Jesus Sends Out the Seventy Two

Luke 10:1-24

Key Verse 10:1

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.

Today we would like to think about how Jesus instructed the harvest workers to go out for harvesting.

First, seventy-two others (1)

In the passage, Jesus appointed seventy two others. Here the word “others” has the meaning of “more” [than the Twelve]. The number twelve or seventy-two has its root in the Old Testament Scriptures. The twelve derived from the twelve tribes of Israel, and the seventy-two stemmed from the seventy-two elders of Israel. Both the twelve and the seventy-two others then are an idiom for the body of harvest workers. In modern terms these numbers refer to “the members of the church called the body of Jesus”. And another nick name for the builders of God’s kingdom is harvest workers.  

God uses people as harvest workers to harvest people into his heavenly barn. In my case, the Lord God reaped me into his sheep pen through one of my law school classmates. In the spring of 1971, I graduated from law school. Until that time, I did not know who Jesus was. I did not know what the Bible was all about. God had mercy on me. God sent one of my law school class mates. He introduced me to a Bible study in UBF. Then one thing led to another, and through the Bible studies in UBF I learned about Jesus and his kingdom. In short, God saved me by sending believers to me. 

Yesterday I attended the third annual Founder’s Day worship service in Chicago. There Missionary Sarah Hong of Heidelberg Germany shared her life testimony. In her testimony she testified to the same truth: God invited her into the fellowship with Him by sending a believer to her. Through a fellow nurse working at a hospital she heard about Jesus. She then opened her heart and accepted Jesus. The joy of salvation erupted in her heart. She said, “When I thought about God’s love for me, I was so thankful that I could not keep my mouth shut.” And she started asking people, “Do you believe in Jesus?” Here is a video clip of her testimony. This fall semester we pray to tell the students on college campuses about Jesus, so all who do not know Jesus would know Jesus and be saved into His kingdom.   

Jesus sent them out two by two. Jesus did not send out the seventy-two one by one. If Jesus sent out one person to one town Jesus could cover seventy two towns all at the same time. But if Jesus sent out two persons to each town, the number of towns Jesus could cover decreases by one half. This sounds uneconomical. But still Jesus sent them out two by two, Why? Eccles. 4:9 answers the question: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.” At this point, let me show you a video clip of two persons working together to catch fish. 

God gave us two hands. In typewriting, two hands produce a far better return than one hand. The same is true in walking. Suppose you walk a distance with one foot. What will be the return? Each time I travel from my house to the Downey center, I use two feet. And I can make it in five minutes. If I use only one foot it will take a lot longer than that. Plus it will be a torturous experience. 

Practically for two different people to work together is not always easy. But when we think about how two hands, two eyes, or two feet work together, we can understand how two different people with two different personalities can work harmoniously. Our two eyes, two hands, or two feet work together for one single master, that is, our body. My two hands are attached to my body. They do not serve their own purposes. My left hand serves me, and my right hand serves me too. Neither of them have their own agenda. The same is true with my two eyes, two feet, or two ears. Likewise, two persons can work together when each of them empties himself of his own self-seeking ideas and serves one master that is, Jesus Christ. Speaking of this truth the Apostle Paul said in 1Co 12:12-31 that all believers are part of the body called Jesus Christ, for he says in 1 Cor. 12:2, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” In the passage, the seventy two had one single purpose, that is, to please Jesus and serve His purpose. When we accept this truth, that is, serving Jesus and his purpose alone, then each of us can work together seamlessly.

In verse 1 we see that Jesus sent them out to the villages and towns where Jesus was about to go. This indicates the position of the disciples. What is their position? Their position is that of John the Baptist whom God sent as a forerunner of Jesus. God sent John the Baptist to help people prepare their hearts so when Jesus comes to them, they would readily accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior. In the day of John the Baptist Jesus came to the people physically. In the case of the seventy two others, Jesus physically went after them. In our case, Jesus does not come to people physically. Rather he comes to them through the living word of God and the bestowal of the Holy Spirit. When you think about it, we are in a far better position to harvest souls than the seventy two, because unlike the day of the seventy two we are living in the generation where the Risen Jesus works together with his disciples simultaneously. Nowadays we use cell phones email and all other devices, so that regardless of physical limits such as geographical distances we can communicate with people instantaneously. This is true spiritually as well. Therefore, as we go out and share the gospel with them, let us remember that the Risen Jesus stands right next to each of us, ready to work in the lives of those who open their hearts to our words of invitation.

Second, the Lord of harvest (2-3)

Still however the idea of going out to a mission field and coming in contact with people could be a stressful experience. But there is a way to overcome the anxiety. What is it? Look at verses 2-3. Jesus’ solution to our anxiety problem is to offer prayer to the Lord. Please note that Jesus asked the workers to pray first and then go out. Why? It is because if we pray the Lord God goes ahead of us with a whole host of angelic beings. Then, the Lord can work with us. If we do not pray however we leave the Lord out of the harvest work, and we are condemned to operate on our own. And our work has nothing to do with the Lord. But if we pray first, the Lord starts working in and through us. So praying first is the way to include the Lord in the work we are called to do. 

 

Third, room and board (4-8)

In verses 4-8 Jesus gave the harvest workers instructions on the matter of room and board. Basically he says that the harvest workers should not worry about what to eat, or where to stay because God is the employer, and the disciples are the employees employed by God. And God provides for them (room and board) through people who open their hearts to the gospel of peace. With this in mind let us read this passage responsively. 

When I went to Chicago, I met Missionary Jose Ahn. He reminds me of the truth that God always provides for his harvest workers. He is my law school senior. During his sophomore year in law school he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Since then he has been working as a harvest worker. During his law school years he diligently invited law school students to Bible studies. One of his students is Woo Cheol Lee who in turn invited me to Jesus. Then upon graduation the Lord God blessed him to pass a civil service exam. Since graduation the Lord blessed him through the marriage with a woman of faith Maria Ahn and two children: a son named Joseph Ahn Jr. and a daughter named Maria Ahn Jr. For the first 20 years after graduation from his law school he worked for the Korean government as a diplomat. As a diplomat he traveled all around the world, particularly to Latin American countries. And each time he was assigned to a foreign nation, while working as an ambassador of the Korean government, he served that nation first as an ambassador of Christ. This is how he came to pioneer Mexico, Guatemala, and 12 other Latin American countries. [Thus far of the 40 Latin American countries 14 nations have UBF chapters.] Lately he confessed to me that these 14 countries are the exact nations on which he had set his feet, during his travels throughout Latin America. However, he has not been to any of the other Latin American nations. Later, he quit his position as a diplomat. 11 years ago, he moved to the U.S. as a permanent missionary. After quitting his government job in order to support his family, he built another career as a Jr. high Spanish teacher. He is now 60.  His son, Dr. Joseph Ahn Jr. who just finished his residency as a medical doctor said to him, “Dad. Stop working. From now on I will support you.” Then, Missionary Jose Ahn said, “Thank you.” Then his son said, “There is one condition.” “What’s that?” asked Missionary Jose Ahn. “I will support you on the condition that you continue to serve the Lord’s world mission command.” Missionary Jose Ahn replied, “Praise the Lord.” 

Fourth, the work (5-6; 9)

The next thing Jesus instructed them to do in sending them out to the harvest field was to identify the work they were called to do. What were they supposed to do? Look at verses 5-6. “When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.” Let us also read verse 9. “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'” Here we see three words that stand out: peace, heal, and tell. 

The peace Jesus talks about in v. 5 is different than the peace the politicians in Washington D.C. talk about. The Hebrew word peace which when transliterated reads in English “shalom” has deep meanings: completeness, wholeness, safety, welfare, health, prosperity, quietness, tranquility, contentment, and friendship. Referring to the same truth Jesus says in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” 

This peace characterizes the essential nature of God’s kingdom. Healing and preaching represent the means to produce God’s kingdom in a man. 

Now let us think about healing the sick. How does it come? Healing comes from the healing of one’s relationship between God and men and among men. Sickness is exactly the product of sick relationships; by the same token the fruit called “health” grows on a tree called “healthy relationships.” Exodus 15:26 then says that God is the God who heals (Jehovah Rapha). In order for one to receive healing, one must be in the relationship with God the Father. As one remains in a relationship with him [with all other conditions being equal such as one remaining in complete humility before God] healing becomes natural. And peace rolls within him like a river. Then he becomes healthy, spiritually as well as physically. 

Jesus then asked the disciples to say, “The kingdom of God is near.” The Kingdom of God refers to the state of one’s life which is in complete harmony with God the Father. The word “near” is suggestive of the gift Jesus desires to give to his people who believe in Jesus. How “near” then is the kingdom? It is as near the front door of this Bible sanctuary is to this room we are in. Speaking of the same truth Jesus says in Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” In fact God’s kingdom is even nearer than the door of this house is to this room, for by the door Jesus means the door of one’s heart. One thing that fascinates me is the word “anyone”. “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door…” What does “anyone” mean? Anyone means anyone. It does not matter who you are, how messed up you think your life has been. Only if you open your heart, and let him in, he is willing to come in, and have a fellowship with you. So today and tomorrow let us think about the possibility to open each of our hearts, and have the glorious fellowship with a man called Jesus Christ. I can guarantee that Jesus will do something truly amazing to you. And one of the first things he will do is to give you peace of mind. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 Then Jesus says to his disciples, “When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.'” 

Overall, we can say that Jesus sends his disciples on a peace mission. This peace provides man with a perfect environment where man can enjoy his life in an infinite measure

Fifth, what if people reject you? (10-16)

Each person desires to become successful in all he does. Because God gave us the desire to accomplish something, when we go out and share the good news of God’s kingdom with others, very naturally we desire to see people getting enthusiastic about our messages, welcome them and sign up for the ministry that follows Jesus and serves his will. But things do not go always the way we want. Rather, on many occasions we end up getting rejected again and again. Then it is possible for us to feel confused and then frustrated. 

Jesus understands this and prepared the disciples about how to handle rejections. Let us read verses 10-16. This passage says that when people reject you it is not you alone whom they reject: they first reject Jesus Christ, and by rejecting Jesus they reject God the Father who sent Jesus who in turn sent you. And by rejecting Jesus and God the Father, they reject the gift God has in mind, that is, the kingdom of God. 

Similarly, if they welcome you, they do so first because they’ve welcomed Jesus and through Jesus, God the Father, and therefore the gift the Lord God let you carry, that is, the kingdom of God. 

This truth liberates harvest workers from being in slavery to their human emotions. It then keeps man humble all the time, for as one understands this truth, one can rejoice even when people reject him or persecute him. When people welcome his message he can rejoice for the saving of the souls who repented and will be harvested into the heavenly barn.  

Sixth, the credit (17-19)

In verses 17-19 Jesus explained this concept further. Let us read this passage. In verse 17 the disciples made a report saying even demons submitted to them in Jesus’ name. Given the weaknesses of the disciples, no doubt that the victory they won was not a small miracle. It was a miracle of miracles.

In verses 18-19 Jesus says that the miracle happened not because of the disciples but because of Jesus’ authority given to them. Jesus gave them the authority to drive out demons. Thanks to Jesus’ empowerment, even Satan fell like lightning. The expression “I saw Satan fall like lightening” teaches us that indeed Jesus’ power is greater than all other powers.  

Seventh, the reward (20-24)

In verses 20-24 Jesus teaches us that God rewards the harvest workers in two ways: first, they can rest assured that their names are recorded in the book of life; and second, the personal knowledge that Jesus is indeed the Savior of the world, the only Son of God who is the exact representation of God’s being. 

In conclusion, we learned that working as harvest workers is a truly blessed work. It is a privilege of privileges. We have a fall bible conference scheduled to come in less than three weeks. May the Lord bless us to work as harvest workers inviting seven new students from each fellowship. 

One word: Jesus sends out the seventy two

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