When Jesus finished praying, one of the disciples asked Him to teach them to pray. He asked in the context of John the Baptist teaching his disciples so this question is framed in the idea of discipleship, a prayer for those who are following Jesus. Jesus’ model for prayer initially focussed on God the Father, addressed as a parent but with His name still revered as holy. Our desire should be to see God’s name honoured in our lives and in the world around us. Next, the focus is shifted to God’s kingdom being established. This is the kingdom that was offered to Israel but they rejected it. God’s kingdom will be established when Christ returns so our prayer can focus on Christ’s return but in the meantime that God’s kingdom values are evident in our lives and the lives of our churches now. Next, the prayer moves to our needs. Note that this prayer model is not “give me my daily bread”, but it is plural, “give us…”. God established His church to be interdependent and so our needs can and should be met through our brothers and sisters in Christ just as we seek to meet the needs of our brothers and sisters. Next, we need to focus on our relationships, first with God and then with others. God first forgave us through Jesus’ death on the cross. That is the once for all forgiveness that has given us eternal life and entrance into the kingdom. Daily we need to continue to ask forgiveness in order to maintain an abiding relationship with God. From this abiding relationship, we are able to forgive those who have wronged us. Note that the prayer for forgiveness is framed with the expectation that we are developing a forgiving attitude. We forgive because we are forgiven and we ask forgiveness because we are forgiving. Finally, this model prayer asks God not to lead us into temptation. God never tempts us (James 1:12-14) instead this is a prayer that we are kept from situations that leave us more prone to sin. If we are honest with ourselves, we will recognise our propensity for sin and want to stay away from temptation as much as possible.

Jesus then uses a story to encourage His disciples to ask God with boldness even when it seems unlikely that they will receive a positive response. Jesus spoke of someone who petitions his friend to help him with some bread to feed an arriving visitor. The request is late at night and the friend is initially unwilling because he has alread settled his kids and is in bed. But because he is the person’s friend and because of the person’s impudence (what a wonderful word. It is not because he was nagging but because he was bold and shameless in his request). The friend gets up and helps him with his need first because they are friends but also because of the person’s bold request. Jesus then puts it plainly, “ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” James tells us that we do not have because we do not ask, or we ask wrongly—with selfish motives (James 4:2-3).
Jesus then pointed to our earthly relationships between father and son and how we, though we are inherently sinful give our children good things when they ask for them. How much more will God give us what we need if we ask Him. To pray for the Holy Spirit would be the ultimate good gift from the Father—God in us. Prior to Pentecost, only a select few had the Holy Spirit in them. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit and the Spirit entered believers at Pentecost. Now, during the church age, every believer receives the Holy Spirit at the point of belief (see Acts 10; Rom 8:9-11; 1 Cor 12:12–13). While we do not need to pray for the Holy Spirit, we can contineu to pray with boldness knowing that if we are abiding with God, we can ask and He will give us good gifts.

How is your prayer life? Are you praying for the right things? Do your prayers focus on the things Jesus told His disciples to focus on? And are you asking with boldness expecting God to do good things for you?

As Jesus continued His journey towards Jerusalem, He entered a village (called Bethany, John 11:1) where He was welcomed by Martha into her house. Martha had a sister named Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His teaching. Martha was distracted by the work of preparing food. She was concerned that she had been left to do all the work herself and appealed to Jesus to have her sister come and help her. Jesus told her that she was worried and troubled by many things but only one thing was necessary. The most important thing was to listen to Jesus’ teaching (Luke 9:35) and that is what Mary had chosen to do. What Martha was focused on was good. What Mary had focussed on was best.
Is your life more like Martha’s or Mary’s? Is your life filled with worry and work? Are you distracted by too full a schedule? Is your life so filled with school and work and activities and Netflix and Facebook and social media that you battle to find time to spend at Jesus’ feet listening? Or have you prioritised time with God and then allowed your work and serving to flow from that?

A lawyer approached Jesus with the intention of testing Him on matters of the law and justifying himself. He asked Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus turned the question to him and asked him how he understood the Law as a lawyer. The lawyer answered from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 that You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might and then you must love your neighbour as yourself. Jesus told him that he had answered correctly and if he did this, he would live. Jesus’ answer wasn’t to suggest that obedience to the law is necessary for salvation but used it to point out the lawyer’s inability to keep the law. The lawyer’s next question reveals his intention to justify himself. Like all of us, he wants the law to be restricted to that which is comfortable to obey (even though that too is impossible). Perhaps he wants the definition of neighbour to be restricted to his fellow Jewish countrymen which he thinks he is a stellar example of obedience to. Jesus then tells him a parable that blows the definition of neighbour wide open. A man, presumably Jewish because of who Jesus is speaking to, is heading down the perilous road from Jerusalem to Jericho when he is ambushed, robbed, beaten and left to die. A priest (a Levite who is also a descendant of Aaron) happens upon the man, a fellow countryman, but passes on the other side unwilling to help. Later a Levite (not a descendant of Aaron) came by and also passed on the other side. When a Samaritan (who were despised by Jews because they were half-Gentile) came across the beaten man, he had compassion on him, helped him by dressing his wounds and took him to an inn. At the inn, he paid for the man’s care and promised to pay any further expenses when he returned. Two religious leaders who were linked to the Law and the temple failed to live up to God’s highest purpose—love for the Lord and for others. The outcast helped the man. Jesus asked the lawyer who in the story was the neighbour to the victim. The lawyer pointed to the Samaritan who showed him mercy. Jesus told him to go and live the same way by showing compassion to those in need, whoever they are.

Our ability to love others is intrinsically linked to loving God with all our heart and soul and mind. From our love for God flows our ability to love others. How are you doing with loving others? How would you respond to the person at school or work who speaks scandalously about you behind your back if they were in need? Would you stop to help the taxi driver who just cut you off and ended up in an accident “he deserved” just down the road? Would your love for your neighbour change if you found out they were homosexual? It might be easy to love those who are like us but Jesus calls us to love everyone, even our enemies (Luke 6:27-28)

Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings that are easily applied to everyday situations. Consider carefully which of the sayings you’ve read today are particularly applicable to you today and in the coming week. What do you need to change or do more of to make use of God’s wisdom in your life?

Jesus sent out seventy-two disciples in a similar way to how He had sent the apostles (Luke 9:1). Their mission was to go out in twos to every town and place Jesus was heading to. Jesus said to them that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few so they, and we, need to pray that the Lord will send more to work to bring in the harvest. There is work to be done. There are many who need to hear the gospel message and it requires Christians to step up and do the work of spreading that message. Jesus told them that He was sending them on a dangerous mission, like lambs in amongst wolves. Similar to the mission of the twelve, they were to take no moneybag or provisions and to hurry. The mission was so urgent they weren’t to get distracted with prolonged greetings on the road. God would provide for them as they did His work. If a house accepted them and their message, then they should stay there and eat and drink what was provided (perhaps a precursor to the lifting of Kosher requirements). This was linked to a worker receiving his wages. Those who do God’s work are working hard and it is right that they are provided for in their work. But they were warned not to go from house to house. This may have been to avoid insulting a host with the suggestion that they were looking for something better and also to avoid the impression that they were looking to extract maximum benefit from the people of the town. While they were there they were instructed to proclaim the message that the kingdom of God had come near and to heal the sick to validate their message. But when a town did not welcome them and their message, they were still to let the town know that the kingdom of God had come near but then wipe the dust off their feet as a sign against them. Jesus declared that when it comes to judgment, it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town. Sodom was a wicked city that deserved judgment but they had never been presented with the opportunity of the kingdom of God. Their judgment therefore will in some way be less severe than anyone who has been presented with the opportunity of the kingdom or the gospel and has then rejected God.

Jesus highlighted a few Jewish cities, Chorazin and Bethsaida who had experienced Jesus’ miracles and the message of the kingdom but had not received it. He contrasted them with Tyre and Sidon who would have received it wholeheartedly in utter repentance had they had the opportunity. Again Jesus indicated that the judgement of those who had not received the same offer would be more bearable than those who had. Jesus also pointed out Capernaum, which he had made His base for ministry, and detailed the judgement they would receive. The seventy-two were full representatives of Jesus. Anyone who heard and accepted them heard Jesus and whoever rejected them rejected Jesus and God who sent Him.

When the seventy-two returned to Jesus they returned with joy marveling at how even the demons had been subject to them in Jesus’ name (this was a different experience than the nine disciples had while Jesus was on the mount of transfiguration, Luke 9:40). Jesus spoke of their experience in terms of the future time when Satan would finally be cast out of heaven for good (Rev 12:9-10). The power of Satan was finally broken. Then Jesus gave them further authority and protection indicating that they still had more work to do. Jesus reminded them that their greatest joy should not be in seeing demons fall but in the fact that their names are written in the Book of Life.

The success of the seventy-two led Jesus to pray in the Holy Spirit exalting praise to the Father. Those who had exhibited faith were not the wise and learned but those who responded with childlike faith. The disciples were extremely fortunate because they lived in a time that many prophets and kings had longed to see—the day of the Messiah.

What part are you playing in spreading the good news of Jesus? Is there something you can do today to move towards being one of the harvesters or sending out more harvesters into the field? We should all be part of the joy of seeing more names written in the Book of Life.

The transfiguration seems to have been a significant transition point in Jesus’ ministry and now his face was set on Jerusalem. Note that His focus wasn’t on the crucifixion but beyond that. Jesus was going to suffer at the hands of men, die on the cross, rise and then be taken up to be seated in glory and await His return. On His way to Jerusalem, He sent messengers to prepare for Him to enter an unnamed Samaritan village. The Samaritans didn’t accept Him because He was focused on Jerusalem. The Samaritans had a long-standing conflict with the Jews and they had their own place of worship on Mount Gerizim (John 4:19–22). James and John’s response may have been prompted by seeing Elijah and they suggested they might call down fire from heaven to wipe out the Samaritans. They were no doubt thinking about Elijah calling down fire to destroy those who opposed God’s work in 2 Kings 1:9-12. But everything Jesus had been doing at that time was about saving and healing, not destroying. Elijah was a prophet of judgment, the disciples, and we as the church have a mission of love (John 13:35). Instead, they moved on to another village.

Along their way, a number of people came and declared their desire to follow Jesus. Jesus’ response teaches us that to be a disciple takes commitment and sacrifice.
Jesus told the first that while foxes have holes and birds have nests, Jesus had no place He called home. Following Jesus requires giving up the creature comforts that even creatures themselves enjoy. Are you willing to give up the things that make your life comfortable in order to follow Jesus?
When Jesus called another to follow, he first wanted to go and bury his father. This response seems reasonable but Jesus said he should leave the dead bury their own dead. It was more important to go out and proclaim the kingdom of God. The most likely explanation for this encounter is that the man wanted to wait until his father died before following Jesus. The spiritually dead can bury the physically dead. But it is of utmost importance that the gospel is preached and the spiritually dead are given the opportunity to accept the gift of life. What is more important to you than telling others about Jesus?
The third man intended to follow Jesus but first wanted to go home and say goodbye. Again, this seems like a reasonable request. But Jesus’ response is about leaving the past behind and focussing on the future. To plow a field straight requires that you keep your eyes fixed on the end of the field otherwise your plow will drift to the left or right as you look about. Interestingly, Elijah had allowed Elisha to go and say goodbye to his family when he was called while plowing (1 Kings 19:19-20). Jesus’ message is of utmost importance and requires total commitment, not divided interests. What might be causing you to look back instead of completely following Jesus?

Jesus had a singular focus on His mission. Everything He did was in connection with that mission and He did nothing that wasn’t. How is your school, work, family, and even rest and play working together in a singular focus on following Jesus? What things do you need to adjust to make Him your main focus?

The transfiguration happened overnight and the next day Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, and John. A large crowd had formed. From it, a man came and begged Jesus to help his only son who was possessed by an unclean spirit. The spirit caused the boy to convulse and have seizures and wouldn’t leave him alone. He had asked the remaining nine disciples to help but they had been unable to. Jesus responded to this incident as indicative of the entire nation of Israel and called them a faithless and twisted generation. Even the disciples were partly caught up in the unbelief of the nation. Jesus rebuked the spirit for throwing the boy down into convulsions in a last desperate attempt knowing his coming fate. The unclean spirit left and Jesus returned the boy to his father, healed. The result of the miracle again was that all marvelled at the majesty of God.

While they marvelled at what had happened, Jesus pointed out again that He was going to suffer at the hands of men. They couldn’t understand how, in their growing understanding of who He was, Jesus would allow Himself to suffer. the disciples’ inability to understand was amplified because the truth was hidden from them and they were too afraid to ask Jesus about the matter.

With their focus still on the kingdom coming in glory, the disciples argued among themselves about who would be greatest. Jesus knew their hearts and the motivation of their argument. He took a child and gave them an object lesson in kingdom status. A child had the lowest social status culturally. Jesus told His disciples that to accept a child with the proper esteem was to receive Him and the Father who sent Him. The route to greatness in God’s kingdom is not to elevate oneself in superiority over others. Instead, we are called to deny ourselves. This was an important lesson for the disciples who would take the gospel beyond Israel to the Gentiles who were typically looked down on.

John then brought up someone who was not part of the apostles who was casting out demons in Jesus’ name. They had tried to stop him because He was not one of them. Jesus taught them that, while they had an important task in the establishment of the church, they were not God’s only representatives. There is space for everyone to minister in Jesus’ name. To think in exclusive terms is contrary to the kingdom mindset and hinders the gospel from advancing as it should.

How is your kingdom mindset? Do you think there are some people you wouldn’t be prepared to share the gospel with? This is a hard question that requires not only deep introspection but the gentle work of the Holy Spirit in revealing the real condition of your heart. Do you have a kingdom superiority complex? Are you open to the Holy Spirit softening your heart and helping you to deny yourself?

With Peter having just confessed that Jesus is the Christ of God, the Messiah, Jesus tells His disciples not to tell anyone. The reason was likely because there was confusion about the role Messiah was to play both among the people and the disciples who still needed further instruction. Then Jesus explained for the first time that He had to suffer at the hands of the elders and the chief priests, that He would die and then on the third day be raised.

Jesus then went on to explain to all (this is for all of us who desire to follow Jesus) that we need the same attitude to life and death that He did. If we are to follow Jesus then we must deny ourselves. That means that we are not to be overly concerned with our own lives. Instead, we should take up our cross daily and follow Jesus even to the point of death if necessary. Jesus told us that we need to make this decision daily. The implication is that we can opt to put down our cross and choose self instead of following Jesus. Jesus went on to explain that to make the choice to save your life, that is to avoid taking up your cross and to make the most out of your life for selfish gain, is to lose out on privileges in the future kingdom. Those who give up this life for God will enjoy those privileges. What does it help to gain all the world offers but lose all that God created you to be. Those who are ashamed of Jesus and turn from following Him will find Jesus is ashamed of them and they will not hear those sweet words, “well done, good and faithful servant.” Then Jesus predicted that there were those with Him who would see the kingdom of God before they died. How do we understand what Jesus said considering we know the kingdom is not here and all those disciples have died? Luke explains it in his next section.

Peter, John, and James got a glimpse of the kingdom when they went up the mountain eight days later and after Jesus prayed, He was transfigured before their eyes. His face and clothes became dazzling white and presented Him in glory. Moses and Elijah joined him and spoke of His imminent death in Jerusalem, the very place where He should reign on David’s throne as Messiah. Peter, James, and John had fallen asleep and when they woke up they saw His glory and Moses and Elijah with Him. As Moses and Elijah were leaving Peter said it was good for them to be there and offered to build three tents, one for each of them. He was likely thinking of the feast of booths or tabernacles, which may even have been happening at that time. With the talk of the kingdom, Peter may also have had in mind to usher in the kingdom at that moment in prevention of Jesus’ suffering. But Peter didn’t fully understand what he was saying. Jesus’ suffering was an essential part of the Messianic prophecies. Then God spoke from heaven and declared that Jesus was His Son, His Chosen One and told them to listen to Him. When the voice faded, they found themselves alone with Jesus and he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after He had risen.

What will you choose to do with your life? Will you live your life to the fullest, taking every advantage the world has to offer? Or will you choose to deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Jesus in obedience to God’s direct command to listen to Him? Will you lose your life for the privilege of standing before Jesus one day and hear Him say, “well done, good and faithful servant”?

10 On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. 11 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. 12 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.” 13 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.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 And they did so, and had them all sit down. 16 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. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

18 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?” 19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

(ESV)

When the apostles returned from their short-term mission to preach the gospel of the kingdom, they told Jesus all that they had done. Jesus took them alone to a town called Bethsaida but the crowds figured out where they went and followed Him. Jesus had compassion and welcomed them (even though He wanted to be alone with His disciples). He spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those who needed it. As the day drew to a close the disciples advised Jesus to send the crowd home so they could find a place to eat and sleep because they were in a desolate place. But Jesus said to them, “You give them something to eat.” This seems like a bizarre response, how were they going to feed the crowd? The crowd was five thousand men (plus women and children, see Matt 14:21). They looked around for what was there (too little—five loaves and two small fish) and they considered going to buy food for everyone (too costly). They limited themselves to the natural and forgot about the supernatural. Jesus wanted them to see that the task was humanly impossible. Jesus had them sit the crowd down in groups of fifty. When all were seated, Jesus took the food they had, looked up to heaven and said a blessing over it and broke the loaves. He then gave the broken pieces to the disciples to distribute. Everyone ate to their satisfaction and there were still twelve basketfuls left over. Each disciple had a basket full of bread after the crowd was full. The lesson for the disciples and us is that God can supply enough for us to minister to others with more than enough left over to supply our needs as well. Do you have the faith to start with the little you have and let God turn it into what He needs to work with?

When Jesus finally got alone time with His disciples to pray, He asked them who the crowds thought He was. They told Him about the stories that were circulating, that He was John the Baptist [raised from the dead] or Elijah or one of the Old Testament prophets raised from the dead. Then Jesus asked the important question, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered correctly, that Jesus was the Christ of God, the Messiah. Yesterday we recognised that curiosity about who Jesus is can be a good thing but we all need to come to a place where we acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ and trust in Him alone for our salvation for there is no other way to God (John 14:6).