{"id":11485,"date":"2020-09-18T20:00:02","date_gmt":"2020-09-19T03:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/luke_9_51-62-copy\/"},"modified":"2020-09-13T16:58:33","modified_gmt":"2020-09-13T23:58:33","slug":"luke_10_1-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/luke_10_1-16\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep It Simple and Stay Focused"},"content":{"rendered":"

Luke 10:1-16\u00a0Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

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Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Luke 10:1-16.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Luke 10:1 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0After 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 1:\u00a0\u00a0Why did Jesus send out his followers on this mission\u00a0two by two<\/em>?\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s because Jesus understood the importance of team, having someone who shares your goals and mission to work with so that there can be mutual comfort, encouragement, accountability and support.\u00a0\u00a0Similarly,\u00a0when it comes to the mission God has for you, you weren\u2019t made to do it alone.\u00a0\u00a0You need teammates.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luke 10:2 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0He 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 2:\u00a0\u00a0In Jesus\u2019 eyes, the mission field is full of opportunities and full of people who are needing Jesus (\u201cthe harvest is plentiful\u201d).\u00a0\u00a0What is lacking is not people to bless or opportunities to lead people to Jesus, but people willing to be used and to get in on those opportunities (\u201cthe workers are few\u201d).\u00a0\u00a0So let\u2019s be praying for God to send people who are willing to go and take advantage of those opportunities.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s also be praying that we would be those people who go too.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luke 10:3 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 3:\u00a0\u00a0Jesus has given us a mission to bring the good news about him to the world around us, but\u00a0keep in mind that not every person you meet in this world is to be trusted and not everyone will be on your side<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0We need to be careful, like lambs among wolves.<\/p>\n

Luke 10:4 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 4:\u00a0\u00a0This was a short mission that Jesus was sending his disciples on, so Jesus tells his team to keep it extra simple \u2013 no purse, no bag, no extra pair of sandals, no extra baggage.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus also wants his team not to be distracted from their mission to go serve a particular town, so he tells them not to greet anyone on the way there.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0When it comes to fulfilling the mission God has given you: (1)\u00a0keep things simple<\/strong>, being wary of any tendency to overcomplicate things; and (2)\u00a0keep focused<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0Don\u2019t be easily distracted on the way.<\/p>\n

Luke 10:5 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 5:\u00a0\u00a0When you meet people for the first time, seek to be a blessing (\u201csay, \u2018Peace to this house\u2019\u201d)<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0Seek to bless others before you receive from them.<\/p>\n

Luke 10:6-7 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 6-7:\u00a0\u00a0In verses 5-7 Jesus is telling his disciples how to find a place to stay when they reach the town where they are called to serve.\u00a0\u00a0In verse 6 Jesus tells his disciples to look for \u201ca man of peace\u201d, that is, a person who is open to working with Jesus\u2019 disciples and who is willing to use their home to support Jesus\u2019 mission.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0In every place where God has called you to serve, He will provide someone there (and sometimes a number of people) who will be a strategic and important connection for the mission God has you on.\u00a0\u00a0Treasure those people (\u201cStay in that house\u2026do not move around from house to house\u201d \u2013 v7) and be willing to receive help from those people (\u201ceating and drinking whatever they give you\u201d \u2013 v7).<\/p>\n

Luke 10:8 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 8:\u00a0\u00a0Hospitality was a huge part of ancient Israel\u2019s culture.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus tells his disciples that when they are welcomed in a town, they are to \u201ceat what is set before you\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0In other words,\u00a0when others try to serve you out of their own goodwill and heart, do not be overly picky and difficult; rather, be thankful for what they provide<\/strong>\u00a0(\u201ceat what is set before you\u201d).<\/p>\n

Luke 10:9 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 9:\u00a0\u00a0Notice Jesus tells his disciples not only to preach words but also to serve the people in practical ways, like healing and caring for the sick.\u00a0\u00a0In reaching a world that needs Jesus, our actions and words must go together.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luke 10:10-16 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Woe to you, Korazin! 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.
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.
\n16\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 10-16:\u00a0\u00a0Here Jesus prepares his team for times when they will be rejected.\u00a0\u00a0Notice that Jesus does not tell his disciples to tuck their tails in between their legs and sulk whenever a town rejects them.\u00a0\u00a0Rather he tells his disciples that whenever they are rejected by any town, they are to respond with confidence and even with a bit of a warning (v11).<\/p>\n

Jesus tells his disciples that \u201cit will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town\u201d (v12).\u00a0\u00a0The city of Sodom was famous for having been destroyed by God in Genesis 18-19 because of all the sin that was happening there and despite God having given the city fair warning.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus says that any town that rejects his disciples are asking for wrath that is even greater than the wrath that Sodom received, for whoever rejects his disciples rejects him.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, Jesus actually curses two towns \u2013 Korazin and Bethsaida \u2013 who rejected Jesus despite Jesus performing miracles there.\u00a0\u00a0To illustrate the hard-heartedness of Korazin and Bethsaida, Jesus says that even Tyre and Sidon \u2013 two cities famous for being destroyed because they rejected God \u2013 would have repented if Jesus had performed for them the miracles he performed for Korazin and Bethsaida.\u00a0\u00a0He also predicts a similar fate for Capernaum, another town that had rejected him despite the miracles he had performed there (Luke 4:23).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0There are real repercussions for rejecting Jesus.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0When we reject Jesus, we are rejecting the only protection God has given us from His wrath, the only provision God has made for our sins, and the only person who can save us.\u00a0\u00a0To reject Jesus is to reject God (\u201che who rejects me rejects him who sent me\u201d).<\/p>\n

Lord Jesus, today may I be one who keeps things simple and who stays focused.\u00a0\u00a0May I not overcomplicate things unnecessarily and may I not be easily distracted from what is most important. May I be one who blesses others first when I see them, who is content and easy to work with.\u00a0\u00a0May my actions and words go together in pointing to You.\u00a0\u00a0And may I not be too deflated by rejection, which I know will happen from time to time, but rather remain confident, placing my hope in You.\u00a0\u00a0In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Luke 10:1-16.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Luke 10:1 (NIV)\u00a0
\n1\u00a0\u00a0After 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.<\/p>\n

On verse 1:\u00a0\u00a0Why did Jesus send out his followers on this mission\u00a0two by two?\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s because Jesus understood the importance of team, having someone who shares your goals and mission to work with so that there can be mutual comfort, encouragement, accountability and support.\u00a0\u00a0Similarly,\u00a0when it comes to the mission God has for you, you weren\u2019t made to do it alone.\u00a0\u00a0You need teammates.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luke 10:2 (NIV)\u00a0
\n2\u00a0\u00a0He 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.<\/p>\n

On verse 2:\u00a0\u00a0In Jesus\u2019 eyes, the mission field is full of opportunities and full of people who are needing Jesus (\u201cthe harvest is plentiful\u201d).\u00a0\u00a0What is lacking is not people to bless or opportunities to lead people to Jesus, but people willing to be used and to get in on those opportunities (\u201cthe workers are few\u201d).\u00a0\u00a0So let\u2019s be praying for God to send people who are willing to go and take advantage of those opportunities.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s also be praying that we would be those people who go too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11487,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11485","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11485"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11485\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11486,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11485\/revisions\/11486"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11487"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}