Luke 10

Verse 1

• Notice first that Jesus sent out these seventy disciples with the same power to heal sicknesses and cast out demons (Luke 10:9,19) that He gave to His twelve apostles (Matthew 10:1,8).

  • If the seventy could do this, we can too! Believe that you can heal and sick and cast out demons by God's power also!

Verses 2-16

• See teaching on Matthew 10 for more details. To sum it up:

• Verse 2. Pray for people to help you in the task of bringing the gospel to the world.

• Verse 3. The world will be ruthless like wolves, and you will be like lambs, because of your gentleness. So be wise, smart, and careful in your actions!

• Verses 4-9. Trust in God to provide for your needs, and reach households/families at a time. Don't stop with one person. Bring the gospel to the whole family!

  • Be generous and kind to the family.

  • Share the Word, and pray for the sick.

  • If one person in the family gets saved, help them to reach their own family too!

• Verses 10-16. If people reject you, after you've done everything that you can do, let them know that they're rejecting God, and move on (Acts 13:51).

Verses 17-20

• Even though it's exciting that we get to use Christ's authority to do cast out demons and heal sicknesses, and even though we have greater protection from the enemy, in Christ, don't rejoice most about those things. Don't focus on the power or miracles, nor overemphasize them. They're great, but they're not the point.

• Instead, focus on your salvation! Get your joy from knowing that your sins are forgiven, you're saved from God's wrath, and that you're a citizen of the kingdom of God. 

  • Don't let these things become jaded or drab to you, and be excited about others being saved also!

• Verse 18. There are times when, after appearing before God in the kingdom of heaven, Satan is cast down forcefully.

  • Understand that all angelic beings, including the devil himself, can enter heaven. But Satan is there as an outcast. If he tries to do what he is not permitted to do, he is struck down for it.

• ​​Verse 19. See other insights in commentary for Psalm 91.

Verses 21-24

• Knowledge of God, Christ, and His kingdom is hard to come by, and it is not given to everyone.

  • Only those who are humble will have such knowledge revealed to them.

• As believers, we have knowledge that many heroes of the Old Testament desired (1 Peter 1:10-11). What we have is amazing! 

  • As Jesus, be thankful for the knowledge that you do have, and stay humble! Don't become boastful in what you know or wise in your own eyes.

Verses 25-37

• Loving others, which we must do to be obedient to God, requires serving and helping others and especially when it's inconvenient and uncomfortable for you.

  • If you will not inconvenience yourself to love someone, you're not loving them. Remember this, and always be willing to go out of your way to help someone!

Verses 38-42

• Often, focusing on listening to the Word is more important that doing works of service.

  • And sometimes, we might think that what another person needs is to be served in common tasks or chores, when really they will be served best through learning and understanding the Word.

• Do things in balance. Use your natural abilities to help in ordinary tasks of life, yes, but never neglect learning and applying the Word to your life.

  • The one thing that is needed, for you to do well in every area of life, is to listen to what the Word says and to do it!

    • But, if you neglect this, your actions, which may seem to be important, will bring no lasting value, and will only be troublesome to you.