EVANGELISM
(Luke
10: 1-16)
By
Shelby
G. Floyd
The apostle Paul reminded the elders
of the church in
Bringing a crowd of people together
in a house or place of worship is one type of "public
evangelism." "Personal
evangelism" is presenting the gospel in a "one on one"
relationship. Christ and Paul both had
many such encounters on a personal basis.
The personal encounter of Christ with Nicodemus and the woman at Jacobs
well are good examples of "personal evangelism" (John 3: 1-10; 4: 1-24).
Christ was also the greatest "public preacher" who ever lived. The Sermon on the Mount is the classic
example of the power of "public evangelism” (Matthew 5-7). "Public
evangelism" is the most efficient method of presenting the gospel to the
masses of people. And today, evangelism
over the internet world wide web is the most efficient method of all.
Now let us take a look at another
form of "public preaching" in which many different methods were
employed:
Luke
10:1
After
this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of
him to every town and place where he was about to go.
NIV
THE GOAL OF SENDING
THE SEVENTY
We notice from the
reading that the emphasis is upon reaching the cities or towns with the
gospel. Here the emphasis is on Christ
sending the seventy "to every town and place where he was about to
go." Therefore, the goal and
emphasis of this context is to evangelize the towns and villages with the
gospel through public preaching. The
word "city" or “towns" is found five times in Luke 10:
1-12. And five specific cities are
mentioned in Luke 10: 13-16! Some
"personal evangelism" was no doubt to be employed when they entered
these towns, but the emphasis seems to be on the "public preaching"
of the gospel in these towns.
These were not large cities as we
have today, but were small towns and villages.
This must also be our emphasis today.
We must enlarge our vision to take the gospel to large and small cities
by every efficient and lawful method of public and personal evangelism. As a congregation this means that our
emphasis must be south
THE METHODS OF PUBLIC
EVANGELISM
Next, we observe the methods to be
employed in public evangelism. The study
of the different methods and instructions given by Christ on this occasion are
very important and worthy of our attention.
For the most part God has not bound specific methods of preaching the
gospel to the whole world. We live in
the 21st century and we must be creative as to what methods will work in our
day and time. Our methods must fit our
culture and way that people receive communications. Many of the methods that the seventy used
will still work today. With the modern
means of communication we must also seek to use all means and methods to
proclaim the gospel to the masses. The
Internet, e-mail, television, radio and telephone are just a few examples. We have freedom to use any method that does
not conflict with plain New Testament teaching.
The Great Harvest
Let us notice the vision of Christ
concerning the great harvest:
Luke
10:1-2
After
this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of
him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, "The
harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest,
therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
NIV
Christ saw a tremendous need for the
gospel to be preached to the masses of people.
Previously, Christ had taught that few and not many would
go down the straight and narrow road that leads to salvation:
Matt
7:13-14
"Enter
through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads
to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the
road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
NIV
Also on another occasion he stated, "Many
are invited, but few are chosen" (Matthew
How then can we reconcile Christ’s
statement that "few" will be saved in Matthew 7: 13-14 and the
statement in Luke 10: 1-2 that "the harvest is plentiful, but the workers
are few?" Here the "few"
are not those lost, but "the workers!"
Perhaps we can illustrate how these
seemingly contradictory statements can be reconciled by the work of a
farmer. Suppose a farmer desires an
abundant harvest but the yield per acre is small. The only way he can have an abundant harvest
is to sow the seed liberally on a larger number of acres. This will require "more seed,"
"more workers," "more reapers," and "more
prayer!"
Even though Christ said few would be
saved, he still could see an abundant harvest of souls who would obey the gospel
if only more workers would enter the field of service:
John
4:34-38
Do
you not say, `Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your
eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper
draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for
eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the
saying `One sows and another reaps' is true. I sent you to reap what you have
not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits
of their labor."
NIV
Christ
could see the potential great harvest and that is a reason he is now sending
out seventy more workers. Later after
the church was established the apostle Paul could also see this great harvest
if the workers would not faint and give up:
Gal
6:9
Let
us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper
time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
NIV
Methods of the Great Harvest
In order to realize the goal of a
great harvest let us notice the methods and instructions given by Christ to the
seventy:
Teams of Two
1.
First, Christ sent the seventy out in teams of "two by two."
Luke
10:1
After
these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before
His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.
NKJV
Previously Jesus sent the twelve
apostles out “two by two” and we even know which team they were on! (Mark 6: 7). This is still a good method to
use today, allowing mutual support to each worker. Also, in this way two or more witnesses can
establish every word. The textual
problem of whether Christ sent out "seventy" or "seventy-two"
is really no problem at all. If the
correct reading is seventy-two then that is even better. That would mean the harvest would be even
greater with "two" more workers!
More Workers Needed
2.
Second, Jesus saw a tremendous need for more workers. He said, "The harvest is plentiful but
the laborers are few" (Luke 10:2). In order to bring in the great harvest
many more workers would be needed. Or as
we used to say on the farm, "there are too many chiefs and not enough
Indians." The same is still true
today!
Prayer Is Needed
3.
Third, more prayer is needed:
Luke
10:2
Ask
the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
NIV
We all
have a work to do and that work is to pray.
God has a work to do and his work is to send more workers into the
harvest. If we do our part God will do
his part. Then in cooperation with the
creator of the universe, God will "give the increase."
An Antagonistic
World
4.
Fourth, Christ instructed the seventy that he was sending them out into
an antagonistic world. They would be
like lambs among wolves:
Luke
10:3
Go! I
am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
NIV
We know what wolves do to lambs—they
eat them! Therefore, we must be wise and
we must have good shepherds to watch over the flock. Paul instructed the elders at
Acts
20:28-31
Keep
watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers. Be shepherds of the
NIV
Let us remember that Christ is the
good Shepherd who had lain down his life for the sheep. Therefore follow him even into the midst of
wolves and we will be safe.
Trust In God
5.
Next, Christ taught them to put their trust in God, by instructing them
not to take any provisions for their journey:
Luke
10:4
Do
not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
NIV
We also must trust God and not
ourselves. If we trust the weak arm of
human flesh we will fail:
Psalms
118:8
It is
better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
NIV
Faith
and trust in the grace of God will make us strong even when we’re weak. This simply means that God must be first in
our lives (Matthew
Time Is Urgent
6.
Sixth, Christ emphasized the urgency of their mission by instructing
them not to greet anyone on the road:
Luke
10:4
Do
not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
NIV
Often we do not see the urgency of
the great commission. Paul said to the
Corinthian church: “what I mean, brothers, is the time is short” (1 Cor.
John
9:4-5
As
long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming,
when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the
world."
NIV
He urged the seventy not to stop and
chat with every passerby or they would not reach their goal of evangelizing the
cities. Let us also not waste our
precious time! (Ephesians 5:15-16).
SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS
“WHEN YOU ENTER A HOUSE”
Now, let us look at some specific
instructions given to the seventy, to be applied "when you enter a
house." The keywords here are:
"when you enter a house."
Luke
10:5-7
"When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your
peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house,
eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages.
Do not move around from house to house.”
NIV
This
seems to indicate that they would already have entered a town and now they are
looking for a place to stay while they are preaching the gospel.
The Message Is Peace
1.
First, the subject of the message and messenger is peace. The message is a message of peace and the
messenger is to be a messenger of peace.
Neither the message nor the messenger is to be forced upon anyone. We cannot twist people's arms and force them
to accept Christ and the gospel. That is
not God's way. Our great God who created
the universe does not force himself on anyone, though he has the power to do
so. He desires that we choose him, but
he will not coerce us to accept him and his son Jesus Christ. The basic message of the gospel is peace. First we should desire to be at peace with
God, at peace with ourselves, and at peace with our neighbors, in that order:
Rom
5:1
Therefore,
since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ,
NIV
Through
faith we have spiritual peace with God the father and the son Jesus Christ.
Those messengers of peace symbolically
have beautiful feet, because they bring the gospel of peace:
Rom
10:14-15
How
then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they
believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a
preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How
beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who
bring glad tidings of good things!”
NKJV
Therefore every house and every town should receive this gospel of peace
willingly and become a “house of peace.”
Accept the
Hospitality of the House of Peace
2.
Secondly, when one enters and stops in a "house of peace,"
that one should accept and enjoy the service and hospitality of the home as part
of the wages for service to Christ. When
a messenger of the gospel is invited in a house this is one way to know that
they are not a wolf. Gospel preachers
soon learn that those who share their home and hospitality are their friends
and supporters. These homes are houses
of love, houses of hospitality, and houses of peace! Jesus is instructing his disciples—the
seventy, that in these towns there would be some who would provide them a
"bed and breakfast." They
would be favorable to their mission. Those
who would be hostile would not invite them into their houses.
This also teaches that people should
not take advantage of Christian workers.
Both the Old and New Testament teach that the worker is worthy of his
wages:
1 Cor
Don't
you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is
offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who
preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
NIV
Gal
6:6
Anyone
who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his
instructor.
NIV
Stay Put In One House
3. Third, when
one enters a house, do not move around from house to house. Some workers might be tempted to go from
house to house to gain all they could of worldly goods. Christ instructs them to stay put!
SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS
“WHEN YOU ENTER A TOWN”
Now let us notice Christ’s specific
instructions and methods given to the seventy disciples "when you enter a
town." This naturally breaks down
into two parts: (1) first, when you enter a town and are "welcomed,"
and, (2) second, when you enter a town and are "not welcomed."
“When You Are Welcomed”
Notice what the disciples are to do
when they are welcomed into a town:
Luke
10:8-9
"When
you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, `The
NIV
The
keywords here are "when you're welcomed."
Identify With the
People
1.
When this is the case the seventy disciples are to identify with the
people by eating what is set before them.
Even today sometimes a guest will come into your home and will be rude
to you and say to you that they do not like the food that you set before
them. This attitude will not endear
anyone to the host or hostess. If a
preacher or teacher displayed this type of attitude they would not get to first
base in presenting the gospel message to their host. A modern-day example recently came to my
attention in the
"About 1986 I was working
with brother Charles Scott in a very remote jungle area of
J. C. Bailey (September 13,
1903—July 2, 2001), missionary to
Do
Therapeutic Work with the People
2. Secondly, Christ instructed the seventy to heal and minister to the sick (Luke 10: 9). The term "heal" in the Greek text is the word from which we get our word "therapeutic." Today we cannot go out and heal people miraculously as Christ and the apostles did. These miracles were not accommodating, but were designed to confirm that the word preached was from God. (Mark 16: 17-20). However, we can along with the medical profession do the same kind of therapeutic work with the sick. Many today are in need of physical, mental, emotional, and yes, spiritual therapy. The idea is that in order to reach people with the gospel one may need to do the work of therapy and help people to have “a sound body and a sound mind.”
Preach, “The
3. Third,
Jesus said to the seventy that when they were welcomed into these towns they
were to preach, "The
“When You Are Not Welcomed”
Next, Christ gives instructions to the seventy to heed when they go into a town and "are not welcomed:"
Luke
10:10-12
But
when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, `Even
the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be
sure of this: The
NIV
What is one to do when "the door is slammed in-your-face," when one is rejected and the people are antagonistic? You walk away from the rejecter that is what you do! The gospel is not to be forced upon people who do not want to receive it.
Shake the
Dust off Your Feet
1.
First, the messenger is to go out into the streets of that town and say,
"even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against
you" (Luke
Today
Preach, “The
2.
Second, the seventy messengers were to go out and affirm that the
Warn Of the Coming
Judgment
3.
Third, Christ instructed the seventy to warn those towns that did not
welcome them, that it would be more bearable for
Luke
10:13-15
"Woe
to you, Korazin! Woe to you,
NIV
Today, the preachers and teachers
who go forth to proclaim the good news must balance our message of salvation
with the warning of impending judgment and destruction on all who know not God
and who obey not the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). This is the “heavy
artillery” of the gospel as J. W. McGarvey once
described preaching on the judgment.
EXHORTATION
Finally Christ said to the seventy, "he who listens to you listens to me;
he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent
me" (Luke
*Shelby G. Floyd delivered this sermon