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TakeUpYourCross.jpg

Luke 9:1-27 – Take Up Your Cross

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This passage is as follows:

 

And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.  And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.  And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.  And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”  And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

 

Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen.  Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?”  And he sought to see him.

 

On their return the apostles told him all that they had done.  And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida.  When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.  Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.”  But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.”  They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish - unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.”  For there were about five thousand men.  And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”  And they did so, and had them all sit down.  And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them.  Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.  And they all ate and were satisfied.  And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

 

Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him.  And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”  And they answered, “John the Baptist.  But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.”  Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”  And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

 

And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

 

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.  For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?  For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.  But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

 

(End of passage)

 

In chapter 8, we learned more about the teachings of Jesus and more about who Jesus is from his acts.  This pattern continues in chapter 9.  We learn more things about the teachings of Jesus as well as his actions that tell us who he is.  We are still in this section that tells us who Jesus is by his miracles or actions as shown in the basic outline in the picture below.

LukeOutline.jpg

We are right at the end of this 2 ½ year period, when Jesus sends his apostles out to spread the gospel and heal.  If Jesus is sending his apostles out at the end of the 2 ½ year period, how long did he spend teaching them before they were sent out?  2 years, right?  In chapter 8, we saw that Jesus performed a number of miracles that lead us to believe that Jesus is God.  Only God can raise the dead, command the wind and the waves, command demons, and forgive sins.  Now he is about to send his apostles out.  Let’s see how that happens.

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Verses 1-6,

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And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.  And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.  And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.  And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”  And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

 

What do you see here that is peculiar about Jesus’ canvassing mission?

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  1. Jesus gave his disciples power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.Not many people were given this power and authority.

  2. Jesus sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal.It wasn’t just an intellectual message.It was also a message of action by helping others.

  3. He told them to take nothing for the journey.This was a mission based on faith.

  4. Jesus told them to stay where they were welcomed, but to shake the dust off their feet where they were not welcomed and just leave.There would be no retribution for not believing, no fire called down from heaven.This is contrary to some other systems of belief that say that everyone should be forced to believe their way.

 

So the apostles went throughout the villages preaching the gospel and healing people.  Meanwhile, something else was going on.  Let’s see what was happening in the meanwhile.

 

Verses 7-9,

 

Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen.  Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?”  And he sought to see him.

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Now, how did Herod hear about all that was happening?  The wife of Herod’s house manager was a disciple of Jesus.  Why do you think that Herod wanted to see Jesus?  Herod just seems to be curious.  In chapter 23, it says that Herod was hoping to see some sign done by Jesus.  What were Herod’s thoughts about Jesus?  Did Herod believe that Jesus was the Messiah?  It says that Herod was perplexed.  Herod was told that Jesus might be John raised from the dead, Elijah, or some other prophet risen from the dead.  So, there is no hint that Herod Antipas might be wondering that Jesus is the Messiah.  Herod is in a bubble formed by those around him.  Perhaps Herod’s men don’t want Herod to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.  If Herod came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, he might give up his kingship and turn it over to Jesus.  This would threaten the positions those immediately under Herod had been enjoying.  Perhaps Herod wanted to kill Jesus as well.  If Jesus was the Messiah as some people were saying, that would threaten Herod’s position as king of Galilee.  Nevertheless, Herod wanted to see Jesus.  He wanted to see a sign performed by Jesus.  Herod was merely curious about the novelty.

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Let’s get back from the meanwhile and see how the apostles are doing on their mission.

 

Verses 10-17,

 

On their return the apostles told him all that they had done.  And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida.  When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.  Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.”  But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.”  They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish - unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.”  For there were about five thousand men.  And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”  And they did so, and had them all sit down.  And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them.  Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.  And they all ate and were satisfied.  And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

 

So, what all did the apostles do on their mission?  It tells us they they told Jesus everything that they had done, but it doesn’t say specifically what they did.  Why do you think that is?  Well, we know that they went from village to village healing and preaching the gospel.  What was the gospel at this point?

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  1. The kingdom of God is at hand.It is near.You can grasp it now.

  2. Repent and believe.

  3. Jesus is the Son of God.This was revealed at the baptism of Jesus.

 

Now, they went to a town called Bethsaida.  Bethsaida is shown on the following map.

Bethsaida.jpg

Bethsaida is on the Northeast corner of the Sea of Galilee.  It was a town that had a mixture of Greek and Jewish people.  When the crowds learned Jesus was there, they followed him.  It says here that there were about 5,000 men.  They only counted the men.  That means there were about 25,000 to 30,000 people total.  The other gospels have a slightly different account of this incident.  In the gospel according to John, Jesus asks Philip to get food for all the people.  Philip answers that it would cost a year’s wages to just get enough bread for them all.  But Jesus knows all along what he is going to do.  They only have five loaves and two fish.  Jesus tells them to have all the people sit down in groups of about fifty people.  Jesus blesses the food, and then he breaks it and starts distributing it.  After they all eat, they pick up 12 baskets full of leftovers.

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Who can do such a thing?  Only God can do something like this.  We are still on the section where Luke is defining who Jesus is.  The next paragraph will define who Jesus is further.

 

Verses 18-20,

 

Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him.  And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”  And they answered, “John the Baptist.  But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.”  Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”  And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

 

Who did the disciples think that Jesus was?  The Christ of God.  What does the word “Christ” mean?  It means anointed one.  It refers to the word “Messiah,” which means “anointed one.”  What do we know about the Messiah from the Old Testament?

 

Isiah 9:6,

 

For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

    and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

How could someone be called “Mighty God” and “Everlasting Father” without being God?

 

Jeremiah 23:5-6,

 

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord (Yahuweh) is our righteousness.’

 

Now the Hebrew name of Jesus is Yeshuah, which means, “Yahuweh is our salvation.”  This is the same meaning as Yahuweh is our righteousness, and we as Christians consider that Jesus is our righteousness.  In the Hebrew, this last sentence has no verb in the name.  It is simply, “He will be called ‘Yahuweh Sidqenu.’”  He will be called, “Yahuweh Our Righteousness.”  In other words, the Messiah will have the same name as the Lord God.  In John 17, Jesus prayed to the Father, “I have manifested your name to the people you gave me out of the world.”  Also, “I have made known to them your name.”  Furthermore, when Jesus gave his apostles the great commission, he said to baptize disciples in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy spirit.  There is one name for the three – Yahuweh.

 

Next in Luke, Jesus is going to tell more about himself.

 

Verses 21-22,

 

And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

 

Now, what does this tell us about Jesus?

 

How can God be born as a man just to be rejected and killed?

 

Why should the Messiah be killed and raised on the third day?  Why not just never be killed?

 

Apparently, this was God’s plan all along.

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Isaiah 53:5,

 

"But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed."

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Zechariah 12:10,

 

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn."

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Psalm 22:10,

 

"For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

    or let your holy one see corruption."

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So, they should have known this would happen from studying the Scriptures.  Why did Jesus tell them not to tell these things to anyone?  In Matthew, it adds, ‘until I have risen from the dead.’  The reason for not telling anyone seems to be so that Jesus wouldn’t have been killed too soon.  Jesus had an exact timeline to fulfill.  He was to be crucified on a cross on a Passover day, in an exact timeline that was prophesied by Daniel.  This timeline is dealt with in more detail in my book, “Glory of the Messiah.”

 

Then Jesus relates crucifixion to his followers.

 

Verses 23-27,

 

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.  For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?  For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.  But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

 

So, if we follow Jesus, we should deny ourselves and take up our cross daily.  Does this mean that we should literally die and rise again every day, just to be crucified again?  What did Jesus mean by this?

 

Romans 6:6,

 

"We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin."

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2 Corinthians 4:11,

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"For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."

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Galatians 2:20,

 

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

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Colossians 2:20-23,

 

"If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—  “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”  (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?  These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh."

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What Jesus said here is expounded on by the apostle Paul.  To take up one’s cross means to deny self, not flagellate yourself, but to live not for yourself, rather to live for others as Jesus lived.  Why did Jesus sleep at the bottom of the boat when there was a storm?  It was because he hadn’t any sleep for 2 ½ days since he was constantly healing people and preaching wherever he went.  When we deny self, we don’t desire what the flesh desires, rather what Jesus taught us how to live.  Thus we don’t need a plethora of rules to do what is right.  We can simply carry the wishes and goals of Jesus with us wherever we go and those desires guide us into what is right.

 

The key to what gives us the ability to do this is that Jesus did rise from the dead.  Without that, we do not have the hope for the future or the hope for Jesus’ keeping his promises.

 

Song: Take Up Your Cross by Ray Boltz

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