Luke

Jesus often used the harvest analogy (Luke 8:1-15).  It was His way of explaining that many people will belong to His Kingdom as they actively respond to the proclamation of the gospel.  The ‘seed’ is the Word.  The harvest demonstrates organic growth of faith.  As He sends out 72 in addition to the Twelve, He points out that they are not enough to do the job.  Many people would come to Jesus if they knew about Him.  They are the potential harvest but cannot be included until they hear the gospel and respond.  That is why many more need to be commissioned.

Jesus was briefing 72 disciples (in addition to the twelve trainee-apostles). He told them to go without any visible means of support, nothing in reserve, just the provision that God would arrange for them.  In today's terms, no overnight bag and no credit card.  He wanted them to be a part of His mission, and therefore He would supply every one of their needs.  Later He asked the apostles, “‘When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?’  ‘Nothing,’ they answered." (Luke 22:35). The God who calls, also provides!

They were off on a mission, but without any resources except the commission of Jesus.  They were to go, two by two, into a town and announce Jesus as the Messiah (Luke 10:1-4).  They would not have been recognised as rabbis and invited into the synagogues, so they would have to be based in somebody's house.  But which home should they go to?              

Jesus sent 72 followers ahead of Him, two by two, to prepare the way for His arrival (Luke 10:1-4).  He warned them that there would be one of two reactions: welcome or resentment.  They could only minister as far as the people wanted them to, and Jesus did not teach that blessings ought to be forced upon resistant or rebellious people.  Indeed, the urgency of the task meant that they should not waste time on those who had no interest.

It might seem strange for Jesus to express grief over whole townships, in the same way that the Old Testament prophets pronounced doom to the rebellious nations surrounding Israel.  But the issue was just the same.  God had provided evidence of His power and glory through the miracles Jesus performed, and those towns rejected the evidence they could clearly see.  

We assume that some people have more authority than others, and their right to command is proportional to their power to coerce.    And in worldly terms that is often the case.  But in God's kingdom things are different (Matthew 20:25-28).  He has chosen that His authority is invested in His Word.  That is why Jesus is described as the 'Word', because He was given the full right to speak on behalf of Father God (Matthew 28:18).  

At the end of their time on mission, in twos going to different towns and villages (Luke 10:1-16), the 72 trainee missionaries return for a report-back session.  They were so excited because they had seen the powerful effect of speaking God's Word.  Most surprisingly they found that demons submitted to the command to ‘go in Jesus' Name’.  And the Lord affirmed that what they had experienced was real - Satan's authority had been toppled.  

Jesus was more than happy, and with the Holy Spirit, praised Father God for this first extended co-working with an extended group of disciples.  Jesus had recently sent out the Twelve (Luke 9:1-6), and then 72 more (Luke 10:1-20), who had all believed in Him.  They accepted His commission to proclaim God's kingdom and returned with evidence that God had worked powerfully through what they said.  This was the beginning of the 'first-fruit' of the gospel (which would be sealed at Pentecost).  The Holy Spirit affirmed the joy of the Godhead, for the disciples had practised

Most people are neither blind nor deaf.  However, each of these disabilities has a profound effect on the sufferers which they would not wish onto anybody else.  By contrast, few who are spiritually blind or deaf seem to even notice their plight (John 9:40-41).  They are so used to living without God's love and power that they think it is normal: indeed, for God to intervene would change their lives completely.  And that is just what God wants to do!  But many of the crowds who surrounded Jesus had no appreciation of that possibility, despite all the teaching and th

Many religious people, who thought they were wise, came to Jesus to ask Him questions.  But many were not concerned to find out the truth: they were trying to trap Him (Luke 11:53-54).  So, often, Jesus would ask another question in response.  Their replies exposed their hearts, and by seeing how Jesus led people to see what was true, provided the disciples with training about how they would need to deal with people in the future as the church grew.