Welcome to Day 2884 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2884 – “Welcome to the War”  based on Luke 9:1-11

Putnam Church Message – 05/17/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Welcome to the War.”   Last week’s message was “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost,” in which we learned that the crowd may overlook you. Fear may accuse you.  Shame may silence you. Death may threaten you. But Jesus says, “You matter to Me.” Today, we continue with our twenty-third message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: Welcome to the War.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:1-11, which is found on page 1608 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve ¹ When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, ² and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³ He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. ⁴ Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. ⁵ If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” ⁶ So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. ⁷ Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, ⁸ others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. ⁹ But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him. ¹⁰ When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, ¹¹ but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today grateful that Your Kingdom is still advancing in this world. We confess that we often forget we are part of a spiritual battle. We become distracted by comfort, criticism, fear, busyness, and self-reliance. Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see Your mission clearly. Teach us to trust Your authority, / depend on Your provision, / endure rejection with grace, / and return often to You for rest and renewal. May Your Word shape us today, not only as listeners, but as faithful disciples sent into the world with good news. In Jesus’ name, amen. Introduction: The War We Did Not Start, But Are Called to Enter Today, we continue in Luke’s Gospel with the twenty-third message in our New Testament series, and the title is “Welcome to the War.” That may sound strong at first. We may think, “War? I thought we were talking about the Good News.” But Luke has been showing us from the beginning that the Good News of Jesus is not merely a comforting message for private spiritual reflection. It is the announcement that the Kingdom of God has arrived in Jesus Christ, and that means the dominion of evil is being overthrown. When Jesus preached in the synagogue in Nazareth, He announced good news to the poor, freedom for captives, sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed. When He healed the sick, forgave sinners, calmed the storm, delivered the demon-possessed man, restored the woman who had suffered for twelve years, and raised Jairus’ daughter, He was not simply doing random acts of kindness. He was showing that the Kingdom of God was breaking into a broken world. In our previous messages, we have watched Jesus minister with compassion and authority. / We saw Him show love and grace to a sinful woman in the Pharisee’s house. / We asked, “Where Are You in This Picture?” -> as Jesus taught about the soils of the heart. /  We saw “Freedom From Bondage” when Jesus delivered the man among the tombs. /  We saw that no one is “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost” when Jesus stopped for the suffering woman and raised Jairus’ daughter. Now, in Luke 9:1–11, something shifts. Up until now, the disciples have been watching, learning, assisting, asking, and following. They have seen Jesus preach. They have seen Jesus heal. They have seen Jesus command demons. They have seen Jesus calm nature itself. But now Jesus calls the Twelve together and sends them out.

• The students become participants.
• The observers become messengers.
• The apprentices enter the battle.

Jesus does not merely gather followers to sit near Him. He forms disciples to join His mission. So today, let’s walk through Luke 9:1–11 under four main truths. Main Point 1: Jesus Sends Ordinary Disciples with His Power and Authority Luke tells us that Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. Then He sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. / This is remarkable. These are the same disciples who were afraid in the storm. These are the same men who often misunderstood Jesus. These are not polished professionals. They are fishermen, tax collectors, ordinary men and women from ordinary places. And yet Jesus sends them. / That should encourage us. God's mission does not depend on perfect people. It depends on the authority of a perfect Savior. /  Luke uses two important words here: power and authority. Power refers to ability — the strength to accomplish what could not be accomplished naturally. Authority refers to the right to act on behalf of another. A police officer directing traffic is a helpful picture. The officer may not have the physical power to stop a moving vehicle with his bare hands. But when he raises his hand, cars stop because he carries delegated authority. He acts on behalf of a higher government. Jesus gives His disciples both. He gives them divine ability and delegated authority. / They are not going out in their own names. They are going out in His name. / And what are they sent to do? They are sent to proclaim the Kingdom of God and demonstrate the mercy of the Kingdom through healing and deliverance. In ancient times, a herald would enter a town square and speak on behalf of the king. The herald’s message carried weight because it did not originate with the herald. He spoke with delegated authority. That is the picture here. The disciples are heralds. They are announcing that God’s Kingdom has drawn near in Jesus. / This connects directly with the broader story of Scripture. In Genesis, humanity was created to live under God’s good rule. But sin brought rebellion, brokenness, death, and bondage. Throughout the Old Testament, God promised that His Kingdom would come, His enemies would be defeated, and His people would be restored. The prophets looked ahead to a day when captives would be freed, the sick would be restored, and God’s reign would be made known among the nations. Jesus is that fulfillment. And now He sends His disciples to announce it. Object Lesson: The Badge and the Battery Hold up two objects: a badge and a battery. A badge represents authority. It says, “I have been authorized to act.” A battery represents power. It supplies energy to do what needs to be done. A badge without power may represent a title but no ability. A battery without authority may have energy but no direction. Jesus gives His disciples both. For us today, not all of us have the same calling as the Twelve. Their mission in Luke 9 was specific to that moment in Jesus’ ministry. But the larger principle remains: Christ still sends His people into the world as witnesses.

• We go not because we are impressive, / but because Jesus is King.
• We speak not because we know everything, / but because we know Him.
• We serve not because we have unlimited strength, / but because His strength is made perfect in weakness.

In Ephesians 6, Paul reminds us that our struggle is not merely against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil. / That does not mean we become fearful or dramatic. / It means we become prayerful, alert, and faithful. Welcome to the war. But remember this: we do not enter the battle alone. We go under the authority of Jesus. Main Point 2: Jesus Teaches His Disciples to Travel Light and Trust Deeply After giving them their mission, Jesus gives them unusual travel instructions. He tells them not to take a staff, bag, food, money, or even an extra tunic. Now, to our ears, that sounds almost irresponsible. Most of us do not go to the grocery store without checking if we have our wallet, phone, keys, and maybe a backup plan. But in the ancient world, travel was far more difficult and dangerous than it is now. A staff was useful for walking and protection. A bag could carry food or supplies. Bread represented daily provision. Money offered security. An extra tunic provided comfort and warmth. Jesus tells them to go without the very things travelers would usually depend on. Why? / Not because planning is bad. In fact, later in Luke 22, Jesus will give different instructions for a different season. So, this is not a universal rule that Christians should never prepare. Jesus is training them. / He wants them to learn that the mission is urgent, and that God can provide. There is a difference between preparation and dependence. / Preparation is wise. Dependence on our own resources, as though God were unnecessary, is dangerous. Jesus wants them free from clutter, free from delay, free from the temptation to make comfort the first priority. He is saying, in effect, “Go now. Do not wait until you feel fully supplied. Do not wait until you have answered every question. Do not wait until the mission feels safe. Trust the Father.”     Ancient Context: Hospitality as Sacred Duty In the ancient Near East, hospitality was a deeply valued obligation. Travelers depended on the welcome of homes and villages. A household that received guests offered food, lodging, and protection. Jesus tells the disciples to stay in one home in each village rather than moving around from house to house. / Why would that matter? Because moving around could make them look like they were looking for better accommodations. “This house has better food.” “That house has more comfortable bedding.” “Maybe the wealthy family on the hill will host us instead.” Jesus wants them focused on the mission, not on comfort. / That is a needed word for us. We live in a culture that trains us to customize comfort. We compare hotels, seats, vehicles, meals, phones, schedules, and even churches. But discipleship is not built around comfort. It is built around obedience. Object Lesson: The Overpacked Suitcase Picture a large suitcase so full it barely closes. You try to pick it up, but it is heavy. You try to move quickly, but it slows you down. Then picture a small bag with only what is necessary. Some of us are trying to follow Jesus while dragging a suitcase full of fear, control, resentment, pride, overcommitment, and the need to be comfortable. Jesus says, “Travel light.”

• That may mean releasing the need to control every outcome.
• It may mean letting go of the fear of not having enough.
• It may mean simplifying our schedule, so we have room for people.
• It may mean serving before we feel fully ready.

In our previous message/passage, Jesus showed us that interruptions matter. Here, He shows us that mission matters too. We need margin for both. The disciples were to proclaim the Kingdom->and trust God for daily bread. That echoes the prayer Jesus taught earlier: “Give us each day the food we need.” God may not give us everything we want for the road ahead, but He will give us what we need for the next faithful step.