Luke 10:1-24
Jesus Sends Out the Seventy Two
1After 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. 2He 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. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11'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.' 12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
13"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.
16"He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
17The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
18He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
21At 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.
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."
23Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24For 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."
Jesus came to earth to call on and help sinners...And He chose twelve disciples to help Him do that...So Jesus and the twelve would go from village to village talking to different sinners in the towns...But Jesus in being with people He was constantly with and even in choosing His twelve disciples, He does not look necessary for a talented individual or group, or one with a reputation... Those who Jesus would company and neighbor with, and in choosing His disciples they were quite common...None, in these groups, lived without sin, some were ill or needed help, and some had embarrassing failures...Yet, somehow God used these ordinary and unschooled people to advance the cause of His kingdom...One has to think Jesus LOVES working with these kind of people and those who are meek, poor in Spirit, in need, and ordinary...
When Jesus sent out the seventy two on a training mission He was full of joy with the Holy Spirit, after they returned...This is an example of how God uses ordinary people for the Kingdom of Heaven...These are His helpers and are the ones who are common in stature, but have faith in the Father and Son...
Author Philip Yancey wrote: “Oddly, as I look back on Jesus' time from the present perspective, it is the very ordinariness of the disciples that gives me hope...Jesus does not seem to choose His followers on the basis of native talent or perfectibility or potential for greatness...When He lived on earth He surrounded Himself with ordinary people who misunderstood Him, failed to exercise much spiritual power, and sometimes behaved like churlish schoolchildren...Three followers in particular (the brothers James and John, and Peter) Jesus singled out for His strongest reprimands—yet two of these would become the most prominent leaders of the early Christians...I cannot avoid the impression that Jesus prefers working with unpromising recruits...Once, after He had sent out seventy-two disciples on a training mission, Jesus rejoiced at the successes they reported back...No passage in the Gospels shows him more exuberant...“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.”...