October 20, 2013
Morning Service

We are studying the Gospel of Luke.

We have just seen in chapter 9 Jesus sending out His twelve Apostles to preach the kingdom of God, and heal the sick.  They have great success. 

We left verses 10 and 11, with Jesus taking His twelve aside into a desert place belonging to Bethsaida.  However, there was no getting away from the crowds, they followed them to where they were.

 

We begin our study this morning in chapter 9 vs. 12.

 

Luk 9:12-26  And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send  the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.  (13)  But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.  (14)  For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.  (15)  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  (16)  Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.  (17)  And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets. 

·         The miraculous feeding of the multitudes is mentioned in each of the gospels.

·         And of course, the primary purpose of this illustration is again to confirm His deity. 

·         It was given for His immediate disciples, and also us.  One of the Scriptures that I refer to quite often is;  Joh 20:30-31  And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:  (31)  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

·         This miraculous feeding should bring to remembrance what Jesus said in Matthew;  Mat 6:25-34  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  (26)  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  (27)  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  (28)  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  (29)  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  (30)  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  (31)  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (32)  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  (33)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  (34)  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

·         Isn’t this exactly what these people are doing?  They have followed Jesus out into a desert place, wanting to hear about the kingdom of God, knowing there will be no place to sleep, or nothing to eat.  They were thinking about spiritual things, and not fleshly.

·         God cares for His children, and it is scriptures like this that shows we have nothing to worry about, and even if we do worry, we can’t make things any better.  WE MUST TRUST HIM.

When we gather like we do, here at church, we are doing what pleases the Lord.  He has encouraged us in the Scriptures to assemble together, and even more when we see the day approaching.  But this should not be our only contact with the Lord for the week.  We should pray without ceasing, we should have a regular time that we study our bibles throughout the week, and then we can say we are seeking the kingdom of God.

Let’s go on:

(18)  And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?  (19)  They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.  (20)  He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. 

·         And why wouldn’t Peter say this?  He is doing things no other person has ever done.

·         We know that this is the place in Matt. 16, where Jesus told Peter that He would build His church on this confession of faith.  Also, where Jesus gives Peter the keys to the Kingdom.  More than likely Matthew was present at this event, whereas Luke wasn’t.

·         And it is so wonderful that we can read the book of Acts and see where Peter begins using these keys, or authority of God.  Acts chapter two, and ten.

BUT NOTICE:

(21)  And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;  (22)  Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. 

·         Jesus tells them this three times, and they never get it until after He is resurrected.

THIS NEXT CALL TO SERVITUDE IS VERY CLEAR, AND CHALLENGING.

(23)  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

·         Jesus must be first and foremost in our lives.  He, and His teachings should be constantly on our minds.  We should be striving daily to become more like Christ.  That is what Christian means, to be Christ like. 

·         It’s like what Jesus said in Matthew;  “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

·         When you are putting the things of God first, you are seeking the Kingdom of God.

NOTICE THE EXPLANATION:

(24)  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 

·         Even if we die, or are killed, and we are living for Jesus, we will be saved.  Always keep Jesus first in your life.

(25)  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 

·         The flesh cries out for wealth, success, and the possessions of this world.  And most of the time when accumulating this type of lifestyle, we lose sight of God, and how we treat people.  We quit putting God first, and it takes its toll.  Greed is the underlying factor of most of this worlds problems.  Satan tempting people with the things of this world, and the world falling for it.

(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.

·         I don’t know how it could be any plainer.  Jesus wants His followers to have, and live a lifestyle similar to His.  As the song says, “He the great example is, and pattern for me.  Where He leads I’ll follow.”

 

We see the miracle of feeding the multitude.   Builds my faith that Jesus is all powerful.

We see the confession made by Peter, “You are the Christ of God.”  The very Son of God.

We see the cost of discipleship.  Dying out to one’s self, and the world, and putting on more of Jesus.

 

Father help us not only understand what Your will is for Your followers, but help us to do those things which are pleasing in your sight.