I read
the passage of Jesus sending out the seventy-two in Luke 10 again recently. As I
read this passage I was stunned that I didn’t see a phrase before. “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.” (Luke 10:1 – NIV) Did you catch it?
Jesus
sent these disciples to prepare the towns and villages for His arrival. They went
before Jesus to share a message of hope with the lost and hurting of their
world. They were sharing that these towns and villages could anticipate a
wonderful experience when Jesus arrived. That was what the seventy-two were
sent ahead to do.
But
Jesus didn’t send these men into the world without a message or without
instruction. Jesus continued for fifteen more verses with these instructions.
Let’s see what Jesus told them.
Jesus
began His instruction with a verse you’ll recognize. “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the
harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Luke 10:2
– NIV) Jesus’ first instruction was to pray that God would send willing hearts
to work.
Jesus’
next instructions were for them not take anything with them or speak to people
along the road. “Do not take a purse or
bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.” (Luke 10:4 – NIV) I believe
Jesus wanted these disciples to understand God’s provision. That when they were
doing God’s work, He would provide all they needed (I have learned this lesson
in mighty ways).
Jesus
also wanted this group of disciples to understand the urgency of the message. Stopping
along the way would only hinder the message delivery.
The
passage continues with instructions like remaining in one household (Luke
10:5-7); how to treat a town that accepts them (Luke 10:8); and how to treat a
town that doesn’t accept them (Luke 10-12).
Jesus
also told them what to do in each town and what their message was to be. “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The
kingdom of God is near you.’” (Luke 10:9 – NIV)
What
a mission! What a message! What a task!
But
Jesus gave these seventy-two men all authority to speak and be His spokesmen.
His final words to them were, “He who
listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects
me rejects him who sent me.” (Luke 10:16 – NIV)
Amazing
things were accomplished on this journey. The men returned with joy and told
Jesus stories of what had happened. Why even the demons submitted to them when
Jesus’ name was spoken. What a wonderful experience!
Jesus
was also full of joy. The task had been accomplished. The message had been
spoken. The towns and villages were prepared for His entrance. Now the
spiritual future of the world was in His hands.
Jesus
didn’t need seventy-two men to prepare the way. Jesus doesn’t need me to tell
His message. Jesus wants me to be His
spokeswoman. He wants me to know how
important it is to depend upon God for all that I need. He wants me to know the excitement of sharing the Gospel with a lost
or hurting soul. He wants me see the
marvelous things He will accomplish through me because I said “yes” to His
call. He desires that I be filled
with joy because of His salvation.
I
can do all the packing and organizing I want, but He is the One preparing my
heart.
I
don’t know what lessons you might take away from this post, but I know what I’ve
learned. That I’m being sent ahead of Jesus for a purpose. To bathe SE Asia in
prayer. And through that prayer, this area will be prepared for Jesus’ entrance.
Grace
and peace be yours in abundance,
Donna
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