October 18, 2023
Today’s Reading: Luke 10:1-9
Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:37-2:15, Matthew 6:1-15
Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you. (Luke 10:9)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.Today’s verses have certainly been used by so many to give a pep rally for us to go out and proclaim the Kingdom of God in all that we do. The 72 were sent and they were told not to worry about their earthly needs, so go out there and you can do the same thing! The problem is that the whole passage of the 72 isn’t about you or me and how we can fulfill the harvest for the Lord. Jesus is the one doing all the work in, with and under the 72 He sends out.
Go back and look at the passage again and see who is doing all the work. In the first verse, Jesus appoints and sends. In the second verse, He centers the entire mission on God. God is the Lord of the harvest, and God sends laborers into His harvest. The sent ones do not need to worry about their earthly needs because God will see to it they are provided for. Some would accept them and the peace they bring, others would not, if they are turned away don’t take it personally, for Christ bears the rejection Himself, and will do so ultimately on the cross. In all that they do they are simply sent to proclaim what has been told to them by Jesus “The Kingdom of God has come near to you.” And when the seventy-two come back, they return with joy! But even then Jesus redirects their joy beyond their efforts and experiences to the gracious work of God, as the One who writes their names in Heaven.
That is the whole point of Jesus sending out the 72. In the same way He sent out St. Luke as well. They weren’t sent to equip others for how they could somehow be faithful fulfillers of God’s harvest announcement. They were sent out to proclaim what God in Christ has already done for the life of the whole world. They were sent to point people to Jesus and His greater work in the victory of eternal life. Your pastor and your church are sent for the same reason today. As you live out your holy vocations as God’s baptized child He will work where and when He pleases in you because the Kingdom of God has come near to you. Rejoice that Jesus continues His work of the harvest by continuing to bring His kingdom to us through His Word and Sacraments in the church. In all of this the Lord of the harvest is at work not only bringing more to faith, but also reminding you that your name is written in heaven by the blood of Jesus Christ. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
For that belov’d physician All praise, whose Gospel show The Healer of the nations,
The one who shares our woes. Your wine and oil, O Savior, Upon our spirits pour,
And with true balm of Gilead Anoint us evermore. (LSB 518:26)
– Pastor Kent Schaaf is pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Little Rock. AR..
Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.
Study Christ’s words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.
