Sent Out to Do Miracles

Luke 9:11 (ESV) When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.

Jesus did not relegate all the healing to His apostles. He continued to preach about the kingdom and bring healing to those who were sick. It is not an accident that the gospel of Luke is just full of Jesus’ healing miracles. These accounts are here to build our faith and to teach us to do the same.

Luke 9:12 (ESV) Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.”

Throughout the day, Jesus had been teaching and healing people. Evening was coming and there was no food around where the crowd had gathered. The apostles decided to tell Jesus what to do. Telling Jesus what to do is not a bright thing to do. Jesus doesn’t need anyone to tell Him what to do. That’s something we need to remember. As I was studying this passage, Jesus’ reply jumped out to me.

Luke 9:13 (ESV) But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.”

The disciples told Jesus to send the crowd away. Jesus ignored their request and gave them an instruction. He said “You give them something to eat.” 

Before we go on with the story, let me ask you a question. Does Jesus ever tell anyone to do something that can’t be done? No, absolutely not. Everything that Jesus commands us and anyone to do, they can do. In fact, since it is Jesus, they must obey.

Unfortunately, the disciples began to argue with Jesus, not a smart thing to do again. They had all the natural elements figured out. They only had a little bit of food, just enough for one person. The only other option they could think of was to go out and buy food, but they didn’t have enough money to do that. The disciples just didn’t get it

This problem of the hungry crowd was an opportunity for God to do a miracle through the disciples. They could have done it, they just didn’t have the faith yet. They were sent out to do miracles.

So, what does it take for a miracle to happen? First of all there must be a need. Secondly, a person needs to hear from God about meeting that need. Finally, they need to obey God and step out in faith.

In our first point, the disciples obeyed Jesus, went out to heal and miracles happened. In this point, the disciples argued with Jesus and did not step out in faith. We’ll see how Jesus dealt with them in the next point.

God wants each of us to begin to see very problem in life, whether in our life and the life of another person, as an opportunity for a miracle. Seek God for direction as to what to do, Then step out in faith and obedience and trust Him to do the supernatural. Every follower of Jesus has been sent out to do miracles. Let’s believe that we can do what Jesus did. Even when we fail, God is there to help us, as we’ll see in our next point.

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