This week’s sermon series, The Gospel of Luke, Part II: A Journey through Galilee, A Mission of Mercy Towards Sinners, signifies a great transition in the ministry of Jesus Christ from His authentication to His mission of mercy. Up through this point in the book of Luke, the emphasis has been on the authentication of Christ in various ways: His genealogy and life, His own testimony, the testimony of God The Father, others’ testimonies, and through many miraculous signs and wonders. In Luke 9:51-56, Jesus pivots towards Jerusalem to fulfill the final acts of His earthly life and His ascension into heaven. In this passage, Jesus reveals His purpose, rebukes the two disciples, and extends the invitation of acceptance and involvement in His mission of mercy.

Tyler’s Main Points

• Jesus determined to go to Jerusalem so that sinners could be shown mercy.

• Jesus teaches his disciples to be merciful as He is merciful.

• We are called to show love and extend mercy to those who are presently rejecting Jesus and His Church.

• Disciples must not be quarrelsome, but we must speak the truth in love.

Key Takeaways

• God is omniscient, which means He knows everything. He knows our thoughts from afar and the intentions of our hearts. He knows the ugliness of sin in our lives, and it’s ultimate effect.

• God determined this pathway of mercy and grace for us through Jesus. The road to Jerusalem and consequent events (His brutal crucifixion & death, burial, resurrection, & ascension) were all necessary and fulfillments of Scripture.  

• The offer of the Gospel is for ALL of us. There is no one beyond His reach.(Our sins are many, yet His mercy is more.)

• Our perceptions of ourselves and doing penance to gain God’s favor are not the Gospel. Acceptance and righteousness are not dependent upon us, but on God and all His provisions in Jesus Christ, the Gospel.

• The essence of Jesus’ ministry is a mission of mercy.

• As recipients of His mercy & grace, we are called to this same ministry of mercy towards others. (In like manner…it is a banner over all our works.)

• Animosity for others that are unlike us have been/are commonplace in the world. With the understanding of Jesus’ mission of mercy, how are we to be different from the rest of the world?

• Zeal and desire can be misinformed/misguided. One can be right and the other wrong. Do we tilt to our own ways or God’s ways with our zeal and desire?

• With mercy at the heart of Jesus’ ministry, it should be the Church’s heart of ministry as well.

• We would do well to memorize, meditate on, and implement Psalm 145. (It emphasizes God’s attributes and works and our consequent beliefs, values, actions, and praise.)

• Romans 12:21 – Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. How do we engage people with the glories of Christ? The way that we engage matters.

• We must be Christ-like in the fight for faith. (Do not be quarrelsome. Be kind to ALL, be able to teach the Word, be patient; Be gentle in our correction.)

• Know the enemy that we are fighting day by day (the devil and the other fallen angels). Our brothers and sisters of humanity are under the influence and captivity of our enemy, and we are seeking to point them to Christ, Who can free them from our enemy’s control, sins destruction, and God’s forthcoming judgment.

• Seek God while the mission of mercy is at hand. Today is the day for salvation.

• We are called to carry on Jesus’ mission of mercy. How different would it look if we were faithful with this charge both in spirit and resolve?

Discussion Questions/Application

Personal application:

• What does this passage teach me about God’s heart and His intentions towards me? Am I resistant to His kindness? Do I prefer other worldly things over the things of God? If needed, where can I find help in the Church? (Recovery and Equipping Ministries)

• What changes are needed in me to become more like God and to participate in the mission of mercy? (Gospel Truth for Encouragement: God can and will enact this change in me if I am His child. It is not by my own merits or doings, but by His Spirit and power (Jesus; the Gospel) that are working in and through me.)

Discuss with your community group:

• How can we encourage one another more regularly in praising God for His heart of compassion and mercy towards us? What attributes of God deserve our fullest affections and praise?

• Are there areas in your life that show a quickness to anger or judge, or an apathetic and uncaring heart towards others and especially those who are lost? Can we commit to pray for one another in the transformation of our hearts and the actions of our lives? “We are to be gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, good to all, and that mercies would be over all of our works to the glory of Your Name, to our own good, and to the work of Your mission to save those who are perishing.”

Passages Referenced

Luke 9:51-56; Isaiah 50:6-7; Hebrews 12:2; Luke 6:35-36; Isaiah 55:6-9; Psalm 145; 1 & 2 Kings; Romans 12:21; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; 1 Thessalonians 5:21-28

Worship Set List

Great Things, Hope Has A Name, Come Thou Fount (Above All Else), Ancient of Days, His Mercy is More