Jesus sends out ambassadors, sheep among wolves, whether 70 or 72, it appears he has enough followers to pick a sizable group to begin expanding the ministry. This commissioning is only recorded in Luke, perhaps this is just Luke’s bias (as the author of Acts). The warnings are just as relevant today!
Luke 10:1-16Thoughts about serving others
This link includes a list of posts about Serving the Least, the Lost, and the Lonely.
My prayer is for you to join me on this journey. Subscribe to this blog below to get an email when a new post is available.
Let the Word evoke words. May your life encourage lives.
Go! Jesus commissions this group of representatives to leave the comfort of being with him and head out into the world. His commissioning discourse is one we reflect on when talking to those who seek to start new churches, church planters. Don’t start on this journey if you aren’t able to take criticism! Jesus offers some comfort, mixed with a warning:
This isn’t going to be easy, but it is important. At first glance, I thought the phrase, “do not greet anyone on the road” was a bit odd, sound unfriendly, but the notes provide some explanation–don’t be distracted. I can imagine that there would be many opportunities to wander from the road and meander. Pilgrim’s Progress comes to mind (and stories like that) where the protagonist is so easily distracted from their main mission that they lose their way, or at least get diverted. Jesus wants them to stay on task, to prepare the villages and towns ahead of him.
Heal the sick and preach the Gospel. This is truly compelling. Jesus expects them to scatter and continue his ministry of healing and preaching. In the next post we’ll check out how they did.
Words of comfort we all need to hear as we do the work of spreading the Gospel. It’s serious work and the stakes are high. Rejecting Jesus has devastating results. It’s important that we take this mission seriously.