The stories in today’s reading amount to a masterclass in spiritual empowerment. The disciples found themselves helpless against a demon. They were presumably humiliated by this because they had recently come upon a man driving out demons in Jesus’ name (vs.49) and had told him to stop, citing their own exclusive prerogative to do such things. Jesus then gives them a lesson in true greatness. Humility is the key. Self-sacrifice is the expression. These together will destroy the forces of evil in the world. The disciples only knew of one sort of greatness, the kind by which a person conquers other people. So, when Jesus spoke of being “delivered into the hands of men,” they were perplexed. He tried to explain to them that true spiritual power is found in humility and self-sacrifice, but they were still slow to get the point. When they were rejected by some Samaritans, traditional enemies of the Jews, the disciples felt that this was a clear opportunity to exercise spiritual power and destroy them with fire from heaven. They got a sharp rebuke for this. But at least they were still following Jesus. That is more than most would do. As they followed him, Jesus would make them “fit for service in the kingdom of God”. The next story sees them doing better (10:17). And as Luke goes on to show in his second book (Acts) they would eventually wield extraordinary spiritual power. In the meantime, they would be crushed into humble and helpless men. This would be their path to true greatness.
Reflect on this in the face of whatever challenge you may be facing right now.
Read Luke 9:37-62
