Read Luke 9:37 - 10:20 (find it here)
As soon as Peter, James, John and Jesus come down from the mountain they are presented with a possessed boy. Apparently, the other disciples that weren't with Jesus couldn't drive this particular spirit out.
Jesus is frustrated. Who is he referring to as faithless and corrupt? (verse 41) With the slumber of Peter, James and John on the mountain coupled with the never-ending wave of crowds needing him, Jesus is, most likely, referring to both. This doesn't mean that Jesus refuses to help, he's just aggravated. He's still human (as well as God, too), you know. Let's not forget that.
While everyone was still shocked by the healing they just witnessed, Jesus again predicts his upcoming death. Peter, James and John get a second chance to hear this prophecy. You can see, in verse 45, why Jesus is aggravated with both the people and his disciples. Luke says that "they didn't know what he meant and they were afraid to ask." No one, for some reason, thought this prophecy was significant. How come? I have no idea.
A possible reason why even the disciples missed the significance of Jesus' foretelling was because they were "arguing about which of them was the GOAT." (verse 46; GOAT stands for greatest of all time, by the way)
Of course, Jesus knows the contents of their argument. He brings a child amongst them.
(Remember, again, that women and children have little to no rights in this culture.)
At first its a teaching moment. "Always welcome a child on my behalf." But then, Jesus drops this little bomb, "Whoever is the least among you is the greatest." In other words, this child is greater than all of you men because you want to be the GOAT! Being cocky is immature and childish. Being child-like in our faith (willing to accept and follow direction, ask questions, be humble, etc) is a sign of great understanding of our role in God's will.
If you didn't know, Jews and Samaritans don't mix. I say mix, ironically, since it is because of the Samaritans mixed race (and culture) that the Jews hated them. Americans have a decent idea of what this is like. Think of the race relations between blacks and whites in the South between the 1950s and 60s (segregation and Jim Crow laws). Now imagine what it was like if you were of mixed race during that time? They wouldn't be wholly accepted by either "pure" race. That is the plight of the Samaritans in a nutshell. They are seen as "half-breeds."
Jesus heads to Jerusalem. In other to get there from where he was, he had to travel through Samaria (hence why they are called Samaritans). Jesus plans to stop in a small village but the Samaritans don't want a bunch of Jews in their town.
No doubt the disciples remember Jesus saying, "If a town doesn't welcome you, leave it to its fate." (Luke 9:5) James and John ask Jesus, basically, "Can we kill them?" Jesus rightly calls them out! Haven't they learned anything from Jesus about compassion for people? Jesus didn't even destroy demons so why would he condone the killing of human beings?!
Want to follow Jesus? Jesus isn't about monetary riches or possessions. Jesus says that he's, essentially, homeless (verse 58).
If you give Jesus excuses as to why you can't share your faith or follow him, then obviously you're not ready or "fit for the Kingdom." (verse 62). Wow, blunt words.
Jesus decides to send his disciples on another mission trip. This time he chooses and sends out 72 disciples in pairs. (Luke 10:1) This time they had specific instructions. Of course they had the responsibility of preaching and healing, but Jesus asked them to make disciples. They needed more people to help them preach and heal. He gave them free reign to recruit workers for the Kingdom. "Don't waste your time by casually talking to people." (my paraphrase of verse 4) Go get the job done, time is precious!
Jesus reminds them to depend on their hosts. They are not to bring anything extra. They are to bless everyone but only those who take them in will receive that blessing. Just in case you thought that they didn't have to preach and heal, Jesus does remind them that those two tasks are part of this trip, too. (verse 9
Sodom was known as one of the most evil cities in the Old Testament. Sodom is where we get the English word for sodomy. (If you don't know what that means, click here). Now do you get why it was seen as evil? Bestiality and unnatural sex were commonplace. Sodom was destroyed by God with fire from heaven (see Genesis 19). And Jesus says that this place will be worse off than Sodom! Why? Check out the questions section below.
By verse 17 the disciples are pumped because everyone, even demons, were obeying them when they used Jesus' name! Jesus says that Satan had definitely suffered great loss because of their ministry. He encourages them to have no fear and to be ecstatic not only because they've cast out demons but because their service proves good fruit in their lives. They are destined for heaven!
Questions
1.) Does it bother you that Jesus gets angry? Why or why not? Do you believe his anger is always justified?
2.) James and John wanted to kill all the Samaritans from the village that wouldn't accept them! Does it surprise you that they would want such a thing? How have you been completely shocked by a so-called Christ-follower's outburst of anger? Is our anger always justified? Was James and John's anger justified?
3.) Why would the cities that reject Jesus, his message and healing be worse off than Sodom? Why would they receive a harsher punishment?
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