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Luke 8-9 Deep Diving Bible Study

 

GOOD MORNING, SIBLINGS! 

Today’s readings are Luke 8-9

Read today’s Bible readings at BibleGateway by clicking here.

Rabbit Trails

Today in Luke 8:1-3 We are given the name of three of Messiah’s female disciples. These are women who traveled with them and were there hearing each parable and seeing each miracle alongside their male counterparts. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna. Mary and Joanna were some of the first witnesses of Messiah’s resurrection in Luke 24:10. More on this tomorrow.

Luke 8:15 – As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Read that again. I just want to remind you of this. Who does that good soil represent? Those who, upon hearing the Word of YHWH, hold fast to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. Y’all, be patient with yourself. If you’re in the Word every day, have faith in the Father that He is leading you in His timing. There is a lot to learn. This is a process. Following Him is a step by step, not a hurried flight. It is a journey. Fully commit to the journey and then trust in the Guide.

Luke 9:1-2 Notice in this passage that Messiah called these men to go preach the Gospel, and then He gave them the supernatural ability to do exactly what He had called them to do. Following Him does not mean we are out there, on our own, unsupported. On the contrary, when we answer His direct call and set our hearts to serve, wholeheartedly, in the position He puts us in, He will supply the equipment, the temperament, the training, the grace, and any necessary miracles required to make it all happen. Of course, there is often a difference between what we want to be called to do and what the Father actually calls us to do. One of the most Godly men I know was called to work on septic tanks all day, but my goodness the people he’s brought to the kingdom!

Book open, eyes on Him. I know we tend to fall into a habit of directing things in our own lives but in this relationship, it is best to hand over the reins right at the start. 

Luke 9:3-6 This is the part where Messiah basically tells the disciples that they are to take nothing on their trip but themselves: No food, no money, not even an extra tunic. There are two reasons that come to mind for this.

1. The Father has sent them on this journey and, just as the Israelites had to depend on Him for manna in the desert, so must these disciples learn to trust more deeply in the Father.

2. In this time it was a custom among the Jews that no one ever entered the synagogue with their shoes, their bags, their staff, etc. These things were viewed as necessary for business and so, to avoid any possible thought that they might be there with a motive other than to worship the Father, they were left elsewhere. When the disciples showed up with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and healthy, it clearly showed those they visited that they were well cared for and not anxious about where that care would come from. It also set them apart from traveling false prophets of the day who often had the ultimate goal of generously lining their pockets.

And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” Luke 9:5

Notice that Messiah doesn’t tell us that if they don’t hear the message yell it louder, berate them, insult them, or make it a point to speak to them over and over and over until they relent. His response is one of quiet surety. Shake the dust off your sandals and move on.

Often, we act as if we think it is our job to convince someone who has closed their ears to the truth to open them again, but there is such a fine line between seeking what is right and seeking to be right. I find that when we don’t get defensive, when we are able to be kind and listen without feeling the need to prove someone wrong, when we accept that someone may not agree with us with a quiet confidence and still treat them with kindness regardless, that is a far greater testimony to the Father’s truth. Three things we need to realize here:

On their return the apostles told him all that they had done….Luke 9:10

Can you imagine the apostles, coming back from their mission trip, so excited to tell Messiah all the details of what they’d done with what He’d charged them to do? I can only begin to imagine what this level of excitement must feel like. This reminds me of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25.

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. Luke 9:23-26

These words are some deep waters that we need to spend a good bit of time diving into. What good is the entire world loving you, all its resources at your fingertips, if we must give away our very soul in order to have it? What does it mean to be ashamed of Messiah? What does it mean to be ashamed of Messiah’s Words? We should all spend some time pondering this and girding ourselves against attacks that will absolutely come.

I’m going to end my notes with a reminder that there is humor in the Bible. There are three passages in the Bible that have always made me chuckle. The first is Exodus 4:2-3, which is entirely relatable. The third is an incident in Paul’s life and Paul is brilliant in what he does (we’ll talk about that when we get there). The second is in our reading today. Let me explain…

So we’ve read that Messiah gave His apostles powers to heal, perform miracles, etc. We also just read that they are freshly back from their missions with all sorts of great stories they want to share with Him about how they’ve used this power. And now in Luke 9:53 we read of the apostles traveling with Messiah, remember they are just recently returned from their own adventures, and Messiah is rejected by a village of Samaritans. (You may or may not know the relationship between Jews and Samaritans, but we are going to talk about that tomorrow.) Here they are rejecting Messiah, and James and John pipe up with “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” This made me chuckle. I understand the sentiment behind it, it just reads like excited boys wanting to show their Master what all they can do. Messiah rebuked them for suggesting such an extreme, which to me, makes this scene fit my mental image all the more.

I hope y’all have a wonderful day in the word. As we begin our new week, may we honor Him in all of our thoughts and deeds!


Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21

We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!