Sensing the shortness of the time, Jesus appointed 70 (the NIV recorded it as 72), in addition to the Twelve, to spread the message of the Kingdom. Luke 10:1-16 said that He sent them out with the same instruction that He gave when the Twelve were commissioned in Luke 9:1-6. What the Lord did was logical in the light of the shortage of labor. Even with 70 more, the field could hardly be covered. Manpower was the issue then and still is today. The people who are willing to respond to the call to reap the ripen field still fall far short of the task at hand. Like the Lord, we must also pray for more workers. The implication here is this: we should not just pray but also be willing to respond personally. Evangelize! In the light of this instruction, it's hard to sit pretty and remain idle. We could be the answer to Christ's prayer and call to the task of evangelization. So stand up and be counted!
In
verses 3-12, the dangers, the task, and the way to execute the task were all
laid out. Can we sense the urgency? Go...(v.3); ...greet no one on the
way (v.4); stay with the receptive, don't move from house to house (vv.5-8);
pray for the sick and proclaim the news of the Kingdom (v.9) and; keep moving
forward, don't waste time on the unreceptive (vv.10-11). Can you also sense the
call to rely on Him? "...I send you..." (v.3); don't depend on your
own resources (v.4); and be certain that the Kingdom of God is here (v.11). In
discharging the task, the Lord's reminder is to remain focused - keep the
Kingdom message and the coming judgment in view. Don't be distracted by those
who reject the message or you. They are the Lord's responsibility. Ultimately,
they would have to pay more severely than they think.
The
message is clear. Like the 12 and the 70, we are also appointed to share the
message of the Kingdom. Our task is to proclaim it urgently. Everyone should be
given the opportunity to accept Jesus. Our task is not to be upended by those who
reject the message. Their ultimate end is the Lord's responsibility. And don't
be timid. We are armed with the same authority: "The one who listens to
you listens to me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects
Me rejects the One who sent Me."
Proclaiming
the Kingdom is not just left to the gifted few. It is not only the exceptional
people but also ordinary people like us that the Lord needs. He is still
looking for willing vessels to carry His extraordinary message. Peace or chaos
in the soul, bliss or woes - they all rest in the acceptance or rejection of
the message of the Kingdom. Like it or not, there are enough cues in this
passage that we are all called to follow Jesus and also to proclaim the
Kingdom. Go now!
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