Luke 10

Labourers

Luke 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Two witnesses were required by the law to confirm a report. Jesus sent out seventy more people, to announce his coming.

Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

The harvest of souls is great, the workers are few. What then? We should work harder and pray for others to help in the harvest of souls. It bothers me to see gatherings of Christians where there is little interest in the things of God. They do not discuss scriptures or share their testimonies. How will people hear and be saved?

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Let's get busy, the Lord needs workers in the harvest, he is coming again.

Lambs among wolves

Luke 10:3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

They were sent forth by the good shepherd as lambs among wolves. Sheep are not very bright, lambs are weak and defenseless, unable by there natural abilities to survive in the world. What is out in the world? wolves. A wolf will follow a sheepfold and pick off the stragglers or the weak ones away from the fold. What is Jesus saying? In themselves they are weak, not so smart, totally unable to survive in a world of wolves. A wolf is symbolic of a bad spirit, a worker for the devil. The world is full of people serving the devil. Where is the Shepherd of the sheep? Where is their help?

Jesus sent them; they believed in the power and authority of the name of Jesus. They went forth as ambassadors representing the king of kings and Lord of lords. As Peter, they had authority because they knew Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ. Who he sends he equips with his grace through the Holy Spirit. They could do nothing without this power. The Spirit at this time was given for service, but the Spirit could leave afterwards. After Pentecost, the Holy Spirit stays with us, He is the seal, of ownership, a seal that we belong to God. They were to go forth in the power of God, not in their own strength. Jesus gave them a job to do, he would supply what is needed. This is true for us as well. If we are called to do something, we do it by His supplied power, through the Holy Ghost.

Peace

Luke 10:4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

They were sent out to the city to prepare the way for Jesus to come. They were not to bring money or supplies. They were not even to greet people along the way. This is not a sight seeing trip. They were sent to make people aware that Jesus was coming, they were not to be side tracked from this purpose.

Luke 10:5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
Luke 10:6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

Enter a home and if peace is there, the presence of Jesus, then stay, if not, it will turn to you again. Take it back. I have entered into homes where peace was evident and other homes where there was no peace found. To leave this home was a relief.

Luke 10:7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

Stay put, do not go from house to house as a celebrity or as one choosing the best place for a meal. Stay put and eat what is provided for you. The laborer is worthy of his hire.

1 Tim 5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

Luke 10:8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

Again he said, eat whatever strange thing is given you. Bless it and eat it.

Luke 10:9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

Preaching peace, the gospel of the kingdom, followed by signs and wonders. While you are there, heal the sick. It is the will of Jesus and the power of Jesus. This you do where you find peace and are welcomed. What good would it do to heal where unbelief and strife is? God is glorified in healing where there is faith and belief. Isn't that reasonable?

Your witness

Luke 10:10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
Luke 10:11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

It was the custom of the Jews to shake off the dust of the Gentile lands from their sandals. These were Jewish cities, but they refused the witness of Jesus their Messiah. For the kingdom of God had come to them, in the witnesses full of God's Spirit and the healings of God.

Luke 10:12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
Luke 10:13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
Luke 10:14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.
Luke 10:15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

The judgment for these cities would be greater, because they had more evidence of God's kingdom. I cannot imagine the degrees of torment for those apart from God. Hell is bad, separation, weeping and willing. Are some places hotter? Or is the torment the eternal regret of turning from the truth? God knows. We must escape God's wrath by coming to Jesus.

2 Cor 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
2 Cor 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Luke 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

We are one with Jesus, think of that? This should certainly make our ways conform to his ways. For we represent him to the world. The world knows this. When we enter a room, the bad jokes stop, unless they pick on you. If they refuse you, they refuse Jesus. Think about the responsibility we carry, are we aware of this? Eternal souls await our response to them.

In His Name

Luke 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

The seventy witnesses returned rejoicing, saying even the devils must depart, when the name of Jesus is spoken. There is power in our belief in His name. When we return from our journey on this earth to the Father, we shall rejoice, because Jesus has given us power to overcome the world and to enter the eternal home in heaven. For those who believe in the name of Jesus, we come together; we are His family, satan cannot do his work if we stay in the vine that is Jesus.

Luke 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Responding to their comments that devils were cast out by the power and name of Jesus, he shares that when he spoke with the Father, that Satan himself was cast out of heaven. Jesus is the power to cast out the devil and his fallen angels. Apparently these things happened before Jesus came, and before the fall of Adam in the garden. Jesus speaks more of this in Revelation.

Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Rev 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

There was a war in heaven, Michael the arch angel at the command of God fought satan and he was cast out of heaven, with a third of the angels who followed him. These fallen angels are the devils spirit warriors.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

We war in the Spirit under the name and authority of Jesus.

Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

We overcome evil in Jesus name. Nothing may hurt us from the enemy, because we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must realize this. If we are of the Lord, we bring no evil, but we are the light of the world to expel the darkness.

Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Our rejoicing is not in the power to overcome satan in this life. We rejoice that we are citizens of heaven and our names are written in the book of life. Believe it, preach it, live an overcoming life.

Revealed things

Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

What was revealed? That in Jesus name there is authority to heal and to cast out devils. This is not something learned in theology school, or a school for prophets. It is the power of God by faith, revealed as you are sent in obedience to do God's work. This power was hidden from the wise and skilled managers, but revealed to babes, new believers, inexperienced and not being wise in themselves; it is by faith. These things were revealed by the Father.

Luke 10:22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

The revealing of Jesus is by the Father, through the Holy Spirit. Peter received this knowledge first.

Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The Father revealed Jesus as Lord, to Peter. In the name of Jesus is power and authority from God. Jesus is the rock and foundation of our faith. Peter was as a babe in Christ, but through Jesus we are strong. All the apostles were to build on the foundation of Jesus, through the power revealed from God the Father.

Luke 10:23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

Eyes of faith to do the work of God.

Luke 10:24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Before Jesus, all believed through faith the promises of God. These disciples were able to see God, the Son, the promise fulfilled. The kingdom of God had come to them.

Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Perfect man

Luke 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

How was this tempting? He was seeking to prove Jesus wrong, looking for something to make him look bad. We see this all the time in the Internet chats, someone asking questions, seeking to cause a debate or to put you down. This is not love. Another word for tempting is testing. We are to test the spirits. Jesus wants us to do that. Whether the lawyer was tempting or testing, Jesus knew. He knows our hearts. It is good to ask questions for more understanding. It is not good to ask questions with a desire to trip some one up. P> Luke 10:26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

He was a lawyer, he knew the law. One way to stop a question of strife, is to ask another question. One man said if you do not know the answer, then ask a question back. Jesus knew the answer.

Luke 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

The lawyer knew the answer, but did he live the answer? That is the question. If we think we know the law and the word of God, are we obeying it?

Luke 10:28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

Jesus agreed. Jesus kept these laws, but no other man ever kept the laws. If we kept all the laws based on love, we would be as God, not fallen and sinful. The problem is, all are fallen and sinful. Law keeping cannot save us, it is a good thing, but without the forgiveness of Jesus Christ we are lost in sins.

Jesus kept the law and did many good works. yet sinful men despised him and wanted him to die.

John 10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
John 10:33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

They refused to see Jesus as he is; God the Son, the way to the Father, the forgiver of our sins. Are you trusting in your good works to outweigh the bad? You are lost and you need Jesus.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: There is no way anyone can love perfectly and keep the laws of God. Only Jesus was able to do this. Trusting him is our salvation. In Jesus we are perfect.

Good Samaritan

Luke 10:29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

Knowing that he did not love everyone, he asked, " Who is my neighbour?" Jesus speaks of this in another place.

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Jesus would use a parable to get his message across.

Luke 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

This man was in need of help.

Luke 10:31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

He ignored the need of the wounded man, perhaps he was thinking about preaching a message of love for the Sabbath service? We can be so involved in our ministry, that we miss the Lord.

Luke 10:32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

The Levite was dedicated to the Lord's service, but he was only caring about the temple meeting place, not the needs of people outside in the streets.

Luke 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

The Samaritans were hated by the Jews, because their beliefs were all confused. Jesus loved all who were in need. Remember the Samaritan woman at the well? She knew enough to know that a Messiah was to come. She even was given the knowledge that Jesus was the Messiah from God. Jesus loved the Samaritans too.

Luke 10:34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

The Samaritan met the needs of the wounded Jewish man. Wine and oil were used as medicines, he applied medicine to his wounds. He placed him on his own donkey and brought him to an Inn, a place to stay, and cared for him personally.

Luke 10:35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

He left money and his authority to the inn keeper, so that the man would be cared for until he was able to travel. Any expense would be charged to his account. Jesus did this for us. We were helpless in sin, he came to us, he stayed with us and left his authority for us in his word and promises, so that we would be restored. Any need that we would have would be covered by His blood and was paid in full.

Luke 10:36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
Luke 10:37 And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Who is our neighbor? Anyone in need, and all need Jesus.

Martha and Mary

Luke 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

The village was Bethany and they had a brother, Lazarus.(John 11:1)

Luke 10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
Luke 10:40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Luke 10:41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
Luke 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Two sisters, one was so busy serving that she had no time to spend at the Master's feet. Mary had been a sinner who had come to Jesus anointing his feet with ointment, and wiping his feet with her hair.

John 11:2 It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair,...

John 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
John 12:2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Martha complained about Mary who would not help her prepare a meal or set the table. Martha was so busy she had no time for Jesus. Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to him. She gave also, of her costly ointment to the Lord, wiping his feet with her hair with humble loving service. Jesus commended Mary for hearing his word, while Martha's heart was filled with anxiety and cares. Are you a Martha, so busy doing things, looking at others wishing they would help you and not coming to hear Jesus? We must hear from Jesus first. Each day we should spend time in his word and talking with him. We must love him in prayer and in praise and worship. Mary did this, the better thing. Martha was too busy, too filled with the cares and needs around her to spend time with Jesus; she had no peace.

Phil 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Mary was blessed because she gave her heart to Jesus.

Superragman@aol.com

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