Luke 9:1-10

Luke 9:1-10 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey — no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.” So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere. Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed, because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him. When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done.

Jesus gave the Twelve the power AND AUTHORITY to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, for He desired his message to be carried quickly to every part of Israel. This dispersion was a time of broadcasting the "good news" to everyone, to wake up the whole house of Israel to the fact that the Messiah was in their presence. Even Herod the tetrarch heard of Jesus and the miracles that He and his disciples were performing. God gave the disciples supernatural authority and power, so the Jewish people could receive the message of the "good news" of Christ, their Messiah. It is quite evident that healing was not the primary purpose for their mission, for if it were, there would have been no reason for the disciples to return to Jesus. When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. The Twelve possessed supernatural power for a reason: to spread the gospel of Christ to all of Israel.

Even today, miracles and healings are primarily for a purpose: to spread the gospel, to win the lost. We sometimes like to put Jesus in the context of a good doctor. When we are sick, we go to the good doctor. Well, He is THE good doctor, He does heal us, and He does perform marvelous miracles in our lives. But He is much more than a good doctor or a miracle worker: HE IS THE GOOD NEWS. He has come to rescue people from damnation. He has come to give people eternal life with the Father. He has come to bring people peace with themselves and with their existence. If we make him only our good doctor, we devalue who He really is. Then, even a good surgeon could take his place in our hearts.

No, Christ in us is our hope of glory. The name, Jesus, means Yahweh saves. He is our comforter, our keeper, our security, our way, our everything. Without him we are nothing, with him we are all things. In him we have life, outside of him we are lost in our own darkness. Life at best is but a vapor, passing quickly with no permanent relevance. But IN HIM, life has meaning and never passes away. Our last breath on this Earth will be full of life, for Christ will be in us and we in him. Yes, the apostles had AUTHORITY AND POWER. They performed many miracles, and they were excited about their deeds. But Jesus knew as He gathered them together with him, that IN HIM was life, and without HIM there was not life. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:4)