PCC Sermons Podcast · Pompey Community Church

Jesus Sends the Twelve

·52 min·4 clips

Jesus anticipates our doubts and equips us with his own power and authority over all demons and diseases.

This sermon from Pompey Community Church examines Luke 9:1-9, where Jesus sends his twelve apostles on a mission. The speaker, a pastor, unpacks this biblical passage to apply its lessons to modern believers. The episode focuses on Jesus' method of commissioning his followers for ministry. The passage describes Jesus giving the twelve power and authority over all demons and diseases before sending them to proclaim God's kingdom and heal. He instructs them to take no staff, bag, bread, money, or extra tunic for their journey. Jesus tells them to stay in whatever house receives them and to shake the dust from their feet when leaving towns that do not welcome them. The disciples obey, traveling through villages preaching and healing. Herod the Tetrarch hears reports and becomes perplexed, wondering if John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. The pastor frames the entire passage around the idea that Jesus calls, equips, and sends his people on his mission with his power. He connects this sending to the later Great Commission and the formation of the early church in Acts. The instructions to travel without provisions are interpreted as a lesson in total dependence on God's provision, not as a permanent rule for all ministry. The pastor references Luke 22:35-36, where Jesus later tells his disciples to take a money bag and knapsack. A surprising claim is that the command to "shake the dust off your feet" is adapted from an ancient Jewish custom for re-entering Israel from Gentile lands, but Jesus redirects it to signify judgment on any who reject the gospel message. The pastor cites Acts 13:51, where Paul and Barnabas enact this practice. He suggests this provides a discernment framework for when to persevere in a place and when to move on. The sermon draws a direct line from the apostles' mission to the contemporary church's responsibility, stating the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in believers today. It uses the example of the early church's prayer for boldness after persecution in Acts 4 as a model for responding to opposition. The pastor quotes missionary Hudson Taylor, who called the Great Commission a command to be obeyed, not an option to be considered. The tone is pastoral, instructional, and exhortative, aiming to both teach scripture and motivate practical application. The style is expository, moving verse-by-verse through the passage while incorporating other biblical references and historical context. Listeners who enjoy verse-by-verse biblical teaching and practical Christian living applications will appreciate this episode. Those seeking a conversational interview or a discussion of current events might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A direct sermon on being sent with Christ's authority, with a firm emphasis on obedience and costly faith.

This sermon stays with Luke 9 and keeps its aim clear: Jesus gives the twelve power and authority, then sends them out to preach and heal. The application is plain and centered on obedience, with the preacher linking their going, their message, and their willingness to be…

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Why you'd press play

You want a Luke 9 sermon that turns Jesus' sending into a plain, searching call to go.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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