Being a Disciple – Lifestyle and Spirituality, Luke 9, July 27th 2025.
Luke 9 – sit.
As we read, let’s listen for a story that catches our attention. And when it does, make a note or even consider in our service, maybe after you have received Communion – why did that story event connect with you, and consider what could Jesus be saying to you through that story.
Luke 9:v1-28 and then 46-end.
Point 1 – lifestyle of a disciple
Luke 9 can seem, a set of collected stories, events and important teachings. Yet I believe there is a theme that runs through the chapter – what being a disciple means.
Let’s have a look a the main theme each of these sections.
V1-6 – the 12 have been with Jesus and now he sends them out – to preach about the kingdom, to heal the sick, the set people free from demons and to rely on God’s provision. Disciples are people who are sent into the world.
SENT.
V7-9. We learn about john the Baptist’s death. This points to the cost of being a disciple – to follow in the footstep of Jesus asks much. We see this challenge of cost again at the end of the chapter – v57-end.
COST.
V10-17 – PRAXIS – I see this as ‘Putting into practice what you know’’ – the situation they face – feeding – Jesus ‘’you feed them’’ – inviting them after all they have seen and heard and done, put into practice what you have learned. Not meant to be dams storing up, but rivers flowing…
V18-20 – WHO – who do you say I am – who do you think you are following as a Christian? Who is Jesus?
V21-27 – CRUCIFORMITY – The CROSS. Jesus predicts his own suffering and then he talks about how his disciples are to be ready to suffer as they follow him. This is called in theological terms – Cruciformity. We follow Jesus. Who is Jesus? He is Lord, Teacher, Saviour, but he is a crucified risen lord, teacher, saviour. We are in Christ and so our lives will reflect the costs of discipleship.
V46-48 – SERVANT – the heart of a disciple – not power, ambition, influence – but to be a servant… which again is an imitation of Christ the great servant king.
V49-50 – WELCOME – these people may not be of the same group, yet these people are followers of Jesus and doing the stuff as Wimber said. Welcome them – even if they aren’t from your clan, group for they are too honouring and serving Jesus.
V51-55 – LOVE – love for enemies. Not judgement and fire. Jesus does not say ‘’love your enemies here’’ but clearly he isn’t impressed by what James and John suggest.
V57-end – COST
We began with being sent; we end with COST – each to evaluate how much to costs to follow Jesus faithfully. The cost to put him first; the costs asked of us; the cost to keep him the main thing – not to be looking back as you plough the field.
SENT
COST
PRAXIS
WHO
CROSS – CRUCIFORMITY
SERVANT
WELCOME
LOVE
Part 2 – SPIRITUALITY.
I want to focus upon the Transfiguration. It is roughly at the centre of the chapter and I believe it teaches us about the spirituality of a disciple. We can think about lifestyle, what we do as a disciples, but what about the spirituality of a disciple?
Spirituality of a disciple.
It has been said – nicely summed up by JM Comer – as disciples we are called to be with Jesus, to become like Jesus and to do what he did.
He went up the mountain to pray.
When I was at university, we had a university mission and for that autumn we had specially designed gospels provided – gospels of luke – which we offered to people or were to pass onto those interested to know more about Jesus.
If you had never read anything about Jesus – as you read Luke you see he is a man of prayer. There is prayer at his baptism, he prays all night before choosing the 12, there is prayer as we heard, before he asks ‘’who do people say I am’’, he went up on the mountain to pray and was transfigured, in Holy Week he shares he has prayed for Peter as denial and Satan’s attacks will come; he prays on the Mount of Olives in Gethsemane, he prays on the cross ‘’father forgive them for they know not what they are doing’’ and his final recorded words are a prayer – father into your hands I commit my spirit.’’ No wonder in Luke 11 – we will hear that in a couple of weeks – the disciples ask him ‘’teach us to pray’’’- the only teaching they asked of him, not how to preach, evangelise, give, or read the scriptures, but ‘’teach us how to pray…’’
To do what he did… to be a disciple, we have a pattern of personal prayer.
The Appearance of his face changed – Revelation of Jesus.
Reading through Luke, was every day with Jesus something new, another eye opener. Like when you go to a new country in a continent or part of the world you have never been, every day is something new. Here there is something new – Jesus shown in all his glory. I mean what an eight days – new revelation when Jesus asks ‘’who you say I am ‘’ and he confirms ‘’the Christ, the Messiah, of God.’’ And then further revelation, a Messiah but a suffering Messiah who will suffer, die, be raised… and then further – glory on the mountain!
Revelation – John in his 80s, receives new fresh revelation. He, sees a glorified Jesus in Rev 1 – a new revelation. And then in the heavenly throne room, Jesus – revealed as a Lion and a Lamb and how heaven responds to that…
I believe new or deeper revelations of Jesus is part of the Christian life. As we spend time with Jesus, as we get to know him. It may not be dramatic but insights, understandings.
I believe Jesus is inviting us each of us into a deeper, closer walk with him – he could have gone up the mountain alone – but he invites James, John and Peter to go up with him… and part of that closer walk will mean new or deeper revelations about Jesus… I believe our understanding of Jesus is not meant to remain static but a changing developing one… Revelation.
Master it is good for us to be here, let us build… Desire.
Peter did not know what he was saying. I guess we have all been in that place – speechless or we end ups saying all sorts of stuff when we don’t know what to say… And yet. I wonder if those words flowed from something deep within.
Why did he say that? He wanted to preserve the moment. And that is very natural isn’t it. We want to revisit special moments. I’ve just come back from New Wine, and a Christian conference – like that or a youth camp – you can find yourself wanting it to go on – maybe not forever but a bit longer. I heard that recently from a church member who said in the service – they just wanted to keep on singing a few more songs…
I think I like Peter’s desire. He knows this is special. He wants to continue it. This about desire. Do I long for more! Lectio 365 a week ago used an opening prayer –
Great and glorious King, I draw near to you today.
Awaken my heart to behold you – show me your glory.
Let me grow in wonder of who you are – show me your glory
May gratitude overlflow for all that you do – show me your glory
Remind me of your presence throughout this day – show me your glory.
A great prayer. Desire.
A voice came from the cloud. Encounter with God.
Peter and the others know what a supernatural cloud can mean and in that cloud they encounter him.
I want to suggest in our spirituality as disciples, we are to expect an encounter with God from time to time. The God up there becomes the God down here. He comes close. I think this can take many forms. It may be through the word – a verse or story grabs us, convicts us, that is me – I am the man! – The encounter can be through being prayed for, or it can be a corporate experience, in a service, in a room, where there is a strong sense of God’s presence. It isn’t something that is stirred up or created – rather it is God coming to us, by his Spirit. His initiative and grace. Again in Revelation – John is in prayer – in the Spirit – and then the meeting with Jesus – and the words and visions. It was something he did every day or more times a day and yet in that prayer time…
I simply want to say – as a disciples, we want to be open – yes we can long for but it is His initiative – to encounter the living God… Encounter
‘’This is my Son, whom I have chosen, listen to him.’’
It must have been such a memorable moment – God speaks and tells these disciples – listen to Jesus. They are things they still need to learn about who Jesus is. He is not the same as Moses or Elijah he is truly unique and that uniqueness matters. Listen to him.
This reminds us – what is a disciple – someone who is with Jesus – and if we spend time with Jesus we want to listen to what he has to say. It is helpful to remember what a Jewish vision of a disciple was: it could be summarised by Luke 10. It says ‘’Mary sat at the Lord’s feet listening.’’ Now to ‘’sit a rabbi’s feet’’ – was a Hebrew way of saying ‘’they were living as a disciple of that person.’’ So the image of being a disciple – to be his apprentice – is to sit under Jesus voice – to listen.
To sit at Jesus feet – means to immerse our mind, our imagination in the scriptures as often as we can.
And that word ‘’listening’’ in Luke 10 – the Greek is about – an ongoing action – not a one off. So for Mary – she ‘’continually listened to what he said.’’ So to be a disciple of Jesus – we continually sit before him, listening…
Of course, to listen for his voice has other elements – how he speaks through the counsel of saints, through supernatural words etc by the Spirit as shown in Revelation, through circumstances, through common sense… We will focus more on those elements of God speaking, in a Teaching Day in November.
But the daily food for a disciple is to listen to him – like Mary – sit before him, as we read the word, listening for his voice… Remember our aim when we read the bible isn’t to master it ultimately, but to be mastered by Jesus through his word. When we read the bible our goal isn’t about information – ie learn more about the bible – it is formation- to read it, so we are formed into people who are increasingly like Jesus.
Finally. When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone.
They are in the cloud, the voice speaks, and the cloud disappears and all they can see, is Jesus…
What a great image for these three and for discipleship. As a disciple we daily, seek to Fix your eyes on Jesus…
Hebrews later puts it memorably – 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2
Nothing more needs to be said!
Conclusion.
So I think there are 6 things to reflect upon about spirituality as a disciple:
Our prayer life
Ongoing new or deeper Revelation of Jesus
What do we desire as disciples
Encountering God
Listening to him as a disciple – sitting at his feet
Fix your eyes on Jesus. Shall we pray…