JESUS’ VIEW OF MISSION IN LUKE 10

EDWIN I. RAAGAS, PhD

LUKE 10:1-24
10:1 Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent
them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He
Himself was going to come. 2 And He was saying to them, "The
harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech
the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 "Go;
behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 "Carry no
money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way.
10:5 "Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.'
6 "If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if

not, it will return to you. 7 "Stay in that house, eating and drinking
what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not
keep moving from house to house. 8 "Whatever city you enter and
they receive you, eat what is set before you; 9 and heal those in it
who are sick, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come
near to you.'
10:10 "But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go
out into its streets and say, 11 'Even the dust of your city which
clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of
this, that the kingdom of God has come near.' 12 "I say to you, it will
be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. 13 "Woe to
you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been
performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would
have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
10:14 "But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the
judgment than for you. 15 "And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted
to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades! 16 "The one
who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you
rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.“ 17
The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are
subject to us in Your name." 18 And He said to them, "I was watching
Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 "Behold, I have given you
authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the
power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
10:20 "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject
to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." 21 At
that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I
praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden
these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to
infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.
10:22 "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no
one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is
except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." 23
Turning to the disciples, He said privately, "Blessed are the eyes
which see the things you see, 24 for I say to you, that many prophets
and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see
them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them."
1. THE CALLING OF EVANGELISTS (APPOINTED, SENT)
Luke 10:1 Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and
sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He
Himself was going to come.

• Appointed: to lift up and show, show forth

• Sent: to send, send away
 2. THE STRATEGY OF EVANGELISTS
(70, PAIRS, ADVANCE TEAM)
Luke 10:1 Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent
them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself
was going to come.

• 70 in the Whole Group - Power in Numbers, Greater Geographical

Reach
• Pairs in the Teams - Safety/Accountability/Effectiveness in Pairs
• Preparing the Way - Advance Team for Jesus to come later
 3. THE PROMISE, PROBLEM, & PRAYER OF EVANGELISTS
Luke 10:2 2 And He was saying to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but
the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to
send out laborers into His harvest.
• The promise: the harvest is plentiful
• The problem: the laborers are few
• The prayer: Lord send out laborers in Your harvest
 4. THE COURAGE OF EVANGELISTS TO GO
DESPITE REAL DANGERS
Luke 10:3 3 "Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

Lambs in the midst of wolves = MANY DANGERS:

Danger of Rejection (they avoid you and reject your Messiah and His message)
Danger of Detestation (they hate you and slander you for your Messiah and His
message)
Danger of Persecution (they hurt you or take away your possessions because of
your Messiah and His message)
 4. THE COURAGE OF EVANGELISTS TO GO
DESPITE REAL DANGERS (continuation)
Luke 10:3 3 "Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

Danger of Incarceration (they take away your freedoms or lock you up for your
Messiah and His message)
Danger of Execution (they take your physical life to stop your promotion of your
Messiah and His message)
5. THE FAITH OF EVANGELISTS FOR GOD TO PROVIDE
Luke 10:4 "Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on
the way.

Carry to take up, carry

Carry no money (a purse)
Carry no bag (a leather pouch)
Carry no shoes (a sole bound under (the foot), a sandal)
No greeting along the way (travel dangers, dependence on others)
 6. THE SUPPORT OF EVANGELISTS
Luke 10:5-7 5 "Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.' 6
"If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return
to you. 7 "Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the
laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house.

- What we should expect when we support full time ministers? BLESSING The
blessing of supporting Pastors/Missionaries: “Peace be to this house”
• Eirene Origin: (to join): peace, by implication welfare
 6. THE SUPPORT OF EVANGELISTS (continuation)
- What we should provide for those in full time ministry? food (eating &
drinking), and housing.
- Why we should support full time ministers? They are worthy of wages
because they work/labor for the King of Kings in spreading/teaching His
gospel/Word.
- How long should we support full time ministers? – as long as they need our
support and are faithful/productive to their calling and Boss (the Lord
Jesus!) and as long as we are financially able to/blessed by God to provide
and share what He has given us.
 7. THE MISSION AND MESSAGE OF EVANGELISTS
Luke 10:8-11 8 "Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before
you; 9 and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come
near to you.' 10 "But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its
streets and say, 11 'Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in
protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.‘

- “Eat what is before you” Be culturally sensitive but never Biblically compromising
(contextualization) 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might
win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save
some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow
partaker of it.
 7. THE MISSION AND MESSAGE OF EVANGELISTS
(continuation)
- “Heal those in it who are sick” (Apostolic Sign Gifts have ceased – 1 Cor. 13:8,
Acts 2:43, 5:12, 2 Cor. 11:13, 12:12, Rev. 2:2) Application for us: Meet practical
needs and help people as far as you are able.
- “Say to them the Kingdom of God has come near to you” (Summary of Jesus
Gospel – Mark 1:15, Matt. 4:17) Preach a specific message (the Biblical gospel)
(the healings were a sign of what we should expect in the coming Millenial
Kingdom under King Jesus)
 7. THE MISSION AND MESSAGE OF EVANGELISTS
(continuation)
“THEY DON’T RECEIVE YOU”
Warn rejecters of the Biblical gospel that even if they don’t believe the
gospel (good news of Jesus coming Kingdom) that it is still coming – and
for them it will be a time of judgment rather than joy. (Their judgment is
near) Acts 2:40 40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and
kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!“
(see also the warning of 2 Thess. 2:1-12)
 8. THE WARNINGS OF EVANGELISTS
Luke 10:12-16 12 "I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom
than for that city. 13 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the
miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they
would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 "But it will be
more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15 "And you,
Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down
to Hades!
• “More tolerable in that day for Sodom” – Reminder of what happened to
Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 13:10-13, Genesis 14:11, Genesis 18:16-19:29)
(Romans 9:29, 2 Peter 2:6, Jude 1:7, Revelation 11:8)
 8. THE WARNINGS OF EVANGELISTS
• “WOE TO YOU” – pronouncement of woe on Chorazin and Bethsaida,
(an expression of grief or denunciation)
• Judgment by Jesus is coming - a decision, judgment (Psalm 9:8,
96:10-13, 98:9, John 5:22, Acts 10:42, 17:30-31, Mt. 24:14)
• “CAPERNAUM…YOU WILL BE BROUGHT DOWN TO HADES!” – tragic
prophecy of those who rejected Jesus and His gospel – even though
that is the city he spent the greatest time (Peter’s house/Jesus’
ministry headquarters).
 8. THE WARNINGS OF EVANGELISTS

Only solution to these REAL WARNINGS: REPENTANCE!

Luke 10:13 For if the miracles had been performed in Tyre and
Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
• “REPENTED” (metanoia): to change one’s mind or purpose
 9. THE REJECTION OF EVANGELISTS
Luke 10:16 16 "The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one
who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One
who sent Me."
- They are not rejecting us they are rejecting the CHRIST we
represent. 1 Thessalonians 4:8 8 So, he who rejects this is not
rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.
 9. THE REJECTION OF EVANGELISTS
- THEY HATE US BECAUSE THEY HATED JESUS FIRST.

John 15:18-25 18 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before
it hated you. 19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but
because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of
this the world hates you. 20 "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is
not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute
you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 "But all these things
they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who
sent Me.
 9. THE REJECTION OF EVANGELISTS (continuation)
- THEY HATE US BECAUSE THEY HATED JESUS FIRST.

John 15:18-25 22 "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have
sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 "He who hates Me hates My
Father also. 24 "If I had not done among them the works which no one else
did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and
My Father as well. 25 "But they have done this to fulfill the word that is
written in their Law, 'THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.' 1 John 3:13-14 13 Do
not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have
passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not
love abides in death.
 9. THE REJECTION OF EVANGELISTS (continuation)
- REJECTION IS NORMAL FOR THE FAITHFUL BELIEVER AND FOLLOWER OF
JESUS.
1 peter 4:12-19 12 beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you,
which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were
happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of CHRIST,
keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice
with exultation. 14 if you are reviled for the name of CHRIST, you are blessed,
because the spirit of glory and of god rests on you. 15 make sure that none of
you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;
 9. THE REJECTION OF EVANGELISTS (continuation)
- REJECTION IS NORMAL FOR THE FAITHFUL BELIEVER AND FOLLOWER OF
JESUS.
1 Peter 4:12-19 16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed,
but is to glorify god in this name. 17 for it is time for judgment to begin with the
household of god; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for
those who do not obey the gospel of god? 18 and if it is with difficulty that the
righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? 19
therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of god shall entrust their
souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right.
 9. THE REJECTION OF EVANGELISTS (continuation)
- THEIR REJECTION OF YOU WILL BE USED AS EVIDENCE AGAINST THEM GOD’S
COURT SOME DAY.

John 12:46-48 46 "I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone
who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. 47 "If anyone hears My
sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to
judge the world, but to save the world. 48 "He who rejects Me and does
not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is
what will judge him at the last day.
 10. THE REWARD OF EVANGELISTS
Luke 10:17-24 17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons
are subject to us in Your name." 18 And He said to them, "I was watching Satan
fall from heaven like lightning. 19 "Behold, I have given you authority to tread
on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing
will injure you. 20 "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are
subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." 21 At that
very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I praise You, O
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the
wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this
way was well-pleasing in Your sight.
 10. THE REWARD OF EVANGELISTS (continuation)
Luke 10:17-24 22 "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and
no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is
except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." 23 Turning
to the disciples, He said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the
things you see, 24 for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to
see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things
which you hear, and did not hear them."
APPLICATION –
WHO OF YOU WILL ANSWER JESUS’ HELP WANTED
CALLING FOR FAITHFUL EVANGELISTS?
•LUKE 10:2 "The harvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of
the harvest to send out laborers into His
harvest.
3 KINDS OF EVANGELISTS
1. LOCAL EVANGELIST

All of us seeking to fulfill the great commission – Mt. 28:18-20)

Matthew 28:18-20 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying,
"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them
to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age."
2. GLOBAL EVANGELIST (FOREIGN MISSIONARY)

ACTS 13:2-3 2 While they were ministering to the Lord and

fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas
and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3
Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their
hands on them, they sent them away.
3. OFFICE OF EVANGELIST

EPHESIANS 4:11-13 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as

prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and
teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service,
to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the
unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a
mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the
fullness of Christ.
THANK YOU