Joy in the Journey

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[JANUARY 10, 2016]

Luke: God on Display

Joy in the Journey Luke 10:1-20 Introduction: It is known as Black Thursday in Army Air Forces folklore. On October 14, 1943, 8 months before D-Day, a group of American B-17 Flying fortresses rumbled out of their base in England into the heart of Germany to bomb Schweinfurt, a savagely defended and strategically imperative city. At this point, the victor of the war was very much in doubt, air superiority weighed in German favor, and daylight bombing, especially on targets such as production and manufacturing, was not an accepted fact. 3000 airmen launched that day in 10 men crews that would fly into the belly of the beast, most of the time without supporting cover from smaller planes. They would have to fly the hundreds of miles to the target, take on enemy fire, drop their payloads with precision, and somehow return through the same flak. On this day, many things went wrong (weather delayed the flight and caused some to turn back as well as a second attack group to be delayed which would have split German forces), the Germans knew the limitations of the smaller planes and waited until they had to leave, and concentrated all their effort on certain groups, wiping some completely out, while others received less casualties. In all the cost of destroying a ball bearings factory was 600 airmen killed or captured, almost 40% of 8th Airforce destroyed or incapacitated, and the future of daylight precision raids left in doubt. The odds of daylight raids being successful were minimal, and it left the U.S. B-17 corps depleted and morale at an immeasurable low. As I reflected on this story of Black Thursday, I was reminded at the seemingly impossible plight we have in this world. We are called to reach people who, in being blind to the message of the gospel, hate the message. We are called to give to people what they need but not what they want (that is not a great marketing strategy). On top of that, we are weighed down by so many things: temptations, trials, struggles, pressures, busyness, deadlines, relationships in tension, and distractions, to name a few. With all of this we could ask ourselves: is it worth it? Does it even work? In this passage in Luke we gain insight into this plight as Jesus sends out a group of followers ahead of His arrival, into the unknown, and they would not find the same success, but they would all find the same joy.  

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Jesus is on a march to Jerusalem, leaving Galilee behind Him, marching toward the cross The sending out of the 70 (or 72 depending on the manuscript) is similar to Jesus sending out the 12 apostles earlier, with some key differences. The apostles would be located mainly in Galilee, while the 70 were going out to Judea. The apostles went out alone, while the 70 went out in pairs. These were a group of no-name followers, disciples who were not mentioned elsewhere, did not gain notoriety, and did not have books written about them. They were more like you and I then the apostles, so this is a group we should take notice of. They had similar methods, messages, and duration of time The sending out of the 70 was for a specific time and purpose that would change over time (see a new commission in Luke 22:35-37). This commission of the 70 gives us a description more than a prescription (this is not a model we should take and apply directly). However, as with the sending out of the apostles, we see similarities to our commission and principles to apply.

The goal of the great commission in our lives is NOT a one time or sometimes journey (like a short term mission trip - although that has its place), but an ongoing journey of reaching the lost as sojourners on this earth. What we glean from this commission helps us change the way we think, pray, and ultimately act on this mission. We want to look at those things that are still available to us and remind ourselves that joy in the Lord is not simply the end goal of our mission, it is the motivation behind it.

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[JANUARY 10, 2016]

Luke: God on Display

1. Foundational Principles of a Joyful Journey (1-12) Luke 10:1-3 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.  Prayerfully We mentioned last week about prayer, specifically for the lost in our sphere of influence, and how our prayer tends to drive the direction of our lives. This is exactly what Jesus described and commanded this group. The reality - There are less laborers in proportion to the harvest. Note that the harvest is plentiful because it is His harvest. The prayer - God - send out more and more workers The person - Notice the ones doing the praying - they were the ones who were going. Often the we are the answer to our own prayers when it comes to ministry and missions Please send someone to reach _________, or reach out to ___________, or counsel ______________. We pray, as we should, but we should always, always be willing to be the answer to the prayer we pray. It is always easier in the church to hope that someone else will do what we ourselves are unwilling to do. This is often the mindset when it comes to church growth - we want it without change, without discomfort, without active participation, and without our own skin in the game. The ones that prayed for workers for the harvest were the workers for the harvest.  Actively Prayer necessitates a willingness to be active, and Jesus' command was for the 70 to go their way, which was given in a present active imperative, meaning they were to go and keep going. In order to fulfill their mission of reaching towns before Jesus entered them they had to actually put a foot down and move. To reach the harvest, they had to get going. Faith driven prayer moved to grace filled action. Do you know what happens to us if we continue on in our own comfort? Nothing. We can and should pray that we could reach the world, reach the lost, make disciples, help those in need, bring in the marginalized, and bring hope to the hopeless, but nothing happens unless we act. God uses us as His instruments to make disciples. He uses us to be His hands and feet, to embrace, speak to, care for, and love people. This is the call to every Christian in this church, not simply to the David and Melody Wreesmans or youth pastors, but for each and every one of us.  Innocently Jesus' overall strategy would be mocked by today's standards. He told the 70 that they were to be sent out as lambs. Lambs are interesting animals, because they are weak, dependant, and naive. He told the 12 apostles that they were to wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Lambs are pure. They are not predators, do not attack, and are used as sacrifices as a show of innocence and purity. In fact, Jesus Himself was compared to a Lamb by John the Baptist ("Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" - John 1:29). Those sent by Jesus were to maintain purity and innocence, they were not sent to attack, manipulate, or coerce. This was not a "convert or die" message, and they were not sent to bully someone into following Christ. This still our call today. We are not sent to win arguments or out wisdom the wise, but are sent as pure lambs, innocent doves. 

Shrewdly 2

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Luke: God on Display

The weight of being a lamb is deepened when we understand who we are sent to. Jesus made it very clear. Lambs were entering into the territory, the homeland, the lair of wolves. They are not sent to shout to wolves from far away, but sent in the midst of, the middle of the wolf pack. Wolves are the sworn enemy of lambs, and the fight is always one-sided. Jesus said that even in the midst of this enemy, the sheep continue to act like sheep. This is where being wise as serpents comes in. We are only naive to a point. We understand that we have a message that is not only foolish, but is also by nature a stumbling block to people (1 Cor. 1:18-25 is huge to understand this point). God intentionally gave us a message that people will not only reject, but ridicule. It will not measure up to their scientifically driven worldly wisdom, and wolves will pounce on this. This is where wisdom comes in. We stay innocent knowing ahead of time this is coming. We know we've been given a message that will elicit this type of reaction, so we maintain lamb status in the middle. All of this would in itself be impossible and foolish without what Jesus explains next. 

Dependently Luke 10:4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.

To demonstrate the need for dependency in a lopsided interaction (lambs and wolves), Jesus also told them that they were to leave any extra provisions for their journey, they were not to prepare for the longhaul, and they were not to try to illicit company or companionship along the way. They were to be stripped down to nothing except the message they received and the clarity of the mission. The issue here is NOT that we are to follow this same protocol, but we are to depend on the SAME GOD. God seems like He always tilts the odds against us trusting in our own ingenuity or creativity for success. He paired down Gideon's forces to make sure that there was no doubt who delivered the victory (Judges 7). God chose the people of Israel through whom the promised Messiah would come, even though Israel was the least of all the nations (Deut. 7:8-11). He chose fishermen, tax collectors, traitors, and insurrectionists as His trusted agents (see the 12 apostles) and gave a message that never jives with the humanistic, sinful, natural mind. He does all of this so that the glory remains His. We are not only dependant on God for success, our methods must make sure they do not come in the way of it. God does not share His glory with another, because He is jealous (Isa. 48:11). He wanted the 70 to be stripped away of any trappings of self-trust so that He could work, and He would derive the pleasure of acting, so that they could share the joy. He is the same God today.  Graciously Luke 10:5-9 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.' The strategy Jesus laid out to the 70 was clear. They would be strangers in every town they went, itinerant preachers in places where there were no friendly faces. Since there was no time to canvass the area, invite people to a concert, or get a job to get to know people, they were simply to find the people that God had already prepared. They were to enter into a house and declare Peace had come. If the house was ready to receive them (since God prepared it) they were to stay there, eat whatever was put in front of them (the point was not their own comfort, fame, or financial gain, so they were to eat whatever was provided, whether much or little), heal (which means they received some power and authority to heal), and declare that the kingdom of God had come near. The kingdom was near in the 3

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sense that the King was near, and that He would be coming. They functioned as ambassadors and heralds to prepare for Jesus' arrival. However, they were also prepared to receive the message of the Kingdom, which was the fact that Jesus could forgive sins and transfer them from the Kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved son (Col. 1:13). We are ambassadors today (2 Cor. 5:20-21). We represent the King who saves. The same principle applies today. We are dependent on God opening the eyes and softening hearts. We are hopeful that each time we share the message of forgiveness in the gospel that someone will repent. But we must be aware that this is an act of grace by God Himself, since He alone can work this miracle. If God has not called, quickened, and changed, the message will continue to fall on dead ears. This is why Jesus prepared the 70 for rejection.  Determinedly Luke 10:10-12 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.' Jesus did not give the best pregame or halftime speeches. These speeches inspire with hope, excitement, and passion. Jesus speech ended with a sobering thud. Some will receive you, but some will outright reject you. Now go! He gave the same command as he did with the Apostles, that they were not to overstay their welcome when rejected, but to shake the dust off their sandals, symbolizing disdain and a rejection of that city. Notice that this does not deter or change their message. They were still to inform and declare that the Kingdom of God had come near because the King was near, and this was going to be for judgment, not salvation. 2. Sobering Realities of a Joyful Journey (13-16) Luke 10:12-16 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."  The reality of judgment Expounding on the motif of judgment, Jesus made a huge comparison between 3 known Gentile cities and 3 Galilean cities. He uttered "woes" against the Gentile cities, which was a form of strict judgment. The key to understanding the section in understanding the nature of each city. Sodom was known as the epitome of wickedness, which contained so little righteousness that God literally had to burn it with fire from the sky. Their sin was exceedingly grace, and their outcry great (Gen. 18:20). Tyre and Sidon were located on the coast of Phoenicia and epitomized evil in the Old Testament, and both Isaiah 23 and Ezekiel 28 prophesied judgment would come on them. Now Jesus compared three cities to these relentlessly wicked cities. Capernaum was Jesus headquarters for His Galilean ministry, which meant the people there heard His teaching, saw His example, and experienced His miracles. Chorazin and Bethsaida were located close enough to Capernaum to have known all the same things about Jesus. In other words, they were positioned, more than any other city, to receive Jesus, His message, and His Kingdom. They heard more than once what they needed to do for salvation, and yet they continually refused. Jesus said in a scathing message that if these wicked cities destined for judgment would have seen the same mighty works, they would have repented and sat in sackcloth and ashes (as a visible sign of mourning over sin). What was Jesus' point? 4

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First, it is clear there are levels of judgment in God's economy. James 3:1 says that not many should become teachers because they will be "judged with greater strictness." Jesus never minimized the sin of Sodom, but there was a greater judgment on those to whom have been given more information and more opportunity to turn. It will be better for Tyre than for Bethsaida. What this means in actuality is not clear, but whatever stricter means, it is not good.  The reality of hard-heartedness The practical reality is clear. There are those who are lost that either know they are lost or don't care if they are. There are places in the world and people in our area who do not even make a token statement of faith, but fully revel in their falleness. In so many ways, this group is easier to reach than the other group. The problem with Capernaum and the other cities of Galilee is that they thought they were saved, thought they were good to go, and thought they were in good standing with the Lord. They were blind to their own judgment, professing to be wise, they revealed how foolish they really were. This group is almost impossible to reach, and even Jesus called down judgment since they rejected the Savior who opened His arms to them. This is instructive for us. We live in a religious area, with a sphere of influence of people who largely know about God, the virtues of Jesus, and can expound the concept of salvation. It is this group of people that are on dangerous ground. The problem in reaching this group is the fact that most do not know they need salvation because they trust their own works, or the fact they know the words, or because they are simply part of the program. Not only is this group harder to reach, they are more entrenched in their own deception. This is why we MUST maintain clarity of our message, what truly saves, and we CANNOT affirm faith that is anything besides Jesus alone. This means we must walk in wisdom, truth, clarity, and love. The stakes are high and judgment is real.  The reality of Who we represent The only way we can be made acceptable to God is through Jesus (John 14:6), and the message of the gospel comes from those who represent Jesus (John 13:20; Matt. 10:40). Jesus is the lens by which we see God, and the path that brings us to Him. There is no ability to worship God outside of Jesus. That is why everything we do points back to Jesus, and its what clarifies the question whether we serve and worship the same God as other religions (if the only way is through Jesus, we CANNOT worship the same God if we do not receive the same Jesus). If we are rejected, it is because they are rejecting Him. If they receive us it is because they have received Him. 3. Motivating Necessitates of a Joyful Journey (17-20) Luke 10:17-20 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" 18 And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."  The name of Christ carries authority The message of an ambassador is only as good as the authority it represents. This is why the ambassador from Malta does not hold much sway in international issues. The 70 sent out by Jesus were given power over their enemies, both in the physical realm and spiritual realm. Jesus said He actively

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Luke: God on Display

saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven, showing that his power and kingdom were weakening as one person after another was made at peace with God.1 We carry with us the same authority. We do not have the authority to heal or cast out demons as they did, but we carry with us a message that is in the name that is powerful. When a Roman citizen would claim it anywhere in the world at the height of Roman rule, people would feel the weight. The name of Jesus sets people free, causes people to bow down, and disarms Satanic strongholds on people's lives. Jesus' name can break addictions, heal the deepest hurt, and deliver the most wretched of sinner. This is the name that we bring and proclaim.  Our name in Christ brings joy Jesus then makes one of those unexpected statements that only He can make. He told them not to rejoice (they had come back in joy and amazement), in what they could do or accomplish, but rejoice in the fact that their name was written in heaven. This was to bring joy that was lasting. This joy would: o Humble - We would realize that our eyes have been opened by the authority of Jesus alone, not because we are wise, but because we came as children o Give purpose - Joy is not an afterthought or a secondary aspect of salvation. Our joy in God through Christ is the purpose of salvation. "God's joy is the ultimate purpose for which all His attributes function; it is the all-glorious displaying of them that brings Him the fullest joy. God's attributes ensure not only His eternal joy, but also that of all the inhabitants of heaven." 2 o

Motivate - This joy becomes our motivation. Joy increasing as we glorify the Lord by honoring His call. Joy increasing as we call others to enter His joy. Joy increasing as we find our greatest pleasure in Him

Though the 8th Air Force suffered extreme losses for seemingly little gain, it also helped turn the tide of the war. "This mission was accomplished to a far greater extent by the selective and precision bombing of the 8th Air Force in daylight. By careful choice of target...this finally brought the whole German war machine to a standstill." Cajus Bekker. Acts of heroism of countless men that went largely unnoticed helped win the war. We are called to do the same. Concluding Questions:  Do you pray for workers that would enter the harvest? Why or why not? Are their people in your life that you need to go to?  It is clear that rejection will be a part of our mission. Why do we fear rejection so much? How do we overcome that fear?  Why is it harder to reach the religious, especially those in Simi Valley? What is necessary to reach them?  How should joy be a determining factor in our mission? What does joyful existence look like for us? 1

There are many interpretations regarding what this refers to. Some have said it was when Satan originally fell (Isa. 14:12), while others Jesus defeating Satan at His temptation, or Jesus crushing Satan during His ministry, or at the cross, or in the future at the final judgment. Each of these has merit, but the word "saw" is in the imperfect tense, which is translated as an ongoing action, "I was watching". It seems best to understand this as Jesus seeing Satan defeated like bolts of lightning throughout a storm, continual flashes that signified his ongoing defeat. see John MacArthur's commentary for a full summary, p. 341. 2 John MacArthur. "Luke", p. 338.

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