Luke 10:1-20 NIV
10 After this the
Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead
of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He
told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are
few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his
harvest field. 3 Go!
I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not
greet anyone on the road.
5 “When you enter a house,
first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If
someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it
will return to you. 7 Stay
there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his
wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8 “When you enter a town and
are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The
kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go
into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even
the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be
sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day
for Sodom than for that town.
13 “Woe to
you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were
performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented
long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at
the judgment than for you. 15 And
you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to
Hades.
16 “Whoever listens to you
listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects
him who sent me.”
17 The
seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to
us in your name.”
18 He
replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on
snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing
will harm you. 20 However,
do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are
written in heaven.”
Urgent
The
Perean-Judean journey that we spoke of in the last session of “Pointing To
Jesus” continues. Jesus teaches us, by extension, once again this week, about
the Plan God has for the early church as well as the church of today. Last
week, Jesus showed us, through His very own example how we need determination
with God’s call and plan in our lives. This week’s passage teaches us. As disciples,
through a trip out into the world. A trip to proclaim the Gospel of how God
offers healing, forgiveness, and love. Jesus sends out His disciples to walk in
the faith God has richly and freely supplied, to go out into the world in
determination, mission, and boldness to meet and greet those God sets before
them, with a proclamation that the Kingdom of God is near in Jesus.
The purpose of
this was to prepare people for the Advent of Jesus, the Messiah, as He goes to
His death on the cross. A death FOR ALL, even Samaritans and Gentiles. Jesus
death was not ONLY for Jews, but for ALL. This was an important work of Love.
Jesus and His
disciples are leaving the region of Galilee.
Right from the
start we deal with the number 72, or as other sources use, 70. There are all
sorts of number games here. Some look at 70 as the number of elders of Moses,
some look to a number in the Sanhedrin, others look at Genesis 10 as the
nations of the world at that time, even something about Elim and an oasis of 12
wells and 70 palm trees, from Exodus. But really, for me, Jesus sent out a
bunch of His disciples with a mission and a purpose to proclaim just how close
the Kingdom of God was to them in what Jesus was about to do in going to the
cross.
Preaching the
Kingdom of God IS IMPORTANT and URGENT. People who accept the Gospel, accept
salvation and the forgiveness God offers. Likewise, those who reject the Gospel
are choosing, on their own, judgment and death.
Yes, the
Kingdom of God is near and IS NOW, no matter how long history goes on. These
sent disciples are confronting the world with the alternatives to accept the
Gospel OR choose death. You see, God gives life, BUT, YOU CAN choose to not
accept life.
In this case
as well as others throughout time, people ARE ready for the message of the
Gospel, if they can be reached. And that’s what we are to do, in the church
today… reach people with the Gospel of God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus
death, resurrection and ascension.
Yet, disciples
must be cautioned. If you think your actions of proclaiming the Gospel through
word and deed, raises you up to heaven; well then look out! If you raise
yourself to heaven, YOU WILL, be cast into hell. This preaching the Gospel IS
NOT about you, it IS about God’s gift of life to all the world.
As these sent
disciples came back to report to Jesus, the satisfaction IS NOT in what they
did or have done. The satisfaction is in belonging to God AND being used to
give life to the world through the forgiveness God gives which grants LIFE
eternal. YOU WILL ALWAYS stand in the need of God’s mercy and love yourself.
But as Jesus
reflects, this sending IS SUCCESS. A new age has started.
So, what’s our
take? With determination and URGENCY, God sends His Church into the world to
proclaim what God has done to forgive and grant LIFE to everyone… today…
tomorrow… and forever. Thanks be to God!
Enjoy this YouTube Video that puts to word and music the Gospel...
