Luke 10
Sending of the seventy witnesses verse 1- 16
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also
and sent them two and two before HIS face
into every city and place
whither HE HIMSELF would come
THEREFORE said HE to them
The harvest truly is great – but the laborers are few
pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest
that HE would send forth laborers
into HIS harvest
Go your ways – BEHOLD
I send you forth as lambs among wolves
carry neither purse – scrip – shoes
and salute no man by the way
AND into whatsoever house ye enter
first say – Peace be to this house
and IF the son of peace be there
your peace shall rest upon it
IF NOT – it shall turn to you again
AND in the same house remain
eating and drinking such things as they give
FOR the laborer is worthy of his hire
Go not from house to house
AND into whatsoever city you enter – and they receive you
eat such things as are set before you
and heal the sick that are therein – and say to them
The kingdom of God is come nigh to you
BUT into whatsoever city you enter – and they receive you not
go your ways out into the streets of the same – and say
Even the very dust of your city – which cleaves on us
we do wipe off against you – notwithstanding
be you sure of this that the kingdom of God
is come nigh to you
BUT I say to you – that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom
than for that city
WOE to you – Chorazin WOE unto you – Bethsaida
FOR if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon
which have been done in you
they had a great while ago repented
sitting in sackcloth and ashes
BUT it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment
than for you
AND you – Capernaum – which art exalted to heaven
shalt be thrust down to hell
He that hears you hears ME
and he that despises you despises ME
and he that despises ME despises HIM that sent ME
Return of the seventy witnesses verse 17- 20
And the seventy returned again with JOY – saying
Lord – even the devils are subject to us through YOUR name
And HE said to them
I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven
BEHOLD – I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions
and over all the power of the enemy
and nothing shall by any means hurt you
Notwithstanding – in this rejoice not
that the spirits are subject to you
BUT rather rejoice
BECAUSE your names are written in heaven
Jesus prayer of thanksgiving verse 21- 22
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit – and said
I thank YOU – O Father – Lord of heaven and earth
that YOU have hid these things from the wise and prudent
and have revealed them to babes
EVEN so – Father
for so it seemed good in YOUR sight
All things are delivered to ME of MY Father
and no man knows who the Son is – BUT the Father
and who the Father is – BUT the Son
and he to whom the Son will reveal HIM
Jesus informs disciples of their blessing verse 23- 24
And HE turned HIM unto HIS disciples – and said privately
Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see
FOR I tell you
that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things
which you see and have not seen them
and to hear those things which you hear
and have not heard them
Lawyer asks Jesus regarding eternal life verse 25- 29
And BEHOLD – a certain lawyer stood up – and tempted HIM
saying
Master – What shall I do to inherit eternal life?
HE said to him
What is written in the law? How read you?
AND he answering said
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength
and with all your mind
and your neighbor as yourself
AND HE said to him – You have answered right – this do
and you shalt live
BUT he willing to justify himself said unto Jesus
And who is my neighbor?
Jesus gives a parable regarding neighbor verse 30- 37
AND Jesus answering
said
A certain man went down form Jerusalem to Jericho
and fell among thieves
which stripped him of his raiment
and wounded him and departed
leaving him half dead
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way
and when he saw him – he passed by on the other side
And likewise a Levite – when he was at the place
came and looked on him and passed by on the other side
BUT a certain Samaritan – as he journeyed – came where he was
and when he saw him – he had compassion on him
and went to him and bound up his wounds
poured in oil and wine
and set him on his own beast – and brought him to an inn
and took care of him
and on the morrow when he departed – he took out two pence
and gave them to the host – and said to him
Take care of him – and whatsoever you spend more
when I come again – I will repay you
Which now of these three – think you
was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said
He that showed mercy on him
THEN said Jesus to him
Go – and do you likewise
Difference between Mary and Martha verse 38- 42
Now it came to pass – as they went
that HE entered into a certain village
and a certain woman named Martha
received HIM into her house
and she had a sister called Mary
which also sat at Jesus’ feet
and heard HIS word
BUT Martha was cumbered about much serving
and came to HIM – and said
Lord – do YOU not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?
BID her therefore that she help me
AND Jesus answered and said unto her
Martha – Martha – you art careful and troubled about many things
BUT one thing is needful
and Mary hath chosen that good part
which shall not be taken away from her
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 Therefore said HE to them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that HE would send forth laborers into HIS harvest. (2326 “harvest” [therismos] means the act of reaping, figuratively: of the gathering of men into the kingdom of God, referring to time of reaping, the final judgment, when the righteous are gathered into the kingdom of God and the wicked are cast into hell for ever, the yield form plants in a single growing season, or produce.)
DEVOTION: The majority of people in America don’t go to any church each Sunday. In fact, according to surveys more people are checking the “no religion” category. People are not even identifying with the church they grew up in. Many high school graduated don’t return to the church of their parents if they are even still going with them throughout high school.
Once individual hit college age they don’t return until after they have their first child. It is sad that many of these individuals didn’t understand the basics of what being a follower of Christ was all about. They thought it was just following the rules of an individual church where they attended.
Being a follower of Christ is not looking at other people who call themselves Christians. It is not about obeying the rules of a local church. It is not about being bored at a local church because they don’t bring any excitement to what it means to follow Jesus. It is exciting watching someone understand the Word of God when you are witnessing to them and then watch them grow in the LORD. Only five percent of those who claim to be followers of Christ ever lead someone to Christ.
The LORD called ALL of US to be HIS witnesses in our world. Recently, I was training a church in outreach. There were a little over one hundred in attendance in the church. Of those numbers only about twelve were willing to go into the neighborhood to tell others about Christ. Someone stated it wasn’t their gift. It is not a gift – gifts are given to work inside the church. We are all called to be ministers of reconciliation. It does require some training but all can leave a tract and bulletin in a door if they don’t want to knock on it. Biblical tracts have been known to reach people for the LORD. Gideon’s but Bibles in motel rooms and people have read them and become followers of Jesus. One of my board members was one that read the Gideon Bible and became a follower of Christ.
The LORD has called all of us to be witnesses – if each believer reached just one house each week for the LORD a church of fifty would reach 2,500 people in one year with two weeks off.
CHALLENGE: Only obedience is required.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 20 Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (1449 “written” [eggrapho] means record, engrave, inscribe, enroll, enter in the public register, or to enter in the judges list)
DEVOTION: Jesus had just sent out seventy witnesses to reach a large area with the message of the gospel. They came back rejoicing over the fact that even the demons or fallen angels who possessed bodies responded to their commands to leave people’s bodies. Jesus told them that they should rejoice more over the fact that their names were in the Book of Life.
We read that there is a Book of Life that is going to be opened when all those who have rejected Jesus Christ when they stand before Jesus at the Great White Throne judgment.
Jesus opens the Book of Life to show them that they are not found in it and because they are not found in it they are going to spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels. It is a sad day when those outside of Christ are judged.
Many people seem to think that once they are dead they are dead and there is no afterlife. Some think that if they cremate their body the LORD can’t find all the pieces to put them back together therefore they will face no judgment. Some religions teach that there is a second chance after death for them to repent and then they can go to heave.
I watch a movie years back that presented a bunch of cowboys in a town that was just one step out of hell. If the people in the town didn’t kill anyone then they could go to heaven but if they did they would be taken by coach into the lake of fire. Well, some real back cowboys found the town and were going to do bad things to the people of the town so the ones who were given a trial period decided to defend the town’s people no matter what happened to them. So they killed the bad cowboys. When the stagecoach to heaven came they were invited on because they did something good instead of bad. They had their chance to get out of the in-between place. There is no in-between place.
The Bible states that it is appointed unto man once to die and then judgment. Only in this life can individuals become followers of Jesus Christ. We have the message. If we believe it we need to share it with everyone we love. We need to share it with our neighbors.
CHALLENGE: If your name is in the Book of Life you need to see to it that you invite all you can to join you there. The seventy did and so should we!!
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: 27 And HE answering said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. (25 “love” [agapao] means beloved, to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly, to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a things, to have a great affection or care for or loyalty towards, or to prize)
DEVOTION: The Ten Commandments were reduced to a basic two commandments by Jesus while HE was here on the earth. These two commandments dealt with our relationship with God and with man.
Our responsibility to God was to have an agape love for HIM. This love involved our inner person and our outer person. In our heart we have to give HIM first place. No one else could come between us and the LORD. Not family or friends or any other gods we might worship. Our soul or personality had to change to be one that produced actions that pleased the LORD. Our thinking had to change. Our motives had to change.
Also we have to give our entire strength to being a follower of Christ. It takes strength to fight against the world, the flesh and the devil. I believe that each believer has a guardian angel but also has a demon that is after us to do what the LORD would not like us to do. The demon would like us to yield to our old nature which is selfish and lazy. If we are lazy we will not study the Word of God to improve our knowledge of Jesus Christ. If we are lazy we will not witness to the LORD. If we are lazy we will not work on our relationships with our family and neighbors. Does this show love?
The second commandment deals with our relationship with people around us. People are hard to get along with at times, OK, most of the time. Today we live in a time period where interpersonal relationships involve no physical contact. We twitter, facebook, email and leave voice mails. People don’t answer their phones but check to see who is calling and decide whether to answer or not. Most of the time, many just wait for a voicemail because they don’t want to be bothered. Does this show love?
Most of us really don’t understand what LOVE is because we protect ourselves from people hurting us or we have been hurt and don’t want to be hurt again. Some were not brought up in loving families and don’t know how to love another person. This needs to change. CHALLENGE: It only changes with the help of the Holy Spirit and someone who understands what love is all about
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 42 But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her (5532 “needful” [chreia] means necessary, need, needed task, duty, or business)
DEVOTION: Jesus was visiting in a certain house. The family in the house consisted of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. This visit had Lazarus someplace else. Martha was busy preparing meals and taking care of the disciples. Her sister Mary was listening to what Jesus was teaching. She was sitting at Jesus’ feet.
Martha seemed to be busy doing most of the work. She was getting upset with her sister. She wanted help. She approached Jesus about the matter. HE told her that Mary was doing what needed to be done.
Is there a time when the house needs to be cleaned? YES! Is there a time to fix meals? YES! Is there a time to do other things in the house that need to be done? YES! However, when a Bible teacher comes to town and wants to teach a lesson in our house – what should we do? We should listen. Mary had Jesus in the house and she wanted to listen to what Jesus had to say.
Martha should have been sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening too. Sometimes we do the things that can be called “urgent.” To Martha the “urgent” was to get her house clean and food ready. To Jesus the “important” was to listen to his teaching.
There are books written regarding what some think is “urgent.” Are we doing the important things in our lives or are we running around doing what we consider “urgent.” Many parents are so busy raising money to put their children through college that they forget to spend time with them as they are growing up.
Some people think that their job is more “urgent” than their families. Some people think that their job or television or sporting event is more “urgent” than reading the Word of God. What is “urgent” and what is “important” need to be weighed on the scale of the LORD.
Are we listening to Jesus? Or are we too busy to listen?
CHALLENGE: Ask the LORD to reveal the “good part” that you are to be doing. This is in regard to your home, church and family.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Jesus told seventy to pray to Father verse 2
Jesus give thanksgiving prayer verse 21, 22
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Mary chose to worship Jesus verse 42
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Law verse 26
Commandments verse 27
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Lord of the harvest verse 2
Jesus talks with Father verse 21, 22
Lord of heaven and earth verse 21
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Lord verse 1, 17, 40
Son of peace verse 6
Jesus verse 21, 29, 30, 37, 39, 41
Rejoiced in spirit verse 21
Son verse 22
Reveal Father verse 22
Master verse 25
Story of certain man verse 30- 37
Story of Martha and Mary verse 38- 42
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
God verse 9, 11, 27
Kingdom of God verse 9, 11
Lord thy God verse 27
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
devils – evil angels verse 17
Satan – Devil – fallen cherib verse 18
Enemy – Satan verse 19
spirits – demons – evil angels verse 20
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Sodom verse 12
Tyre verse 13, 14
Sidon verse 13, 14
Capernaum verse 15
Hear verse 16
Kings verse 24
Certain lawyer verse 25
Neighbor verse 27, 29, 36
Samaritan verse 33
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Despise verse 16
Tempted verse 25
Justify self verse 29
Thieves verse 30, 36
Careful verse 41
Troubled verse 41
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Seventy witnesses verse 1
Laborers verse 2, 7
Pray for more laborers verse 2
Peace verse 5, 6
Heal verse 9
Repent verse 13
Hear verse 16, 24, 39
Joy verse 17
Power verse 19
Rejoice verse 20, 21
Names written in heaven verse 20
Revealed truth verse 21, 24
Blessed verse 23
Inherit eternal life verse 25
Love the LORD verse 27
Love neighbor verse 27
Compassion verse 33
Take care of wounded verse 34
Giver to others verse 35
Show mercy verse 37
Hear the word verse 39
Needful verse 42
Chosen the good part verse 42
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Appointed seventy verse 1
Sent two by two verse 1
Chorazin verse 13
Bethsaida verse 13
Prophets verse 24
Jerusalem verse 30
Jericho verse 30
Priest verse 31
Levite verse 32
Martha verse 38- 47
Mary verse 39- 47
Church (New Testament people of God)
Harvest is great verse 2
Laborers are few verse 2
Lambs among wolves verse 3
Disciples verse 23
Last Things (Future Events)
Kingdom of God verse 9, 11
Exalted to heaven verse 15
Hell verse 15
Names written in heaven verse 20
Eternal life verse 25\
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