Luke 10 - Jesus Sends Out the Seventy Two, The Parable of the Good Samarian, Mary and Martha

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Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

Jesus sent his disciples out in different numbers and combinations. It shows us that he was training more disciples than just the twelve. In this case he sent out seventy two disciples in pairs. Importantly he never sent someone out alone. He was a big fan of team ministry. Why? Because two are better than one. When one falls down, the other can pick them up. They can encourage and pray for each other. They can relate to more than just one person. 

As the disciples went out, they were to be completely reliant on those who welcomed them. They were looking for "people of peace". Jesus provided for them through others. Similarly God provides for pastors and missionaries through their churches today. He taught the disciples to stay in one home. While they were there they could heal showing God's kingdom had come near this home. Note this concept once again of the kingdom of God coming near. They are not even necessarily speaking talking about Jesus, but His kingdom which they brought to bear. 

If people would not welcome them, they were not to spend too much time trying to convince them. The kingdom of God came near to those who accepted Jesus' disciples. In the same it came upon those who rejected them. It would be a sign of judgment to them. To the one person the kingdom of God had come near and brought healing.  To the other it brought judgment. 

When the disciples came back, they were amazed that even the demons submitted to them. I would have been to. But Jesus put it all in perspective when he told them that they should be even more excited about the fact that there names were written in heaven. 

It wasn’t wrong for them to rejoice in the success of their service; but they must have a greater joy in a greater miracle – the promise of their own salvation. “He did not mean in the present instance to censure their joy in their success, but only to make it subordinate to another rejoicing, and to prevent its growing to excess.” (Spurgeon)

Jesus says something interesting, 

“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.”

This shows us that Jesus is the "go between" between us and God. He is the way to the Father. He has reconciled us to the Father by making peace through His blood on the cross. This is why without Jesus, we do not have a relationship with God. This is why just being a good person doesn't resolve the sin problem you have before a holy God. This is why other religions are not an authentic way to God. Jesus made it clear when he said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me." 

Some might think that is mighty exclusive of God The fact is God did provide a way back to Himself. He did it carefully, intentionally and lovingly. This is why Jesus says, "Whoever does not acknowledge the Son on earth, He will not acknowledge before the Father in heaven." In the end it is Jesus who has revealed God to us. This why we call it the Good News of the Kingdom, because Jesus has opened the way for us to come and enter the kingdom of God. 

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

This parable is told only in Luke. Again it shows Luke's emphasis on the gospel going out to the Gentiles. The parable is quite an indictment on the Pharisees and religious leaders. The parable came about when one of the experts in the Law tried to test Jesus by asking him how someone could inherit eternal life?

Jesus said, "That's easy love God with everything you have heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbors as yourself." The leader wanted to justify himself so he asked, "Who is my neighbor." 

Jesus taught the true meaning of loving your neighbor when he told a story where a Samaritan man was beaten up and lay on the side of the road basically waiting to die. As a preface, remember the Jews hated the Samaritans because they were seen as "half-breeds", or "mixed race" because were half Jewish and half Gentile. First, a priest came to the man. A priest was supposed to be a mediator between God and man, but this particular priest really didn't care about this man at all. In fact, he avoided him by crossing to the other side of the street as if it might absolve him of his negligence.

Next, was a Leviite, who was also a religious official. He acted similarly to the priest. They both avoided the man at all costs. After all love has its limits right? The bottom line is though they probably had a million excuses why they were not obligated to help this foreigner. 

 But all of these are simply excuses. “I never knew a man refuse to help the poor who failed to give at least one admirable excuse.” (Spurgeon)

Enter in the Samaritan. Not only did he NOT cross over to the side of the street, but he saw the man and took "pity" on him. This is also the word for "compassion". It is a word of empathy where one enters into the plight of another, feeling what they are feeling. Totally opposite of the Jewish leaders who never had a chance to show empathy because they completely avoided the man altogether. 

Not only did the Samaritan feel deeply for the man, he loved him sacrificially. He bandaged him up, took him to an innkeeper, and paid for his night's lodging. The payment was not cheap. The amount represented two days of labor. And when he left, he left the charge card open and said he would pay for any extra expenses the man incurred. 

It seems that two denarii would provide for the man’s needs in the inn for at least two or three weeks. Guzik

Jesus asked the leaders, "Who was the neighbor to the man?" They didn't have to be told the answer. 

At the Home of Martha and Mary

Like the disciples, Jesus relied on the hospitality of others to provide for his needs. In this case Mary and Martha, two of his women disciples, opened their home to him. Mary and Martha had very different personalities. Martha was a "doer". She was very task oriented. She was busy tidying up the house making sure everyone was well taken care of. Mary on the other hand chose to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to him. 

The problem was not that Martha was doing all these things, but that she was resentful that her sister wasn't pitched. She was distracted by doing all the stuff, and it completely kept her from seeing Jesus. Things need to get done, but there is also a time to enjoy your guests, especially if Jesus comes over. 

I think the application here is that sometimes we get so caught up in ministry, we forget who we  minister for. We become so consumed for all the things we are doing "for the Lord", it becomes all about us not Him. We also might call this "overfunctioning". Martha was probably doing the work of three people. She needed to do her part and let others do theirs, so she could spend time in Jesus' presence. 

When you serve the Lord do you get distracted by the doing for him, that you forget the being with Him?