Traveling with Luggage

Introduction

A year ago this week, Erin’s sister was married in California. Erin, Henry, and I left from Versailles, drove to Louisville airport, and flew to California.

The flight was early, but all of our bags were packed, everything was laid out, perfect. We had the coffee in a to go mug, Henry snoozing in the back seat, and everything we needed in the car.

On the way, Erin and I looked at each other and said, “We are professionals at this! Man, this was easy!”

We get to the airport, get Henry and Erin dropped off, I park the car and come up with the luggage. When I get to Erin, she looks at the luggage and says, “Hey, where is my carry-on.” Uh oh.

Erin’s carryon had Erin’s bridesmaids dress and all of Henry’s clothes. My first question was, “Can we buy another dress in LA?” No

I called Jonathan. “Hey, man. Can you go to our apartment, get our carry-on, and ship it to us.” Jonathan did exactly that. We got the package in a few days.

It was very vulnerable to not have something so crucial to our trip.

Could you imagine going on a journey without any money, a change of clothes, or an extra pair of shoes. Nonetheless, Jesus asks the disciples to do exactly this AND MORE.

As we look at this text today, we can see the unconventional commands of Jesus. In his commands, he creates vulnerability on behalf of his disciples. In vulnerability, our hearts are exposed.

Read Luke 10:1-20.

Explanation

Jesus’ instructions to the disciples

Jesus appoints 72 disciples. Why 72? These 72 would be spread throughout the region. I don’t know that Jesus was planning on visiting 36 villages on his way to Jerusalem, so they were probably ministering so that hearts would be softened once Christ rose from the grave and the disciples dispersed everywhere sharing the message.

They would be healing, casting out demons, and sharing the gospel.

They were also preparing the hearts of the people for Jesus.

Jesus gives them some very specific directions.

Pray earnestly for God to sent harvesters.

Go prayerfully. Pray and Go.

We must pray that God would raise up people to share the gospel. Jesus does not ask them to pray for the harvest, but rather, he asks them to pray that harvesters will come.

We must be willing to be the answer to our own prayers. // Thabiti Anyabwile

Prayer does not absolve you from the responsibility of sharing the gospel.

Sometimes, we pray for others, and we think that is the only thing we have been called to do. We are called to go in our capacity.

The bottleneck of the Kingdom of God has rarely resulted from people who will not listen and often resulted from people who are not willing to go.

Go meekly. Be aware that the work I am asking you to do is hard, and you will be sheep among wolves.

There will be danger, and you will be helpless against it.

Go with meekness, knowing that the power you need to see the job through won’t come from your own strength.

Go urgently. Greet no one on the way.

I am sending you on an important task. Go with urgency.

Urgency comes from two things - the importance of the task and the limited amount of time needed to complete it.

The gospel is the most important message in the world.

You have limited time on this earth.

So does the person you are sharing the message with.

Go dependent upon God. Carry nothing with you. No money, no knapsack, no sandals.

What could Jesus be teaching here? Dependency.

Go wisely. Find people of peace.

On the mission field, a “person of peace” is someone who is sympathetic to the mission of God.

They could be a believer.

They could be a friendly nonbeliever.

They could be someone curious to the things of God.

Etc.

We are looking for people who we might have an in to sharing the gospel.

Go, selflessly. Don’t move around from house to house.

Don’t leverage your position to get more and more from people.

“Well, I started in this house, and they have kept me fed and warm and dry. But you know, that man’s house across the road is a little bigger. And I smell the bread his wife makes in the morning. Man, it smells good.”

Stay with someone, be content with what they give, and allow the Lord to use you.

Go selflessly.

Go compassionately. Heal and share the gospel.

We are called to do one and the other.

We ought to love that we would share the gospel.

We cannot neglect one or the other.

The words of Jesus will only ring true if your life rings true. Let your life shine before others so that they would see Jesus in you and want to know Him.

Go humbly. Leave the results up to the Lord.

We often use this term in an unloving way. Jesus does not intend this text to be unloving, but rather to show that ultimately the results depend upon him.

What is Jesus getting at here? Rejection. What do you do with rejection? Rejection is one of the greatest fears we have.

If someone doesn’t respond to the gospel, it isn’t the fault of the disciples but of those who did not listen to the gospel.

Jesus’ rebuke of the cities the disciples would be traveling

Jesus pronounces woe to Chorazin and Bethsaida. He states that if the mighty works - happening that day - had happened in Tyre and Sidon, then those cities would have repented and been spared the wrath of God.

Jesus was doing something mighty and powerful, but the stubbornness of the hearts of the people would keep them from knowing the Kingdom of God.

Some of us will be prophets of God’s grace and prophets of God’s wrath. While we will share the same message, some will receive God’s grace any others will reject God’s grace, thus receiving his wrath.

You will not be judged on your results, but rather, were you obedience to the people God called you.

Jesus identification with the disciples

Luke 10:16 ““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 identity of the believer is wrapped in Christ completely.

When you speak about Him, it is Him speaking.

When someone rejects you for what you say/do, they are rejecting Him and ultimately our Heavenly Father.

Are you so wrapped up in Jesus that a rejection of you is a rejection of Him?

Jesus encourages the 72 followers

More important than what you do for the Lord is who you are before the Lord.

It is better to be saved than successful.

Jesus invites these 72 disciples to examine their hearts in light of what they had done.

External success rots the soul as quickly as anything, BECAUSE we often equate success in the Kingdom of God or our families or our careers with spiritual success. They are not the same.

The disciples came back with great joy in what they had done, but Jesus reminded them of a greater joy - salvation that He offers.

It is funny how even things done in the name of Christ can replace Him.

Your heart must constantly be reminded of the joy of your salvation.

Invitation

The Kingdom of God is near. You can make a choice today to either follow Jesus or not. And there will be consequences to either side of that choice. What will you do?

Maybe, today has spurred you towards the need for boldness in your life. In a post-Christian world, people will not drift towards Christianity. Therefore, we will need to be bold witnesses of the cross.