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INTRODUCTION

    

The Gospel so far

     In the two previous sets of studies in Luke we saw (Ch.1-5) Luke heralding Jesus and showing us the divine elements of his coming to earth, followed (Ch.6-9) by Luke showing us more of this wonderful person being the teacher (Ch.6), the people-person (Ch.7), the miracle worker (Ch.8) and the revealed messiah (Ch.9). Very largely these have been ‘action chapters' with a lot going on.

 

A Change of Emphasis to Teaching

       If you have a “red-letter Bible” that picks out Jesus' words, when you come to these chapters, you will suddenly notice that whereas the amount of red up until chapter 10 had been fairly limited, the chapters in this set of studies are covered with red ink – there is a lot of teaching by Jesus. It is as if, having portrayed Jesus as he has done, Luke now gives us a great deal of content of the things Jesus actually said.

     What we will notice as we come to the end of these chapters and review them, is that much of Jesus' teaching came directly in response to questions or comments being made to him. Luke shows us very clearly that so much of these chapters is interaction between Jesus and the people. Sometimes it is simply in response to questions and comments that seem to come to people's minds, other times it is questions that arise from specific things happening – yes, there is some action in these chapters.

     The nature of the teaching could possibly be summed up as “Kingdom realities” because so much of it has to do with being real before God.

 

Part 1 : “Looking Outwards”

     In this first part which covers chapter 10, we will see Jesus first of all sending out seventy two disciples and his instructions that go with them, to express the kingdom of God in what they say and do. When the disciples return rejoicing he teaches them that the main thing to rejoice about is their own salvation. Maintaining the ‘looking outwards' theme, Luke then recounts the incident of a lawyer asking about the law, about who his neighbour is, and Jesus takes the opportunity to say to us that our concern is to be for anyone with whom we have contact. This is very much a chapter that says look outwards! Watch for that.

   

 

Study No.1 : Instructions for the Workers : Luke 10:1-7

 

A. Find Out:    

     

1. What did Jesus do and why? v.1

2. What did he say about the harvest? v.2

3. How did he describe them? v.3

4. What two things did he tell them NOT to do? v.4

5. What did he say about bringing a greeting to a house? v.5,6

6. What did he say about staying in homes? v.7

 

B. Think:

1. What do these verses say about the need in the world?

2. What do verses 3 & 4 indicate about our approach?

3. What do you think was the purpose of their greeting?

C. Comment:

     Jesus is preparing a wider band of disciples to go out and continue his ministry. In these verses we see the need for them to go, the way in which they go and the way they are to receive support.

    First, the NEED. Jesus says the harvest is plentiful – there are plenty of people ready to receive the blessing of God – but the trouble is that there are few who are ready to go to bring that blessing. So, he says, pray and ask God to send out workers and, oh, by the way, go yourselves. A simple lesson here: pray but also be prepared to be the answer to your prayers.

     Second, the WAY in which they are to go – weak, vulnerable and with little human resources. That is verse 3 & 4! They are to go out, not big, bold and strong but weak and vulnerable like lambs among wolves. That is a powerful picture and it tells us that we are not to go as the world goes, but go in the weakness of faith and trust that the strength and power and protection of God will be there for us!

     Third, the way to receive SUPPORT. Approach people and bring God's blessing (of peace) to them. If they are open they will receive your blessing and in turn will open their lives (and homes) to you. Use that person as a base from which to work, let them be the source of practical supply for you. They will be God's provision for you.

 

D. Application:

1. Prayer Strategy

•  When I pray seeing a need, am I prepared sometimes to be the answer to my prayers?

2. Provision

•  When we go it is to be with HIS strength, support and protection. Do I know those things from the Lord?

Study No.2 : Judgement on Rejection : Luke 10:8-15

A. Find Out:

         

1. How were they to act when they were welcomed in a town? v.8

2. What were they to do? v.9

3. How were they to act when they were not welcomed? v.10,11

4. To what town does he compare that place? v.12

5. What other towns does he chide? v13,15

6. To whom does he compare them? v.13,14

 

B. Think:

1. How is a town that receives Jesus' disciples to be blessed?

2. What does Jesus say about a town that rejects them?

3. What towns had already done that?

C. Comment:

     As Jesus continues to instruct his disciples, as he prepares them to be sent out to minister, he tells them how to respond when they are either welcomed or rejected.

     First of all, when they were welcomed, they should receive the welcome and eat and fellowship with the people there. Where there is an openness to them, then they should bring the blessing of God on that place and heal the sick that are there, telling the people that this is the expression of God's ruling presence with them.

     Second, he speaks about the town that does not welcome them, he tells them to separate themselves from that place and warn that place about what they have just done.

     Having done that he then tells his disciples that such a town WILL be accountable to God and such a place WILL be judged. He cites the judgement that fell on Sodom (Gen 19) and says it will be even worse for this present town. Why is that? He goes on to explain. He denounces Korazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum where he had already been and been largely rejected, even though he did miracles there. He compares them to two Gentile towns and implied they were more believing, and thus in the judgment they will fair better than these unbelieving Jewish towns! It is a strong denunciation.

 

D. Application:

1. Receiving Jesus?

•  Would we be a welcoming town or a rejecting one? Do I receive what Jesus says and does?

2. Handling Rejection

•  When we are rejected, can I handle it gracefully but truthfully?

Study No.3 : A Joyful Return : Luke 10:16-20

A. Find Out:

           

1. What did Jesus say about their responders? v.16

2. How did the disciples return afterwards? v.17

3. What did Jesus say he saw? v.18

4. What authority had Jesus given them? v.19

5. What were they not to rejoice in? v.20a

6. What were they to rejoice in? v.20b

 

B. Think:

1. In your own words, why were the disciples rejoicing?

2. What did Jesus say was a better cause of rejoicing?

3. Why do you think he said this?

C. Comment:

     As Jesus concludes his instructions to the seventy two before they go out, he tells them that any rejection they may experience is in fact rejection of him and thus of God. That is how serious this is, but it also takes away the sting of personal rejection. If we are seeking to bring the love of God to people and they reject us, they are actually rejecting God Himself and that is their problem, not ours! They will be answerable for that, so don't feel bad about their refusal.

     Then we come to an interesting interchange. The disciples come back rejoicing over the authority and power that they had experienced while ministering in Jesus' name. Jesus response could mean one of two things: a) that he saw Satan's power pulled down as they ministered, or b) he saw Satan fall originally from pride and is gently warning them against similar pride. The latter possibility is reinforced by his following words.

      He acknowledges that that had been given power but that wasn't the main thing to be excited about. That had simply been an additional gift from God to do the task given to them. No, the big thing is that they are accepted in heaven. That is the big miracle, that God can accept us sinful human beings and give us Sonship and a place with Him in eternity. THAT is a cause for thanksgiving! That brings a right perspective and deals with any possible pride!

 

D. Application:

1. Cause for praise

•   My salvation is my greatest cause for praise and thankfulness. Am I aware of the wonder of it and does thatevoke praise in me?

2. Gifting

•   My gifts are from God, and are not MY abilities, but God's. Do I thank him for what He enables me to do?

  

Study No.4 : The Blessings of the Disciples  : Luke 10:21-24

   

A. Find Out:

           

1. What was Jesus feeling and why? v.21a

2. For what was he praising his Father? v.21b

3. What did he say about their relationship? v.22

4. What did he say about his disciples? v.23

5. Who had wanted what? v.24

 

B. Think:

1. What had happened to cause Jesus to rejoice?

2. How was he obviously viewing the disciples?

3. Why did he say they were especially blessed?

C. Comment:

     The disciples come back from their ministry trip like a bunch of excited school children. Their reasons for excitement are slightly questionable but that doesn't matter. As Jesus looks at them, the Holy Spirit within him wells up and he's just full of the joy of heaven.

     These disciples have gone out and simply done the will of his Father and many lives were changed as a result. Great! Yes, his Father had been there for them and His power had been expressed through them, as childlike as they were. But then that's the way the Father does things: He reveals good things to the humble and childlike, and He hides it from those who think they are something! Jesus knows this because it's the fruit of his relationship with his Father, an intimate relationship that means only the Father really knows who the Son is and vice-versa. The result of that is that people will only know the Father once they know the Son.

     This is really amazing stuff, and Jesus can't help expressing this to his disciples. “Guys, you're really blessed, do you know that?” is really what he's saying. “You're seeing and doing stuff that prophets and kings in God's kingdom longed to see and do. You're a privileged generation, seeing and doing all this!”

     That is the truth, but it is easy for us to become so familiar with these Scriptures that we lose the wonder of them, of what was actually happening.

 

D. Application:

1. Familiarity

•   Does familiarity dull the wonder of what God has done in us? Have I known Him so long that it has dulled the wonder of it? Ask the Lord to show you the wonder of it all again.

2. Familiarity

•  Has my knowing the Lord become an ordinary thing? Ask the Lord to revive the sense of wonder about Him in you.

Study No.5 : Sparring with Jesus  : Luke 10:25-29

   

A. Find Out:

           

1. Who, on one occasion, came to do what? v.25a

2. What did he ask? v.25b

3. What question did Jesus ask in return? v.26

4. What answer did the man give? v.27

5. So how did Jesus respond to him? v.28

6. So what final question did the man ask and why? v.29

 

B. Think:

1. How was the man first in attacking mode and then on the defensive?

2. How did Jesus bat the problem back to the man?

3. What did the man show about himself?

C. Comment:

      In these verses we have an interesting interchange between Jesus and a man who is described as an “expert” in the law. This man is moving on familiar ground and so comes to “test” Jesus. We aren't told if he was sent, or why he is testing Jesus. He may have had good motivation, (but he's risking showing Jesus up in public, which is not a worthy thing to do!) but whatever the background he's about to learn that you don't bandy words with the all-wise Son of God!

      He acknowledges that Jesus is a teacher. He's come to see how good a teacher Jesus is, so he asks a good theological question: how can one have life acceptable to God that brings us eternity?  Jesus invites the man to give an answer from the Law, so he does: it's to love God totally and your neighbour as yourself. Great, says Jesus, do that and you'll have life. The man feels Jesus has ducked out of his test and the man himself has been tested. On the defensive he asks, so who is my neighbour?

     This was more tricky, because different groups believed different things about this. Some believed it meant love your neighbour and hate your enemy. Others believed your neighbour meant only Jews. Particular groups thought it meant only them. The question gives opportunity for Jesus to tell the so-called Parable of the Good Samaritan which we'll consider next.

 

D. Application:

1. Questioning God

•   If I ask questions of God, do I ask as a learner who wants to learn or am I simply expressing a bad heart?

2. Testing God

•   Do I realise it is always me at test, not God? When I seek to test God, do I realise that it is actually me who is under scrutiny?

  

Study No.6 : Parable of the Good Samaritan  : Luke 10:30-37

   

A. Find Out:

          

1. In the story what happened to the man? v.30

2. Who first came by and what did he do? v.31

3. Who next came by and what did he do? v.32

4. Who next came along and what did he feel? v.33

5. What did he do for the man? v.34,35

6. What did Jesus ask and instruct? v.36,37

 

B. Think:

1. What scenario of need does Jesus build up?

2. What was the extent of the Samaritan's help?

3. What was the point Jesus was making?

C. Comment:

     The true thrust of this story is missed if we don't understand the strength of feeling of the Jews against the Samaritans. History had meant that the Samaritans were the ‘untouchables' in the eyes of the Jews. So when Jesus tells this story of need, he is pushing someone to the front of the story as the hero, who the Jews, naturally, would have had very negative feelings about. Yet at the end of it, the expert of the Law had to concede that it was the man (note, he doesn't say, “the Samaritan”) who had shown mercy to the robber's victim.

     The use of a priest and a Levite may not have been particularly negative against those two groups (although they were not known for their mercy and grace!), it may just be to highlight the depth of the plight of the wounded man. If they wouldn't get involved, who would? It was a situation that was dangerous, for the robbers might attack them too if they stopped, and the man clearly needed a lot of attention – hence the (full) extent of what the Samaritan did for him.

     But this puts the emphasis, the wrong way round. The emphasis should be on what the Samaritan felt. He could have felt totally negative about the Jew, but the man was in need and that overcame any historical prejudice. His neighbour therefore? Anyone, regardless, who was in need. That is the teaching.

 

D. Application:

1. Prejudice

•   Do I have groups of ‘untouchables' in my mind? It's not Jesus' mind!

2. Crises pull down barriers

•  Need overcomes barriers. When a national crisis occus, people pull together. Do I need a crisis to overcome my prejudices?

3. Need

•  Am I alert to the needs of people around me, including those who aren't part of my 'social class'?

  

Study No.7 : The Distractions of Work :  Luke 10:38-42

   

A. Find Out:

          

1. To where did Jesus go next? v.38

2. What was Mary doing? v.39

3. What was Martha doing? v.40a

4. What did she complain to Jesus? v.40b

5. What did he say about Martha? v.41

6. What did he say about Mary? v.42

 

B. Think:

1. What were Martha's intentions, do you think, when Jesus came there?

2. What were Mary's intentions?

3. How is this a picture of spiritual reality?

C. Comment:

     Jesus draws near and Martha invites him to her home. When he accepts and comes in, her immediate desire is to be the good hostess. There is food to be prepared and clearing up to be done, and she gets on with it. Her sister Mary seems completely impervious to the need to look after Jesus and that annoys Martha to the point where she actually speaks to Jesus about it.

     What is the difference between these two women? Martha is a giver and Mary is a taker – from Jesus. Martha is squandering a lifetime opportunity so that she can appear the good hostess. Mary doesn't care about that, only that she has Jesus in the home and she has an opportunity to listen to what he has to say.

     In the Song of Songs (5:2-7) Solomon gives us a picture of the lover (Jesus) coming to his beloved and she is more concerned with what she looks like and so misses him. Today's reading is the New Testament equivalent of that Old Testament warning. When God draws near are we more concerned with how things look, or are we just hungry and thirsty to hear what he has to say? When God draws near, as He does on occasion, is our primary goal “to sit at his feet” and listen to all He wants to say to us? Have we got our priorities right? Activity or the voice of God when He speaks?

 

D. Application:

1. Looking Good

•   Work is good and right – in its place. Have I got it in its right place?  Do I realise there are times to put work aside and sit at Jesus' feet?

2. Listening to God

•   When God draws near, do I listen? In the church service when the presence of the Lord draws near, am I anxious to move on, to get home and prepare the lunch, or do I savour the time with the Saviour?

  

RECAP No.1  "Looking Outwards"    Luke 10

    

SUMMARY :  

      

In this first group of 7 studies we have seen :

- Jesus preparing 72 disciples to go out

- Jesus berating some of the Jewish cities for their unbelief

- Jesus warning the disciples, on their return, against pride

- Jesus telling the parable of the Good Samaritan

- At Mary & Martha's home

 

COMMENT :

     Having (in the previous chapters and previous Studies) laid down a strong base for belief, Luke now includes material that brings a challenge to our lives. In the three parts of this chapter, Luke is challenging us to look outwards from our own lives.

      First there were Jesus' instructions to his followers to go out and extend the kingdom or rule of God in power. A strong challenge to take God's love and power to the lost world.

      Second comes the teaching about who our neighbour is – anyone near us in need. Again a challenge to be open to anyone around us.

     Third, there is the incident in Mary & Martha's home, a challenge not to be self-concerned, concerned about how we look in what we're doing, but to be more concerned with what Jesus is thinking and saying.

 

LESSONS?

1. We are called to be outward looking.

2. As we go to the needy world it is to bring God's love and power.

3. As we go we are to be totally reliant upon God.

4. We are to avoid pride or arrogance as we minister to others.

5. We are to go to anyone around us.

6. We are to be more concerned with what Jesus says than anything else.

 

PRAY :

      Ask the Lord to release faith in you to be someone who goes with God's love and brings it to the needy world.

 

PART 2 : "Spiritual Realities"

      In this next Part, Luke continues to give us food for thought in a section that is largely Jesus' teaching, a section that deals with spiritual realities. Watch for these.