Training – Luke 9:1-6

Someone has said that if you want to train someone to do what you do you begin by showing them what to do (and then talking about what you did), then have them help you do what you do (and talk about that, debrief), have them do what you do while you observe (and debrief about that), and then have them do it entirely on their own (and debrief).  Jesus seems to have used something of that approach in training the twelve.

And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.  (Luke 9:1-6 ESV)

As a good teacher Jesus does not simply instruct and model, he empowers and sends.  The student learns to do by doing, finally, under supervision of the teacher.

Jesus wants his learners to learn to trust the Father for provision and to look for those the Father is prompting to faith by their receptivity to them.  If someone allows them to be based out of their home they stay there.  If no one is willing to host them, they leave and symbolically assert that they were rejected and this village or community will bear its punishment.

Most importantly, Jesus invests them with his own authority over demons and diseases so that they are able to heal everywhere as they preach the good news of the coming kingdom.  The Lord Jesus is still doing such teaching and we should follow his example as teachers.