St Louis UBF UBF Bible Study : Luke 10:1-24 (2011)

Bible Study Materials

Luke 10:1-24 (2011)

by Luke Yang 05/22/2011

Question

TO PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Luke 10:1-24

Key Verse:10:9

1. Read verses 1-3. Why did Jesus appoint and send out the seventy-two? Why two by two? (Ecc 4:9,10; Mt 18:19) Where did he send them? How did Jesus view the world into which he was sending them? (2-3)

2. Read verse 4. How should they behave? What timeless principles can we find here? Read verses 5-7. What gift do they bring to the home they enter? In what sense must all Christians be peacemakers? Why not move around?

3. Read verses 8-12. What must disciples do in a town that welcomes them? What is their main message? (Mk 1:15) Why? (1Pe 1:3,4) How did Jesus teach them not to compromise? Why is the message of the kingdom good news for some and bad news for others?

4. Read verses 13-16. What were the cities over which Jesus lamented? Why was he so sorrowful? Why should servants of God not be dismayed when rejected?

5. Read verses 17-24. Why were the seventy-two so joyful upon their return? What did Jesus teach them about real joy? Why was Jesus joyful? How did he express his deep human loneliness? What was his comfort? Why are Jesus’ disciples blessed people?

Attachment

TO PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM OF GOD-questions.doc

Message

TO PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Luke 10:1-24, Key Verse: 10:9

“Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’”

In today’s passage Jesus sends out seventy-two other disciples to every town and place where he was about to go. Their mission was to proclaim the kingdom of God. We learn what is most important for each person to receive the kingdom of God and to proclaim the kingdom of God.

First, “The Kingdom of God is near you” (1-16).

Look at verse 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.” Jesus had ever sent out his Twelve disciples before. Now he appoints seventy-two others and sends them out two by two. We know that Jesus raised not only the Twelve but also seventy-two for his ministry. Why did Jesus sent them two by two? Ecclesiastes 4:9,10 say, “Two are better than one...If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” One person is very vulnerable in doing God’s work. But two persons can form a spiritual vessel, with which they can withstand the power of Satan. When we work together with one mind to testify the gospel, people trust us more deeply. Two are better than one whether we are on a fishing trip or visit someone to encourage him.

Look at verse 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.’” To Jesus, the harvest was plentiful. To Jesus, there were so many thirsty souls who panted for the living water of God’s word. There were so many weary people who were tired of living in sin and longed for the holiness of God. But the workers were few. Therefore, Jesus said that we have to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field. Sometimes we are helpless and desperate to serve God's ministry. We don’t know where to start. But we learn from Jesus to start with prayer. Prayer is our best weapon to serve God's ministry. We must pray that the Lord may send out many gospel workers for God’s ministry. Last Thursday, our Washington fellowship members had a fishing trip on the Wash U campus. I went on the fishing trip after I prepared this message and I read this verse to our members during prayer meeting before starting the fishing trip. After reading the verse and praying together, we went out two by two. But there were few students because of Summer break. So, I complained to my wife, saying, "There are no sheep though Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful." A few minutes later, we met one student and he decided to come to one to one Bible study after I invited him. Through this event, I had no choice but to repent of my complaining. Even though I read the verse and prayed to God, I did not have faith and the viewpoint of Jesus. I repented my unbelief. I pray that I will have Jesus' viewpoint. There are still many thirsty soles on campuses. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, we have to pray that God may send many gospel workers. Let's pray that God may make us be good gospel workers and send us many good gospel workers from Wash U, SLU, UMSL and St. Louis area campuses.

Look at verse 3. “Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” After prayer, Jesus sent out seventy-two disciples into the harvest field. They were not well-trained and mature; they were like little lambs. The situation they were confronting was dangerous like going into a den of wolves. Nevertheless, Jesus sent them out in his divine compassion. Here, we learn that a gospel worker should be pure like a lamb and have a sacrificial attitude to serve God's ministry. We sacrifice our time and money to serve God's ministry. Someone may pay a parking fee when he visits the Wash U campus. Another may make time to have a fishing trip instead of preparing for his final exam. But those are small sacrifices compared with Jesus who sacrificed himself to serve God's ministry.

In verses 4-12, Jesus gave several instructions. The disciples could have a fruitful harvest when they followed these instructions carefully. Look at verse 4. “Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.” Simply speaking, this means to depend on God and not to be distracted. Sinful human beings want to depend on their own clever calculations instead of depending on God.

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.” The disciples were to impart the peace that Jesus gives. This is the peace with God that comes from forgiveness of sins. Those who have Jesus in their hearts can have peace with God and peace with others. The disciples needed spiritual discernment. Not everyone would accept their greeting of peace. They had to be very sensitive toward those who accepted their spiritual blessing.

Look at verse 7. “Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.” Gospel workers must not move around to find better sheep or a better environment. They must stay in a place where they are accepted and learn to overcome the situation.

Look at verse 9. “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’” Healing the sick reveals the character of the kingdom of God. God is love. God is concerned about each person and wants to extend his personal touch to the sickness or problems that damage our lives.

The disciples’ main purpose is to proclaim the message, “The kingdom of God is near you.” Here, “the kingdom of God” refers to Jesus himself. Mark 1:15 says, “‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’” Whoever repents and believes Jesus can have the kingdom of God in their hearts. Since I became a member of UBF, I met a lot of people who accepted Jesus and experienced the Kingdom of God. When they accepted Jesus, they were so happy and joyful. I am also one of them. I confessed and repented my sins before God at a UBF Summer Bible conference which I attended for the first time. I felt that my burden of sin was thrown far away from me at the conference. I was so happy and joyful, and I thought that I went through the Kingdom of God. The joy and happiness which I felt at the Summer Bible conference has sustained me since. I thank God who gave me forgiveness of sins and the Kingdom of God.

The kingdom of God gives us true joy and happiness while on earth. But that’s not all. The kingdom of God is our eternal home. It gives us a clear destination and direction of our lives. It gives us a living hope in this perishing world. This world is dangerous and temporal. This world is not safe, nor does it last forever. There were earthquakes and a tsunami in Japan two months ago. These killed 30,000 people. More recently there were tornadoes around Missouri. One of the most powerful and deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history swept across Joplin, Mo last Sunday, killing at least 125 and injuring 750. The tornado damaged 8,000 buildings, including churches, schools, a hospital, a Walmart, a Home Depot, a Pepsi bottling plant, two fire stations and many homes. This world is neither safe nor eternal. Our eternal and true hope is the Kingdom of God. There are so many people who do not know Jesus or have the Kingdom of God, even though the Kingdom of God is the most important and precious hope for their lives. Jesus wants for them to have the Kingdom of God. Jesus wants for us to go to the people to make them have the Kingdom of God. The message "The Kingdom of God is near you" is the most important and precious message, which everybody must hear and accept. The message "The Kingdom of God is near you" should be the main message of gospel workers.

Look at verses 10-12. “But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.” Some people reject the message of the kingdom of God because they don’t want to repent. The disciples ought not compromise with them, but wipe the dust off their feet and tell them again that the kingdom of God is near. To those who reject Jesus, the coming of the kingdom of God is not good news.

Look at verses 13-15. Korazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were the cities in which Jesus spent most of his time during his Galilean ministry. There he healed the sick, drove out evil spirits and proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God. But the people there did not repent of their sins. Now Jesus grieved for them. Without repentance and faith in Jesus, no one can enter the kingdom of God. Instead, they go to eternal punishment in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Some people think Jesus is “love” and that he does not punish sin. But Jesus speaks very clearly here about the eternal punishment that awaits those who do not repent and believe.

Look at verse 16. Finally Jesus said, “He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Those who reject gospel workers are rejecting Jesus and even God himself. Gospel workers do not need to take rejection personally. Gospel workers must simply deliver the message, “The kingdom of God is near you.”

Second, Jesus teaches his disciples how to rejoice in God (17-24).

Look at verse 17. “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’” The seventy-two disciples experienced the great power of Jesus. When they rebuked evil spirits in the name of Jesus, the demons ran away. The disciples became a source of blessing for others. They were so happy.

Look at verse 20. “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” In doing God’s work there are ups and downs. Sometimes we can see demons flee away and we have joyful victory. But sometimes the work of God does not seem to show much progress. If our joy depends on our success in doing God’s work, we will go up and down as if we are riding a roller coaster. Jesus teaches us to find the source of joy in our relationship with him, not in the success of the ministry. Finding one person, teaching the Bible to him or her, and watching his or her conversion in God is such a joyful and happy event for a one to one Bible teacher. However, there is something more joyful and happier than this. It is that our names are written in heaven. Therefore, we should not be disappointed or discouraged when our sheep go astray. Jesus gives us the grace of forgiveness of sins and writes our names in the book of life in heaven. Jesus saves us by his grace, not because we are successful in doing his work. We can always rejoice that our names are written in heaven.

Look at verse 21. “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.’” Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit. Jesus was facing the imminence of his betrayal, suffering and crucifixion. But Jesus had great joy in his heart through the Holy Spirit. Jesus praised God for working mightily in his disciples. They were not well educated or great in the world. But when they obeyed Jesus by faith, they experienced the power of God.

Look at verse 22. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” More than anything else, Jesus enjoyed his personal relationship with his Father God. He was glad that the Father entrusted his whole plan for world salvation to Jesus. Jesus was glad that the Father understood him and he understood the Father. This was Jesus’ power source that enabled him to go to Jerusalem.

Look at verses 23-24. “Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.’” Here, Jesus seems to be addressing the Twelve. They were most blessed to see the work of God going on through Jesus. They were more blessed than many prophets and kings. Jesus wanted them to see themselves in view of God’s history and realize how blessed they were. Jesus wants his disciples to learn how to rejoice in God and be really happy.

In this passage, Jesus sent out seventy-two other disciples to proclaim the kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is most important and precious for everybody. Jesus wanted all people to have the Kingdom of God in their heart. Let’s pray that we may proclaim the Kingdom of God to young students on campuses. Let's pray that God may raise many gospel workers for Kingdom of God from Wash U, SLU, UMSL, and all the other campuses in the St. Louis area. May God help and bless us to serve our Summer ministry for the Summer Bible School, proclaiming, “The kingdom of God is near you.”