Revealing the Christ – Luke 9 & 10
Note: Although the reading for the week was Luke 9 and 10, this study will focus on Chapter 9.
Icebreaker: Jesus sent the disciples out to preach the Kingdom and perform miracles. Have
you ever seen or experienced, what you would consider a genuine miracle? Tell your Circle
about this miracle.
In these chapters, Jesus shares His authority over the spirit world and over our physical world with the twelve Apostles. He commands them to preach the Kingdom of God from village to village, and to heal the sick people that the Apostles found. Jesus gives His authority over the physical world and spiritual world to the Apostles to preach the Kingdom of God to the people of Israel. In these chapters, Jesus is progressively revealing who He is and His mission.
Jesus sends out the Apostles. Read Luke 9:1-9
Jesus gives the Apostles power and authority to drive out demons and heal diseases. Jesus then sends the Apostles to go and preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick, from village to village. The Apostles are so successful that word of what they are doing reaches the governing authorities.
Q1. What do you suppose is the purpose for which Jesus sent them on this assignment?
Q2. What kind of authority do we have as followers of Christ?
Q3. What is our role as Christians today with respect to preaching the Kingdom of God?
The Apostles Return. Read Luke 9:10-12
The Apostles returned to Jesus and reported the outcome of their ministry. Jesus took them and withdrew by themselves to Bethsaida. The crowds found out and followed him. Jesus response was to welcome the crowds and to teach them and heal them.
Q4. How do you think that the disciples felt about the presence of the crowds after they
returned from preaching and teaching?
Q5. How do you react to unexpected ministry opportunities, especially when you are tired and wanting to rest from serving?
The Feeding of the 5,000. Read Luke 9:13-17
Late in the afternoon, it dawns on the disciples that this crowd is going to need to be fed. They want Jesus to send the crowd to the surrounding villages to buy their own food. Jesus told the disciples that they should feed the crowd. They inventory their food supply, and discover that they only have 5 loaves of barley bread and 2 fish, and about 5,000 people to feed. Jesus had the people sit down and looked up to heaven and gave thanks. Jesus broke the bread and gave it to His disciples, and the disciples set it before the people. After the crowd was satisfied, Jesus had the disciples pick up the pieces that were left over.
Q6. Why did Jesus feed the people, rather than sending them away?
Q7. What are we to learn from this event?
Peter’s confession of Christ. Read 9:18-27
Jesus asks the disciples who the crowds say that He is. The disciples say that the crowds say John the Baptist, or one of the prophets. Jesus then asks, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter responds by saying, “You are the Christ of God.” Jesus then predicts his own death and resurrection and challenges them with the cost of discipleship.
Q8. Why did Jesus ask the disciples who the crowds thought he was?
Q9. How do you suppose that Peter came to the conclusion that Jesus was the Christ?
Q10. What do you think that the disciples thought when Jesus told them that He was to suffer and be crucified, after He had given them authority over spirits and diseases?
Q11. What is the significance of the Cost of Discipleship being spelled out, following Peter’s confession of Jesus being the Messiah/Christ?
Q12. What does it mean to you, to deny yourself, take up your own cross daily and follow Him?
Q13. What are some ways that we can show ourselves not to be ashamed of Christ and His
words but rather be followers of Christ and His words?
NOTE: Luke 9:23 is a good verse to memorize.
The Transfiguration. Read 9:28-36
Jesus takes Peter, James and John some distance up a hill, to the place where He prays while they fall asleep. The disciples wake to Jesus being transfigured before them. The word Transfiguration is used to describe Jesus change in appearance from normal to a more spiritual state, where His appearance and clothing were, ‘white as lightning’. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus and a voice came from the cloud that covered them, saying “This is my son, listen to Him.”
Q14. What do you think is the significance of this event in light of what Jesus revealed previously?
Q15. Why did Jesus not include all 12 disciples in the Transfiguration?
Q16. Share with the group a significant event that strengthened your faith?
Demon possessed little boy. Read 9:37-40
Jesus returns from the Mount of Transfiguration to find the disciples who did not go with him, unable to drive out a demon from a little boy. Jesus had given the disciples power in 9:1-9. Jesus drives the demon out and all are amazed at the greatness of God.
Q17. Why did they not still have that power? (Mark 9:29, Matt 17:19 &20).
Q18. How does this event inform us of the necessity to be spiritually ready for circumstances we may face?
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time. Read 9:41-45
Jesus turns to His disciples and says, “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.” Jesus’ ministry and message seems to take a definite turn at this point. It does not appear that the disciples seemed to notice this shift.
Q19. What is the significance of this moment?
Q20. Why did Jesus take this moment to tell the disciples this message?
Q21. Did the disciples hear the message? Why or Why not?
Q22. Can you think of a time when something happened, but you did not understand why it was important until later?
This Week’s Sermon – Stop Keeping Your Options Open
Note to Leaders: If time permits the following is provided from the sermon notes for discussion.
This weeks’ sermon comes from Luke 9:57-62. Jesus and the disciples are walking along the road and people come up to Jesus and proclaim their devotion to Him. Pastor Dave gives 3 examples and the 3 lessons that these examples teach about service to Jesus.
The Enthusiastic Volunteer: Teaches that Jesus is not the victorious figure that we would expect. He walks the way of sorrows. Are we willing to walk with Him in that way? Have we considered the cost of following Jesus?
Jesus fulfills his ministry through rejection and even sometimes humiliation.
True Disciples consciously decide to follow a rejected leader.
The Stalling Recruit: Teaches that loyalty to Jesus and His Kingdom is more important than loyalty to what is normal in your culture.
The cultural demands of the community are not acceptable excuses for failure to follow Jesus as a disciple.
Followers of Jesus “Participate in and proclaim” the Kingdom of God. They are not spectators.
The People-Pleasing Volunteer: The approval of your family (if it conflicts with Jesus’ authority) is a distraction to be avoided, if you are to be useful to God.
The call of the Kingdom of God must take precedence over all other loyalties.
If you have divided loyalties, you are a disruptive force in the work of the Kingdom and unfit for participating in it.
Following Jesus is not a feeling, nor an intellectual insight; but is a strenuous, creative and consuming task like physical labor.
Service in the Kingdom of God is a result of following. To serve/follow Jesus is to serve/follow God.
Q23. Using the description of the different types of half-hearted followers taken from Luke 9: 57-62, is there one that you identify with?
Q24. What distractions do you encounter that keep you from following Jesus?