Luke 10:8-12

Luke 10:8-12

“And into whichever city you should go and they should receive you, eat that which is being placed before you.  Also, heal the weak in them.  Also say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near upon you.’  And into whichever city you should go and they should not receive you, after departing into its streets say, ‘We even wipe off the dust out of your city that clings to our feet for you.  But know this, that the kingdom of God has drawn near.’  And I say to you all that it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than that city.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus opens this passage by reminding us that it is important to stop and assess who is receptive to us.  There is no point trying to teach people who aren’t willing to learn.  We get frustrated; they get to feel as though religion is being crammed down their throat.  Instead, we should focus on those who do receive us.  We should focus on those who are willing to live with us, participate in our lives, and listen to our teaching.

How do you determine who is receptive to your expression of faith?  What makes this a difficult thing to discern?

Second Thought:

What are we to do among the world?  We are to live with them, even eating around their table.  We are to heal their sick.  We are to make sure that they hear about the kingdom of God.  Of course, this is not an exhaustive list.  But it does give us some general guidelines.  Open our lives to people.  Do ministry in their midst.  Teach.

Where do you open life to others?  Where do you do ministry?  Where are you teaching about the faith?

Third Thought:

At the end of this passage we have the unforgettable expression of witness against the unreceptive.  Jesus is clear.  If you go into a place and they show now interest in hearing about God’s work in the world, then His disciples are to leave while proclaiming that the kingdom of God has come to them.  This is far more crucial than the part about shaking off the dust, which usually gets all the press.  Even in rejection it is imperative that people are told that they have the opportunity to hear.  As for the part about the dust, in the Gospel of Luke it is more of a statement about hospitality than anything else.  The dust isn’t returned as a witness as it is claimed in the other Gospels.  The dust is returned so that the claim cannot be made that the followers of God took more than they gave.  Christians are not to be freeloaders.  Christians are able to receive gifts freely given.  But from the world, Christians need to make sure they work for that which they receive so that the witness is not compromised by character.

Why is it important that the emphasis be placed on the witness?  Why is it important that the followers of God earn what they get rather than become a drain on society?

Passage for Tomorrow: Luke 10:13-16