warm-up

Have you experienced losing something precious to you? What did you do about it?

Tell of one memorable experience that involved helping someone. What happened?

How do you normally respond to rejection? Share one example.

word

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. Luke 10:1

(Read also Luke 10:1–12,16.)

During Jesus' ministry, He went to town after town proclaiming the kingdom of God and performing miracles. But this time around, Jesus appointed seventy-two others to go ahead of Him, giving them specific instructions about what to do once they reached the towns. When the seventy-two returned to give their reports, they were full of joy. They had experienced how the power of God moved through them. Today we will look at three reasons we can be confident that God will use us to demonstrate the truth of the gospel to the world.

1
Jesus commissions us to go to the lost.

1After 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. 2And 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.” Luke 10:1,2

Jesus said that the harvest—the people who have not yet heard of the truth of the gospel—is plentiful. What is needed are workers who would go into His harvest field. In sending His disciples ahead to the towns, Jesus showed us that He wants us to take part in His harvest. How are you taking part in Jesus’ harvest? Where do you think is He sending you to go?

2
Jesus empowers us to meet their needs.

“Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” Luke 10:9

Scripture tells us that the kingdom of God had not only come to us, but that it had come with power. The disciples were told to heal the sick first, and then to proclaim the coming of the kingdom. The demonstration of God’s power was to be part of their preaching. Through His disciples, Jesus demonstrated His power in a way the people at that time did not expect—through acts of kindness. According to Acts 1:8, why do we receive power?

3
Jesus encourages us to preach the gospel regardless of the response.

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Luke 10:16

Jesus made it clear to His disciples that not everyone would receive their message. But He also made it clear that they should not take this rejection personally. Those who reject them are rejecting not the messenger but the message. They would be rejecting Jesus, the one who sent them, and ultimately God, the one who sent Jesus. As followers of Jesus, we too must preach the gospel regardless of the response. According to Mark 16:15, where should we go to proclaim the gospel?

application

How do you respond when people reject the message of the gospel? What are two things you can start doing this week to keep on preaching the gospel?

Do you allow God to demonstrate His power when you preach the gospel? What can you do this week to demonstrate the power of God as you minister to people?

Do you have a friend or relative who needs to hear the gospel? Ask God for an open door to demonstrate the power of the gospel to this person this week.

prayer

Ask God for courage to constantly demonstrate the gospel to those around you. Pray for God to increase your compassion for people.

Thank God for the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to demonstrate His love and power to those around us. Ask Him to use you this week to minister to a friend or family member who has not yet received Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Pray that God will give you the grace to respond right when people reject the message of Christ. Ask God to give you the right words to sow in their hearts.

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Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)
Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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