Luke 9:51 – 11:13

 
Perean Ministry: The Journey to Jerusalem
Luke 9:51 – 19:27
 
O U T L I N E
 
Instruction in Discipleship in the Light of Jesus’ Mission
Luke 9:51 – 11:13
 
 

Jesus’ Resolve to go to Jerusalem (9:51)

51 And it came to pass when the days of his receiving up were fulfilled, that “he” stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem. 
 

Samaritan Opposition (9:52-56)

52 And he sent messengers before his face. And having gone they entered into a village of the Samaritans that they might make ready for him. 53 And they did not receive him, because his face was turned as going to Jerusalem. 54 And his disciples James and John seeing it said, Lord, wilt thou that we speak that fire come down from heaven and consume them, as also Elias did? 55 But turning he rebuked them and said, Ye know not of what spirit ye are. 56 And they went to another village. 
 

The Cost of Discipleship (9:57-62)

Three men. A nice way to remember these three men are:
  • Mr. Impetuous – Volunteered quickly without counting the cost.
  • Mr. Procrastinator – Delayed following Christ for personal reasons.
  • Mr. Irresolute – Not willing to set the interests of others aside and commit to Christ.

Mr. Impetuous

57 And it came to pass as they went in the way, one said to him, I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest, Lord. 58 And Jesus said to him, The foxes have holes and the birds of the heaven roosting-places, but the Son of man has not where he may lay his head. 

Mr. Procrastinator

59 And he said to another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, allow me to go first and bury my father. 60 But Jesus said to him, Suffer the dead to bury their own dead, but do “thou” go and announce the kingdom of God. 

Mr. Irresolute

61 And another also said, I will follow thee, Lord, but first allow me to bid adieu to those at my house. 62 But Jesus said to him, No one having laid his hand on the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. Looking back” as in the way Lot’s wife looked back. Not as in an actual return to the world, but a reluctance to break with it.
 

The Sending of the Seventy-Two (10:1-24)

Jesus’ Message on Departure (vv.1-16)

CHAPTER 10
1 Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place where he himself was about to come. 2 And he said to them, The harvest indeed is great, but the workmen few; supplicate therefore the Lord of the harvest that he may send out workmen into his harvest. 3 Go: behold “I” send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry neither purse nor scrip nor sandals, and salute no one on the way. 5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace to this house. 6 And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; but if not it shall turn to you again. 7 And in the same house abide, eating and drinking such things as they have; for the workman is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house. 8 And into whatsoever city ye may enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you, 9 and heal the sick in it, and say to them, The kingdom of God is come nigh to you. 10 But into whatsoever city ye may have entered and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 Even the dust of your city, which cleaves to us on the feet, do we shake off against you; but know this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh. 12 I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for Sodom in that day than for that city. 13 Woe to thee, Chorazin! woe to thee, Bethsaida! for if the works of power which have taken place in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they had long ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15 And “thou”, Capernaum, who hast been raised up to heaven, shalt be brought down even to hades. 16 He that hears you hears me; and he that rejects you rejects me; and he that rejects me rejects him that sent me.

The Disciples’ Return (vv.17-24)

To the Disciples: On Rejoicing (vv.17-20)

17 And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us through thy name. 18 And he said to them, I beheld Satan as lightning falling out of heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the power of treading upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall in anywise injure you. 20 Yet in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subjected to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the heavens. 

To the Father (vv.21-22)

21 In the same hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said, I praise thee, Father, Lord of the heaven and of the earth, that thou hast hid these things from wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes: yea, Father, for thus has it been well-pleasing in thy sight. 22 All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is but the Father, and who the Father is but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son is pleased to reveal him

To the Disciples: On Blessing (vv.23-24)

23 And having turned to the disciples privately he said, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. 24 For I say to you that many prophets and kings have desired to see the things which ye behold, and did not see them; and to hear the things which ye hear, and did not hear them.
 

Parable of the Good Samaritan: Response to a Lawyer’s Question (10:25-37)

25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up tempting him, and saying, Teacher, having done what, shall I inherit life eternal? 26 And he said to him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 But he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thine understanding; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28 And he said to him, Thou hast answered right: this do and thou shalt live. vv.25-28 This young man had come to tempt the Lord with an intellectual question. What good thing should he do to inherit eternal life” He meant long life on the earth.
 
29 But he, desirous of justifying himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jesus replying said, A certain man descended from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers, who also, having stripped him and inflicted wounds, went away leaving him in a half-dead state. 31 And a certain priest happened to go down that way, and seeing him, passed on on the opposite side; 32 and in like manner also a Levite, being at the spot, came and looked at him and passed on on the opposite side. 33 But a certain Samaritan journeying came to him, and seeing him, was moved with compassion, 34 and came up to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine; and having put him on his own beast, took him to the inn and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow as he left, taking out two denarii he gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, Take care of him, and whatsoever thou shalt expend more, “I” will render to thee on my coming back. 36 Which now of these three seems to thee to have been neighbour of him who fell into the hands of the robbers? 37 And he said, He that shewed him mercy. And Jesus said to him, Go, and do “thou” likewise.
 

Worship Before Service: Martha and Mary (10:38-42)

38 And it came to pass as they went that “he” entered into a certain village; and a certain woman, Martha by name, received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also, having sat down at the feet of Jesus was listening to his word. 40 Now Martha was distracted with much serving, and coming up she said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Speak to her therefore that she may help me. 41 But Jesus answering said to her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; 42 but there is need of one, and Mary has chosen the good part, the which shall not be taken from her. 
 

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer (11:1-13)

CHAPTER 11
1 And it came to pass as he was in a certain place praying, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples. 2 And he said to them, When ye pray, say, Father, thy name be hallowed; thy kingdom come; 3 give us our needed bread for each day; 4 and remit us our sins, for we also remit to every one indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation. 
 
5 And he said to them, Who among you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight and say to him, Friend, let me have three loaves, 6 since a friend of mine on a journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him; 7 and he within answering should say, Do not disturb me; the door is already shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise up to give it thee? 8 — I say to you, Although he will not get up and give them to him because he is his friend, because of his shamelessness, at any rate, he will rise and give him as many as he wants. 9 And “I” say to you, Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. 10 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it will be opened. 11 But of whom of you that is a father shall a son ask bread, and the father shall give him a stone? or also a fish, and instead of a fish shall give him a serpent? 12 or if also he shall ask an egg, shall give him a scorpion? 13 If therefore “ye”, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much rather shall the Father who is of heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
 
"Good things" in Matthew vs. the "Holy Spirit" in Luke. The same instruction is given in Matthew and Luke, with slight differences. In Matthew, the Lord says "how much rather shall your Father who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask of him?" In Luke He says, "how much rather shall the Father who is of heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" Why the difference? In the Old Testament, those of faith were looking for the Holy Spirit to be given, as the characteristic of the power of God for the blessing of man (compare Joel 2:28 with Gal. 3:14). The Millennial day will be characterized by the Spirit being poured out for the blessing of the earth. It was right and proper for Old Testament saints (even the Lord’s disciples before Pentecost) to pray for the Spirit, because it had not been sent yet (John 7:39). But now that Jesus has been glorified and the Spirit has been sent, we have "received the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:14). It would not be intelligent for a Christian to pray for the giving or even the indwelling of the Spirit. However, it would be right to pray for more of the Spirit's working in us, and more of the Spirit's filling in our lives (Eph. 5:18). The prayer in Matthew 7 is a modified version of the prayer in Luke 11. It is "good gifts" in Matthew, the Jewish Gospel. But in Luke, which is addressed to the broader audience of Gentiles, the "best gift" is specified, the solution to the broader needs of the world; i.e. the Holy Spirit, which was about to be given.