They Kept It Close to Their Heart

  Scripture For The Day

December 9, 2023

"They Kept It Close To Their Heart" 

Luke 9 part 1 

Up until this point, Jesus was doing all the work Himself, while the disciples were listening and learning. Now Jesus gives them all the authority and power over all devils and diseases and then sends them out to preach and to heal. They were to take nothing with them and if they weren’t received well they were to shake the dust off their feet and move on. News of Jesus and His disciples got back to Herod the Tetrarch (highest level of government). He was upset because some people were saying that John the Baptist had risen from the dead and Herod was the one who had John beheaded.  He wanted to see this Jesus. In the meantime, the apostles had returned from their mission and Jesus took them by themselves into a desert. But the people heard about it and followed them. Jesus didn’t turn them away. He never turns us away and He began preaching and healing. Soon, the day was drawing close and the disciples told Jesus that He needed to send the crowd away so they could go into the nearby towns and sleep and eat since they were in a desert. But Jesus said, “Give them something to eat” We know this story. There were over 5000 people and Jesus took five loaves and two fishes and Blessed them and they multiplied enough to feed everyone as well as leaving twelve baskets full of leftovers. Jesus provides. At one point, Jesus removed Himself from the crowd as He did so very often, to pray and commune with The Father. The disciples were with Him and He asked “Who do the people say I am?” “John the Baptist”, and “Elijah” were just some of their answers. “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answers “The Christ of God”. And Jesus immediately commanded them to tell no one for it was not yet time. There was much to do. If anyone will follow Jesus, we have to deny ourselves and take up the cross daily and follow Him. every single day. It’s not an easy life. It can be tough. But a relationship with Jesus makes up for all of the junk.  ‘For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Eight days after Jesus spoke those words to His disciples, He took Peter, James, and John alone and went up to a mountain to pray. As He prayed, a Light began shining all over Jesus. This is known as the Transfiguration.  While there, He spoke with two men (Moses and Elijah) who appeared in glory and spoke to Jesus about His upcoming death and all that would happen in Jerusalem. While this was going on Peter, James, and John had fallen into a heavy sleep. When they woke up they saw His Glory and the two men with Him.  When they departed, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, let us make three tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah: “ He didn’t clearly understand. But the moment He spoke those words, A cloud, overshadowed them and they became afraid and they walked into the cloud. A voice spoke out of the cloud saying “This is my Beloved Son: Hear Him” And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept this close to their heart and told no one what they had seen.