Seeing The Kingdom Of God
Jesus instructs the disciples in a way that is counterintuitive to the physical world. Ambition is not encouraged. Selfishness is put-down. They are told to accept what is given with humility, not pursuing wealth, so your gospel is not perverted. A laborer is worthy of hire - a place to sleep, something to eat. The disciples were provided for by God not by manipulation or contrivance or pressure or compulsion or marketing. The demand on the disciples was to learn to be content. The miracles of healing and deliverance were exciting, but they were not the greatest miracle being made manifest.
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57: The Mission And Success Of The Seventy Disciples Of Jesus
Luke 10:1-24
JESUS APPOINTED seventy disciples in addition to the twelve. He sent them before him, two by two, into every city and place through which he would pass.
When they were gathered around him, he sent them forth with these instructions:
“The harvest is truly great, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Go your ways. Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes, and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give; for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, ‘The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.’ But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same and say, ‘Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you.’ Notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable that day for Sodom, than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to Heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.”
When the seventy were with Jesus again, they were much elated and said to him:
“Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.”
Jesus answered them, saying:
“I beheld Satan as lightning fall from Heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in Heaven.”
In that hour Jesus rejoiced and prayed to his Father, saying:
“I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father; and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.”
Then he turned again to his disciples and said to them:
“Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”
