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THE CALL AND COMMISSION LUKE 10:1-16 1. FIRST, JESUS CALLED THEM v. 1-2 They were sent out into the harvest field armed with the simple gospel message. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Rom. 1:16 Notice there is no mention here or in any other passage pertaining to the call, commission or mission of the disciples (the Church itself) of political reformation, insurrection against the government, social justice, or creation of programs for every existential reality. 2
THE CALLING WILL NOT BE EASY v. 2 Farming and harvesting is hard work even when there are many people helping you, but these men were sent into a vast field with very few workers to help them reap a great harvest. Instead of praying for an easier job, they were to pray for more laborers to join them; and today we need to pray that same prayer. Please note that it is laborers in the harvest field —not a bunch of spectators who pray for more laborers other than themselves— they are hard-core participants! Too many Christians are praying for somebody else to do a job they are unwilling to do themselves. 3
2. THEN JESUS COMMISSIONED THEM LUKE 10:3-16 The Lord’s disciples must consider the general TERMS of the commission. Luke 10:3-7 They would have no special PROTECTION. They would have no special PROVISION. They would have no special PROSPERITY. They would get no special PEOPLE PLEASURES. Once the nation of Israel became openly hostile toward and adamant in its rejection of Christ, and the church was about to take the lead over Israel in the Age of Grace, these terms were changed. Luke 22:35-38 4
THE GENERAL CONDITIONS OF THE COMMISSION LUKE 10:8-16 The disciples would encounter two basic kinds of cities, each of which is indicative of the two basic types of the human heart. Receptive Cities: There was the blessed city, the city that would receive the messengers of the Messiah. Luke 10:8-9 The disciples could have fellowship with the people of that place; they were to heal their sick and tell the people that the kingdom was near to them. Repulsive Cities: This was the darkness-loving city, the city that refused to receive the Lord’s men; a city that celebrated sin and debauchery. The disciples were to stand in the street and denounce the city and move on until they came to a receptive city. 5
THE REPULSIVE CITY: SODOM For those that say Jesus never condemned homosexuality—please note this passage—the city that refused to receive the Lord’s disciples He compared with Sodom: “But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.” Luke 10:12 Sodom and Gomorrah were renowned for their wickedness. Gen. 18:20 Despite Abraham’s successful plea ( Gen.18:22-32 ), not even ten righteous men could be found in Sodom; and the cities were judged by the Lord then destroyed by “brimstone and fire” ( 19:24 ). A type of Hell befell it! The unnatural lusts of the men of Sodom ( Gen. 19:4-8; Jude 7 ) have given us the modern term sodomy. 6
HOMOSEXUALITY WHAT DOES THE BIBLE ACTUALLY SAY? Biblical references to homosexuality are powerfully 100% negative. Genesis 19:1-11 tells the story of an attempted homosexual gang rape at the house of Lot by the wicked men of Sodom. v. 5 This evil of Sodom is mentioned in Jer. 23:14; Ezek. 16:49-50; 2 Pet. 2:6-10; Jude 7 in the strongest terms of condemnation. A story similar to that of Sodom in Judges 19:22-30, ch. 20-21, tells of the city of Gibeah—a Levite and his concubine —the results of which are absolutely horrific. In the Holiness Code of Leviticus, homosexuality is considered an abomination ( Lev. 18:22 ), and such behavior was to be punished by death ( Lev. 20:13 and, of course, Romans ch. 1 ). 7
SODOM—SIN AND SALVATION What could possibly be the comparison between Sodom/Tyre/Sidon and Chorazin/Bethsaida/Capernaum? Unrepentant sin is bad to be sure; rejection of the “Light” is worse in that it seals you in that sin and rejects the grace of God. Jesus was the “Light of the World” while He was on earth ( John 9:3 ); that light was handed off to the disciples. Rejecting Him is to say “no” to THE GOSPEL OF GRACE and “yes” to darkness. The disciples were called to preach the Good News of the Gospel and teach the principles of the kingdom of God—and we will do nothing else— that is our Call and Commission, too! 8
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