Bible ReadingLuke 10:1-24 “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.”
[18:28] [23:06] [27:22] [33:24] [50:40] [55:33]Acts 9:4-5 “And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’”
[46:57]Matthew 11:25 “At that time Jesus declared, ‘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;’”
[55:33]Observation questions- In Luke 10, what instructions does Jesus give before sending the seventy-two out, and what does he tell them to do when a place receives them or rejects them?
- What details in Luke 10 show that Jesus sends his people in weakness and dependence rather than self-sufficiency? [33:24]
- When the seventy-two return, what are they excited about, and how does Jesus redirect their joy? [50:40]
- In both Luke 10 and Acts 9, what connection does Jesus make between himself and his people when they are heard, rejected, or persecuted? [46:57]
Interpretation questions- Jesus says the harvest is plentiful, but his first command is to pray. What does that suggest about how mission is supposed to begin and whose work it really is? [27:22]
- Jesus says he sends his disciples out as lambs among wolves. Why might weakness and dependence be central to the way Jesus sends his people, instead of being a problem to overcome? [33:24]
- Jesus tells the disciples not to rejoice mainly in power or visible results, but that their names are written in heaven. Why is identity a stronger foundation for joy than ministry success? [50:40]
- Jesus thanks the Father for revealing these things to little children rather than to the wise and understanding. What kind of heart is being described there, and why does that matter for receiving the gospel? [57:20]
Application questions- Jesus says to pray earnestly before getting busy. Who are the specific people in everyday life that need prayer right now, and what might it look like this week to ask God to open the eyes to the person right in front of you? [30:38]
- A lamb survives by staying near the shepherd. In this season, where is there a temptation to rely on personality, planning, money, comfort, or control more than on Jesus himself? [34:11]
- The mission is important enough that distractions have to be resisted. What kinds of distractions most often pull attention away from loving people well and speaking about Jesus clearly? [35:04]
- Some doors are open and some are locked. Is there a relationship where too much energy has gone into forcing a conversation, winning an argument, or kicking down a locked door? What would faithfulness and peace look like there now? [38:33]
- Rejection does not mean failure if the message has been shared faithfully. Where has fear of being turned down kept someone quiet, and how might remembering that the results belong to Jesus change that? [44:08]
- Joy built on performance has to keep performing to survive. What are the signs that joy has been tied to being useful, successful, impressive, or spiritually productive? [51:38]
- The Father gives identity by grace, not by resume. Where is there still an effort to prove worth to God or to others, and what would it look like to rest again like a little child whose name is already secure with the Father? [01:04:11]
