The Way - Day 010 (Luke 10)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Luke 10:1-24
On His journey to Jerusalem, Jesus sent seventy representatives who would go into every city before Him and preach that "the kingdom of God has come near to you" (10:9b, 11b). Although the kingdom of God is a present reality in the hearts of those who have been born again and willingly submit to Christ's rule (John 3:1-21), it is also a future reality when Jesus will establish a righteous kingdom here on earth for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6). Why were these representatives sent out? Jesus said, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves" (10:2-3). There were many people who needed to hear the message of hope and salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:36), but very few volunteers were willing to go and tell others this message. Because there was a lack of volunteers willing to spread the message of salvation, Jesus challenged those who were already working to pray for more workers. The task ahead of them would not be easy and Jesus even warned that some would receive their message and some would not (10:4-15); however, they were not to be consumed with being rejected by some cities because "He who hears you hears Me [Jesus], he who rejects you rejects Me [Jesus], and he who rejects Me [Jesus] rejects Him [God the Father] who sent Me" (10:16). Ultimately, rejection of the message of the seventy was not a rejection of them personally, but a rejection of salvation through Jesus.

When the seventy returned, they reported to Jesus what great things had taken place (10:17) and He said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions [figurative for evil spirits], and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven" (10:18-20). The powers of evil had been defeated through their spreading of the gospel, but Jesus warned them not to celebrate their power to perform miracles; instead, they should celebrate their own salvation through Him.

Jesus took this opportunity to thank God for the work which had been accomplished in many cities. Although the seventy did not necessarily reach the "wise and prudent" according to the world's standards, they did reach the ones who had humbled themselves (as children) before God and received the message of hope and salvation (10:21-22). After praying to His Father, Jesus turned to His disciples and said, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it" (10:23-24). Many prophets and kings had spoken of the Messiah's coming and His establishment of the kingdom of God, but none of them had lived long enough to see it become reality; however, Jesus' disciples lived during an exciting time because they were able to see the fulfillment of what the prophets and kings had only prophesied. Those of us reading this have an even greater privilege because we have the completed word of God in sixty-six books which provide the entire story of God's plan to save the world from sin through sending His only Son, Jesus, to die in the place of man. The message of hope and salvation has come to us in written form and we are not only responsible to receive it by faith, but also be representatives of God by sharing that message with others.

Luke 10:25-37
A lawyer, one who interprets Old Testament law (a scribe), arrogantly stands up and asks Jesus, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (10:25). Although this is a very deep question, the scribe meant for his inquiry to "test" Jesus' knowledge of the law and hopefully expose His lack of authority; however, instead of answering the man's question, Jesus responded with His own question saying, "What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?" (10:26) Since this lawyer was a supposed expert in the law, Jesus figured he could answer his own question so the lawyer took this opportunity to express his own thoughts regarding the way to eternal life saying, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself'" (10:27). Jesus informed the interpreter of the Old Testament law that he had answered correctly (10:28). Some reading this may consider Jesus' answer alarming. How can anyone perfectly love God and others in all things? If these are the requirements of inheriting eternal life, no one will be able to enter into it. This is exactly the point Jesus is seeking to get across to the scribe. No one can perfectly keep the law because all of us have broken it at one time or another. Even James writes, "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10). The slightest infraction of the law is considered breaking the whole thing. The major problem with the religious people of Jesus' day was that they were unwilling to admit their sinfulness before God and their need for forgiveness from the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ (Genesis 3:15). Rather than admitting their sin, they sought to justify themselves through external expressions of good deeds thinking God would have favor on them. Although God desires His followers to express themselves through good works, these deeds can never justify them in the sight of God. Being declared free from sin required the death of the sinner; however, Jesus came to earth in order to take the punishment on behalf of the sinner and those who repent of sin and believe in Jesus can be released from the power and penalty of sin (John 3:16, 36; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

The lawyer, wanting to defend his own righteousness, asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor? (10:29). Jesus could have answered the man's question directly, but decided to tell a parable instead. The parable He told is known as the parable of the good Samaritan where a man was traveling the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, but was beat up and left for dead by some thieves along the way (10:30). Jesus tells of three people who passed by the man who had been robbed. The first two were religious men, but they passed by the half dead man without stopping to help (10:31-32). The third person to pass by was a Samaritan (whose nationality was despised by the Jews), but he stopped to help the man who had been left for dead (10:33-35). This would have been scandalous for Jesus to insinuate that a Samaritan was more compassionate than a Jew. Jesus probably had two applications of this story in mind. First, everyone is our neighbor and worthy of being shown love. Secondly, Jesus is much like the Samaritan man (rejected by others) who showed compassion to the hurting when others ignored those who needed help.

The question Jesus asked the lawyer is a question we must also answer ourselves, "So which of these three [men] do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" (10:36). The answer was obvious and the scribe responded properly by saying, "He who showed mercy on him" (10:37a). Jesus then said, "Go and do likewise" (10:37b). All those who claim to follow Jesus have a great responsibility to show compassion to all who are around us, especially those who are in need. Who needs you to be a good Samaritan today?

Luke 10:38-11:13
 Jesus entered into the city of Bethany where He was welcomed into the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (Luke 10:38; John 11:1), who Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:2-44). During Jesus' visit in their home, Mary "sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word" but Martha "was distracted with much serving" (10:39-40a). Martha became very frustrated because she felt as if she was doing all the work to serve Jesus while her sister, Mary, had left her alone to do everything. Martha's frustration led her to approach Jesus and say, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me" (10:40b). Jesus reacted to her words saying, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her" (10:41-42). Although there is nothing inherently wrong with Martha desiring to serve Jesus, she should have taken time to do that which was more necessary - listen to Jesus' words and worship Him. Instead of celebrating His presence with them, Martha was consumed with all the details which caused her to lose her focus about what is really important. Jesus was teaching us that serving should never overshadow worshipping.

I believe Luke followed up this incident at Mary and Martha's house with a very fitting lesson to His disciples concerning the importance of spending time alone with God. One day Jesus was praying and His disciples approached Him saying, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John [the Baptist] also taught his disciples" (11:1). The disciples had personally observed Jesus' prayer life and wanted to know how they could also fellowship with God in prayer. In response to their question, Jesus provided these words: "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" (11:2-4). This prayer was not to be merely recited, but to be an example of the elements which should be involved in prayer. The Lord's prayer consisted of elements such as praise to God, submission to God's will, dependence on God's provision, confession of sin, and protection from evil. Again, this prayer should not be thoughtlessly repeated but rather provide a model for us to follow.

In conjunction with His teaching on prayer, Jesus also teaches them about perseverance in prayer by telling them the parable of the persistent friend. In this parable Jesus tells about a man who goes to his friend's house at midnight saying, "Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him..." (11:5-6). The man inside the house reacts to this man's request saying, "'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you..." (11:7). Jesus then reveals the meaning of this parable saying, "I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs" (11:8). Persistence is one of the keys to right praying. If a person believes something is important enough, he will continue asking God to answer until he receives his request. Unlike the man inside the house who initially turned his friend away, Jesus invites us to pray; furthermore, Jesus says, "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (11:9-10). Why should we be bold in asking? Jesus says that even earthly fathers, who are sinful (by nature), know how to give good gifts to their children, so "how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (11:11-13). The greatest gift a person could receive is the Holy Spirit who indwells those who believe. Even though we no longer pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit (He has already come, see Acts 2), the Holy Spirit lives in us and prays on our behalf that we would do the will of God (Romans 8:26).

Dear God, teach me to pray.