Mission Possible

Mission Possible

Series: The Gospel Truth

Text: Luke 10:1-24

Introduction: (What?)

Just as the 72 disciples whom Jesus sent out were given a specific assignment of going before Jesus proclaiming the Good News, healing the sick and delivering those oppressed by demons, we also have a “fore-runner” assignment. Jesus is coming again. In preparation for His coming we are given the mission of “making disciples of all nations”. Some people think that this assignment is impossible. However, when Jesus gives an assignment, He also gives power to achieve it. Our assignment is…TLP.

Examination: (Why?)

1. We are the “other disciples”.

Lk 10:1-2 “After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others, and he sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

Some of your translations say that He sent out 70 while others, as the CSB mention 72. The number 70 might allude to the number of people who went to Egypt in Joseph’s day and is likely referencing the number of nations in Gen. 10 & 11 when the nations were divided at the Tower of Babel. Whatever, there are some important things for us to note in how they were sent and what they were told.

In the CSB Disciples Study Bible we find these notes;

Effective witnesses go in obedience to their LORD. When we realize that witnessing is an act of obedience and that obedience is God’s love language (John 14) It makes all the difference. When Jesus addressed the Rich Young Ruler, who thought he qualified to be a follower of Jesus, He noted: “One thing you lack.” If we are disobedient to even one of Jesus’ commands, we are disobedient to all of them. Many people today think that if they are active in church, serve on a committee or teach SS they are exempted from personal evangelism. Not true. Remember what Jesus said in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”” A witness is someone who tells their story of their first hand experience with Jesus.

God already has people ready to respond if His people are willing to go. We don’t believe that people are wanting to hear the Gospel, however Jesus said otherwise. (Story of Jim Holder)

Fellowship in witnessing strengthens the witness. Jesus sent them out by twos. Most evangelism programs suggest that people go in twos when they go out to witness.

Prayer is essential in recruiting those who will go and witness. The implication of Jesus’ statement is that if we pray God will provide those who are willing to go.

2. Pack light and move fast

Lk 10:3-16 “Now go; I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves. Don’t carry a money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals; don’t greet anyone along the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they offer, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Don’t move from house to house. When you enter any town, and they welcome you, eat the things set before you. Heal the sick who are there, and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near you.’ When you enter any town, and they don’t welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘We are wiping off even the dust of your town that clings to our feet as a witness against you. Know this for certain: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were 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 tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will do down to Hades. Whoever listen to you, listens to Me. Whoever rejects you, rejects Me. And whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent me.”

This assignment was time-sensitive. The witnesses needed to be “lean and mean” which means they shouldn’t take anything extra along, and they shouldn’t waste time along the way. Some people use the excuse “I don’t know the Bible well enough to witness” for not witnessing. Hey, if you have a story of how you came to Jesus, you have all you need. You don’t even have to take a course in witnessing. (the Mr. Genter Story) When Jesus sent out the twelve He said in Matt 10:23 “When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” I think that it is wrong for anyone to hear the Gospel many times when there are still those who have never heard it once. Jesus told them not to waste time trying to change the minds of their persecutors. Move on! There are still those who haven’t heard and who will be open to your witness.

Go where you are welcome and stay there until the job is done. In 1992 I attended a conference in Los Angeles, CA. The church that hosted the conference had planted more churches in the past year than the entire California Southern Baptist Convention combined. They did it by going into a community and finding a “person of peace”. The definition of a person of peace is the person who opens the way for the gospel to enter one's social group or even their village. They would ask this person if they would be willing to invite some of their friends over for a Bible Study. BTW un-churched people are more likely to say “yes” to this request than those who attend church. After the Bible Study, which always included the gospel, they would invite the group back next week and encourage them to bring a friend. After several weeks the attendees were asked if they would host a Bible Study in their home. When at least three groups were going, they would have a monthly gathering of all of them…and start a church.

Jesus declared that those places where the gospel had been preached, miracles had been seen and experienced and yet the people had not repented were in the cross-hairs of God’s judgment. I have read that 90-95% of all evangelical preachers reside in America. Yet America is now ranked among the top 10 most pagan nations in the world. There are more practicing Wiccans (1.5 million) than active members of the Presbyterian Denomination (1.2 million). We have seen the power of the gospel. We have witnessed miracle after miracle…and yet we, as a nation, have turned our backs on God. We are in league with Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum.

3. Pleasing (glorifying) Jesus

Lk 10:17-24 “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Look, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing at all will harm you. However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” At that time he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure. All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal him.” Then turning to his disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see the things you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see but didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear, but didn’t hear them.”

Jesus celebrated with the 72 when they returned from their mission. He told them that He saw the result when they exercised the authority He had given them, but He warned them not to overlook the most important thing in their lives…the fact that their names were written in heaven. Your worth is not what you have accomplished. Your worth is what Jesus has done in you when you surrendered to Him. You may build the largest business in the world, pastor the largest church in the country or have the most money of anyone else in town…however, if your name isn’t written in the Lamb’s book of life, you are NOTHING!

Jesus prayed, thanking God that He had revealed truth to these relatively un-educated people while hiding it from the intelligentsia. Jesus was honored and glorified by the obedience of those He sent out. In the “High Priestly Prayer of John 17 we get a glimpse of how we can bring glory to God and Jesus.

In John 17:1-4 “Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him. This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent—Jesus Christ. I have glorified you on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”

The work on earth that Jesus was given to do was to provide a way of salvation for all who surrendered to Him. We also have a work to do. It is called the Great Commission. We are to be disciple-making disciples; Followers of Jesus who are training others to follow Jesus. If you are obedient to the commands of Jesus, you WILL be a disciple-maker. Judas was a disciple of Jesus, but he was not a disciple-maker. Whose team are you on?

Application: (How will I apply this to my life?)

Have you surrendered to Jesus?

Are you a “person of peace”?

Are you actively making disciples?

If you can’t answer “yes” to each of these questions, then you are also in the cross-hairs of God’s judgment. Today is the day to REPENT, SURRENDER and GO ON MISSION AS A WITNESS TO WHAT Christ has done for you.