Luke 10:1-42
10:1 Jesus was accomplishing so much! He began as One teaching multitudes and had now inspired 12... and then 70 more people to join the spreading of God's message. They went throughout the cities teaching of Jesus and then Jesus following and was, to the people, everything they had been told about Him. Likewise when we bring our knowledge of God to others, He always follows up with the people who were inspired and want to unite with Him.
10:2 Jesus wants them (and us!) to know that there are so many who will benefit from God's love and guidance that He needs our compassion and our efforts to help reach all of those people. Remember never to force your beliefs on anybody, but live your live in such a way that it inspires others to get to know this God who guides you. Pray always to reach people!
10:3 Be prepared for what you will face. As lambs of God, we do our best to be kind and innocent but we will not always encounter kind and innocent people. We have to be strong and resilient as well as kind. The world is complex and we will face formidable adversaries... but they have no power over our strong faith.
10:4 Jesus gives these 70 the same advice He gave to the 12 (and also the same advice He gives to us) we do not need anything but our complete faith and love in God to accomplish great things. We are not supposed to boast or earn people's awe with what we have. We are supposed to teach by what we do. Jesus wanted them (and us!) to be living examples to others that all we need to be purposeful and successful is God.
10:5-6 Always give your piece to those who you encounter, if they reject you, you will not have lost at all.
10:7 Jesus wants us to find a foundation and stick to it -- to be firm in our understanding. Specifically for the disciples, He wanted them to stay at the place they were welcomed and only to accept food and shelter that they earned from helping and working hard. Never require from others more than you need. Be grateful.
10:8 Accept the support others return to you but don't demand payment... always be appreciative for compassion shown to you.
10:9 Give all credit to our source: God. He is our provider of wisdom and patience and when we speak the truth of Him, others hear it and might start to seek it for themselves.
10:10-11 God and Jesus offer all the have to us, God's children. Like them, we offer our compassion to others and sometimes it's not received well. God wants us to be strong and He never wants us to be held back, hurt or used by an unkind person. When someone rejects you, leave them in peace, knowing you did your best and gave your compassion.
10:12 Remember that God takes account of each of our actions on Earth -- be strong and take comfort in knowing that nobody who does harm to you will be free of judgement. For many of us, God's judgement is something to look forward to -- He's been with us our entire lives and delights in the compassion we showed. For others, people who are cruel, they will have to face Him. You can leave in peace because you know that your God, your Father who loves you, will settle all matters concerning you. He loves you; He protects you...He holds your soul in the palm of His hand. When you hurt, when you cry, He feels those things with you... you are never alone. He's with you.
10:13 Jesus speaks to the places were evil runs rampant and speaks of their unmatched evil.
10:14 God knows of all evil acts done since the beginning of time and these cities Jesus was speaking about had been more evil than anything before them. More evil than the previously spoken about.
10:15 Those who lift themselves by stepping on others (figuratively) will fall way, way down.
10:16 You are united with Jesus with God. What is done to you is done to them. What you do for others is done for them. Be grateful for this familial, spiritual connection and let it give you peace.
10:17 The 70 remained faithful... they witnessed and learned all that they were capable of doing when they worked united with God.
10:18 Jesus is informing them of something we already known quite well: the people and qualities of Satan are on Earth -- causing suffering and torment (for more on this see the special studies "Why Is There Suffering? and Why Are We Here? at the top of the page). We are among our adversaries. But here's the good news in the next verse...
10:19 None of our adversaries have power of us when we are with God. God gives us the wisdom to win against them, the perseverance to survive the suffering the try to inflict on us, and the compassion to rescue others from their wrath.
10:20 Jesus makes a point: He wants us to take this news with humility and understanding. We should not rejoice that we receive power from God over our enemies... instead we should rejoice that our actions have enabled us to be so loved by God that we join Him in a spiritual eternal life... along with all of the people we inspired and helped.
Use the power from God constructively -- to be brave and purposeful for others.
10:21 Jesus thanks God for His brilliant teaching -- His ability to reach the humble and to fill them with wisdom. Even today, many of the people who run the world, governments and peoples believe they are so knowledgeable... and yet they have no wisdom, no common sense. Look at the mess of the world --- they create more problems than they solve.
But God reaches the compassionate people of the world and He gives them to ear to truly understand the deeper meaning in the world.
10:22 Always give due credit to God: all the good in our lives is from Him. Jesus taught God's message and therefore people who hear and absorb the message are of God. You cannot reach God if you bypass the message Jesus taught... for Jesus' message held the core of everything God stands for. Remember that people reach God through diverse avenues but as long as they take paths of compassion, they are of God.
10:23 Blessed are the spiritual perceptive. Blessed are the people who are passionate about understanding and implementing God's word on their lives. Blessed indeed because He lights and guides our path.
10:24 These disciples who lived during Jesus' time were blessed indeed and they all showed their gratitude by being hardworking workers of God. We are lucky too because we have the opportunity to learn and study from Jesus in this format. In the world today, there are many places were freedom of thought is restricted and even prohibited. Take advantage of your blessings and use them to help others.
10:25 Someone wanted to know how they could have eternal life.
10:26 Jesus directed this person to the word of God -- you can also use it as a wise guide, full of answers if you passionately seek them.
10:27 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.
10:28 Do this and you will L I V E with God, spiritually, perfectly, eternally.
10:29 This man wanted to know who was considered as his "neighbor." Jesus will teach the answer through this story:
10:30 A man was mugged and left with nothing but wounds.
10:31 A priest walking saw him, and then moved to the other side because he had no compassion and did not want or care to help. Side note: always be perceptive. Just because a person claims to be a member of a church does not mean they are kind or compassionate... sometimes they are hypocrites who only enjoy the power and wealth they get from the position. The man is left to suffer.
10:32 Another man walked near the wounded man and also ignored him. He did not go out of his way to help this guy who was hurt and robbed and unable to help himself.
10:33 A third person walked by the man but this person was moved with compassion for the man.
10:34 This person took care of the man, cleaned his wounds and then lifted him onto his animal for transport to a safer place. Instead of worrying about his own life, he devoted his time and effort to this stranger who needed him.
10:35 Not only did this person give his time and effort, he also gave the money he had to ensure that this man was safe and well taken care of. You must go the extra mile when you are able. God expects us to give to others all that we have when they are deserving and in need. He returns it to us, but we must give selflessly.
10:31 A priest walking saw him, and then moved to the other side because he had no compassion and did not want or care to help. Side note: always be perceptive. Just because a person claims to be a member of a church does not mean they are kind or compassionate... sometimes they are hypocrites who only enjoy the power and wealth they get from the position. The man is left to suffer.
10:32 Another man walked near the wounded man and also ignored him. He did not go out of his way to help this guy who was hurt and robbed and unable to help himself.
10:33 A third person walked by the man but this person was moved with compassion for the man.
10:34 This person took care of the man, cleaned his wounds and then lifted him onto his animal for transport to a safer place. Instead of worrying about his own life, he devoted his time and effort to this stranger who needed him.
10:35 Not only did this person give his time and effort, he also gave the money he had to ensure that this man was safe and well taken care of. You must go the extra mile when you are able. God expects us to give to others all that we have when they are deserving and in need. He returns it to us, but we must give selflessly.
10:36 Jesus gives the person who originally asked the question "who is a neighbor" the chance to decide for themselves the answer. We also get this opportunity... God's teaching allows us to use our perception to grow wise.
10:37 Of course it's the man who had compassion. Our neighbor is any person who genuinely needs our mercy, our time, our effort, everything we have to bring them back to health and safety.
10:38-39 During this time, women were not respected by society -- but Jesus loved and taught to all, regardless of gender or social status or anything else. Mary sits with Jesus to learn from Him -- her faith and love is strong, she knows that she only has a certain amount of time with Jesus and it is precious to her.
10:40 Martha complains that Mary is not helping her to Jesus...
10:41-42 Jesus' message to Martha is that Mary has chosen to love God and to work in His name and by doing so, she has made a very blessed choice. Mary was absorbing the love and learning she would be to be productive for others. Remember that Jesus did not come to be doted on... He came to gather people and bring them love and understanding. Jesus was so humble... a beautiful, selfless guide.
10:40 Martha complains that Mary is not helping her to Jesus...
10:41-42 Jesus' message to Martha is that Mary has chosen to love God and to work in His name and by doing so, she has made a very blessed choice. Mary was absorbing the love and learning she would be to be productive for others. Remember that Jesus did not come to be doted on... He came to gather people and bring them love and understanding. Jesus was so humble... a beautiful, selfless guide.
