Proclamations and Perplexities
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
One of the great privileges (and horrors) of being a parent is knowing that one of your duties as a parent is to rear your children so they are prepared to face the world without you. That would of course mean that they are prepared spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and physically. As a parent we teach our children the Bible and its authority in our lives and theirs. We make sure they are able to read and write, do math, and other educational things. We want them to grow up emotionally healthy as well. We want them to know how to tie their shoes, ride a bike, drive a car, do their laundry, and cook meals. And often times, the way that we do that is to show, then teach, then help, then let them do it on their own. And all of this happens before we send them off into the world. It is better for them to fail and learn at home so that they have figured it out for when they are on their own.
In today’s passage, we see something similar going on. Jesus is taking his disciples and giving them a mission. It’s a short one, but one that is wise on Jesus’s part. Send them to do a sampling of that which they will be called on to do as a vocation later while he was still on earth to teach and guide them through it.
As we look at it, I want us to focus on four details that come with the sending of the twelve into the world. The first is the power that comes with the sending of the twelve. The second is the proclamation that they are to make having been sent. The third detail involves the procedure of going out. And finally, there is the perplexity that comes as a result of the sending.
The Power
The Proclamation
The Procedure
The Perplexity
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.
The Power
The Power
The first detail that we need to take hold of is the power that comes along with the sending. Remember that throughout Luke, he has focused on power and authority. They are two sides of the same coin. The authority shows the right to do something and the power is the ability to do it. And throughout this gospel account, Luke has demonstrated and specifically stated that Jesus was the one who had the power and authority to do and say the things that he has done and said. He has had the power and authority to heal, to exorcise demons, to do these on the Sabbath, but then also to forgive sins. At this point, Jesus now is taking that which he has: power and authority, and bestowing it upon the twelve disciples.
Until this point, the ministry has been Jesus’s ministry. The disciples have been learners. They’ve been spectators. They’ve been absorbing the knowledge. But remember, a disciple was not simply someone who followed after another. He didn’t just learn from a teacher or a rabbi. A disciple was one who spent time with them so that they knew them personally. They knew their teachings by heart. They saw their rabbi in action. All so that when they were ready, they acted like their rabbi. They dressed like their rabbi. They taught the very words of their rabbis.
Remember the words of Jesus in
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
That means that they will receive the power and authority of the teacher to go and do as he went and did. And here is that coming to fruition. It wasn’t yet a full-time calling. It wasn’t yet their vocation, but it would be. And he was preparing them for it. And so, he gives them power and authority over all demons and diseases.
And it is important to note this detail because we need to know that in and of themselves, the disciples had no power and no authority. Any power they had was derived from Jesus himself.
This did not change after Jesus left. But made even more explicit.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Jesus’s sending the promised Holy Spirit was his sending power to his apostles. Paul himself spoke that his work for the kingdom was done by the power of God.
For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
Brothers and sisters, could it be that our evangelistic efforts are so weak because we do not utilize the power of God in our evangelistic opportunities? From the first time until the last time, evangelism has and must be done by the power and authority we receive from Jesus.
The Proclamation
The Proclamation
The second detail that we must see is the proclamation that comes with the sending. The disciples were to proclaim—to preach—about the kingdom of God. In verse 6, we see that the kingdom of God and “the gospel” are synonymous terms. This was the proclamation that started with John the Baptist. Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. When John was martyred, Jesus took up the reins and proclaimed the same message. Now, here is Jesus sending off his own twelve to proclaim the same thing.
Now, we ought to notice what came with that proclamation.
and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.
The healing came with the preaching. The healings were part of the signs and wonders that gave credence to the proclamation. Both the healing and proclamation were imperative for people to listen. Jesus was well known to be a man of miracles. Suddenly, these men who had followed and learned from him are being sent out in their first apostolic work and they too can do the miracles that only Jesus was doing. It is no stretch of the imagination to think that the people flocked to these twelve as they did to Jesus. This was exactly what happened after Jesus’s ascension and Peter and John healed the lame man.
While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s.
And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
And then of course, he proclaims the gospel of the kingdom.
Typically, we don’t see signs and wonders today. This doesn’t mean that they can’t happen or that they don’t happen, but it is not the normal way of proclaiming. Most Christians today have not been given the power of healing or exorcism that comes with the power and authority of proclamation. What we have been given is the power and authority for holy living. And that can be just as powerful.
Brennan Manning once said, “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”
The power and authority for holy living is a necessary part of the proclamation, but it is not the only part. The proclamation must happen. It’s been said before but bears repeating. The quote often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, which most scholars believe was never said by him, that we are to “preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words,” is the wrong sentiment to have. The only person who should preach the gospel without words is the person who has no ability to communicate at all.
And, beloved we need to understand what it is that we are proclaiming. The gospel is certainly about believing and being saved. But that is not all it is about. It is the gospel of God’s kingdom. It is that Jesus, not only came to seek and to save those who were lost, but that they are being sought and saved for a kingdom!
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
In all of these (Paul, Peter, and John), we see Jesus’s ministry is not just about forgiveness, but rebuilding the kingdom that God had planted in the Garden of Eden. As Paul wrote to the Colossians
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Everything is reconciled. It is not just about humanity, though humanity is the major part of it, but it is the reconciliation of all things by his blood.
The Procedure
The Procedure
The third detail is the procedure of the sending. There are three procedures that came with the sending. The disciples were to go:
Simply - They were to take nothing with them except for their tunic which was an undergarment for their robes. This was probably for two reasons: The first is that this wasn’t going to be a long trip. They’d be gone for a few days, but they weren’t going on a distant journey. No need for a staff. No need to have money on hand. But it also was to indicate that they were to put their trust in God. God would supply their needs.
Strategically - They were to find a place to stay and stay put until they were done in the town. If someone was gracious enough to put them up and show hospitality, they should take them up on it and not look a gift horse in the mouth. Don’t go looking for better accommodations. This was God’s work and provision for them in their mission. Accept it and be grateful for it.
Significantly - If a town rejected them, so be it. They were not to take it personally. These were Jewish people who were rejecting Jesus and therefore rejecting God. As John would say in his first epistle that whoever denies the Son, denies the Father also. Whoever confesses the Son confesses the Father also (cf. 1 John 2:23). Thus, if the town rejected the Son, then the disciples were to make a significant presentation by shaking the dust off their feet. This was a testimony in the form of action and everyone would understand what it mean. This town, this village, this people, were unclean and those who shook the dust off their feet were saying that they refused to go from that place with the uncleanness even touching their feet. We see this in practice in Acts 13. Paul and Barnabas had gone to Antioch of Pisidia and went into the synagogues. Eventually, the Jews rejected the message they brought and Paul made a significant stand. Acts. 13:51
But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium.
It is so easy to get discouraged when people reject the gospel. In one way that is good. We care about those who do not know Jesus and we want them to love him as we love him. When they don’t it is saddening. But at the same time, we need to be careful that we are not despairing. We need to be careful that the rejection of the gospel of the kingdom does not keep us from going and proclaiming. We need to be careful that we don’t get stuck in one place when we find that those in it are rejecting the gospel message we’ve proclaimed. There are others who need to hear, and we must find the fortitude (the power of God)—though difficult as it may be—to shake the dust off and continue on.
The Perplexity
The Perplexity
Lastly, the last detail we find is the perplexity that came as a result of the sending. This has to do with Herod the tetrarch.
There are quite a few Herod’s in the New Testament. Herod the Great died soon after Jesus was born, but not before he ordered the slaughter of innocence. At that point, Herod the Great’s domain was divided into four.
Herod, also called Philip took up one-quarter. Herod Antipas took another. Archelaus took a third and a tiny portion was taken by Lysanias. Archelaus was replaced with Pilate. Later there is Herod Agrippa I who died when he refused to be called God in Acts 12 and Herod Agrippa II was the one whom Paul spoke to after being arrested in Acts 25.
This Herod was Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great. The person whom he was concerned about was the person his father had tried to kill as a baby, though he didn’t know he was one and the same person.
Herod Antipas heard about the disciples’ ministry and was perplexed. He was royally confused about what was going on. He didn’t understand because the message being proclaimed seemed to be the same as John the Baptist’s. Remember that they proclaimed the kingdom of God. That was John’s message. Herod had John beheaded, so the message should have died (cut the head of the snake and the body dies with it), but it didn’t. It continued. Who was this man who had taken up the mantel and continued the message?
And so once again, we have this question being asked. The disciples were on the boat and were in awe of Jesus and asked, “Who is this?” The demon immediately gives the answer that he was the Son of the Most High. Now we have Herod Antipas asking once again: “Who is this?” And in a few verses, we see Peter answering the question: "The Christ of God.”
It’s important that as we read and study this, we see the kingdom as central. It is the kingdom that the apostles were to proclaim. Then Herod the tetrarch, the quasi-king is concerned about who this is who has taken up the mantel of God’s kingdom. Finally, as we’ll see in a couple of weeks, Peter answers that he is Christ—that is the anointed king of God. Not that God is the object as if Jesus is king over God, but that God is the subject who has anointed Jesus to be king. He is the one bestowed with the power and authority. The message then is the same message today.
But I also think it is worth noting that it was not to Herod that the disciples were sent. They were sent through the villages. John the Baptist did not go to Herod, but Herod went to him and when he was there, John would call him to repentance. Jesus never went to Herod but was sent to him by Pilate. Jesus never went to Pilate. Paul never went to any official without first being summoned, except for Nero and only then to plead his case, and he waited patiently for years to see him.
What is my point? My point is that God’s kingdom does not come through kings and governors and state officials. It comes by the kingdom’s gospel being proclaimed to the commoners. There is a movement today that is gaining traction among Christians known as Christian Nationalism. Beware of this movement that is trying to turn nations into Christian nations. It sounds good doesn’t it? But it is not the way of the Kingdom. Jesus said that if his kingdom were of this world, his disciples would fight, but it is not of this world. We are not called to win nations for Christ but neighbors. The disciples went to villages because that’s what Jesus was doing. He never called them to take over countries and change their laws, but called upon them to go to the people and call on them to turn from sin and believe in Jesus. Then God would put his law, not in their capitals, but in their hearts.
Do we care about laws? Yes. Do we care about our politicians? Absolutely. Do we pray for the kings and all who are in high positions? Without a doubt. But we do not focus our efforts on converting nations to Christian morality but converting neighbors, individuals to Christ Himself.
Conclusion
Conclusion
As we finish this passage this morning, I hope we see the importance of the mission that the disciples were called to. It was Christ’s kingdom mission that was accomplished by Christ’s power and authority and by Christ’s procedure. It certainly led to Herod’s perplexed feelings, but that’s okay. The gospel of the kingdom will confuse many people and many will reject it outright. We need to understand that this says more about them than it does about us, and certainly more about them than it does about Jesus.
As we leave here today, let us continuously keep in mind that our evangelistic efforts must be done by God’s power and not our own. We need to keep in mind that we are to live a holy life that is in keeping with the message we are proclaiming. We must not let rejection of Christ discourage from taking the message to those who would receive Christ. And we must know that the kingdom will not be inaugurated by national takeovers, but by gospel conversion.