Sermon Notes

Luke 10: 1-16

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There’s probably a good reason why scribes wind up 70 or 72 additional laborers in this text. This harkens back to Moses, gathering 70 elders for a mission. And Jesus is the greater Moses, so this passage could be pointing this to us. OR, Jesus is point us to the reality of the future and the sharing of the Gospel - as in Genesis there is 70 (or 72) nations listed. That the Gospel is not for just the Jews, but for ALL THE NATIONS. But either of these both point to a single truth - we are ALL called to go on Mission.

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But this text is also about how they are to live about people who age sent on a mission. As everyone is called to go on mission, we are to live a life sent. As Spurgeon says, ”All Christians are either missionaries, or impostors.” There is church because there is mission, there is not a mission just because the church exists.

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We are supposed to participate in our daily life in an opportunity to spread the gospel. That is who we are. Every day, at work, in school, we should see it as an opportunity to open our mouth.

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Are we praying for God to send laborers? We should pray confidently and participatoraly, that God send those laborers out to meet His mission. It is only God who gives increase, so our success or failure is not of consequence. He just wants our obedience and participation. You don’t have to live a frozen life. You can go out with confidence in Him.

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As you pray for laborers, you should BE a laborer. Be a part of your own prayer. You become a part of that prayer when you proclaim Jesus with your words, life and deeds.

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Lean on God as you go. When you are sent you pray, and you rely on God to provide for you. The forces of darkness will throw anything at you to make you quit, stumble, and fail. To be right with God, is to be in opposition with men.

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In this text, Jesus is training the 70/72 for the hard times by telling them to carry no money bags, and to not converse with people on the road. Instead of faltering in our goal, we should lean on God as we continue.

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What’s keeping you from going? Are you more focused on the danger in front of you? Or are you focused on the God who sent us?

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And when you go, do no harm as you go. You bring your whole self and person as we go. When you bring the message, you should engage the world with our lives. Because that is our authentication! People see our lives, and if our lives are incongruous with our message, then no one will accept the message.

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We are to be emotionally good and not harm emotionally, either! We are to receive what is given with gratitude and graciousness. We are to lighten the burden and elevate the joy of those in the house we visit. The Greek word used in this text is service and therapy. We are to serve the week, and bring physical benefit when we go.

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For those who reject the news, we have the responsibility to tell them the danger of rejecting the message. There is eternal suffering at stake.