Joining with the Father
Series: Encountering Jesus (through the Gospel of Luke)
Brad Bailey – June 16, 2019
TEXT: Luke 10:1-9, 17-24
Intro:
Father’s Day is a unique day…in that it can both a source of inspiration and longings. I find that the very nature of a father can stir something deeply valued and never fully realized.
Our current culture may try to define life as mere survival of the fittest... but all human life bears an inescapable longing - for security and significance.
This is precisely what many see in the role of a father to call one out into their impact in the world.
Many of us have never known the full power of being blessed and called out… and commissioned … by our father’s. Throughout the diversity of backgrounds in this room… in those watching online…I’m sure there are varying degrees of support… but most of us feel some degree of limitations as well.
The simple truth is that earthly lives can only impart what they have known and what they bear.
(My father…Trying to discern my path… my father was just opening his own life more fully to Jesus… and he had the good sense to recognize he may not be ahead of me in that process… but he had the humility to encourage me towards those who did.)
As earthly fathers, we are mediators of the true father of all.
This morning… Jesus would remind us…
The Creator of everything… is your father. [1] When Jesus’ core group of dsciples saw how he lived out of a different source… they asked him to teach them how to pray… how to align their lives with the eternal all powerful Creator of everything. Jesus said this is how you should pray…and he began: “Our Father...in heaven.” He was not denouncing his earthly parents in the least. He honored them. But they were the sacred mediators of something more ultimate.
And you bear that which can bring pleasure to the Father in heaven.
This morning as we continue through the Gospel of Luke… we arrive at what has been designated the 10th chapter. And it begins…
Luke 10:1 ?After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.
Jesus commissioning an expanding group of lives into the ministry he has come to do.
In chapter 9… he sent out the core 12 disciples with very similar instructions … he commissioned them… deputized them… and now he is appointing and commissioning these 72… and when he completes the unique sacrifice only he can provide…he will commission all who follow to go out as these have. [2]
At this point we may wonder why 72 lives in particular?
It is presumed that he chose 12 disciples to reflect the12 tribes of Israel.
In this case… he may have chosen 72… because it is the number of nations that were identified at the time… reflecting that this is the beginning of going to the whole earth. [3]
This appointing would soon be cast as the great commission for all to join.
This was the Father’s blessing being reinstated by Jesus.
To follow him…is to join the calling.
This is profound.
He is bringing the call on his life… of being sent by the Father… to every life who will receive him.
As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. - John 20:21
The whole of what we encounter this morning is this…
The Father is calling us to join what He is doing.
Notice they were to go to “every town and place where he was about to go.” It reflects a partnership.
Imagine what they must have felt.
This wasn’t just graduating from school…or getting a new role in their business …or being given a new assignment in the military.
This is about being called to join in the redemption of the world.
• How many may us want to live the life of the fictional superheroes of our pop culture…we don’t just watch the movies… the Avengers… Guardians of the Galaxy… or Men in Black. We would be excited to be a part of such massive ventures… not realizing that we have been appointed and commissioned to the redemption of the world.
Imagine how that changed them?
Consider how that should change us?
This appointing…commissioning… fills their sense of what life is about….and transforms the very meaning of their lives.
And in what unfolds… we discover what the Father wants us to know about the nature of the mission, the message, and the motivation.
…And Jesus describes the mission in those terms.
He continues…
Luke 10:2-4
He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
The opportunity is huge… more than you can imagine… more than you are prepared for. So the first thing you should do he says…is pray… seek God to provide more to join you. [5]
We tend to pray for someone’s heart to become ripe…but here Jesus calls us to pray for that which will prompt the sending. When we pray that God would send someone we place ourselves at His disposal to be one of the workers in reaching the lost. In the text we see that the ones who he had commanded to pray for laborers became workers themselves.
Praying is not a substitute for the call on you…you are to GO.
And as you do…he says…
Be prepared … for there is that which seeks your harm… like sheep among wolves.
There is danger. Danger is interesting…we love it and avoid it. He is saying…you must embrace the danger.
He says…“Do not take a purse or bag or sandals “…which may sound radical…and it is. He is likely speaking in strong terms to make a point. And most believe he is referring to taking that which would keep them from being dependent… extended savings and extra sandals.
He is essentially saying travel light…don’t get bogged down with baggage.
Some of us may have a good sense of that challenge. We sense the challenge of becoming too bogged with baggage. We sense our lives are shaped more by comfort… than mission.
When he says, “greet no one along the road,” Jesus is not telling the disciples to be rude to people, he is warning then against engaging in the Jewish custom of long and elaborate time-consuming greetings when meeting people on the road. He is telling them to get on with what they have been called to do and not let anything turn them aside. “Don’t let life become so cluttered or get so caught up in the social spin that we forget what matters most.”
So Jesus emphasizes the need to travel light….and don’t lose focus.
In essence he is making it essential that we understand …
The mission is of ultimate importance.
They are being appointed to that which bears cosmic enormity, danger, and urgency.
We are being appointed to that which bear cosmic enormity, danger, and urgency.
Many of us feel that we never had a father who called us out to a life filled with purpose.
You do and he is.
It’s not simply about a job you just go to each day… it is more about a calling in HOW we go about all of life.
And now Jesus gives them instructions on the message of the mission …
Luke 10:5-9
5 "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'
We need a bit of cultural understanding. It may sound a little foreign… weird. It probably won’t be appreciated if we just walk into strangers’ homes announcing peace.
It was not uncommon for travelers to have hospitality extended to them… and the declaration of peace… was that which spoke of Hebrew understanding of ultimate peace described by the Hebrew word SHALOM.
Those who cared little about such peace might dismiss is…but those who sought such peace would welcome them…and what they brought.
More broadly speaking… it suggests we should bring BLESSING.
And he directs them to cultivate genuine mutual relationship.
Don’t move around… stay there. Eat and drink what they give you.
Verse 9 - Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'
Kingdom refers to one’s reign… and rule… over a particular territory… and Jesus has come to inaugurate the restoration of God’s kingdom.
Won’t that mean everything that is not fully subject will be destroyed?
It would unless that consequence could be fulfilled. Christ would bear the judgment of human sin… and defeat the powers of sin and evil. He would call humanity to come home. That is the process which he began.
That is the message that every life who enters that choice… embraces and embodies.
And this new kingdom will be reflected in signs and wonders… such as healing and release from spiritual oppression.
The message we bear is one of word and deed… show and tell.
The message is that of bearing the blessing and calling of God’s restoration.
When we understand the underlying principles… we can understand this is still the essence of the message we should bear.
Our current culture has a problem with the idea of truth.
A lot of people express that their problem with those who believe in Jesus…is that they believe that others should as well. There is an idea that it’s okay to believe whatever you want… but it’s not okay to believe that it is a truth that effects others.
The problem with this idea about truth…is that it really is just claiming a different truth. It is no less absolute or narrow to state that any claims that presume to made upon others are unacceptable. To say that there is no legitimate absolute truth claim…is in itself…an absolute truth claim.
Gravity makes a claim on you.
Cancer makes a claim on you. And if I discovered a cure… it would be evil to not share it.
The nature of very word “gospel” simply means an announcement of huge meaning… usually of change that brings a change to all. That is what the first disciples were appointed to be…messengers of this change. That is what we are appointed to bear…messengers of a cosmic change. [6]
It’s important to see that Jesus speaks of staying of relationship… being in homes… sharing food… staying in one place rather than moving on too quickly. There is a personal relational nature to this news.
One of the disciples and Biblical writer would tell us:
1 Peter 3:15 (NIRV) ?Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have. Be ready to give the reason for it. But do it gently and with respect.
There is the personal relational quality many of us need.
You don’t have to have all the answers… but you should be able to thoughtfully explain the hope you have.
And so they go …and we jump ahead to their return…
Luke 10:17-20?17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." 18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
Here we come to this moment of wow. They are realizing that they really are a part of what the Father is doing.
This is a significant moment… Jesus realizes that this little mission is just a little foretaste of what is at hand.
Jesus refers to the fall of the enemy. The men and women and boys and girls from every tribe and tongue and people and nation are going to be brought out from under bondage to Satan and they’re going to be brought into the glorious light and the Gospel is going to triumph wherever it goes. And this little mission is just a little foretaste of that. And so Jesus says, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. His kingdom is over!” It's almost like Jesus is saying, “And now it begins. Watch My kingdom come. Watch My kingdom grow. [7]
He affirms that indeed… the authority which they have been deputized with… cannot be overcome.
BUT… it is vital that they understand what should truly fill their hearts… and motivate them.
The Lord cautions them to not go on rejoicing only over the outwardly spectacular victories. He says, “Don’t rejoice in your performance… and think that you now have something special or superior about yourself.
Jesus knows how insidious such pride can become…when somebody begins to find their sense of identity in their religious roles.
He says here is what should fill your hearts…that your names are written in heaven.”
He is referring to the understanding that their lives are already accepted into eternity through Christ.
Their names are written down in heaven. The verb here is perfect tense and means “they have been written and they stand written.” It is a statement of assurance. [8]
The disciples need to remember that while it is true that will be with the Lord forever, it is not because of anything they have contributed but because of his grace. They must never forget that they are not fundamentally different from those to whom they are carrying the message of the gospel. And neither are we.
The motivation is the grace of having received eternal life.
And at this point….we get a glimpse of the heart of God.
Listen to what Jesus shares…
Luke 10:21-22
21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. 22 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
Jesus breaks out in joy… a joy that the Spirit of God bears within him.
And he speaks to the Father in heaven… and expresses how wonderful it is to see how those joining the Father were not he sophisticated… but rather the receptive…those who were like children who didn’t presume any great power. [9]
Verse 21 - “Father, for this was your good pleasure.”
What was happening brought God pleasure.
Jesus is filled with joy… emanating from the Spirit… and rooted in the Father’s pleasure.
Their participation brought God pleasure.
Luke 10:23-24
Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
You are blessed with what has long been hoped for… that of God bringing this restoration. So many have served God…and while they may have had roles of great prominence…as prophets or kings… you are now part of the time that the God and Father of all is being made known… with the Son manifesting his very nature in real life… defeating the power of sin and separation…and restoring life. The Father is taking the land …bringing freedom… and calling you to join him.
There is a larger story of which the human experience of parenting is only an echo of the eternal realm.
Jesus in his parable of the prodigal son… says that we are like the child who wanted to take the goods but be independent of the giver…. Who Is the father. And that son found that apart from that father… he found a world of exploitation… oppression…and he finally comes to his senses…and realizes that all he longed for was in his Father’s house…and heart. And he returning… the Father is waiting…and throws his arms around him… and restores his authority… dignity…and throws a party.
Jesus is calling us to come home…and to join what the Father is doing.
Closing Prayer
Resources: Drew some statements from John Hamby (“Bringing Joy To The Lord's Heart”); Tim Keller (“Messengers; The Meaning of Jesus, Pt.2, 2003)
Notes:
1. For a more in-depth look at God as our Father, read these Bible passages:
Matthew 6:9-13
1 Corinthians 8:6
Galatians 4:6
Hebrews 12:5-11
1 John 3:1, 9-10
2. This commission is first given to the core 12 disciples earlier, as recorded in Luke 9:1-6.
3. The ancient readers would know, and commentators will tell you, in the Greek Old Testament (which was the widest circulated translation of the Hebrew Scriptures there was), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures called the Septuagint, when you went to Genesis 10 where you had what’s called the “table of nations” in which you had a list of all of the nations on the face of the earth, there were 72.
It symbolized all the nations of the world.
It is a number that also reminds us of Moses’ gathering seventy men, plus two more, Eldad and Medad, were left behind in the camp. 72 total. (Numbers 11: 16-25) These men were given God’s spirit, to lead the people when Moses was absent.
And now, we see this same number again as Jesus imparts his spirit to them….when he is soon to depart in bodily presence.
4. As Tim Keller describes, Jesus is essentially saying…“I only call you radically in so I can send you radically out into the world, no longer to focus on your needs but the needs of others.”
They go together every time. God says, “Abraham, come on in. I want to bless you. Get out.” “Moses, come on over here to the burning bush. I want to meet you. Go to Pharaoh.” “Isaiah, let me heal the sin on your lips. Let me get rid of your guilt. Now go and preach.” Over and over again, the inner and the outer go together.
5. As someone noted: The harvest is “great” or plenteous. If that was true in Jesus’ day, think about what it is today. In Jesus’ day there were about 200 million people on earth. Today there are 7 1/2 Billion. A billion is 1,000 million. It took 1800 years to reach the first billion. 170 years later we were at 4 billion in 1974. In the 42 years since then, we have almost doubled the population.vii The harvest was plenteous in 30 AD. It is certainly plenteous today.
6. Tim Keller captures the nature of what “gospel” implies.
A gospel was news of an objective, history-changing event that changed everyone’s situation, that everyone needed to respond to. For example, we have a document that in Greek starts like this: “This is the beginning of the gospel of Caesar Augustus.” You say, “What?” That’s what the word gospel meant. It was the declaration that he had ascended to the throne. It was sent out. Heralds took it everywhere. They ran everywhere, and they declared, “The gospel of Caesar Augustus.”
What is the gospel? A gospel is the announcement … It’s news of a major history-changing event that affects everybody. You can’t say, “Well maybe he’s your emperor, but he’s not my emperor.” No. When he became the emperor, everybody had to deal with it. That’s why you wanted to know the news. By the way, the most famous example of this was in 490 BC, the battle of Marathon.
The Persians were invading Greece, and the Athenian army went out on the plains of Marathon to battle against the Persians. Everyone expected the Persians to win. Everybody back in Athens knew as soon as the Persians broke through the army, they would be defenseless, so everybody back there was in a panic and all that. But to everyone’s surprise, the Athenians won. They defeated Persia.
As soon as they won, they realized they needed to communicate the gospel. They realized that unless they got word back, there could be panic in the streets. There could be looting and plundering, and people would be trampling on each other in their efforts to get out of town. They needed to communicate the gospel. It was absolutely critical that some incredible history-changing event had happened that changed all the situation.
So they sent a single runner back, and he ran all the way from Marathon to Athens. You know how long that was: about 22–1/2 miles. This is where we get our modern distance marathon. He ran into the city, the story goes, and all he was able to do was cry out, “Rejoice! We’ve triumphed!” and he fell dead from the run.
When Jesus Christ said, “Go and proclaim the gospel to everyone in creation,” do you know the enormity of what he was claiming? You get a hint of it in verse 18, where he said, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning.” We talked about this a couple of weeks ago. When he says, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning,” he was claiming almost casually, as he claims on almost every page of the New Testament, “I was there before the foundations of the world. I was there before the material universe existed. I am the uncreated second person of the triune God. I am God.”
Now if he’s just a prophet and he has some teaching about God, that’s advice. You might say, “The message of Jesus Christ is advice. Here’s how you can live. Here’s how you can pray. Here’s how you can find God.” You’d say, “Well that’s interesting. Should I take this advice or not?” But if Jesus Christ is who he says he is, if he saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning, then his birth is gospel. It is a history-changing, momentous event that changes the entire situation, and you have to respond to it or history is going to leave you in its wake.
That’s the whole point behind this message going out here in the middle of chapter 10. They are to say to these cities, to these villages, “In Jesus Christ the kingdom of God is coming near, and if you reject him, history will leave you behind. This is an objective thing that’s happening. The situation is changing. You must respond to it.” You realize what Jesus is claiming.
7. As Tim Keller describes, “Jesus is saying that in this little mission that's gone out to these villages in Palestine we are just seeing a foretaste, a portent of what is to come. The Gospel is about to break loose at Pentecost. After Jesus’ death and burial and resurrection and ascension, Jesus from the right hand of God the Father Almighty is going to pour out the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem and the Gospel isn't just going to change Israel, it's going to go from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the ends of the earth and the earth is going to be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. The men and women and boys and girls from every tribe and tongue and people and nation are going to be brought out from under bondage to Satan and they’re going to be brought into the glorious light and the Gospel is going to triumph wherever it goes. And this little mission is just a little foretaste of that. And so Jesus says, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. His kingdom is over!” It's almost like Jesus is saying, “And now it begins. Watch My kingdom come. Watch My kingdom grow. For thousands of years this world has been in darkness except for this little light that God has planted in Israel. Now that light is going to break forth and go to the ends of the earth and Satan's dominions are going to be broken down one by one, pulled down, and the Gospel is going to triumph.”
8. Regarding “the Book of Life”…we read in Revelation 20:12-15 (NIV) ?And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
9. As John Hamby describes,
The reasons for his rejoicing are two-fold. First, that the truth did not go only to the “wise and (prudent) intelligent” but is something that any humble heart can receive. When Jesus says in verse twenty-one that he is thankful to the Father that He has “… hidden these things from the wise and prudent,” he is not rejoicing because sinners were blind to God’s truth, for God is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9). He rejoiced because the understanding of that truth did not depend on natural abilities or education.
One of the gravest forms of spiritual deception is the idea that superior knowledge or intellectual capacity gives one a spiritual advantage. One day all wisdom, all power that has been exercised by man and all human cleverness will pass away, and the remaining truth will be that we are loved by God Himself and His love goes on and on.
