Luke 9:1-6
Luke’s reason for recording
- Faith is a major theme in this section of his Gospel (chap 8-9).
- The disciples are given the opportunity to put their own faith into practice through a short-term training mission.
What’s so important about faith?
- Most people don’t consider the fact that we all live by faith.
- Jesus emphasizes faith, and we discover that it is essential…
- in receiving salvation.
- in living a life that pleases God.
- in bearing up under worldly persecution.
- in striving against spiritual forces.
- Jesus reveals that we can choose to believe in revealed truth.
- This awareness should cause the Christian to live a life of faith that is both purposeful and intentional.
Faith applied to the mission
- All Christians are called to share the good news and make disciples.
- You must have faith that God has fully equipped you for the mission.
- You have power and authority in that you have the Holy Spirit within you.
- In reality, the Holy Spirit uses you to accomplish his work.
- The greatest “draw” you can have is when you are fully exhibiting a life of faith.
- You must have faith when the mission takes priority over everything else.
- God has promised that our needs will be provided for when we put him first.
- Each of us needs to consider what it means to live a simplistic lifestyle.
- Simplistic living creates less conflict in fulfilling the mission.
- You must have faith when people respond negatively to the message.
- Your mission is to simply take the gospel to the world.
- Your mission is not to convert people.
- If you live and share in faith you are not responsible for the rejection of the gospel.
The Transformation Expectation
- God wants us to be faithful in sharing the good news and have faith that He will provide all that is needed to do so.