Jesus sent them. He didn’t give them books to discuss or ideas to talk about.
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.
He sent them out to do the stuff. The stuff being evangelism, healing and deliverance ministry.
The fact that he didn’t send out just the 12 disciples is significant. He sent out 72 which was a notable number of people. By doing this he was saying that the work of the harvest wasn’t just for the disciples and soon to be apostles, but for all people.
Then he made it harder. He told them NOT to take money, extra clothes or anything. Just go as you are. They were then to preach, heal and deliver.
Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.
That’s it. They were to trust the Lord for all their provisions.
Next he told them what it was going to be like when they went.
“Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves” (Luke 10:3).
If it was modern times, people would panic and say that wasn’t “wise.”
God would not ask us to do something like this that was dangerous. And what if God doesn’t heal and deliver? Preaching, fine. But healing and deliverance? Not so sure about what. And what about not taking any funds or extra clothes? That’s foolish. I don’t know who you are following but that clearly isn’t God.
We have more disobedience in the name of “wisdom” than we do about obeying the dangerous call of going out. If you want to read a great writing on this from the most evangelistic person I know, click here).
Jesus sent his people out. Yes, it was dangerous. But he told them emphatically to go!
He also tells them to pray that God would raise up more workers for the harvest field. In fact, it’s a good pray to pray in this very moment.
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.
I’m from an agricultural area and background, and I can’t imagine a beautiful, lush harvest that took so much work to grow, and then it not being harvested. What a heartbreak to the one who planted and tended the crop.
But now Jesus is going to give them instructions.
1) Find a place to stay that welcomes you.
- If you find a place that welcomes you, bless them with your peace
- Stay in that house, not moving around from house to house
- Eat what they serve you (implying eat even if you don’t like it)
- Be a good worker as the workers deserves his wages
If a home does not welcome you, your peace will return to you.
2) Be about the work of the kingdom
- Heal the sick
- Tell them the kingdom of God is near
- Perform miracles (v. 13) for the sake of the kingdom
- Deliver people from demons (v. 17)
3) Know that some won’t accept you.
If a town does not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet. And still proclaim the kingdom is near. And know that there will be a judgment against the town that rejects you.
The work of those harvesting is simple: Preach the kingdom, heal the sick, deliver from demons, and Matthew even adds raise the dead. Bless the ones that receive you, and those that don’t God will deal with.
When the disciples returned after Jesus sent them out, they were full of joy!
The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
They took the risk, prayed and even the demons were subject to the name of Jesus. They couldn’t be more amazed!
Jesus was fully of joy himself. But he reminded them that the greater joy was not the power over evil and sickness, but the glory of their name being written in heaven. This was even a greater work of God.
And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 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.”
Then we see something beautiful. Jesus himself is full of joy at their report. It’s interesting to and something I hadn’t noticed before, but he was going to do follow-up. He sent them ahead of him to do the work even though it was “where he was about to go.” That’s a good leader right there. He releases but does not abandon.
Jesus says this:
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. 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.”
It seems like says this in a public setting with a number of disciples around, likely the 72. But then he turns privately to the twelve and speaks to them.
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.”
It’s true. For thousands of years the peoples longed for the Messiah. They longed to see the kingdom of God. They longed to know what it looked like. They longed to know his power.
Now the disciples saw it fulfilled and knew it and experienced him and the joy of obedience.
And so can we.
We just to hear his voice, obey and go.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 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.
“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. 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.
“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.”
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. 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.”
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. 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.”
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.”