February 27th, 2023
by Jon Welch
by Jon Welch
The Power of Multiplication
Jesus leaves the Feast of Dedication and travels to the other side of the Jordan River, where John had baptized him three years earlier (John 10:40). Jesus will use this as a base for the next few months, awaiting His final entrance into Jerusalem and His pending death on the cross. What will he do in these last several months to ensure that the movement will continue after He returns to His Father? What will his final steps be?
Read Luke 10:1-42
What are Jesus’ priorities in this passage?
In what ways could Jesus have been distracted from these priorities (Like Martha in v. 40)?
Why does Jesus rejoice so greatly in Luke 10:21?
What do you see as the primary lessons in this passage?
As the movement grows, Jesus assembles the next set of leaders and appoints them as He had with the twelve. They are disciples who had given up everything to follow Him and were now ready to be a part of the growing leadership team. He calls them together, gives them final instructions, and sends them ahead of Him to prepare people for Jesus’ message. Why does Jesus send them out with nothing?
Remember what we learned as to why he sent the first twelve out with nothing? Jesus knows His time is short and wants them to learn to depend on the Father. He wants them to see that if they only step out in faith, God will go before them and provide everything they need to complete the mission He has called them. He wants these new leaders to learn to walk by faith, not sight.
They move out as a great army of evangelists into the harvest fields. They are to go to the village, find the man of peace, stay, and minister out of that house, healing the sick and telling them about God’s coming kingdom. Then, if the village doesn’t receive them, leave peaceably, shake the dust off their feet, and continue to proclaim that “the kingdom of God is near” (Luke 10:11).
They return from their mission trip jumping up and down, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name” (Luke 10:17). At this, Jesus seizes an opportunity to say, “…do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that you names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). In other words, don’t get excited about the demons obeying you; instead, get excited about the fact that your names are written in the Book of Life along with the new people who have entered the kingdom due to the work of God. Don’t get more excited about the temporal than about the spiritual. Lives and destinies were changed on your trip– rejoice in that!
Jesus then breaks into spontaneous praise to His Father. With great joy in His heart, He begins to worship the Father, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good please” (Luke 10:21). Jesus is so excited! But why? Why is Jesus so overjoyed at this point? What causes Jesus to rejoice so greatly? The key is that He knows God has been well pleased with His work. The plan is working, and the disciples have been made into men with passion and heart to tell others the good news. The will of the Father was that Jesus would die on the cross, but the work of the Father was that Jesus would make disciples, who could make disciples, who could make disciples. Jesus’ passionately wanted the Father glorified. How does one glorify the Father? Make reproducing disciples! His work was coming to a close, and this work of making disciples who could make disciples would change the planet.
A joy comes when you personally watch someone you have shared with come to Christ. It is incredible to watch the transformation with your own eyes. But yet, there is a deeper joy: watching someone you have poured your life into share Jesus with someone, and seeing that person come to Christ. It is the joy of multiplication. So now, two of you are glorifying the Father, living in obedience to His will, dying to self, and doing His work of making disciples.
Have you experienced these two joys? If not, what is stopping you? Spend some time today with your circle of friends talking about multiplication.
What are your thoughts about the will of the Father and the Work of the Father?
Read Luke 10:1-42
What are Jesus’ priorities in this passage?
In what ways could Jesus have been distracted from these priorities (Like Martha in v. 40)?
Why does Jesus rejoice so greatly in Luke 10:21?
What do you see as the primary lessons in this passage?
As the movement grows, Jesus assembles the next set of leaders and appoints them as He had with the twelve. They are disciples who had given up everything to follow Him and were now ready to be a part of the growing leadership team. He calls them together, gives them final instructions, and sends them ahead of Him to prepare people for Jesus’ message. Why does Jesus send them out with nothing?
Remember what we learned as to why he sent the first twelve out with nothing? Jesus knows His time is short and wants them to learn to depend on the Father. He wants them to see that if they only step out in faith, God will go before them and provide everything they need to complete the mission He has called them. He wants these new leaders to learn to walk by faith, not sight.
They move out as a great army of evangelists into the harvest fields. They are to go to the village, find the man of peace, stay, and minister out of that house, healing the sick and telling them about God’s coming kingdom. Then, if the village doesn’t receive them, leave peaceably, shake the dust off their feet, and continue to proclaim that “the kingdom of God is near” (Luke 10:11).
They return from their mission trip jumping up and down, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name” (Luke 10:17). At this, Jesus seizes an opportunity to say, “…do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that you names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). In other words, don’t get excited about the demons obeying you; instead, get excited about the fact that your names are written in the Book of Life along with the new people who have entered the kingdom due to the work of God. Don’t get more excited about the temporal than about the spiritual. Lives and destinies were changed on your trip– rejoice in that!
Jesus then breaks into spontaneous praise to His Father. With great joy in His heart, He begins to worship the Father, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good please” (Luke 10:21). Jesus is so excited! But why? Why is Jesus so overjoyed at this point? What causes Jesus to rejoice so greatly? The key is that He knows God has been well pleased with His work. The plan is working, and the disciples have been made into men with passion and heart to tell others the good news. The will of the Father was that Jesus would die on the cross, but the work of the Father was that Jesus would make disciples, who could make disciples, who could make disciples. Jesus’ passionately wanted the Father glorified. How does one glorify the Father? Make reproducing disciples! His work was coming to a close, and this work of making disciples who could make disciples would change the planet.
A joy comes when you personally watch someone you have shared with come to Christ. It is incredible to watch the transformation with your own eyes. But yet, there is a deeper joy: watching someone you have poured your life into share Jesus with someone, and seeing that person come to Christ. It is the joy of multiplication. So now, two of you are glorifying the Father, living in obedience to His will, dying to self, and doing His work of making disciples.
Have you experienced these two joys? If not, what is stopping you? Spend some time today with your circle of friends talking about multiplication.
What are your thoughts about the will of the Father and the Work of the Father?
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1 Comment
I dont believe there is any more wonderful experience Jon than to watch that with your own eyes, it is contagious and it is simply a Miracle.