sent in mission, part 1

Good evening friends,
This weekend we'll be reading about Jesus' "Great Commission" to his disciples after he rose from the dead. To get us thinking about their mission and our mission we're going to take a look a a couple examples of earlier commissions from Jesus. In our passage for today, Jesus gives his disciples power and sends them out to heal and preach the good news of God's kingdom. That's still a core piece of the church's mission today. How can you live that out in your life this week?

God bless,
Sam

Luke 9:1-6

Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, ²and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. ³He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic. ⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. ⁵Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” ⁶They departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

Risen indeed

Good morning sisters and brothers,
This is the second half of the story we read yesterday, of Jesus appearing to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Today they return to tell their story and find that they are not the only ones to have met the risen Jesus. Then Jesus himself appears. Notice that Jesus tells them to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes. Here Luke is setting us up for the second half of his story, which is the Book of Acts. Luke tells the story of Jesus in the flesh in Luke. That story continues with the spread of the gospel by the Holy Spirit's power through the church in Acts. Since Luke wrote both books, the way he tells the story of Jesus anticipates the Acts story and the Acts story continues Luke's Gospel.
Blessings on the end of the week,
Sam

Luke 24:33-49

33That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.


36While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate in their presence.


44Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you — that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”