No Better Job Than Sharing the Word of Peace :: Luke 10:1-9

By

[Introduction]

Sharing peace. Can there possibly be a better job in the world than this? 

This is exactly the work Jesus gave seventy-two disciples to do in our Gospel reading. 

Go, he told them, and share peace in every house that receives you (v3-5). Don’t worry about what it’ll cost or what you’ll wear (v 4). ... Just keeping going, he told them, even when someone tries to get in your way. If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. If not, your peace will be returned to you (v 6). ... Go, he told them. Remind everyone that the Kingdom of God [has come and, in fact, continues to] come upon you (v 9). He will bring you peace.

Seriously, now ... Could there be a better job than that? I certainly can’t imagine one. 

So let’s consider the means by which we share peace, and remember where it comes from. 

1.

Today we are observing the Feast of Saint Luke, the beloved physician and co-worker of the Apostle Paul. None of the Gospel writers share the word of peace more than Luke. 

Whereas Matthew was written for Jews to prove that Jesus is the Messiah ... Mark was written as encouragement for persecuted Christians in Rome ... and John was written so that all will believe that Jesus is the Christ and will have life in his name ... the Gospel of Luke and its sequel, the Acts of the Apostles, were written for you ... because like you, Luke was a Gentile, who once was excluded from the Kingdom of God. But then the Holy Spirit called him by the Gospel so that he would have peace ... and share it with us.

Though Luke wrote only two books of the Bible, his narrative of what our Lord Jesus accomplished through his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, and then through the book of Acts is unmatched. No one, including Paul, wrote more words of the New Testament than Luke. And oh! What a word of peace he gave us!

His Gospel uniquely emphasizes the Divine Service of Jesus and his deep compassion for poor, miserable sinners like you and me so that we will have peace. His Gospel reminds us that it matters not if you are an outsider or a soul that once was lost and now is found, the Father’s mercy is for you (15:24). That gives us peace. More than that, in his Gospel and the book of Acts, Luke highlights how Jesus teaches us to pray for peace (19:42), and to sing of peace through the Benedictus of Zechariah (1:68-79), the Gloria of the angels (2:14), and the Nunc Dimittis of Simeon (2:29-32). Luke highlights how Jesus brings peace through his nativity (2:14), suffering (22:44), death (23:46), and resurrection (24:36). He shows us that Jesus actually gives us peace in the breaking of the bread (24:35) even after he ascended (Acts 2:42, 20:7). And he concludes with the post-Pentecost preaching that brought peace to the early church (9:31).

And here’s something else worth noticing: Luke is the only evangelist who tells us about the seventy-two disciples Jesus sent into the world. I suspect he did that because he knew firsthand what it was like to receive peace he had not earned.

2.

So who was Saint Luke? 

We don’t actually know much about this evangelist. Luke’s name appears only as passing references three times in the New Testament ... in Paul’s letters to the Colossians (4:14), Timothy (2 Tm 4:11), and Philemon (v 24). But we know what Luke did: He shared the peace of God with all people all over the world ... people like you and me ... people who had been told they were outside of God’s peace. 

Unlike Matthew and John in particular ... and probably even Mark ... it’s unlikely Luke ever met our Incarnate Lord. As he told us from the beginning, his Gospel narrative was drawn from the actual eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word (1:2). We think Luke was originally a physician from Antioch, Syria ... in which case, he probably heard the call of the Gospel for the first time during Paul’s second missionary journey, and he never stopped following the Way in peace. He was ultimately martyred in southern Greece at the age of 84. 

Luke was given peace, and he gave it away as an evangelist.  

3.

We see the blueprint for this job in our Gospel reading. 

Luke writes, Jesus sent seventy-two others two by two into every city and place where he himself was about to go. The harvest is plentiful, Jesus said, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray of the Lord of the harvest to cast workers into his harvest (vv 1-2).

Brothers and sisters in Christ, it is no secret that our church needs more pastors. In the Missouri District alone, we have 35 sister congregations that are seeking a pastor. Twenty-five of those desire a sole pastor. God calls his pastors through congregations for the sake of the Gospel. We are called specifically to proclaim Christ crucified and risen, and to administer the Sacraments. And we do this so that you will have peace. But the harvest is great, and the workers are few. We need church workers who will assist the pastor. In other words, we need you, just like the church needed Luke, and Jesus needed the seventy-two. 

That’s why Jesus sent the seventy-two out into the world. God prepares every heart and mind for the Gospel through people like you. 

Go! Jesus told the seventy two. Behold, I am sending you as lambs in the midst of wolves. Don’t carry a moneybag, or a knapsack, or sandals, and don’t bother with those who stand in your way. Whatever house you enter, first say: Peace to this house! And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 

And remain in the same house eating and drinking what they provide, for the workers are worthy of their wages. Don’t walk about from house to house. Whenever you enter a city and they receive you, eat what is being set before you. And serve those who are weak ... you know, laying therapeutic hands ... and say to them: The Kingdom of God has come and continues to come near to you (vv 3-9; cf 9:3-5). 

This is why Jesus has come calling. The Father sent the Son to redeem us from our sin ... to heal us ... to guide our feet into the way of peace (1:79) ... to live and die for us ... to forgive us by shedding his precious, holy blood and innocent suffering and death on the cross. 

That is how our Lord gives his people the knowledge of salvation (1:77). That is how the kingdom of God comes to you. 

You should know, the kingdom of God isn’t a place up there in the sky. It’s every place where God reigns as King. That means it’s here. ... It’s the place where the devil has no more power ... where the devil’s word is empty and void. It’s the place where sin and guilt are wiped out by the blood of Jesus ... where death is defeated and the grave is emptied. It’s the place where God is our Father and where Jesus reigns as King. It’s this house!

4.

The kingdom of God has in fact come near to you, and it continues to come near to you so that you will have peace. 

It comes through the Word and Sacraments. It comes in Holy Baptism, where God washes you, sanctifies you, and unites himself with you. It comes in Holy Absolution where God announces you have peace ... the forgiveness of sins. It comes in the Holy Supper, where God feeds you and nourishes the faith he gave you, reminding you that he is physically with you. Wherever we find our Lord Jesus Christ, there we find the kingdom of God ... and true peace. 

Now, Jesus was well aware that this word of peace would not be accepted by many. So don’t be discouraged when friends, family, and/or neighbors rebuff the call of the Gospel or try to stand in your way from receiving it. You still have peace.

Luke experienced that himself. When Paul sat in prison near the end of his life, abandoned by many, he wrote to Timothy, saying, Luke alone is with me (2 Tm 4:11). In other words, Luke stayed with him. He didn’t stay because he was strong or because every house said yes. He stayed because he had been given peace by the One who guides our feet into the way of peace. And nothing Paul’s enemies could do or say would take it away.

[Conclusion]

So today we give thanks for Luke. We thank God for the Gentile who heard the Gospel and was brought in from the outside. We thank God for the Gospel that tells us, again and again, that Jesus came for sinners like you and me. And we thank God for preserving the words that we heard today: Peace to this house.

Could there be a better job than that? Luke didn’t think so. He was given peace, and he gave it away. Now the Lord of the harvest sends you, to your families, your neighbors, and your workplaces with the same word of peace. Every Christian male should prayerfully consider this ministry of proclaiming the Gospel of peace. And if the Lord leads you elsewhere, praise be to God he gives faithful hearers who support the church.

So go. The Lord of peace will grant you peace at all times in every way ... in Jesus’ name.

Popular posts from this blog

Who We Are and What We Will Be :: 1 John 3:1-3

By
[Prayer] Blessed Lord, you have caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by patience and comfort of your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  [Introduction] Today we observe the Feast of All Saints ... aka All Saints Day. The Church has set aside this day to remember with thanksgiving all the saints who have gone before us ... the saints who now rest from their labors and are with the Lord. Though we cannot see them, we know they are with us. As the preacher in the Book of Hebrews teaches us, we are surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses to the faith ... the great communion of saints ... the whole church on earth and in heaven during every Divine Service (Hb 12:1; Proper Preface).  But All Saints Day isn’t only for those who have died in the faith. We are also called to remember that we too have been sanc...
Read more

Faithful Stewardship of God’s Gifts :: Luke 16:1-9

By
[Prayer] Almighty and Most Generous Lord, forgive us for our unrighteous use of Your gifts. Grant us repentance that we receive from You the True Wealth of Your Son, Jesus, who took our  unrighteousness to the cross and grave, and granted us everlasting life in Your heavenly dwelling. Sanctify us with Your Spirit, that we use your riches rightly and enable us to cling alone to the faithfulness of Your Son. In Jesus’ name. Amen. [Introduction] Our reading from Luke 16 ... the Parable of the Unrighteous Steward ... is widely considered the most difficult reading of the lectionary to understand. It’s riddled with problems of interpretation, not the least of which are, Is Jesus commending a man for being dishonest? And Where’s the Gospel?  So I will start today by telling you what this parable is not about. It is ... NOT ... encouraging you to be dishonest. It’s NOT about what WE NEED TO DO to pay off our debt to the Lord. And it’s NOT about what WE need to do to gain access to ou...
Read more

Sounds of the Passion: Weeping Tears :: John 11:35

By
[Introduction] Weeping. This is one of those sounds we never want to hear. When you hear the sound of weeping, you want it to stop. Though sometimes we weep tears of joy, mostly we weep because something’s wrong. Maybe we are confronted with death or the loss of a career. Maybe the loss of a relationship brings us to tears. But sooner or later, we all weep. Jesus wept (v 35). This two-word verse in the Bible eloquently and powerfully proclaims that we actually have a high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hb 4:15). Jesus is the Lord who rejoices with those who rejoice and he mourns with those who mourn (Rm 12:15).  He weeps because he is True Man. He weeps because he is True God. Our Lord saw the pain that sin and death causes ... and he wept. And like Joseph, our Lord weeps over those who reject his peace (Gen 50:17; Lk 19:41).  Can you hear how he loves you? 3. The first time we encounter Jesus weeping is at the death of Lazarus.  Lazarus was a cl...
Read more

In the Name Above All Names :: Luke 11:14-28

By
In the name of Jesus ... The demon came out, the mute man spoke, and the crowd marveled (v 14). [Introduction] For the third time in three weeks, we have heard of a conflict between God and the devil. Two weeks ago, our Lord rebuked satan for his accusations against God himself. Last week, our Lord walked into a pagan wilderness to answer the prayer of a faithful woman whose daughter was being tormented by a demon. And now today, our Lord has given a faithful confession to a man who had been silenced by a demon. In all three cases, we learned that “The One” who is stronger than the unholy trinity of the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh has arrived. Jesus has come and brings great blessings. Jesus has come to cleanse and set us free. Jesus has come to leave those of us who actively hear his Word and guard it ... holding it close ... blessed and in awe.  IN THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES, JESUS HAS COME TO GIVE US A FAITHFUL CONFESSION  1.  Now, before we get into this text...
Read more

We Are His Highest Priority :: John 6:1-15

By
When the men saw the sign that he did, they said: “This One is truly the Prophet, the One Coming into the world (v 14). [Introduction] Apart from the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, the feeding of the five thousand in the wilderness near the Sea of Galilee is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. That should tell you something about how important this great event is in the life of the church.  THROUGH THE FEEDING OF THE 5,000, OUR LORD TEACHES US THAT HIS HIGHEST PRIORITY IS OUR ETERNAL WELL-BEING Unlike Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the Gospel of John not only specifically associates the feeding of the five thousand with Passover and that it happened on a mountain, the place where heaven and earth meet ... we learn that it is Jesus himself, Jesus alone, who sees a need among the people, fills that need himself personally, and doesn’t wait for his disciples to do it. His highest priority is our eternal well-being. After taking bread and giving thanks, in John’s Gospel, it is Je...
Read more

Sounds of the Passion: Sloshing Water :: John 13:1-15 (34-35)

By
[Out of sight, behind the pulpit, pour water into a bowl.]  [Introduction] Did you hear that? It’s the sound of water being poured from a pitcher into a bowl.  [Show the bowl, set it down, and pour more.] That was a common sound in the days before running water. It was common in every bedroom to have a pitcher and basin to wash in before beginning the new day. And the sound of sloshing water had a special significance in the Passion of our Lord. The sound signified a special cleaning ... By washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus made the disciples clean.  Jesus also gave us a washing. He washed us in Baptism. Through the washing of water and the Word of God, he made us clean. So tonight, therefore, listen ... WE HEAR THE SOUND OF SLOSHING WATER TO REMIND US OF OUR CLEANSING 1. To understand the importance of sloshing water, we need to remember the customs in Jesus’ day.  First, anything dealing with the feet was considered dirty and disgusting. Cleaning feet was fit ON...
Read more

The Truth Leads to Reformation :: John 8:(28-30) 31-36

By
Therefore, Jesus said, When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM and (that) I do nothing from myself, but just as the Father taught me, these things I speak. And the One who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone because I always do those things pleasing to him.  As he was saying these things, many believed in him. Therefore, Jesus said toward the Jews (who believed and continued to believe in) him: If you remain in my Word, truly you are my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. They responded to him: We are the seed of Abraham and (we have never been, nor continue to be) enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will be free’? Jesus answered them, Amen, Amen, I say to you: Everyone doing sin is a slave of sin. Now the slave does not remain in the house forever. The son remains forever. Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free (vv 28-36). [Introduction] Why do we celebrate the Reformation every...
Read more

He Has Provided Salvation on the Mountain :: Genesis 22:1-14

By
And Abraham called the name of that place, YHWH will provide (v 14).  [Introduction] Scripture was written to tell us about Jesus. As that sign on the wall in the back of the sanctuary says, It’s still all about Jesus! Every word of it. It’s all about how YHWH shows us our salvation. When Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible ... Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, he was writing about Jesus as the promised redeemer who fulfills the Law, who acts as the ultimate sacrifice and completes the story of salvation. It’s all there: His birth, his life, his death, his resurrection. Consider that Genesis 3 promises that the son who crushes sin, death, and the devil will come from the woman (v 15) and that God will cover our sin and shame (v 21). Genesis 37-50 describes his death and resurrection. It tells us that our redeemer will come from Judah, and that there is unconditional forgiveness. Exodus then highlights that God is always with us and that he sets us free...
Read more

Have in Mind the Humility of Christ :: Philippians 2:5-11

By
[Introduction] The Palm Sunday parade for our Lord Jesus is one of the more vibrant scenes in the Bible, and it gets people excited. Today we see and hear Jesus coming. And THAT’s exciting. Like the Greeks who went up for worship in our Gospel reading, we also long to see Jesus (Jn 12:21).  Now picture this: the streets of Jerusalem are packed with people, ten times more than normal, all for one of the most important celebrations of the year, Passover. Many of those people had heard about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (Jn 12:1). As Jesus entered the city, all but a handful of them began singing ... Hosanna to the Son of David ... that is, Save us, please, Jesus!  While Roman leaders typically entered Jerusalem from the north on war horses to display their pride and power, Jesus has come riding a donkey from the east in humility. By identifying Jesus as the Son of David, the people are acknowledging that he is in fact the Messiah ... the Prophet like Moses. And by paving...
Read more

Forgiveness Doesn’t Count :: Matthew 18:21-35

By
[Introduction] Forgiveness doesn’t count. It never counts. Now don’t misunderstand what I just said ... I don’t mean that forgiveness doesn’t matter. Forgiveness DEFINITELY matters. It actually is the most IMPORTANT thing in our lives.  We always need forgiveness. We need it from God. We need it from each other. We need it daily. We need to receive it. We need to give it. We need to share it. We’d be lost without it. That’s what Jesus teaches us today.  Matthew writes: When Peter came up to [Jesus], he said, ‘Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I release him [from the consequences]. Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I tell you, not up to seven times, but up to seventy-times seven’ (vv 21-22). In other words, forgiveness doesn’t count. By telling us to forgive ‘seventy-times’ ... seven, Jesus was not giving us a math problem to solve. He was not saying it is okay to draw a new line at 491. He was describing what perfect and complete forgiveness really loo...
Read more