Luke 10:1-24 "Two By Two"
Prayer: Father in heaven, bless this time when we turn to Your Word so that we can know who You’ve called us to be in light of what Jesus has told us to do and what He’s done for us. AMEN
This past week, Kelske and I were at the Seminary in St Louis for the orientation of his SMP program. It was a pretty awesome week—I love going to the seminary, we heard lots of really smart people teaching about the Bible and discipleship (what it means to be a follower of Jesus who is called to lead other followers of Jesus, what it’s going to look like to be a student in this program, what it means to be a supervisor/mentor of a student in the program. We spent nearly every moment together from Sunday after church until late Friday night. We roomed together. We ate together. We walked everywhere we went together. Those of you who know both of us—what do you think was more of a challenge? To be with Kelske for a week? Or to be with me for a week? Ha. From my perspective, it was a joy. I had a great time and loved every minute of it. Well, except maybe the first night when I found out what he meant when he warned me about his snoring. You know, if Kelske is going to do something, he’s going to go big—I’ve never heard anything like it. I thought he was going to die. And then I thought I was going to die. But I figured out if I put a thick pillow over my head, I could sleep just fine. I still dreamed about the zombie apocalypse but I slept fine.
For real though, it was a great week. Everyone we met, we were like, “I’m Frank and he’s Frank, too.” Which is true—on all the levels. Ha. Frankly… I think both of us returned better than before we went. I’m looking forward to seeing what God does over the next four years as we both go through this program—Kelske as the student and me as the supervisor—I can’t wait to see how God continues to re-orient us in the direction of who He wants us to be.
We only become who God wants us to be when we do what He tells us—when we go where He tells us to go, when we do what He tells us to do. God doesn’t change us when we’re sitting still. He doesn’t steer parked cars. We only become the people God wants us to be when we do what He tells us.
Today we’re starting Luke chapter 10, verse one:
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
Luke 10:1
When we think of The Disciples, we think of The Twelve, but there were many more than twelve disciples. The Twelve became the Apostles who are, among other things, the symbolic New Testament answer to the twelve tribes of Israel. From the hundreds of other disciples, Jesus organized seventy-two of them to be a special task force—which is a call back to the seventy elders that Moses appointed to help him lead the people of God. He sent them out two by two which satisfies the Biblical requirement for important matters to be settled by two or three witnesses—there will be some pretty heavy judgments that will be made by these men as they go. It’s also important that no one tries to do ministry on their own.
Jesus is sending them ahead of the Jesus-palooza caravan, announcing that He’s coming. This would have been terrifying. Thirty-six sets of brand-new Christians (I mean, there weren’t any other kind, this Jesus thing was just getting started) they’re supposed to go town to town saying, “Jesus is coming soon!” “You better get ready!”
It was going to take some courage. I’m sure some of them didn’t really want to do it. They were going to spend every waking moment with some other disciple—----what if the other guy was a turkey? If you’ve ever had to do group assignments, you know? It can be a challenge.
Verse 2:
And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
Luke 10:2
This is a throwback to one of Jesus’ greatest hits—a sermon He told everywhere He went. The one about the sower and the seed. Remember that one? Throw seeds everywhere. Tell everyone the good news about Jesus and the kingdom of heaven.
He’s saying, there’s a bunch of seeds that have already been planted. Word has already spread, God has gone before you. It just needs to be harvested. There’s low-hanging fruit everywhere. More harvest that harvesters. You’re going to have your hands full.
This is still the case. There are more people ready and willing to hear the Gospel than there are faithful people to tell them. You and me need to pray that God will send us more workers to help us get it done. Bring in the sheaves. You and me need to do our part and we need to pray every day for God to send more people to NewChurch (because that’s the field He’s given us to work in this community) we need more people to work the harvest.
When Kelske and his family first showed up on a Sunday morning at little Aristoi, I saw him walk in and almost cut the sermon short so I could grab him before he left. I just had a sense that God had sent him to help us with this ministry. I pretty much told him that first day, “I need people to help with the harvest, I hope God has sent you here to roll up your sleeves and get to work.” I’m glad I didn’t scare him away. Ha.
Verse 3:
Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.
Luke 10:3-4
That doesn’t sound good, does it? Sending them out as “lambs” (not sheep—baby sheep) in the midst of wolves. Tender little delicious lambs in the midst of sharp-toothed hungry wolves. What could go wrong? Ha. But this is supposed to be our posture in telling people about Jesus—lambs, babies, children. Gentle. Completely dependent on God to take care of us and do make the miracles happen. We don’t need to overpower anyone with our intellect or argue with them. We tell people about Jesus like lambs in the midst of wolves—trusting God to take care of us and knowing that the worst thing that can happen is they kill our body and send our soul to be with Jesus. We can’t lose.
So Jesus sends out His little lambs and tells them to not take anything with them. No money. No wallet. No extra shoes. Leave their wolf repellant at home.
Keep moving. You’re in a hurry. Don’t stop and talk about the weather with people on the road. You have a lot of places to go. No time for dilly-dallying.
This was a lot like when He sent out the Twelve at the beginning of chapter nine. Jesus is all about making His people into the people He wants them to be by sending us to do things that push us out of our comfort zones. Do things that we don’t really want to do. Things that seem impossible. But we only become the people God wants us to be when we do what He tells us.
Verse 5:
Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.
Luke 10:5-
This sounds weird, doesn’t it? The older I get, the more I like it when I read something Jesus said and I’m not quite sure what it means. Reminds me that He’s God and I’m not. That I still have a lot to learn.
So, what was He telling His little lambs? Well, part of it is what they should expect when they go town to town announcing the kingdom of God. When they approach someone and the person invites them into their house—they have the authority to give them God’s peace just by saying it. This is exactly the way Jesus is going to tell His disciples to proclaim the Gospel after the resurrection. Faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ, the Gospel. We tell people they have peace with God because of Jesus, and if they believe us then they will be saved. That’s how it works. So as they were going town to town, when the first person invited them to come in, the disciples were to tell them that God’s peace was on their house—this is a blessing of salvation. If the head of the house (a son of peace) receives that blessing they offered in Christ’s name‚ then that house would be saved. If they’re like, “Yeah, I don’t know about all this Jesus stuff—who are you to offer God’s peace?” Then their blessing would not rest on the house and it will return to them like a boomarang. Jesus makes it seem like the Gospel we offer in His name is almost a tangible thing. Like the blood on the door in the Passover. We definitely get Passover vibes from this passage.
So if a house invites you in, you give them God’s peace.
Verse 7:
And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Luke 10:7-8
In every town, stay at the first place that invites you, don’t go looking for the best house on the block—the one with the swimming pool and a personal chef.
Don’t ask “what’s for dinner” first like you’re trying to work the system.
Also (and this is a good verse for parents of young children to memorize) “eat what is set before you.” Ha. The point is to be thankful. Be content with what God provides for you.
Verse 9:
Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
Luke 10:9
This had to be one of the coolest mission trips ever. It had to be so much fun. Jesus promised them that whoever they would pray for would be healed. On the spot! Just walking around looking for sick people, calling dibs on the really cool ones like the blind and deaf—Oooh, that guy’s missing a leg, he’s mine! Watch this!”
“Be healed in the name of Jesus. Boom! Go tell your friends, He’s coming to town in a couple weeks. Put it on your calendar.”
That’s still our job but we don’t have the promise that they’ll be healed right here, right now. We do have the promise that they will be healed, though. Maybe now, maybe later, but absolutely they will be healed. We’re supposed to be telling everyone the same thing: Jesus has come, His kingdom is here, He’s coming soon. Get ready. Put it on your calendar—well, at least put celebrating it on Sunday morning on your calendar each week.
That’s the good news. There’s some bad news, too.
Verse 10:
But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
Luke 10:10-12
They walk into a town and everyone shuts their doors and pulls the shades—they knock but no one lets them in. Townsfolk show up with pitchforks and torches. They score really low in hospitality on the Airbnb app. This should remind us of the story of Sodom and the two messengers who showed up at Lot’s house—that got really freaky. Let’s just say they might have shown up during pride month. Rejecting God’s messengers did not work out very well for Sodom.
By the way, some historians say the ground was still smoldering in Jesus’ day from God sending fire and brimstone to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Which would have been a constant and very sobering reminder of what the wrath of God could look like.
So, if a town turned any of Jesus’ disciples away and didn’t show them hospitality…
Verse 13:
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. Luke 10:13-15
But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.
Jesus is easily the most “fire and brimstone” preacher in the Bible. I don’t think people know that.
Last week James and John asked if they could call fire down from heaven and Jesus said, “No, that’s not what I here to do—I came to save people, not destroy them.” But we need to understand Jesus is saying, “this time. I didn’t come to destroy this time.” This is a limited-time offer to bring people into the church under the protection and mercy of the Gospel. The day is coming when Jesus is going to show up in power and glory—you don’t want to be living in Sodom when that happens. You don’t want to put your trust in any of the nations or cities of the world. You want Jesus to find you in the church, the people of God, the kingdom of heaven. This is the whole point of all this—being ready for when God comes back down here.
Verse 16:
“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Luke 10:16
This is timeless truth—it was true then and it’s true now. Those of us who are following Jesus and going out in His name to tell people about the hope they can have by turning to Him, believing in Him, and following Him with us—when they listen to us, they are listening to Jesus. When they reject us, they are rejecting Jesus. When they reject Jesus, they are rejecting God the Father who sent Him—and if they reject Him they will be rejected by Him. I told you, this is the bad news.
So Jesus sent them out two by two and off they went. We don’t know how long they were gone, probably a few weeks, then they came back. And they were all geeked up.
Verse 17:
The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Luke 10:17-18
They came back very excited. They thought it was super cool that demons had to listen to them. They had probably been looking under every rock and graveyard for people with demons to cast out—like little kids hunting for bugs.
They’re like, “Jesus, it was so cool. Let us tell you about all the demons we cast out!”
And Jesus was like, “I know! I threw Satan Himself out of heaven—you should have seen THAT! The last couple of weeks while you guys were going town to town, it was like He was getting thrown out heaven all over again! So cool.”
Verse 19:
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:19-20
Demons are like bugs to you guys now—keep smashing them. But you want to know what’s even better than having power over all the darkness in this world? I mean, way better! Your names are on the guest list of eternal life in heaven. You and everyone who accepted your invitation—everyone who received your message about me. You think it’s a big deal that you can tell demons what to do? That ain’t nothing! Your names are written in heaven. You’re on the guest list. Eternal backstage pass. My gift to you.
It looks like Jesus was pretty happy with all the reports from the seventy-two. As they came back so filled with joy, He erupted into praise, thanking God for His returning disciples.
Verse 21:
In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. Luke 10:21
Jesus sounds like a really proud big brother. Seems like it was a really cool moment for Him. God sent Him into the world to bring the message of hope and salvation—and instead of all the big shots in the world (the wise and powerful) it’s a bunch of ordinary, average people who get it. They’re the ones He spends His time with. They’re the ones who are actually doing what He said to do. They’re the ones being changed into the kind of people God wants them to be.
This is a cool moment. They all came back from their assignment better than when they left. A little more like the people God wants them to be, simply because they did what Jesus told them to do. That’s how it works.
Verse 22:
All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Luke 10:22
They’re probably not tracking with everything He’s saying—this is one of those verses that grows in mystery every time I read it. But it’s definitely something good for anyone who hears about Jesus and believes.
It’s a pretty great after-party celebration of the seventy-two returning with a bunch of cool stories. Jesus told them to do something a little crazy, something kind of hard, and they did it. They spread the word in the surrounding towns and villages—The kingdom of God is here and Jesus is coming soon!
Verse 23:
Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
Luke 10:23-24
You guys don’t know how lucky you are to see these things. Jesus knew Adam and Abraham and Moses—all the prophets and kings. They would have loved to see all this. What God is finally doing to fix the world and make everything good again.
This was a good day. They came back more excited about what Jesus was doing in their lives than ever before. They came back better versions of themselves than before they left. A little closer to the people God is calling them to be.
All because they did what He told them.
We only become who God wants us to be when we do what He tells us. If He tells us to go, we need to go. We’ll never be who we’re supposed to be or where we’re supposed to be unless we do.
What does this have you thinking about? What things do you know God has told you to do but you pretend like you didn’t hear? What things has He told you to stop doing but you keep doing them anyway? What habits are you supposed to break? Who are you supposed to start being a lot more kind to? Treat with more gentleness? Who are you supposed to find a way to tell them the peace of God is on their house? That the kingdom of God is here. That Jesus is calling them to repent and believe. Who are you supposed to be doing ministry with? Two by two—who’s your main partner?
What is God telling you to do? You’re not going to be the person He wants you to be until you start doing it. God doesn’t steer parked cars.
He also isn’t telling you to do anything that He hasn’t already done for you. Chances are God is telling you to do something that requires laying down your pride, laying down something you think you want, laying down your life, and surrendering to Him. Which is exactly what Jesus did for you. Wasn’t easy for Him either. It cost Him a lot more to get your name written in heaven than it did to throw Satan out of it. Jesus allowed His body to be broken so you could be made whole. He allowed His blood to be spilled so your sin could be forgiven. Rejoice in that.
But He didn’t do all that just so we could sit around feeling good about our life after death—that’s our hope, that’s why we can keep going—our names are written in heaven because of Jesus. No other reason. But He didn’t call us to follow Him and tell us what to do and then not expect us to do it. He has a whole life designed for you, filled with things that are going to make you into the person He wants you to be. That’s only going to happen if we do what He says. AMEN