Well, last Sunday we heard about how Jesus began to shift his attention towards Jerusalem and the people living in the towns and cities around it.
We heard about how Jesus was not welcomed by the people of one town in Samaria.
And we heard Jesus talk about the commitment required to be one of his disciples.
We're going to pick up the story here in Luke chapter 10, starting in verse 1.
Let me just read the first number of verses here for us.
For the worker deserves his wages.
Do not move around from house to house.
When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.
Heal the sick who are there and tell them the kingdom of God has come near to you.
But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,
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.
So Jesus sends out this large group of disciples to the towns and places that he is soon to visit.
And as we talked about last week, the bulk of Jesus' ministry has been focused up in the north, in Galilee.
But now he has his focus set on Jerusalem, where he will end up.
And on the people in the towns and the cities that are around Jerusalem.
And Jesus intends to visit many of these towns as part of his journey towards Jerusalem.
And so these guys that he's sending out are kind of, in a sense, preparing the way for him.
They're not going ahead just to find places for Jesus to stay, though.
This is more than just logistics.
These guys are coming to each of these towns to begin the work of Jesus there, on his behalf.
If you were here on January 18th, you might feel some deja vu as we read about this ministry trip.
That's because this is the second ministry trip where Jesus sends guys out to visit towns.
The first one we read about just in the previous chapter, Luke chapter 9.
And there's some major similarities between these two trips.
In both cases, the guys that Jesus sends out are to travel light, taking almost nothing with them.
In both cases, they're to rely on God to provide for their needs as they go from town to town.
In both cases, they're given authority by Jesus to cast out demons and to heal people who are sick.
In both of these trips, they're to proclaim the message of the kingdom of God.
And Jesus gives specific instructions about what to do if the people don't respond well or if they reject them.
But there's also some differences between these two trips.
And that's what we'll focus on this morning with this second trip.
We've already mentioned the difference in location.
One in the north, one in the south.
But there's also the difference of who goes on this trip.
Who is sent.
On the first trip, Jesus sent the twelve apostles.
But on this second trip, we read that he is sending 72 others.
And that word, others, quite specific in the original language.
It means different than the ones already mentioned.
And so these 72, it seems, did not include the twelve.
The Lord appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.
Now some of you might be staring at your Bible and wondering why the number is not 72 and is 70.
This is one of those places.
You might even have a footnote that explains at the bottom of the page.
Some manuscripts have 70 or some have 72.
Basically, we don't have the original document that Luke penned.
We have copies that were made of that.
And our earliest copy is too fragmented to even read it at this place.
And the copies that we have later, well, we see both of these readings in them.
And so some, where's along the line, somebody either left out the word two after 70.
Or maybe added it in accidentally as he was looking down at the wrong line.
Because the number two is mentioned a couple times here in this verse.
Scholars and people who do these kinds of things, they look at the evidence.
They try to weigh it, all the different manuscript copies that we have.
And they're not sure which is the right number.
This shouldn't worry us too much.
We believe that the true number was on Luke's page as he wrote it down.
And it was either 70 or 72.
But some things have been lost to us 2,000 years later.
We should also maybe note that this is why our modern English translations are updated from time to time.
Committees of scholars sit down as new manuscripts are discovered.
And they continue to catalog them.
Sometimes we're able to settle these questions with confidence.
And look back on them and yeah, we know for sure this is the number that it was.
But these variants are relatively few.
And they have very little bearing on the overall meaning of the text.
In the places where they occur.
Either way, this is a big difference from the previous time that Jesus sent men out.
The first trip was 12.
This one is about 70.
And different men.
So put your imagination cap on here for a minute.
Can you imagine what it would be like if within a relatively short period of time,
two guys sent from the same man started showing up in cities and towns all over our province?
Traveling in pairs.
This means that once they branched off down the roads,
there would be about 35 different locations all receiving this message of the kingdom
and seeing miracles being done in Jesus' name.
All on the same day.
35 different locations across the region.
All witnessing healings and hearing two guys preaching about the kingdom of God in Jesus' name
and how it has come near.
This would have stirred the whole nation.
No wonder the religious leaders of the Jews were worried that everyone would believe in Jesus
if they let Jesus go on like this.
No wonder they cried out in frustration while the crowds listened to Jesus with delight in the temple courts saying,
See?
This is getting us nowhere.
The whole world has gone after him.
Jesus is stirring the nation in a very short period of time.
His good news of the kingdom of God is making its way into every home.
The people are talking at the dinner table about the miracles that they have witnessed.
And this is happening all across the nation.
As Jesus sends them out on this trip,
we notice that some of his instructions are different than we heard earlier in chapter 9.
It's possible that Jesus said the same kinds of things on both occasions,
but Luke gives us a little bit more here with the sending of the 72.
Jesus, we notice, uses this analogy of bringing in the harvest.
In verse 2,
The harvest is plentiful, he says,
but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,
to send out workers into his harvest field.
So Jesus seems to be saying here that many will respond to the message.
Many will believe in Jesus in these towns
when these two guys come to each town to preach.
There's about to be a great multiplication of the followers of Jesus.
The harvest is plentiful.
And it seems from Jesus' words that there's just not going to be enough of them
to bring in the harvest.
Think of all the questions that people might ask
as these two guys show up.
But there's just two of them,
and they're being probably swarmed by a whole bunch of people.
He tells these 70 to pray
and ask God to send out more workers.
Then Jesus gives another analogy,
telling about the danger that they will face.
He says,
Go, I'm sending you out like lambs among wolves.
So many will believe,
but many will have the opposite reaction.
Not just indifference,
but opposition.
These guys will roll into town,
and some will be ready to tear them apart
as they leave.
These disciples will arrive in peace
with a message of peace.
With no weapons of any kind,
they will be like lambs,
and many will meet them with mocking
and insults
and even threats.
Maybe this is part of why Jesus instructed them
to travel light.
They needed to be ready to leave
if the welcome wears out
when the wolves gather round.
We notice in verse 4
that they're not to take a purse
or bag or sandals.
These instructions are similar
to the ones given to the 12 in chapter 9.
They were to take no money,
no backpack,
no extra footwear.
And here Jesus says,
Do not greet anyone on the road.
We might think that's kind of odd.
This is not a command to be unfriendly
or to ignore people.
But often,
when we greet someone,
what happens?
We start talking.
It can often turn into a long conversation.
That one thing needed at the grocery store
turns into an hour away
from the hungry family
that's waiting at home for it.
Jesus doesn't want them
to stop and talk on the roads
because this mission is urgent.
He wants them to do their talking,
their preaching
in the towns,
in the hearing of everyone.
He's basically telling them
to keep on moving,
stay focused on the mission.
Just as with the first trip,
they're to stay at only one house.
Traveling preachers of other varieties
would often go house to house
and try to get as much
from the people as they could.
And Jesus wants his men
to stand apart from them.
This isn't for personal gain.
He does allow them, however,
to receive hospitality
and food and lodging
as their wages
for the work that they're doing
from one house in the town.
And just as with the previous trip,
they are to proclaim
the message of the kingdom of God
that Jesus has been preaching.
Specifically,
that the kingdom of God
has come near.
In other words,
the things which God promised
long ago to our forefathers
are being fulfilled today.
We come in the name of Jesus.
And they were to heal the sick
in each town.
The miracles of healing
in Jesus' name
served to confirm the message
that they preached.
This message comes with
the power of God.
And not only did they heal,
but they also cast demons out.
We read about that in verse 17,
which we won't get to today,
but you can glance down there
and see about that.
Jesus also gives them
a fuller explanation
in this sending moment
than the previous trip
if the town rejects them.
We heard in the previous time
they're to shake the dust
off their feet.
This time we read
it's the same sort of thing.
When you enter a town
and are not welcomed,
go into its streets
and say,
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.
The shaking of the dust,
if you weren't here
in the previous message,
was an act of completely
disassociating oneself
from the people of that town.
It was like saying,
then I will have no part of you.
Not even a little bit.
And again,
this is not a vindictive thing
or a thing done in frustration
by the apostles
or an attempt to try
to get the last word
or to insult.
Jesus is the one
telling his messengers
to say this
if they are not welcomed.
And they represent
Jesus himself.
They have been sent
by him.
And therefore,
if Jesus commands them
to do that,
it's really Jesus saying
to the people of that town,
since you will not
listen to me
and repent,
I cannot claim you
as my own.
And you cannot claim me
as your own.
There is now
a complete separation
between us.
I withdraw my messengers
and I leave you
to face God's judgment
without me.
Now that's a very
sobering thing.
But Jesus makes it clear
here in verse 16.
Whoever listens to you
listens to me.
Whoever rejects you
rejects me.
But whoever rejects me
rejects him
who sent me.
So,
rejecting any of these
pairs of guys
when they come to town
is a rejection
of Jesus.
Even more than that,
it is a rejection
of God himself
who sent Jesus.
This is their chance
to turn to God
and to be made
right with him.
And Jesus wants
every town
who rejects him
to know that.
This is it.
And Jesus explains
here
in great detail
what will be
for those towns,
those people
who reject him.
There will be
a greater punishment
on the day of judgment,
he says,
than there will be
for some of the
wicked cities
in ancient history.
Look at verse 12.
Jesus says,
I tell you,
it will be more
bearable on that day
for Sodom
than for that town.
Now,
these are shocking words.
But they help us
realize the seriousness
of this moment
for all the people
living in these towns
back then.
This was it.
This was their opportunity
to hear the good news
of God
and to repent
and believe.
This was their chance
to be saved
from the punishment
deserved
for their sins.
Sodom, of course,
was known
for its terrible wickedness.
You could read about that
in Genesis.
It was destroyed
by fire from heaven.
And yet,
Jesus says
that the people
of Sodom
will fare better
at the judgment
than the towns
that rejected him.
The ancient cities
of Tyre
and Sidon
were also
wicked cities
known for
their evil deeds.
And Jesus says this.
He says,
Woe to you,
Chorazin,
verse 13.
Woe to you,
Bethsaida.
Those are both
towns in Galilee.
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.
But it will be
more bearable
for Tyre and Sidon
at the judgment
than for you.
These are shocking words.
He's basically saying
that the people
of Tyre and Sidon,
they would have
repented
if they witnessed
the miracles
that Jesus did
in Bethsaida
and Chorazin.
They had more,
in a sense,
spiritual discernment
in their day.
This truly was
a generation
more
unbelieving
and corrupt
than previous generations.
And then comes
the hardest
and most stinging
rebuke of all.
These are some hard words.
Verse 15.
Jesus says,
And you,
Capernaum,
will you be lifted
to the heavens?
No.
You will go down
to Hades.
Capernaum was a place
Jesus lived for a while.
It was his hometown
for a part of his
time here on earth.
It was the place
where Peter was from,
where his mother-in-law
who fell ill
was healed.
It was that fishing town
on the shore of Galilee.
And it was the place
where we read about
in all the Gospels.
Jesus did countless
miracles there.
Healings of all kinds.
Every kind of illness,
disease,
disability.
Many evil spirits
were driven out of people
there in Capernaum.
And all these people
saw it.
And yet Jesus says,
Even after witnessing
all that,
you will go down
to Hades.
to hell.
Why?
Because just having
Jesus live among you
isn't enough.
Having Jesus
preach in your streets
isn't enough.
Having him perform
many miracles
among you
isn't enough.
You must repent.
You must turn back
to God.
You must welcome
Jesus
and believe
the message
that he brings
because he is sent
from God.
Though Jesus
lived there
and did all those
wonderful things
there in Capernaum,
they rejected Jesus
on the whole.
And Jesus says,
they will go down
to Hades.
One commentary
I think explains
some of this
very well.
Cities that reject
these messengers
will have a more
severe judgment
because more
and greater
revelation
has come to them
making their sin
worse.
They witnessed
with their own eyes
the miracles
that Jesus
and these apostles
did and yet
they still rejected him.
And so Jesus says
that when the day
of judgment comes
they will be judged
appropriately.
They will get
the punishment
reserved
for those
who blatantly
and defiantly
push God's
Son away.
And again,
this is not
Jesus being
vindictive
by any means.
This is God
giving
what is deserved.
True
justice.
Jesus.
Well,
how did this
ministry trip
go
for these
70 guys?
We're going to
look at that
next week.
Jesus actually
debriefs the trip
with them
and there's
conversation
about it.
For today
though,
let's just
think about
what some
of these
things that
we've heard
how this
applies to us.
When it
comes to this
passage,
probably the
first place
we go in
our minds
is how
we should
be like
these
apostles
and go
out and
share the
good news
of the
kingdom.
The harvest
is plentiful
but the
workers are
few
is the
classic
Bible verse
used to
call people
to participate
in missionary
work.
Others,
as they look
at these
verses,
see a
pattern to
follow in
going from
place to
place,
sometimes even
in pairs
to preach
the gospel.
And there's
many questions
stirred up
by this
passage.
Is the
harvest still
plentiful
today?
What about
all those
missionaries
that have
gone out
and preached
for years
with very
little response?
What about
all the times
that we've
shared with
friends and
neighbors and
co-workers but
they don't
seem to
care?
Is the
harvest still
plentiful
today?
One thing
that
probably most
agree on
is that
the workers
are still
few.
What does
Jesus want
us to do
with this
passage?
Did he
want it to
become the
template or
the pattern
for how we
reach out
and do
ministry in
our world
today?
Does he
want us to
go out
two by
two?
Does he
want us to
travel light
going from
place to
place and
only staying
at one
house?
Or are
those
instructions
just for
this time
for these
particular
men and
this
particular
trip?
I wonder
if we get
so focused
on the
apostles and
what they
did and
whether we
should be
doing what
they did
that we
miss the
main truth
of the
whole
moment.
Isn't the
main truth
of this
moment in
the story
of Jesus
that the
king has
come,
that his
kingdom is
near,
that salvation
and forgiveness
of sins is
offered to
those who
repent and
believe God's
good news.
And yet the
sobering truth
of this passage
is that while
many accepted
Jesus,
many flat
out rejected
him.
We see those
two opposite
responses in
the towns of
Galilee and in
Judah.
Some welcomed
him.
They welcomed
the men that
he sent.
Others rejected
him, didn't
even let him
come into the
town.
We have that
same choice
before us,
each one of
us.
We can
welcome Jesus
and listen
to him
or we
can push
him away.
But Jesus
wants us to
know that if
we reject
him, we
reject God
who sent
him.
And so I
think the
big question
that this
passage really
leads us to
in this moment
in the story
is what is
your response
to Jesus?
As his
words come
to the door
of your
heart,
what is your
response to
him?
Have you
opened the
door of your
heart to
Jesus?
Have you
welcomed him
in?
Do you
accept even
his difficult
words about
you?
About how
we all have
sinned against
God?
Do you
accept his
words about
how you need
to turn back
to God and
seek his
forgiveness?
Do you
believe Jesus'
message of
the kingdom
that it's
near,
that it's
coming?
Do you
believe Jesus'
words about
hell?
And how
those who
reject him
will go
there?
What is your
response to
Jesus?
For others,
the big
question of
this passage
is not
whether we
should do
as the
apostles did,
but maybe
the question
is how
can a
loving God
bring judgment
on people
and punish
them with
hell?
That word,
that gets
to us.
I read an
article earlier
this week about
how some have
embraced an
alternative,
progressive
Christianity,
and the
author of that
article said
that the
critical issue
is how we
define love.
He said
progressive
Christians tend
to hear the
word love
and define it
primarily as
compassion,
empathy,
and understanding,
which then
becomes
affirmation,
tolerance,
and acceptance.
But he
says by that
definition,
any moral
boundary imposed
on somebody
starts to
feel
unloving.
He says
that's not
the biblical
definition of
love.
The biblical
definition of
love is more
than just an
emotion.
It's in the
words of
Aquinas,
a conscious
decision to
will the good
of the
other,
which sometimes
means saying
the hard
thing and
not the
comfortable
thing.
For example,
no one would
look at an
80-pound
anorexic girl
who believes
she's overweight
and say the
loving thing is
to affirm
that.
We all
understand that
sometimes the
most loving
thing that you
can do is to
refuse to
affirm what
someone genuinely
believes about
themselves,
because affirming
that might
destroy them.
He says
anyone who's
loved an
addict knows
that removing
every boundary
doesn't set
someone free.
It just
removes the
only things
that might
have saved
them.
It's a
prison with
no walls,
a place where
you can wander
anywhere but
no one can
ever tell you
you've gone
the wrong
way.
Well, I
think those
words are
very thought
provoking.
Progressive
Christians are
right that
love is
compassion and
it is empathy
and it is
understanding.
But real
love is more.
It has those
things but real
love also
strongly desires
the good of
the other.
So much that
it's willing to
speak the hard
but needed
truth in order
to save the
other or spare
them from harm.
the reality
of our lives
as human
beings is that
we have all
sinned against
God.
We have all
become corrupt
and bent
and broken
by sin
and God
is perfectly
good and
righteous and
just and he
because he is
those things
must give us
what we deserve.
If he didn't
he would be
corrupt.
In order to
be completely
good you
must love
what is good
and you
must hate
what is evil.
You must
oppose what
is evil.
God is
completely
good and
we by our
sins have
become not
good.
We have
become evil
sinners and
so we are
deserving of
punishment.
That's part of
the message of
Christ too.
And yet
God's mercy
and love for
us is so
great that he
wants none of
us to get what
we deserve from
him.
He sent Jesus
down into our
world to save
us.
Down into our
world to live
among us.
To take the
punishment that
we deserve
upon himself
so that
justice could
be done for
our sins
without us
facing it
ourselves.
But to
receive this
gift of
grace we
must do as
Jesus said
and repent.
We must
welcome him.
We must
listen to his
words.
We must turn
to God and
seek his
forgiveness.
We must
acknowledge our
sins to him.
And so
Jesus coming
and sending
his apostles
through the
land with
this message
of good
news.
Even with
those words
of warning
for those
who reject
that is
the most
loving thing
that God
can do.
He is
refusing to
affirm what
we genuinely
believe about
ourselves
which is that
we can be
okay if we
ignore God
and just keep
on sinning.
He's refusing
to affirm what
we genuinely
believe about
ourselves because
affirming that
would lead
to our
destruction.
Real love
speaks the
truth even
when it's
not what
we want to
hear.
And Jesus
always did
that because
he really
truly loves
us.
And so it
pushes us
back to that
first question.
What is your
response to
Jesus?
Welcome
rejection.
Welcome
to the
Lord.
Or rejection.
Let's pray.
Lord, these are
not the words
that we like
to hear.
Some of us
may even feel
embarrassed to
hear some of
these words in
public spoken
aloud.
But these
are your words
to us
through your
son who
you sent.
and I pray
that we
would take
them to
heart and
that you
would make
us first
of all stop
and ask that
question to
ourselves before
you of where
we stand with
you.
May every one
of us bow
before you,
acknowledge the
sins that we
have done,
not just once
but continually,
and may we
follow you.
May we
believe in
your son.
And we
ask too that
you would
make us wise
with these
words,
Lord,
so that as
we look out
at the
world around
us and
our
relationships,
our friends,
our family
who don't
know you,
make us
wise.
Teach us
about how
we can
relate to
them.
Give us
courage,
give us
boldness,
help us not
to affirm
them and
they're walking
away from
you.
Give us
what we
need to
be salt
and light
and to
speak the
truth in
love.
We ask
for this
in your
name.
Amen.