Luke 10:1-24

On His journey to Jerusalem, Jesus sent seventy representatives who would go into every city before Him and preach that “the kingdom of God has come near to you” (10:9b, 11b). Although the kingdom of God is a present reality in the hearts of those who have been born again and willingly submit to Christ’s rule (John 3:1-21), it is also a future reality when Jesus will establish a righteous kingdom here on earth for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6). Why were these representatives sent out? Jesus said, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves” (10:2-3). There were many people who needed to hear the message of hope and salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:36), but very few volunteers were willing to go and tell others this message. Because there was a lack of volunteers willing to spread the message of salvation, Jesus challenged those who were already working to pray for more workers. The task ahead of them would not be easy and Jesus even warned that some would receive their message and some would not (10:4-15); however, they were not to be consumed with being rejected by some cities because “He who hears you hears Me [Jesus], he who rejects you rejects Me [Jesus], and he who rejects Me [Jesus] rejects Him [God the Father] who sent Me” (10:16). Ultimately, rejection of the message of the seventy was not a rejection of them personally, but a rejection of salvation through Jesus.

When the seventy returned, they reported to Jesus what great things had taken place (10:17) and He said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions [figurative for evil spirits], and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (10:18-20). The powers of evil had been defeated through their spreading of the gospel, but Jesus warned them not to celebrate their power to perform miracles; instead, they should celebrate their own salvation through Him.

Jesus took this opportunity to thank God for the work which had been accomplished in many cities. Although the seventy did not necessarily reach the “wise and prudent” according to the world’s standards, they did reach the ones who had humbled themselves (as children) before God and received the message of hope and salvation (10:21-22). After praying to His Father, Jesus turned to His disciples and said, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it” (10:23-24). Many prophets and kings had spoken of the Messiah’s coming and His establishment of the kingdom of God, but none of them had lived long enough to see it become reality; however, Jesus’ disciples lived during an exciting time because they were able to see the fulfillment of what the prophets and kings had only prophesied. Those of us reading this have an even greater privilege because we have the completed word of God in sixty-six books which provide the entire story of God’s plan to save the world from sin through sending His only Son, Jesus, to die in the place of man. The message of hope and salvation has come to us in written form and we are not only responsible to receive it by faith, but also be representatives of God by sharing that message with others.

Dear God, I thank You for the salvation You have provided by sending Your only Son, Jesus, to earth to provide the payment necessary for sin, which is death. I receive it by faith and ask You for the courage to share that message with others.