“Take nothing for the road,” He told them, “no walking stick, no traveling bag, no bread, no money; and don’t take an extra shirt.” Luke 9:3 HCSB
Why Jesus? Why are we to take nothing extra with us? You know Judas has bad knees and he loves his walking stick. You want us to pack light? Thank God it is not winter. You know it gets awful cold out here at night during the winter. No extra bread! Philip loves His bread. No money?! How will we buy lodging and food and water? Wait a minute water is free, so far! You say you want us to trust God for His provision. God will provide for us houses. God will supply us with money. God will supply us with food. I hope He does not supply us with bread from the ravens or meat that we have to cook over cow pies as He did with Elijah and Ezekiel.
“The ravens kept bringing him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening, and he drank from the wadi.”
1 Kings 17:6 HCSB
“He replied to me, “Look, I will let you use cow dung instead of human excrement, and you can make your bread over that.”
Ezekiel 4:15 HCSB
Who of us would sound like this unnamed disciple? We are happy to go and do the Lord’s work as long as it fits into our own agenda. Judas may not have had bad knees. And Philip may not have loved bread? But who of us would be willing to go out and preach the Gospel of repentance without packing a lunch or traveling by car? I wonder if they were chased out of a few towns and if they had had any money, walking stick, or coat they would have had to leave it and continue without them. Who of us would be willing to give up the comforts we have to go to the ends of the world to share Jesus with someone who has yet to hear it.
Jesus was sending out his disciples for a short time while it was still a peaceful time to be a follower of Jesus. Latter Jesus will update this list
“He also said to them, “When I sent you out without money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals, did you lack anything? ” “Not a thing,” they said. Then He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money-bag should take it, and also a traveling bag. And whoever doesn’t have a sword should sell his robe and buy one. For I tell you, what is written must be fulfilled in Me: And He was counted among the outlaws. Yes, what is written about Me is coming to its fulfillment.”
Luke 22:35-37 HCSB
He is now leaving and He knew that troubles will come to the disciples. In Acts, we see that persecution was so bad for the church that most of the followers of Jesus left Jerusalem to go and spread His name out to the rest of the world, but the 12 disciples will stay in Jerusalem and continue to make it the home of Christianity.
“Saul agreed with putting him to death. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.”
Acts 8:1 HCSB
We for the most part in the west have it easy. We can share the gospel and the worse thing that might happen is they will not hear it and may say things about us like they are a Jesus freak, or I don’t need that silly Jesus stuff. But remember that there are many countries that would kill the Christians if they found out who they are.
Take nothing extra and trust God to provide for you when you go out to do His work!
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