“The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road. “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay. “If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’ I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day. “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. Yes, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.” Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.” When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen. I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.””
Luke 10:1-24 NLT
Evangelism is not optional for Christians; it is central to following Jesus. Christ sent out the Twelve, but these verses show 72 others were sent out as well. These are everyday disciples who were empowered to share the Good News. They were to pray for even more workers to be sent out. Christians are sent people, just as Jesus was sent. The early disciples understood that sharing their faith was not optional—it was central to being a follower of Jesus. For many people, evangelism is downright terrifying. But Jesus asks us to trust Him and step out in obedience. These verses give inspiration and boldness to our witness. They remind us that sharing our faith is part of the downfall of Satan, and that Jesus has given us power to fight back against evil and injustice.
The disciples were sent out two by two. Even though we have a personal relationship with Jesus, we are always supposed to be in community. The early disciples applied these verses to their lives and never traveled alone. Many Christians today think they can follow Jesus without the support of other Jesus followers; it doesn’t work and leads to isolation and empty faith. Jesus wants us to live our faith in community. We are also asked to do evangelism together, which makes it much less scary. Evangelism can include sharing a testimony, invitation, hospitality, and acts of kindness. Listening is a door for evangelism because it is so rare in our culture; so few people have time truly to listen. Make a commitment to share the hope we have in Jesus.
How can you make evangelism be central to your faith? Who are the people who support you in following Jesus?
