Jesus Rules for Evangelism

Opening Comments and Scripture:

Today as we continue in our verse by verse series through the Gospel of Luke; that we are Calling “The Son: From the Manager to the Cross”; we will embark upon a new chapter. So please make your way to Luke 10 in your copy of God’s word. (Church Bible begins on pg.815).

This is the Word of the Lord:

Luke 10:1–16 ESV

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. 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.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we gather to hear Your Word, we ask that You prepare our hearts to receive the message. We pray for Your guidance and wisdom as we explore Jesus' rules for evangelism, and ask that Your Holy Spirit burden us to be faithful witnesses for Christ. May our time together be blessed, and may we leave here today with a renewed passion to share Your love with a lost and hurting world.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Introduction:

The text we have just read picks up in the timeline immediately after the events in ch.9:56 as Jesus began his journey from Galilee to Jerusalem that would end in his death. The last time we were together, I mentioned that the crowds that followed Jesus existed on a spectrum from those who hated him and followed him around just looking for a way to bring about his demise all the way to those who were deeply committed disciples. While Jesus did attract large crowds, those who were deeply commited were not. He had the twelve apostles, and here we are introduced to another 72 (speak to the textual variant) by doing the math, we learn that the deeply committed at this point, totaled around 84 people. After the crucifixion, we will see 120 huddled in the upper room. By, most peoples standards today, you would call Jesus a failure because he didn't pastor a mega church. These 72 were a part of his true disciples who were now joining him on this several month journey that would culminate in Jesus passion.

Here in vs.1 he commissions these 72 people to go out on a short term missions trip very similar to the trip he sent the 12 out on at the beginning of chapter 9. Interestingly, Luke is the only one of the gospel writers to include the information about the 72.The difference between the 12 and the 72 were that the role of the 72 was temporary. After selecting who the 72 would be, he paired them up for support and encouragement but also in accordance with the Old testament law (Deut 19:15) and sent them to go ahead of him to the towns and villages he was planning to journey to on his way to Jerusalem.

But, before he sent them out, he gave them some rules they needed to follow while on their evangelism tour. Now, while God may not gift us with the same super natural abilities he temporarily gifted the 72 with, the instructions he gave them serve as a manual for the mission of the church in a post resurrection world.

From this text we see that there is both a right manner and a right message that we are supposed to have as we share Jesus in our own communities and around the world.

1.) The right manner for evangelism. (v.2-4)

Jesus set expectations for the behavior and conduct of his 72 short term missionaries as they went about evangelizing I think we see four of them here in v.2-4.

A.) An attitude of compassion. (v.2b)

Luke 10:2 (ESV)

And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Compassion is a character trait that we as sinful human beings often lack but it is something that poured forth from Jesus with regularity.

Here Jesus equates the mass of humanity as a field that was abounding with produce waiting to be harvested. By using this illustration he was saying that there was a great amount of souls out there to be reached with the gospel, but, there were not enough laborers to go out and reap that harvest.

He presents this as two opposing problems-on one hand the harvest is very large-on the other, there aren't enough workers to reap the harvest.

Friends, there is a great mass of humanity who are in need of the gospel, and evangelism must begin with a proper assessment over the plight of those who die without Christ as their savior.

The thought of millions and millions of people going out into eternal damnation ought to break our hearts. The need is urgent.

The crop is ripe in the field, it is ready to be harvested.

So often, we don’t tell others about Jesus because we think they’re not interested, but friend, there are so many ready and waiting to hear that Jesus is the answer to their sin problem.

We must have compassion toward those who are without Christ.

B.) An attitude of dependency. (v.2c)

Luke 10:2 (ESV)

…Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

Yes there is a field that is ready to be harvested with the gospel, so many are lost and on there way to hell, but, we must remember, that the harvest is the Lord’s not ours.

The harvest has been placed into the hands of Jesus, without him, there could be no harvest.

But, if the harvest belongs to Jesus, why here does he command the 72 to pray?

Our prayers do not save the harvest not are they even a part of the harvest. But, they join God’s concern for the harvest, and make us of one mind and will with Jesus. God uses our prayers as a means whereby he brings in the harvest.

This is the paradox and wonder of the gospel. It all belongs to him from beginning to end and yet we are commanded to pray that more may be saved.

As we go out to evangelize we must pray that the Lord will strengthen the work, it is all dependent on him.

C.) An attitude of obedience. (v.3a)

Luke 10:3 (ESV)

‌Go your way; ...

The greek here is “go and keep going”, or “be going” or “Now go”.

Meaning there is no time for delay, their must be urgency in our obedience.

For Jesus and the 72 here, the cross was only a short time away, for us, the return of Christ is only a short time away.

Evangelism isn't a job for tomorrow it is a job for today. Delayed obedience to Christ command is disobedience.

Psalm 119:60 ESV

60 I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments.

D.) An attitude of trust. (v.3b-4)

Luke 10:3–4 ESV

3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.

There are two things here that Jesus told his disciples they needed to trust him for, protection and provision.

1.) Protection

Jesus here tells the 72 that he is sending them out as “lambs in the midst of wolves.”

What does that conjure up? Lambs are innocent and defenseless and wolves are the very opposite.

The threats to the 72 as they were preaching the gospel were going to abound. They were going to encounter people hostile the message of Jesus. There only protection would be found in trusting in their shepherd.

Friends, this world can do nothing to us as we preach Jesus until He says our works is done.

In the midst of intense persecution in the early church, the believers in Rome remained steadfast in their faith. Despite facing imprisonment, torture, and death, they continued to boldly proclaim the Gospel, inspiring others with their unwavering commitment to Christ.

Romans 8:35–39 ESV

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

During the Reformation, William Tyndale faced severe persecution for translating the Bible into English. He was eventually captured and executed for his efforts, but his work laid the foundation for future English translations. Tyndale's bravery in the face of persecution is a powerful reminder that the truth of the gospel cannot be silenced by the threats of the world.

2.) Provision

The command of Christ to take no moneybag, knapsack (would have carried extra clothing), or sandals (meaning more than what they had on their feet) or to greet no one on the road (to establish relationships for support) was a temporary time of training them to rely on his provision.

Worrying about temporary provision would have hindered them and wasted precious time along the way.

Friends, the every day cares of this life will way you down, we spend so much time worrying about these things and trying to care for them ourselves when we just need to be dependent upon the Lord.

Matthew 6:33 ESV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Philippians 4:11–13 ESV

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Psalm 37:3–5 ESV

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

Application: As you engage in evangelism in public settings, let compassion guide your interactions by genuinely caring for the people you encounter. Cultivate a spirit of dependency on the Lord through prayer, seeking His leading in how to share the Gospel effectively. Choose obedience and trust by stepping out of your comfort zone to initiate conversations about faith, believing that God can use your willingness to bring others to Him.

2.) The right message for evangelism. (v.5-16)

Jesus then charges the 72 with the message they are to proclaim. The gospel is a message of both peach and punishment.

A.) A message of peace. (v.5-9)

As the 72 went out evangelizing ahead of Jesus, they were headed to places and people they did not know. So they needed to go about looking for people who would be receptive to the message of Jesus. People who were ready, eager and even divinely prepared to hear the gospel.

Share story of Mrs. Billy.

How did they go about doing this?

They were to go around looking for people who were interested in the message of “peace with God.”

Luke 10:5 ESV

5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’

This was not a normal Jewish greeting. This was a greeting as bearers of the good news of Jesus. Peace is an objective gift brought by the gospel that takes us from enemies of God to friends and children. It is permanent possession of those who are in Christ.

Romans 5:1 ESV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

But, peace with God cant live where it is not desired.

Luke 10:6 ESV

6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.

Son of peace- could also be “man of peace”. In Jewish vernacular, to say that someone was a son of something meant that person had a disposition or nature consistent with it.

John MacArthur, Luke 6–10, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2011), 331.

This would be a person receptive to the message of receiving eternal peace with God through Christ as Lord.

If this is not who they found, they were to simply just move on to the next home and not waste their time someone who was a rejector.

When they found a receptive home, they were to stay there, and enjoy their hospitality, eating and drinking whatever they were served with contentment.

Speak about the marks of a true messenger not looking for more lavish settings

This kind of home was to serve then as their home-base for the time they were in the city preaching salvation and healing the sick.

2.) A message of punishment. (v.10-16)

The 72 short term missionaries were not going to find receptive people everywhere they went, so, what were they to do when they were rejected?

Luke 10:10–11 ESV

10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’

This was seen as a public pronouncement of judgement of those who rejected Jesus. Wiping off the dust from your feet was a very jewish way of expressing disdain and was a way of expressing that not only had they rejected Jesus, but he was rejecting them and would not be coming to their city even though his kingdom was near.

You see in order to have a full understanding of the gospel, we have to not only understand the good news of peace with God but also the bad news for those who reject Him. A proper gospel presentation includes the good news of heaven but also the bad news of hell and judgement.

Romans 2:5 ESV

5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Those who reject the gospel, and refuse to turn to Christ in repentance and faith will face eternal punishment in Hell.

Jesus then gives a graphic illustration of something called “comparative judgement.” That is too say that the eternal punishment for sin is more severe for those who have heard the gospel and rejected it then for those who have never heard. The severer judgement belongs to those who had the most knowledge of the truth.

Hebrews 10:29 ESV

29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?

Luke 10:12–15 ESV

12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.

Jesus lists three Jewish cities in his day: Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum (v.13) and 3 gentile cities from history: Sodom, Tyre and Sidon.

The gentile cities were cities that were once Judged by God.

Sodom- (along with Gomorrah) was judged by God by being burnt to the ground by fire and brimstone raining down on it for the sin of homosexuality.

Tyre and Sidon were two gentiles cities that epitomized evil in the old testament. Both Isaiah 23 and Ezekiel 38 prophesied the judgement that fell on them.

Had the Jewish people been asked to name the most evil people in human history, they would have named these places.

Yet, Jesus is saying that the stubborn rejection by the jewish people of the 72 and the truth of the Gospel of Jesus they would preach would be more severe than those wicked gentile cities.

Any city that rejects the gospel would have worse punishment than sodom (v.12)

Chorazin is only mentioned in this one place in the Bible, and no longer exists today. We’re not even sure exactly where it once was. But, apparently Jesus did a lot of “mighty works” there, even though they are not listed (We don’t know every deed and word of Jesus, only what is given. (John 21:25)

Bethsaida was the home of some of the 12 and is also only mentioned a few times.

Capernaum was the home base for Jesus ministry in Galilee and the recipients of many of his miracles and teachings.

Jesus says that had what had taken place in Chorazin and Bethsaida had happened in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented greatly.

He condemns Capernaum to Hell (hades) for their indifference to Christ.

These are all strong words by Jesus to illustrate that indifference or rejection to the Gospel of Jesus will result in everlasting condemnation.

Jesus sums all of this up in v.16

Luke 10:16 ESV

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.”

Application: From this we learn that our Gospel presentation must accurately reflect both peace with God and the punishment for sin and rejection. To leave out one or the other is to get the message wrong.

Conclusion:

Friends, our evangelism must be done by going out in the right manor with an attitude of compassion, dependency on God, obedience to his command and trust in his protection and provision.

But we must also make sure we get the message of the Gospel right.

Gospel Presentation including law and Gospel.

What we see here before us are the rules of Evangelism done Jesus way.