The birth of a miracle.

Luke 9: 14-15 “But he said to his disciples. “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” The disciples did so and everybody sat down.”

John and Mark’s gospel have them sitting down in groups of 100’s and 50’s. Luke says about 50 in each group.

Why does Jesus do this?

• To look at a multitude of at least 5,000 people sat haphazardly all over the hillside could seem more daunting for the Twelve than having 100 groups of 50. Are you needing a miracle today? Break it down. Reduce the total.
  • Sometimes the strategy of division releases the faith for the miracle of multiplication.
• The disciples were going to be distributing the miracle and having clear pathways brought about by the creation of the groups meant that the miracle would come to everyone. No one would be missed.
  • Sometimes the administration is as important as the miracle itself.
• So the crowd worked out the numbers. Luke says about fifty in each. There they sat in groups. Just as Moses the shepherd could lead in a healthier way by putting the people into similar size groups, Jesus, does not leave the sheep without a Good Shepherd. There are groups all over the world. Yesterday, in Asia’s largest slum in Mumbai such a group met and 2 people found the miracle of salvation. Today somewhere in the world it will happen again. Countless more will find the miracle of healing and restoration from within a group.
  • Sometimes miracles are born to occur in groups of people.

So today, break it down, get things ready and join an expectant group because a miracle may just be coming your way!

What is in your hands?

Luke 9: 13-14 “He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” (About five thousand men were there.)”

What do you have?

What is in your hands right now?

Moses had a staff.

Joshua had a spear.

The widow of a prophet had a little oil.

Samson had a donkey’s jawbone.

David had a sling.

A woman had an alabaster jar of perfume.

What do you have that you can use?

What is in your hands now?

Maybe yesterday you had so much more.

But today you only have …

God clearly gave a principle when He created.

Jeremiah 32:17 “Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”

The disciples had forgotten about the power Jesus had given them. They were not releasing what they had in their hands and as a result they did not realise that nothing is too hard.

“You give them something to eat.”

Jesus meant it.

They had enough. They just had to release it.

Stop waiting for God to give you what you think you need and step out now and give what you have. Stretch out your hand. Release what you hold. You will find that what is in you and what you are holding contains a miracle of provision for someone or some situation.

God is not waiting for you to have more income and resources or a spouse and a team, recognition and maturity, wisdom and strength. He is waiting for you to recognise you have something now, no matter how small it is and for you to offer it for service to God. Then the miracles can begin!

 

Blinded by self-centredness

Luke 9 v 11-12 “… but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”

 

The Twelve and Jesus are in a remote place of Bethsaida sharing stories of their recent ministry trip. This was amazing. There was so much to say. But it was once again cut short by more work. The crowd had followed. They had been found and Jesus leaves the Twelve to welcome them, to teach parables again and to bring healing of broken lives.

Against all that we may long for, believe and campaign for:

Are we trying to dismiss what Jesus is welcoming?

If there was approximately 5,000 men there then surely one of those would have been concerned about food and lodging that night apart from the Twelve? The crowd do not seem concerned one bit that it is late in the afternoon. Why are the Twelve really concerned?

If miracle-working Rabbi Jesus, Lamb of God, Messiah and the One they have chosen to follow is who they think He may be, then why is he not troubled about the time? Why are they the only ones who seem to truly care about the welfare of the 5,000 people?

Are we trying to justify what we want to dismiss?

It is loving, caring, compassionate and just sheer common sense. Everyone can see that there are no hotels and restaurants around this place. If action is not taken now then the problem is going to intensify. People are going to get tired and hungry and then who knows what will happen?

Have we lost sight of who we are with because we are not getting what we want?

If the crowd was sent away who would be left?

The Twelve and Jesus. Bliss. Maybe that was the real reason for their concern.

But Jesus had another idea!

We may be able to read situations and people well yet the hardest person to read at times is ourselves. We can be blinded to our own self-centredness.

Time-out

Luke 9: 10 “When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida”

Yesterday a church in the UK announced that a married missionary couple would be returning from the mission field after serving for 8 years, to join the leadership team.

Like me, you may have seen many missionaries return home who have been serving God for 1 year to many years. Returning home can be as much a culture shock as going in the first place.

These missionaries need help to get re-established, they have often given up their homes and household items, they don’t have surplus money and it is not easy commencing a new chapter back ‘home’.

Then there is the much needed de-brief as they process just exactly what they have achieved and what went wrong and how they handled things. Looking at how missionary work changed their lives and looking ahead to what God has in store.

The Twelve apostles hadn’t been overseas for 8 years, maybe they were in the region for a week or so but nevertheless they had lots of stories to tell Jesus. They couldn’t wait to tell him what they had achieved, the lives that were changed, the healings that had occurred through their ministry. The debrief was exciting. They had never done such things in their life. The Kingdom of God was indeed here. What they had seen Jesus do they were doing. The power and authority that He gave them was the same as what He had. There was much excitement!

Jesus then led the Twelve to Bethsaida. It was the home place of 3 of the disciples, Philip, Andrew and Peter. But it was to the desolated part of Bethsaida that they went to. To the place with little population.

They withdrew to be alone with Jesus.

Even though it was short-lived the principle is there. Time alone with Jesus after a season of activity in the Kingdom of God is what He wants.

No doubt along the way they were still sharing stories. Maybe there were some lessons to learn. But as they processed this there was the growing awareness that they were not just going to Bethsaida, they were actually back following Jesus. Their eyes were back on Him. Their ears open to what He had to say. What they had done was being replaced with who He is.

You may not have travelled as a missionary overseas. You may not even have returned from a miraculous week or so of itinerant ministry. But maybe you have come to the end of a chapter. Perhaps you are changing your job or moving house. Maybe you have gone through a busy season where you have given much to people in terms of your time and energy. What should you do? Just keep going? Somehow you need to replace what you have done with who He is. His identity needs to overwhelm your activity. Your ability to keep going is dependent on your decision to keep pursuing Jesus.

 

 

Head down and get on with it.

Luke 9: 6-9 “So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.”

The Twelve are experiencing a move of God. Sent, moving from one place to the next, this was a successful mission! People were listening to the parables that they had memorised from Jesus, they heard a new kingdom, a powerful and influential kingdom and above all lives were changed forever.

All this can be going on and yet …! It is incredible to think but it is true that you may be in the middle of a move of God and yet others nearby have totally got the wrong idea.

Some were saying that John the Baptist had resurrected.

Some were saying Elijah had resurrected.

Some were saying one of the old prophets had been resurrected.

Herod the Tetrarch was perplexed and tried to see Jesus. He had John killed because he feared him but it seems he feared him more now he had been killed. Had John come back to torture him? He was anxious and desperate to see Jesus to deal with the matter. All because some were saying…

You can be doing exactly what God wants you to do. You can be elevating Jesus in all you do honouring and glorifying God. And yet some will be saying whilst you do that something quite opposite.

Just because some are saying doesn’t mean it is true.

Sometimes some that are saying amounts to only 2 anonymous people! Other times it may be many more.

It does not matter what people are saying. It is what you are saying and doing that is important. Head down and get on with it!

Gospel hospitality

 

Luke 9: 4 “Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.”

I was on the border of India and Nepal and I had just checked into my hotel at 5 dollars per night. It was a bargain I thought until I opened my bedroom door to find 2 monkeys sat on my bed. I went down to the reception and after asking if I had paid extra for the monkeys demanded they be removed. They had entered through an open window. It was then I did think about moving hotels.

We were in Burkina Faso and had stayed the night in a Pastors home, 3 men all so tired (that was my excuse) and we laid down to sleep in the same room on straw mats. It wasn’t ideal but we were glad for somewhere to stay and we were soon in dreamy land. In the morning we were woken by the children laughing as 3 white men were laid on their floor snoring louder than the cockerels outside. The children had never seen white men and they had never heard such a noise!

The stories could continue! I am sure you have many stories too of staying in strange and yet wonderful places. Thankful for the hospitality offered to you.

Jesus and the Twelve were living at a time and culture when hospitality gave the opportunity for refreshing the dusty feet, receiving scented oil, food, shelter and friendship. Jesus had demonstrated to them on numerous occasions just what could be achieved in hospitable homes. Healings, teachings and even resurrections could happen!

When the gospel is everything then sometimes we find ourselves in places that though hospitable are far from being luxurious. You may be in a situation today that isn’t ideal but you are where God wants you to be for the gospel. That may be more than a home, it could be your work or friendship group.

Don’t start looking around at other situations and thinking of jumping from one place to the next, stay where you are, the gospel is needed there.

You don’t need to think about holding Gospel films and start evangelistic meetings, handing tracts out etc. Just stay. Be normal, enjoy the hospitality. Establish friendship. Help within that community. You will soon be working with a Person of Peace who will be the entry point into the hearts of many people.

All because you stayed. All because you accepted hospitality.

 

 

Take nothing

Luke 9 v 3 “He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.”

 

Yesterday I attended a pastoral interview which I often do between Church leaders and a prospective Pastor. This potential leader if coming to this Church is going to have to be bi-vocational in order to supplement his income. One Church leader suggested that he consider getting the train to the city which is a short journey away for more opportunities for himself and the candidate replied that he would prefer if possible to get a job in the small town where the Church is so that he could meet the locals and interact with them. I thought what a great answer and I reflect on that this morning as I read this verse.

Jesus giving instructions to the Twelve not to go and buy extra stuff for the journey is not only indicating the need to get going and not to be weighed down by stuff. But it also reveals that they are to depend on other people to help them along the way with food and accommodation. Jesus was creating the opportunity for interaction between them and the people they go to in the villages and towns.

We often think it is rude to rely on people and so we go it alone living as independent as we possibly can. But think of the gospel opportunities.

Do our decisions in life mean we meet more people who do not know Jesus? If the Gospel is the most important thing then maybe a job with a smaller income and less prospects but with greater connections is better than something that provides more income.

Maybe going on a bus instead of taking the car creates more opportunity to meet people.

I think Jesus wants us to connect with more people in this journey.

So perhaps take nothing or do something which means more people will be interacting with you along the gospel road.

Why do you think they were given?

Luke 9:1-2 “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

They were primarily for outside the Church.

They were not given to create a hierarchy.

They were always for mission.

They certainly were never intended to make charisma the king.

When these 2 gifts never leave the Church community then they evolve into something they were never created to be.

The purest form of them can be seen facing headlong the kingdom of darkness, the broken people of this world and those who cannot fix themselves and need Jesus.

Power and Authority were given by Jesus for mission. When mission is missing so is Power and Authority and what you have in its place is something ugly.

 

 

Power and Authority to do.

Luke 9: 1-2 “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

Many are ‘called’ to do many things. Many of those callings are individual ones. To be the leader, the preacher, the ‘voice of one calling …’ and in the course of time to be able to teach a seminar on how the ministry is a lonely place.

There is only one Messiah. You and I are not it.

So they group together, the 12 of them, circling around Jesus and he gave them what he had, what they had seen demonstrated as he scattered the seed from town and village. The same ability to do what he had been doing and the same right to do it. Their brief was simple:

1. Drive out all demons.
2. Cure diseases.
3. Preach the Kingdom of God.
4. Heal the sick.

1 and 3 are linked and so are 2 and 4.

1 and 3: The Twelve have witnessed how with certain people Jesus didn’t speak to them, not really. He spoke to the one who was holding them bound in a spiritual stronghold, a mental torture and a broken identity. Jesus spoke to demons and the Twelve were going to do the same thing. They no doubt would copy exactly how Jesus spoke but words were not enough they had the same power and authority to see the demon(s) flee from the person.

But they also were called and sent to speak to people the same parables, the same message, to teach and preach about the Kingdom Jesus had spoken of. They were sent to convince, persuade and impact minds and hearts with the gospel. Were they able? YES. What right did they have to speak in such a way? Their qualifications, their credentials were from the school of Rabbi Jesus.

The point is that we need to not only speak the good news to people we also need to speak to the bad news that is within them and get it out.

2 and 4: The Twelve had seen Jesus cure every disease that had inflicted a person. The curing of that body meant the eradicating of the disease. One moment it was there and the next it wasn’t. Jesus gave them the ability and the right to go and do that same thing.

But people who are cured are not necessarily healed. They had seen Jesus not only cure the disease of the woman who was bleeding but he didn’t leave her cured. He also healed her of the psychological impact of being an outcast in society by raising her as a Daughter of Israel again. They had seen Jesus offer his healing hand of restoration to raise up the man from the floor, to tell the person to present themselves at the Temple, to go home etc. The healing of Jesus made the person renewed, whole and the person they had always been created to be.

The point is that we are called to do the quick-fix cures of all kinds of diseases but also the longer route of restoration of the whole person back into their community.

We do all this with the same power and the same authority that Jesus has. The ability and the right of Jesus to do such things was given to the Twelve and is given to us.

Share your life, it is better that way.

Luke 9 v 1-6 “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal those who were ill. He told them: ‘Take nothing for the journey – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.”

 

They came to Jesus together. Maybe community is more important to Jesus than it has been for us. Maybe our calling and our destiny is better discovered and expressed through community than trying to convince a community of our individual, personal revelation of the ministry Jesus wants us to do.

 

They received from Jesus together. Maybe ‘bless me’ should be changed to ‘bless us’ and ‘fill me’ changed to ‘fill us’ and so on. Perhaps if we are singing songs together then we should sing songs more about us rather than me. There is a place for personal worship but perhaps the powerful moments are also in the understanding that Jesus wants to pour out His Spirit on us.

 

They were sent out to proclaim and to heal together. Maybe we were never meant to go it alone. Maybe proclaiming and healing is just too much for an individual anointed one man/woman band. Maybe there are too many temptations for stardom. If the team conquer Everest it’s not important which foot got there first, the team did. Could it be the gospel was meant to be shared together and when we pray for the sick that it should be done at least with another?

 

They set out together. Going on a trip together makes the trip reach its fullest potential. I went for petrol the other day and a group of men were buying drinks and crisps and chocolate and they were in high spirits as their car was being filled for the journey. The shop assistant asked where they were going and they said, “A road trip to the city” and they were the happiest people I saw in that petrol station. Why? They were setting out together.

 

I know I have posed a lot of maybes.

However, maybe, together is super important.

How are your horizontal relationships? Who are you walking with? Who is holding you accountable and who is laughing with you? Share your life, its better that way.