Luke 9

Jesus now turns to "duplicating" himself in 12 he invests time with. Note that his method is not to "do it all" and go for mass crowds. He knows that 12 done well can multiply greatly, where a crowd can fizzle once Jesus is gone. Notice that he wants them focused, not burdened with stuff. He wants them engaged with people by being dependent upon their kindness. Discipleship is not easy. It is rewarding. Discipleship is following and becoming like the master, in the case, Jesus.

 

Jesus feeds 5,000 after he tries to get away with his disciples. The disciples note that this group needs food. Jesus tells THEM to feed the people. He shows the disciples that they have the resources they need. They are not thinking "Kingdom thoughts" yet. They are still rookies.

 

After this, Jesus gets really pointed. He asks the disciples who they think he is. Peter says, "The Christ (Messiah.)" But when Jesus tells them that the Messiah must suffer (therefore, they will, too) and die, it is obvious that Peter has a different type of Messiah in mind, maybe a warrior-king. Jesus has a LOT of work to do!

 

Jesus tells them that they must make a decision every day to lay down their lives for Him and take up the cross of living sacrificially. In the odd economy of God, if you take care of number one (yourself,) you lose everything. If you take care of God's business, you get everything.

 

Jesus' best friends, Peter James and John, go up on a mountain (God's usually on mountains) to get away and pray. They have a vision of Jesus taking to Moses (who symbolizes the Jewish Law) and Elijah (who symbolizes the Jewish Prophets.) In other words, Jesus sums up in a person all of God's will. Then, God says so!

 

The disciples argue about who will be the greatest of them. They just don't get it. Jesus tells them point blank that the greatest is the one who serves the others. Following Jesus is costly. Do not underestimate what it takes. Being a "dashboard" saint is easy. Jesus wants followers, not posers (Pretenders.)