Luke 10 reminds me of a friend’s recent posting of our 9th grade class yearbook. Seeing all those young faces was great, but I was struck by the number of people that I did not know personally. How many loners were lost in the crowd? Today’s chapter looks at our neighbors. We begin with Jesus appointing seventy-two disciples and He “sent them two by two ahead of Him… to every town and place”. I wonder if these were the captains, and leaders in school. Their job was to “Heal the sick… and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’”. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few… I am sending you out like lambs among wolves”. Take note that none were sent out alone. When they entered a house they were to pronounce Peace and stay there until moving to the next village. They were told to eat and drink whatever they were given, “for the worker deserves his wages”. They were not freeloaders; they apparently earned their room and board. Not every town would welcome them, yet they were to warn even those towns that “The kingdom of God has come near”, before shaking the dust off and departing. The message was for everyone, not just those at the cool table. Even those Most Likely to Succeed received the firm truth from Christ, “Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; but whoever rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me”. Forgiveness of sin is free to all that ask in the name of the sinless Savior.
When the seventy-two returned they reported, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name”. Perhaps they got a little full of themselves because Jesus responded, “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven”. Jesus continued, “I praise you, Father… You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children”. The proud know-it-alls did not listen. Friend, are you too proud to listen?
The chapter closes with a student of the Law asking Jesus an important question. “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus asked him what the Law taught; and the man replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself”. Jesus said, “You have answered correctly”, but the young man added, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus told a story of a man attacked, robbed and left for dead. Several passed by and avoided the wounded man, even crossing the road to stay away. It was not until a fellow traveler saw him, stopped, and took pity. The traveler bandaged his wounds, put him on a donkey and brought him to an inn and paid for his care. This fellow traveler was from the wrong side of the tracks. To the Jew, there was no such thing as a Good Samaritan! Jesus asked, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The student of the Law responded, “The one who had mercy on him”. Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise”. The “good news” of Salvation through Christ is not spread by might, fear, or coercion; it is spread by showing mercy to one person at a time. Heaven’s Yearbook is not yet finished. My friend, who is your neighbor?