All In the Family
While teaching at an unknown location Mary and some of Jesus’ brothers came to see Jesus. They had difficulty getting through the masses so they sent word of their presence through the crowd. When word reaches Jesus that his family is waiting to see him, he responds in a way many consider cavalier and unkind. “My mother and my brothers,” he replied, “are those who hear the word of God and do it.” Since the gospel writers never tell us what happens after, it appears that perhaps he completely ignored his mother and brother. Does this sound like something Jesus would do?
From Faith to Faith
Following his encounter with the scary demoniac of the Gerasenes, Jesus and his band of disciples got back in the boat (which I’m sure is just where they wanted to be, considering the storm they narrowly escaped on the way over) and headed back to the town they left that morning. Apparently he had mentioned to someone that they were taking a day trip and would return that evening, as a large crowd was waiting for him upon his return. Among them was a man named Jarius, an elder at the local synagogue and the father of a very sick 12-year-old girl.
Mount of Transfiguration
A little over a week after Jesus disclosed his identity to the disciples and warned them of the coming sufferings, he took Peter, James and John up a mountain to pray. Jesus promised his disciples that some of them would not die before seeing the kingdom, and some believe this passage delivers on that promise. The four of them were praying when the appearance of Jesus’ face “transformed”. His face and clothes shone brightly like a flash of lightening. Admittedly it sounds like something from the X-Files more so than the Bible, though there is one other similar reference…
Jesus’ Authority Extends to the 72
Since the sending out of the 12 worked so well in the last chapter, Jesus decides to send out the 72 (his “second string” of disciples, if you will) for the same mission. There is an important difference between the two, however. The 12 were sent to various Jewish villages around the Sea of Galilee but his mission is Samaritan villages. They were given the same instructions as the apostles and went ahead to several towns Jesus would visit himself. They were to proclaim that the Kingdom of God was near and prove their message through healing and casting out unclean spirits.
A Perfect Storm
How many great stories involve danger on the high seas? Noah’s Flood, Jonah, The Old Man and the Sea, A Perfect Storm? There is something greatly terrifying about being stranded in any great body of water. The account found in Luke chapter eight wouldn’t make the list, which is too bad as it has more to teach us than any of the others. So our story begins: On one occasion Jesus and his disciples decided to sail across the Sea of Galilee to the Gerasenes region. Along the way a great storm came up…
Who is Jesus? Part One
To assure the disciples were learning all that he was teaching, Jesus sent the 12 on a Field Trip. Just as Jesus proclaimed his message through both word and deed, so to ought the disciples. To meet this requirement Jesus passed along his authority over demons and disease to the disciples so that they were empowered to share in his work. Aside from this new authority they were to take only the clothes on their back. All who welcomed them were to be blessed, and all who didn’t were to be treated as Gentiles – those who had not part in the kingdom.
End of the Galilean Ministry
The day after the remarkable transfiguration event atop the mountain, Jesus, Peter, James and John came back down and were met by a large crowd. More importantly, they were immediately accosted by a distraught man whose son was oppressed by an unclean spirit. Apparently the nine disciples who did not accompany Jesus up the mountain the night before had tried to cast out the demon and failed. That in itself is a remarkable admission, especially since they had recently been going from town to town healing and casting out evil spirits (Luke 9.1-9). What was so special about this one?
At Mary and Martha’s
This story is oddly out of place. We know Jesus has predicted his death – more than once – and that he is now on his way to Jerusalem for the final conflict. Along the way he travels through Samaria, and that in chapter nine, verse 51 Luke tells us Jesus is ministering in Samaria. We don’t have another shift until chapter 18 when we find Jesus leaving Samaria and heading toward Jericho (verse 35). So how is it that Jesus ends up at the home of Mary and Martha, which we know is about five miles east of Jerusalem in Bethany?
Deliverance
When we last left Jesus and the disciples they were traveling across the Sea of Galilee. Here we see they land at a region known as the Gerasenes (also called Gadarenes), opposite the town they had departed from. Luke notes this so the original readers would understand that this region was a gentile territory, not Jewish. The “town” Luke references without naming is likely Sennabris, located near the coast and home to herdsmen of many kinds, including pigs.
Who is Jesus, Part Two
Last time I mentioned that following the Feeding of the 5,000 the disciples became convinced that Jesus was the Messiah they’ve been waiting for. This is evident from the very next story Luke relates to us. While the events we discuss today do not take place on the same day as the miraculous feeding, its placement is not accidental. Yet we’re getting ahead of ourselves; we should start at the beginning. On this occasion Jesus was praying by himself, something Luke often makes mention of, and afterward he called the disciples together to ask them an important question.
Beginning the Samarian Ministry
Luke transitions now from Jesus’ time among the people of the Galilee to his ministry among the Samaritans. This is a curious choice given the antagonism between Jews and Samaritans. After the death of King Solomon trouble spread across Israel, and the kingdom became divided. The Samaritans were a part of the Northern kingdom and comprised of the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim. Under the wicked king Jeroboam, a new capital for worship was created on Mount Gerizim. He mixed Judaism with pagan ritual and as punishment for doing so God allowed the Northern kingdom to fall to the Assyrians…
The Lord’s Prayer
When one thinks of spiritual growth we have been trained to think in terms of two disciples, Bible study and prayer. While these are important, we at Think-Biblically.com have been trying to overcome this most basic train of thought. It is not enough to know Scripture and pray daily if it is merely a spiritual exercise. More important than these is building connections with God. This in no way is meant to diminish prayer in one’s life, however, as prayer is one way in which we can build that connection. Something we intend to prove by studying Jesus’ teaching on the subject.