Luke 10:1-16

Sermon Notes

1. Messengers sent to declare news, not advice 

2. Focused and committed to their mission.

3. Coming in humility and weakness, compelled by the needs of the crowd

4. Delivering a warning, often ignored and rejected

Reflection Questions

1. What are some ways you struggle with being a Messenger? How do you feel you might come off to others? or what are some fears you have with proclaiming the gospel?

2. What are some ways we can get off track and distracted from the mission God gave us?

3. How have you seen message sharing done poorly? What were they getting wrong about how they shared?

4. Why do you think that some reject this message, reject the gospel?

5. How can we have peace even though some people reject the message (and even the messenger)?

Luke 9:51-62

Sermon Notes

1) The Lord’s Only Focus, 51-53

2) The Lord’s Overzealous Followers, 52-55

3) The Overwhelming Cost of Following Christ, 56-62

Reflection questions:

1. Was the Cross of Christ an accident, or was it God’s plan (Jesus’s plan) from the beginning? Was God in control the whole time? See Acts 2:23-24; Luke 9:51, 53; 10:38; 13:22, 33, 34; 17:11; 18:31; 19:11, 28.

2. James and John had confidence that God could send fire if He wanted. But was their behavior Godly? Why not? Cf. Habakkuk 3:2.

3. Consider/Discuss the following re: v.62 – J.C. Ryle: “Those who look back want to go back.” Phil Ryken: “If we keep second-guessing our decision for Christ, or looking back fondly on our old affections, or even worse, going to the places where we used to sin, then we will never get anywhere with Jesus. If we want to be his disciples, we need to follow him without further delay.”

Luke 9:37–50

Sermon Notes

1. The disciples’ unbelief: lack of faith in the Son’s power, 37–42
2. The disciples’ indifference: lack of understanding about the Son’s mission, 43–45
3. The disciples’ arrogance: lack of humility in the Son’s presence, 46–48
4. The disciples’ combativeness: lack of awareness of the Son’s enemies, 49–50

Reflection questions

1. Whose unbelief does Jesus condemn in this passage? Compare Mark 9:18–25. What is the remedy for unbelief? (Consider this quote from Calvin’s Harmony of the Evangelists, II:325–6 – “As our faith is never perfect, it follows that we are partly unbelievers ... It is our duty in the meantime, carefully to shake off the remains of infidelity which adhere to us, to strive against them, and to pray to God to correct them, and, as often as we are engaged in this conflict, to fly to him for aid.”)n
2. Is it wrong to strive to be great? Is it wrong to strive to the greatest, or greater than your brothers and sisters in Christ?
3. Read Luke 9:50. Now read Luke 11:23 (and the context). Who or what is Jesus denouncing in each verse? What common allegiance is he encouraging? What common enemy is present in both passages?

Luke 9:27–36

Sermon Notes

1. The Glory of the Greater Moses, 27–31
2. The Gaffe of an Overwhelmed Disciple, 32–34
3. The Greatness of God the Son, 34–36

Reflection questions

1. Phil Ryken writes: “Jesus prays before each new phase of ministry (e.g., Luke 3:21; 6:12; 11:1) ... this is most necessary when we are about to take up a new calling, such as school, work, ministry, marriage, parenthood, or retirement.” (Luke, I:470, emphasis added) What upcoming transitions should you be praying about?
2. Peter wanted the glorious presence of Christ to remain, and in his excitement, he also put Christ on a level with Moses and Elijah (cf v.33). How are we tempted to make the same errors: Desiring victory and glory before suffering (cf vv.23–27 from last week), or thinking too little of Christ? (Is 59:1, 16ff)
3. How have you been tempted this week to “listen” (v.35) to someone other than God’s Son? What steps could you take to focus more on Christ’s Word? See Psalm 1:2–3.

Luke 9:18–26

Sermon Notes

1. The Christ of God, 18–20
2. The Christ of the Cross, 21–22
3. The Servants of the Cross, 23–26

Reflection questions

1. Judas Iscariot was present with Peter and Jesus during Peter’s great confession, v.20. What does Scripture tell us about those who confess Christ but later deny Him? See 1 John 2:19
2. 1st-Century Israel wanted a king to free them from Roman occupation. (See John 6:14–15) They wanted Messiah to conquer by force instead of conquering by suffering (v22). In what ways do you seek to avoid suffering (which Christ says is inevitable for Christians) in this life?
3. Reflect on your own (or discuss, if you’re with a group) what this quote means: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” (Jim Elliot) And if you don’t already know his life story, Google Jim Elliot.

Luke 9:10–17

Sermon Notes

1. The searching need to know
2. The broken need fixing
3. The hungry need provision

Sermon Questions

1a) What are some life questions you think you'll never find the answer to?
1b) Has the Bible at least partially answered that question for you?
2a) If you could fix something broken in the world, what would it be?
2b) How has the coming of Jesus show us a glimpse of healing for that brokenness?
3a) What do you fear most that you might one day find yourself in lack of?
3b) Is God able to provide that? What must you believe in order for that fear to go away?

Luke 9:1-9

Sermon Notes

1)       Jesus’s Disciples are given power to proclaim and heal, 1-2

2)       Jesus’s Disciples are just passing through with no possessions, 3-5

3)       Jesus’s enemies are perplexed yet pursuing, 6-9

Reflection questions:

1)       Do you ever underestimate the power that God has given you to testify about His Kingdom? If so, consider Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 2:9-10; 2 Tim. 1:7. What role do good works play in the proclamation of the gospel? See Titus 2:10

2)       Read 1 Timothy 6:6-10. Compare and contrast these verses with vv.3-4 and with Isaiah 55:3. What does God’s Word say about contentment? Why does He also invite us to enjoy “rich food”? Can we enjoy His good gifts and still understand the difference between needs and wants?

3)       Read 1 Peter 3:15. What do you think it looks like to defend the hope that is within you “with gentleness and respect”?

Luke 8:40-56

Sermon Notes

1. Jesus the Preacher is willing to heal, 40-42

2. Jesus the Preacher has power to heal, 43-46

3. Jesus the Preacher is not THAT Kind of Faith Healer, 47-48

   FILL IN BLANKS

   A. Lack of healing does not equal ________ faith, ________ faith – Mark 9:24; Luke 8:52-53 B. There are different ________ of healing - physical, spiritual, temporary, permanent – Ps 103:2-5 C. Everyone who believes in Jesus will ________ be healed. – John 3:16, Phil. 3:20-21; I John 3:2 D. To receive ________, ________ healing, you must believe – John 3:16-18 E. The ________ of our faith, not the ________ of our faith, is what matters – Mark 9:24; Luke 8:52-53; John 10:27-30 F. Faith is a ________ – Eph 2:8-9

4. Sometimes, Jesus the Preacher heals to overcome unbelief, 49-56

Reflection questions

1. If faith is a gift, then how should respond to God for the gift that He has given? See Eph 2:8-10, especially v.10. Romans 11:33-36; Romans 12:1. Also, 2 Cor. 9:15
2. Read Luke 11:11-13. How do you view God – as the father who gives his children a serpent or a scorpion? Or as the father who loves to give good gifts to His children? See also Rom 8:31-32.
3. Have you ever said or thought something like what Jairus’s friend says in v.49 – That Jesus could heal while she was still alive, but He can’t heal the little girl after she died? What unbiblical limits have you put on God’s power to save?

Luke 8:26–39

Luke 8:16–21

Sermon Notes

1. What you hear is useless if you don’t use it, vv.16–17
2. How you hear will determine how you grow, vv.17–18
3. Whether you hear AND DO is a mark of your Adoption, vv.19–21

Reflection questions

1. Which metaphor best describes the way you live your life as a Christian: Hiding your light under a bed? Putting your light upon a lampstand for all to see? Cf. Matthew 5:14–16 and 6:5–6. How can you do a better job of letting your light shine before others while making sure to glorify God and not yourself?
2. If we put to use the gospel message that God given us, He promises to give us even more. (More wisdom? More responsibility? Both?) See Matthew 25:14–30; now ask yourself if you are making use of the spiritual resources that God has given you.
3. Jesus said that the true members of His family were those who heard the Word and put it into practice. See James 1:22ff. What do you think the following phrase means: “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is never alone”?