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Learn to Influence

June 26, 2022

Luke 10:1-24

1After 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. 2 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. 5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, 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 offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: 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 miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. 16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

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.”

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 is what you were pleased to do. 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.” 23 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.”

Read Luke 10:1-12

  1. Do the math: how many different villages was Jesus preparing to visit? How long do you think it would take for Jesus to visit and minister in each of those villages?
  2. Jesus equips his followers, giving them some very specific instructions. Which of those instructions make good sense to you? Which ones make less sense?

Read Luke 10:13-16

  1. Read Ezekiel 26-28, which prophecies the destruction of Tyre and Sidon. Taking your cue from the chapters in Ezekiel, describe the two cities (there is far more detail about Tyre). What did these cities have in common with our own society?
  2. Also from the Ezekiel chapters, why were these cities judged by God and destroyed?
  3. At the time Jesus was speaking, Ezekiel’s prophecy had been fulfilled and Tyre and Sidon had been completely conquered by the Babylonian and then Persian empires. What are the implications for the two local towns of Chorazin and Bethsaida that had been witness to many of Jesus’ miracles?

Read Luke 10:17-20

  1. Based only on the content of Luke’s gospel to this point, would you have anticipated the seventy-two being so successful on their mission? Why or why not?
  2. In verse 20, how does Jesus redirect the disciples’ enthusiasm and focus back to the most important thing? Why is this important? What kinds of things tend to distract you personally from what is most important?

Read Luke 10:21-24

  1. What do you think are the hidden ‘these things’ Jesus refers to in verse 20?
  2. Why would it please Jesus that these things are hidden from the wise and learned but revealed to little children? What does this suggest about the way we should be approaching our relationship with God?
  3. Verse 22 almost makes Jesus seem unknowable. What do you think is going on there?