I'm behind by a couple of days, so I'll do a VERY brief overview of these three long chapters and mainly focus on 9.
Luke 7: Jesus heals a Roman centurion's servant. Jesus raises a widow's only son from the dead. Jesus answers questions from John the Baptizer's disciples, and criticisms from Pharisees. At a dinner in a Pharisee's house, he publicly forgives the sins of a notoriously sinful woman, who anoints his feet with oil and kisses them.
Luke 8: The Evangelist reveals the names of some women disciples and financial benefactors of Jesus: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna. Jesus tells parables to the crowds. Jesus stills a storm on the sea of Galilee, to the amazement of his disciples. Jesus casts unclean spirits out of a man, into a herd of swine, which runs into the sea. Jesus heals a young girl who has died, and a woman who has suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years.
Luke 9: Jesus sends out his apostles or "sent ones" out for the first time, to announce God's Reign, and to heal in his name. As Jesus' reputation increases, Herod begins asking questions about him and his relationship to John the Baptizer, whom he has killed. Jesus feeds over 5,000 people on a hill. Jesus asks his disciples "who do you say that I am?" to which Peter responds "the Messiah of God." then, for the first time, Jesus begins to tell them his destiny: that he will be rejected and die, and rise again. He explains to his disciples that those who follow him must likewise "take up their cross," and offer up their lives for his sake. Then, Jesus takes Peter, James and John up on a high mountain, and is transfigured before them, clothed in dazzling white and talking with Moses and Elijah. The voice of God from a cloud says, "This is my son, the Chosen, listen to him!" Jesus heals a demon his disciples could not, and begins to set his face toward Jerusalem, where the story will end...and begin again...
Application: Wow, so much going on here. The two biggest points I take from these chapters are:
1) The presence of the Messiah is the presence of healing, forgiveness, and deliverance from evil.
2) Jesus sends us out to BE his presence in the world.
This does not necessarily mean we will have the power to do supernatural things. But it does mean that if we see ourselves as disciples (those who follow) then we are also called to be apostles (those sent out in his name). We don't learn from Jesus, or even worship him, for our own personal benefit, but in order that we can go out and do the things he does in the world. In short, when we follow Jesus, we act like Jesus and make the world a better place. It's a tall order, of course, and the results of our efforts are God's things, not ours. But each day we wake up, we are people with a purpose.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for your healing presence which enriches my life. Send me out to be that presence for others. In your name I pray. Amen.
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