Sent Out to Heal

Luke 9:1-2 (ESV) And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

In the first eight chapters of Luke, Jesus had been doing all the preaching, healing and deliverance from demons. The apostles had been learning and their faith growing from watching Jesus. Now it was their turn to do what Jesus had been doing. He gave them the power and authority of the Spirit to do supernatural things. Then they were sent out to proclaim the good news of the kingdom. And to show that the kingdom was real, through supernatural healing and deliverance. The ministry of the twelve apostles would be exactly the same as Jesus’ ministry.

Luke 9:3-4 (ESV) And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.

The apostles were to go in faith, trusting God to supply their needs. The way that their needs would be met was through the hospitality and generosity of those who they had ministered to. In each town they came to, God would show them a home that would receive them and supply their needs.

Luke 9:5-6 (ESV) And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Yet, not everyone or every town would listen to the message of the kingdom. Rather than staying in that type of situation, they were to leave and shake the dust off their feet as they went. This shaking the dust off their feet was a sign of God’s judgement on that town for not accepting the gospel of the kingdom. The apostles did exactly what Jesus commanded them to do. They preached the gospel and healed people everywhere they went. Healing also involves setting people free from demonic powers. They and we are sent out to bring healing.

A common argument today is that these were the twelve apostles. Just like we’re not Jesus, so we are not one of the twelve apostles, so we can’t expect to do the same things they did. This argument is destroyed in the next chapter, chapter 10, where Jesus sends out 72 other disciples to do the exact same things. 

Not only did Jesus teach all of His followers to do the same things He did by watching Him. He sent them out to do it on their own and then come back and report to Him. And these accounts are not just for historical records, they are meant to teach and train us to do the same things.

Not many of us are called to travel and knock on doors to spread the gospel. Yet every follower of Jesus is called to bring healing to those who are sick around us. Every sick person you are aware of should be the focus of your prayers, either in person or virtually. And you should let the person or someone close to them know that you are praying for them. You should also invite those who are sick but able to travel, to come to church to be prayed for as well. You are sent out to bring healing.

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