Luke For All Series
July 2 & 3 – Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 - “Road trip”
July 9 & 10 – Luke 10:25-37 - “Being a Good Neighbor”
July 16 & 17 – Luke 10:38-42 - “At Home with Mary & Martha.”
July 23 & 24 – Luke 11:1-13 - “Teach us to pray”
July 30 & 31 – Luke 12:13-21 - “Parable of the Rich Fool”
Devotional
Luke 10:1-11,16-20
Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two
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.’
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.”
Jesus is resolutely headed to Jerusalem. They have encountered a bit of rejection and confusion about the cost and nature of being a disciple. Jesus gives clarifying rebukes and teaching. Now he decides to send out many new “advance” teams of disciples to prepare for his journey. Jesus realizes that much opportunity exists, “the harvest is plentiful...” but that more than 72 will be needed to accomplish God’s mission to the world. That 72 are sent is also a reference to a list of all the countries in the world in Genesis 10.
Jesus is sending them out into a dangerous and conflicted world as “Lambs among wolves.” Jesus knows that the world opposes his mission and that the wolves are ravenous and dangerous. Rather than equip disciples with special personal skills or powers, Jesus “de-equips” them as they cannot take anything for personal defense or even support. WHY?
So, disciples are forced to rely upon their personal faith relationship with Jesus. Jesus will equip them with all they need. They are to bring the PEACE of God’s Kingdom into every situation. That is the point of all the rest of the instructions about how to enter a house, what to eat, and how to live. Disciples are to 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ To heal is only possible by the power of God. Disciples are equipped and in ministry as disciples declare and rely on the presence of the Kingdom of God.
How does this mission go? 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Jesus already knows of their successes and celebrates with them. Not only because of the effectiveness of their mission and harvest, but because of how the disciples conducted themselves as they faced wolves, lack of resources, poor food or accommodations, and hostile encounters as they entered various communities. The disciples remained committed to their charge and proclamation. There is no report of how many people responded other than the joy of the returning disciples and Jesus’ recognition of their efforts. I believe those most profoundly affected by the mission trip was the 72 who were sent. Jesus said to them, 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” The reward for faithful ministry is to have your name written in heaven.
Mother Teresa has written;
The work we do is only our love for Jesus in action. And that action is our wholehearted and free service - the gift of the poorest of the poor - to Christ in the distressing disguise of the poor.
If we pray the work…
If we do it to Jesus
If we do it for Jesus
If we do it with Jesus
That’s what makes us content.
From Words to Love By by Mother Teresa
Blessings,
Pastor Tom
