Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by Rev Cathy Pullinger on the Third Sunday after Trinity – 6/7/25.
Luke 10 v 1-11, 16-20
Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two
1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by
two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.
2 He told
them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the
harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
3 Go! I am
sending you out like lambs among wolves.
4 Do not take a purse or bag or
sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’
6 If someone who
promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to
you.
7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker
deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.
9 Heal
the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to
you.’
10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets
and say,
11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to
you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’
16
“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but
whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
17
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit
to us in your name.”
18
He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 I have given you
authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of
the enemy; nothing will harm you.
20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits
submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”