Luke 10 Devotional: Follow the sending of the seventy-two disciples and the famous Parable of the Good Samaritan. Learn the importance of choosing "what is better" as Jesus visits the home of Martha and Mary.Â
Dear brothers and sisters, peace in Christ. Welcome to Luke Chapter 10. Today, the mission of the Kingdom expands. We see Jesus sending out not just the twelve, but a larger group of followers to prepare the way. It is a chapter filled with the joy of service, the challenge of neighborly love, and the quiet beauty of devotion. Let us listen closely as our Lord defines what it truly means to follow Him.Â
The Harvest, the Neighbor, and the One Thing Needful
Luke 10 is a vibrant chapter of action and reflection. It begins with Jesus sending out seventy-two disciples, reminding them that "the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." Upon their joyful return, Jesus reorients their hearts, telling them to rejoice not in their power over spirits, but that their "names are written in heaven"âa core truth of our Salvation (Article 6). This is followed by the Parable of the Good Samaritan, where Jesus shatters religious legalism to show that our "neighbor" is anyone in need. The chapter concludes in the home of Martha and Mary, providing a timeless lesson on priorities.
What can we learn from this today? In this chapter, we see the Mission of the Universal Church. As your Statement of Faith affirms, the Churchâs mission is to proclaim the Gospel and demonstrate Godâs love in the world. We are called to be workers in the harvest, but we must never let the "work" for God replace our "worship" of God. Martha was distracted by many things, but Mary chose "what is better" by sitting at the feet of Jesus. This chapter reminds us that while we are called to active love (like the Samaritan), the source of that love must be a life rooted in the Word of God. We serve because we are saved; we work because we have first rested in the presence of our Savior.
10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, âThe harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5 âWhen you enter a house, first say, âPeace to this house.â 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8 âWhen you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, âThe kingdom of God has come near to you.â 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 âEven the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.â 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
13 âWoe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.
16 âWhoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.â
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, âLord, even the demons submit to us in your name.â
18 He replied, âI saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.â
21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, âI praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
22 âAll things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.â
23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, âBlessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.â
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. âTeacher,â he asked, âwhat must I do to inherit eternal life?â
26 âWhat is written in the Law?â he replied. âHow do you read it?â
27 He answered, ââLove the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mindâ; and, âLove your neighbor as yourself.ââ
28 âYou have answered correctly,â Jesus replied. âDo this and you will live.â
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, âAnd who is my neighbor?â
30 In reply Jesus said: âA man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. âLook after him,â he said, âand when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.â
36 âWhich of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?â
37 The expert in the law replied, âThe one who had mercy on him.â
Jesus told him, âGo and do likewise.â
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lordâs feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, âLord, donât you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!â
41 âMartha, Martha,â the Lord answered, âyou are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are neededâor indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.â
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, thanking the Father for revealing His truths to the humble. Let us come before Him now with that same spirit of humility and praise.Â
Dear Heavenly Father, We praise You for the joy of the Gospel and the privilege of being workers in Your harvest. We believe that salvation is a gift of Your grace, received through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and we rejoice today that our names are written in heaven. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to demonstrate Your love to a world in need.
Lord, help me to be a "Good Samaritan" in my own community today. Open my eyes to see the needs of those around me and give me a heart of compassion that moves into action. Forgive me for the times I have been like Marthaâdistracted, anxious, and troubled by many things. Teach me to be like Mary, knowing when to stop and sit at Your feet. May Your Word be my final authority and my greatest delight. Help me to find the perfect balance between serving You with my hands and loving You with my whole heart, soul, strength, and mind.
We pray for the many "workers" currently in the harvest fieldâmissionaries, pastors, and every believer sharing the Gospel in difficult places. Grant them protection, bold speech, and a harvest of souls. We lift up those who are hurting, broken, or cast aside by society; may they encounter Your mercy through the hands of Your Church. We pray for a world that is busy and distracted; may the peace of Christ draw people to stop and listen to the only Message that brings eternal life. Amen.
Jesus told Martha she was "worried and upset about many things." What is the "one thing" currently distracting you from sitting at Jesus' feet, and how can you surrender that distraction to Him today?Â
Who were the seventy-two (or seventy) sent by Jesus? They were a larger group of disciples beyond the inner circle of the Twelve. Their mission shows that the task of proclaiming the Kingdom belongs to the whole Church, not just a few leaders.
What is the main point of the Parable of the Good Samaritan? Jesus used it to answer the question "Who is my neighbor?" He showed that love for God is inseparable from love for our fellow man, crossing all racial, social, and religious boundaries.
Why did Jesus correct Martha if she was just trying to serve Him? Jesus wasn't correcting her service, but her distraction and her anxiety. He wanted her to understand that spiritual nourishment from Him is the foundation that makes all service possible.
Thank you for joining us for Luke 10. May you go out today as a worker in the harvest, but may you always keep a "Mary-heart" in a "Martha-world." We look forward to seeing you tomorrow for Jesus' teaching on prayer in Luke Chapter 11.Â
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