Go Series

JUST JESUS: CHAPTER BY CHAPTER THRU LUKE

Go

Luke 10:1-24

#JustJesus

INTRODUCTION… 300 Scene

Imagine this fictional scene from a movie. The King of Sparta named Leonidas joins up with some allies on his march towards a fierce and expected battle. He meets the commander of some allies and says, “What a pleasant surprise.” The allied commander says, “This morning is full of surprises.” The allies feel tricked because there are only a few soldiers with the King. They brought many and he only brought a few. The allies become angry.

Leonidas asks them to join them in the coming battle. The allied commander says: “We want to join you, but you only brought a handful of soldiers against all our enemies. Was it wrong to expect Sparta’s commitment to match our own?”

King Leonidas then asks his allies what they do for a living. A potter. A sculptor. A blacksmith. Leonidas turns to his handful of soldiers and asks: “Spartans what is your profession?!” The soldiers hoot and let out a war cry with their spears and swords in the air.

The King of Sparta then says: “See old friend, I brought more soldiers than you did.”

That scene from the movie ‘300’ (2007, Warner Brothers) is most likely based on an actual historical event. Plutarch, the Greek historian and philosopher wrote some about King Leonidas… the actual historical man. The story goes that an ambassador on a diplomatic mission visited the famous city of Sparta and the famous king. Knowing that its strength was acclaimed throughout all of Greece, he had expected to see massive fortresses surrounding the town or large walls, but he found nothing of the kind. Surprised, he exclaimed to the ruler, "Sir, you have no fortifications for defense. Why is this?"

"Ah, but we are well protected," he replied. "Come with me tomorrow and I will show you the walls of Sparta." The next day he led his guest to the plain where the army was drawn up in full battle array. Pointing proudly to his soldiers who stood fearlessly in place, he said, "Behold the walls of Sparta -- 10,000 men and every man 'a brick'!" (Bell’s Commentary on the Bible).

TRANSITION

Keep that brief movie scene in mind and file it away as we look at Luke 10 this morning. Jesus, in chapter 9, begins to intensify His ministry. Jesus sends out the 12 for preaching, He gets the attention of King Herod, He feeds 5000 people miraculously which is big news, His disciple Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ and also sees Him transfigured on a mountaintop. In chapter 9, Jesus even begins to share about His death and how the disciples will need to pick up crosses to follow Him. The cost of following Jesus can be high.

We then come to Luke 10 where Jesus sends out even more of His followers into the countryside and villages of Galilee to preach and heal and do ministry in His Name. Let’s read about the sending out of these disciples. It is a little more than I like to read usually but is worth our time.

READ Luke 10:1-24 (ESV)

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. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 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.’ 10 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.’ 12 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.