JC calls his posse of twelve together, and gave them the power to cure diseases and cast out devils. He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick. He tells them not to take anything with them on their journey, rods wallets, bread, money, and whatever you do don’t take two coats each. Very clear on that. Whatever house you enter, stay there and then leave. If they won’t receive you, when you leave shake the dust off of your feet for a testimony against them. The disciples went on their way preaching the gospel and healing all over the land.
Herod Tetrarch (that’s to say Herod Antipas) hear about JC’s adventures. He was perplexed because some people were saying John had risen from the dead. Others said he was Elias, others said he was one of the old prophets risen again. Herod was all but I beheaded John! Who is this guy? Herod wanted to meet him.
When the apostles came back they told him what had happened. He took them to aside, privately to a place near the city of Bethsaida. The people followed JC and he spoke to them of the kingdom of God, and healed the folks too. As the day grew later, JC’s posse of twelve asked him to send the multitude away so they could get some food in the towns and eat. JC told them they could all share the five loaves of bread and the two fish they had. But there were five thousand people. Not problem for JC, he has everyone sit down and blesses the food and broke it up into baskets and everybody ate until the were full and there was still more food left over.
JC asks them who people think he is? Some people say John the Baptist, Elias, or an old prophet risen again. JC asks who do you say I am? Peter answers The Christ of God. JC commands them not to tell anyone. He tells them the Son of man has to suffer many things, he has to be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes and be slain and rise on the third day. If any man comes after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. Whoever saves his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. Ooo great line coming up. What good is it if a man gains the world and loses himself? No good friends, no good! Great line. I’ll be honest, there are some standing here who won’t taste death until they see the kingdom of God.
After this he took his besties, Peter, John and James, and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he prayed he started to look different, his clothes were glistening white. Then Moses and Elias appeared in their glory and talked about his demise which should happen in Jerusalem. Pete and the boys were really sleepy but they saw the three figures in all of their glory. Peter asked JC if he should make them three tabernacles, which are tents, one for each JC, Moses, and Elias. All of a sudden a big cloud came and overshadowed them. They were afraid as they entered into the cloud. Then there was a loud voice said this is my beloved son, listen to him. When the voice had passed, JC was alone. And the the boys didn’t tell anyone about the things they had seen until much later.
The next day some people met them as they were coming down the hill. I man asked him to look at his only son. A spirit had taken him, and he was wild and crazy and foaming at the mouth. Your disciples couldn’t cast out the demons. JC gets a little annoyed and asks them “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you?” Bring him to me. As the boy was coming the devil took him again but JC cast him out, no problem.
The people were amazed. JC told them to listen. The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men. They didn’t know what he meant but were afraid to ask. Shift in topic they wondered who was the greatest among them. JC took a child and said whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives the one who sent me, he who is least among you shall be great. I don’t know about that. Least is a relative term.
John tells him that they saw a guy casting out devils in JC’s names, but forbid him because he wasn’t one of us. JC’s tells them not to do that. If they aren’t against us, they are with us.
JC decided it was time to move one, so he send messengers to a Samaritan village tell people he was coming. But they wouldn’t receive him so it was on to Jerusalem. James and John were pretty indignant about this. They ask JC if he was going to rain fire on them, like Elias did. JC scolded them, saying you don’t know what you are talking about. The Son of man didn’t come to destroy men’s live, I’m here to save them. And they went to the next village.
Later the meet a certain man who tells JC, Lord, I will follow you anywhere you go. JC tells him Foxes have dens, birds have nests, but the Son of man has no place to rest his head. Oh poor JC! JC tells another guy to follow him. He wants to but he just needs to bury his dad. JC tell him to let the dead bury the dead. GO and preach the kingdom of God. JC I know you don’t seem to respect the mortal family because you are more concerned with God. But I still think it’s terrible to not let a guy buy his dad. He might need that closure. He loved the guy. Another guy tells JC he wants to follow him but he wants to say goodbye to his family. JC tells him that no man who has plowed and looked back is fit for the kingdom of heaven. What? You know there’s a but of a mixed message here. You want people to follow you and give up their lives but when someone volunteers that but wants to give his family closure too, that’s a problem? And he won’t make it into the kingdom of God. Okay why won't her make it into the kingdom of heaven? He loved his family too much?
Just when I was thinking, hey, Luke's JC isn't such a bad guy. I mean, he's here to save not to destroy, right? Then he suddenly turns mean and tells some poor dude who wants to say goodbye to his family that he can't go to heaven. I don't know. This is the problem with this book, just when you think it's not so bad... whammo!
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