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Bible Study/Sermon Summary. On our Christian journey, we have experienced both the power and provision of God. We might need to be reminded of this sometimes but if we have believed God and called on God, we have experienced his power and his provision. This study reminds us not only to see God and believe God but to “act like we know. We not only “see and believe” but we must be the church.
In this narrative, we see that the disciples went from a time of miraculous power and provision when Jesus sent them to preach, teach and heal to another miracle . . . the feeding of 5,000 with 5 loaves and two fish. But, in between those two moments we see the disciples stumble. We sometimes stumble this same way. But, God is continuously calling us not only to see but to always “be the church.” To testify to God’s power and provision and to live that out in our lives.
Section 1. BACKDROP OF GOD’S POWER AND PROVISION. (Read Luke 9:1 – 6) As we see the exciting time in the life of the disciples as they are introduced to the power and provision of Christ and as they experiencing being the church.
- What is happening in this narrative?
- What did God provide the disciples for their journey?
- How do we know he provided them with power?
- What did he direct them to do with the power he gave them?
- How do we know the disciples experienced the power of God? What are some ways we have experienced the power of God in our lives?
Trusting God. We see from these first questions the undeniable power of God in the lives of the disciples. They are “being the church.” But, there is another lesson in these first verses. We learn something about the faith of the disciples.
- We talk about the power of God. But what things were not provided? What did God tell them not to take?
- Why do we think God gave this direction?
Fruit of the Mission. The battle is never ours; the battle is the Lord’s. And his battle bear fruit and results.
- Did their mission produce fruit? How do we know?
- What lessons do we think the disciples learned from this portion of their journey about the power and provision of God?
- How can we apply these early lesson to our own lives?
Section 2. Christ and BEING THE CHURCH. (Read Luke 9:10 – 11 and Philippians 2:3-11). Christ died that we might have more life. He was concerned with us more than even himself. This is the essence of being the church. Here we see and hear from the perfect role model, Christ, on what it means to be the church.
- What does Philippians 2:3-4 tell us about treating others?
In verses Luke 9:10-17, Christ has pulled away with his disciples to get some time alone but a massive crowd interrupts them; they want to see Jesus.
- How does Christ respond; does he dismiss them because they have interrupted and disrupted their plan? Are we able to greet people with Christian hospitality even when it is “an imposition”?
- What else does Christ do for the crowd? He meets their needs.
- What are the needs that he meets?
- What can we learn from Christ in these few verses?
Section 3. THE DISCIPLES FALLS SHORT. (Read Luke 9:10-13) The disciples, just like us, had just experience the miraculous power and provision of God in verses 1-6. And yet, the don’t act and speak as if they had experienced that power and that provision.
- What do we see that the disciples did in verses 10-13 where they had “seen the church” but failed to “be the church?”
- Why do we think they missed out one being the church here (especially after having had a full experience of God’s power and provision when Christ sent them out in verses 1-6)?
- Put yourselves in the shoes of the crowd. How do you think they felt about “the church” in their moment of fatigue and hunger?
- What are some ways that we act like the disciples in this text (either individually or as the church)?
Section 4. GOD POWER AND PROVISION. MORE THAN ENOUGH. Read verse 14-17 and Ephesians 3:20.
To be continued . . .
