In the late 1700’s, the manager of Baltimore’s largest hotel refused lodging to a man dressed like a farmer because he thought this fellow’s appearance would discredit his inn. So the man left. Later that evening, the innkeeper discovered that he had turned away none other than then Vice-President Thomas Jefferson! Immediately he sent a note to the famed patriot, asking him to come back and be his guest.
Jefferson replied by instructing his messenger as follows: “Tell him I have already engaged a room. I value his good intentions highly but if he has no place for a dirty American farmer, he has none for the Vice President of the United States.”
APPLY: That hotel manager hadn’t realized that it was Thomas Jefferson who wanted lodging. He turned away the Vice-President of the United States because he didn’t know who he was looking at. Sometimes people fail to see Yeshua (Jesus) and his disciples and turn them away.
Luke 10.5-6
Context of limited commission of the 72
I. Son Statements
A. Son of God and Son of Man – God’s intended purpose for man – second Adam – son of Man –
Luke 22.66-71
There is more to the picture of a God of power. In Jesus’ answer to the High Priest, He first claims the title “Son of God,” and then uses a second title: (read rest of vs. 62). This second title, Son of Man, is Jesus’ favorite title for Himself. In the Gospels we find it used almost 80 times. There is lots of debate over it – where it comes from, what it means, why Jesus uses it. And that would be an interesting topic for a small group or for your own research. But what is clear to me is that it is also a title of power. That is clear to me from how Jesus uses it here. He quotes from the book of Daniel, 7:13(-14):
"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Do you see the picture of power? He is given “authority,” “sovereign power,” everyone bows and worships, He is king of a kingdom that cannot fail.
B. Other Son Idioms:
1. Son of a house – close friend who is like a member of the family
2. Son of death – worthy of dying or has been condemned to die (1 Samuel 20.31)
3. Son of Gehinnom – bound for Hell – Matthew 23.15 -- Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
4. Son of Conversation – a partner in conversation
II. Hospitality Plus! – Son of Peace
A. Does not mean a peace-loving man (although he probably is)
B. IS a Friendly Man – Good-natured; Gets along well with others; Hospitable; Loves People
All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten.
• Share everything.
• Play fair.
• Don't hit people.
• Put things back where you found them.
• Clean up your own mess.
• Don't take things that aren't yours.
• Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
• Wash your hands before you eat.
• Flush.
• Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
• Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
• Take a nap every afternoon.
• When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
• Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
• Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die; so do we.
• And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.
C. In Regard to Hospitality (Context of Luke 10.5-6)
1. Son of Peace is Hospitable – If they do not find a Son of Peace – move on
2. Hospitality literally is the “love of a stranger.”
3. Abraham 3 Visitors – Genesis 18.1-8
4. Admonitions:
• 1Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Hebrews 13.1-3
• Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Romans 12.13
• Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4.9
• Problems in Sodom and Gomorrah – Immorality (Jude 7) and lack of hospitality (Matthew 10.14-15 – Mission of the 12) -- 14And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the Day of Judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
III. Blessing to Others – “Peace” or “Shalom” is the Blessing
A. Conditions to Blessings – Genesis 12.1-5; 2 Chronicles 7.14
a. Mt. Gerizim (blessings) and Mt. Ebal (Curses) – Deuteronomy 27-28
B. Blessings Bring Shalom (Peace/wholeness/health/security)
Security: Luke 11.21 – 21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe (in shalom)
Yeshua’s (Jesus’) Disciples would Bless their Host’s Home with Safety
Normally the host provided safety
Here the guest does so by the power of God
Health: Disciples were to heal the sick (of hosts, too)
People of the first century saw hosting a rabbi as a privilege
Blessing of Sages in ancient days: “Shalom to you, shalom to your house (family), shalom to everything you own.”
Yeshua (Jesus) and Peace – John 14.27 -- 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
We receive blessings and become a blessing to others
Someone had taken the time to figure out what it would be like if the entire world’s population were shrunk to only 100 people, with all the existing ratios remaining the same.
There would be:
* 57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from the Western Hemisphere, and 8 Africans.
* 52 females and 48 males.
* 70 persons of color and 30 who are white.
* 70 would be non-Christians and 30 Christian.
* 89 would be heterosexual and 11 would be homosexual.
* 6 people would possess 59% of the world’s wealth (with all 6 living in the U.S.)
* 80 would live in substandard housing.
* 70 would be unable to read.
* 50 would suffer from malnutrition.
* 1 would have a college education.
* 1 would have a computer.
Here’s even more:
* If we have never experienced the danger of war, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, we are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
* If we have food in the refrigerator, clothes on our back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, we are richer than 75% of the persons of the world.
* If we have money in the bank, in our wallet, and spare change in a dish some place, we are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
* If our parents are still alive and still married, we are very rare, even in the U.S.
We have been blessed to be a blessing to a world that is desperately in need. They are in need of the Lord. They are in need of someone to teach them to read. Someone to help them put food on their table, clothes on their backs, and hope in their hearts.
When Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes moved to Washington, D.C., to take up his duties as chief justice, he transferred his membership to a church in the area. Now, it was the custom in that church for all new members to be called to the front of the sanctuary at the close of the worship service. The first to be called was Ah Sing, a Chinese laundryman who had moved to the capital from the West coast. He took his place at the far side of the church. As the dozen or so other people were called forward they stood at the opposite side of the church, leaving Ah Sing standing alone. But when Chief Justice Hughes was called, he took his place beside the Chinese laundryman. When the minister had welcomed the group in the church’s fellowship he turned to the congregation and said, "I do not want the congregation to miss this remarkable illustration of the fact that at the cross of Jesus Christ the ground is level."
