On this day in 1776, a group of men declared their freedom from the rule of King George. They knew that declaring independence was only the beginning. They knew that blood was needed to earn the independence they declared. Many men gave their lives during the following years so that we could have our political freedom. Because we live in an imperfect world, people are still giving their lives for that freedom.
In today's Gospel, we find Jesus on His way to Jerusalem to earn a different kind of freedom. He was journeying to Jerusalem to shed blood and die for our freedom from sin, death, and the devil. Because Jesus is perfect, His lone death was more than enough to earn our freedom forever.
Last Sunday we learned that Jesus is the one who [Luke 9:51] set his face to go to Jerusalem. That means that Jesus had absolutely determined that He was going to Jerusalem to sacrifice Himself for us on the cross. When the Bible tells us that Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem, that is one more way that the Bible says that Jesus loves us.
As we continue following Jesus' journey to Jerusalem, we learn that Jesus allowed extra time in His journey. He allowed extra time to minister in the towns and places along the road. Jesus wanted to make the most of His time at each stop along the way. Today's Gospel tells us that the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him. Here - at the beginning of His journey - when He still had a fairly large following - He sent some of them ahead to prepare for Him to minister in that place.
The original Greek for the phrase, "… sent them on ahead of him," literally says "sent them before His face." Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem and then He sent others out before His face to prepare for Him as He arrived at each town and place on His trip to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through Luke and reminds us that the whole reason for the ministry of these seventy-two disciples was that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to die for us on the cross.
Jesus gave instructions to these men as He sent them out. Travel light - "Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals …" Don't dawdle - "… greet no one on the road." Don't be picky about room and board - "Do not go from house to house." "Eat what is set before you." Jesus was telling these men to focus on the mission and avoid distractions.
What was their mission? They were to bring peace. "Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!'" They were bringing the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. They were bringing the peace that Jesus would soon earn when He finished His journey to Jerusalem and kept His appointment with the cross.
Jesus also told them to heal and preach. "Whenever you enter a town and they receive you … Heal the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'" The Kingdom of God is different from earthly kingdoms. Here on this earth, we say that someone is a king because he rules a kingdom - the king depends on the kingdom. When it comes to the Kingdom of God, things are the other way around. The kingdom is the kingdom because Christ the king rules it - the kingdom depends on the king. When we say that the kingdom of God has come near to you, we are saying that the king has come near to you. That king is Jesus Christ Himself.
So far, everything about this mission sounds pretty good, but there is also a dark side to this mission. It begins in the instructions. Jesus began with a warning, "Behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves." As wonderful as God's peace and His kingdom are, there will be some people who will attack you for it. There will always be people who reject God's peace and His kingdom. There will always be those who hate God's message and His messengers.
Jesus also gave His disciples words and actions of judgment. "Whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.' I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town." What sad and terrifying words.
As I examined this terrible judgment this week, I noticed something for the first time. The most terrifying thing about this judgment is the thing that is missing. There are two words in the blessed proclamation of the Gospel that are missing in the judgment. When a town received the disciples, Jesus gave them a proclamation that ended with these words: The kingdom of God has come near to you. When a town rejected the disciples, Jesus gave them a proclamation that ended with these words: The kingdom of God has come near … period! The words "to you" are missing from the judgment. The words "to you" make an eternal difference.
You see, Jesus Christ died for the sins of the entire world. When Jesus Christ hung from the cross and shouted, "It is finished," He meant it is finished for everybody. Jesus Christ has earned the forgiveness of sins for every man, woman, and child who ever has or ever will live. Jesus purchased the forgiveness of sins for all people in all places in all times.
This means that you can walk up to anyone in any place and tell them that you know for a fact that Jesus Christ has earned forgiveness of sins for them. Think of the worst human beings who ever lived. Jesus earned forgiveness of sins for them. Nero burned Rome and blamed it on the Christians, but Jesus earned forgiveness for his sins. Genghis Khan, Jesus earned forgiveness for him. The people who carried out the Spanish inquisition, Jesus earned forgiveness for them. Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Osama Bin Laden, whoever you can name, Jesus earned forgiveness for them. Even Judas Iscariot, Jesus earned forgiveness for him.
Even though Jesus earned forgiveness for these horrible villains, the odds that they are or will be with the Lord are extremely low. The problem lies in those two little words "to you." Jesus earned forgiveness for everyone, but some people reject that forgiveness. It is not the Lord's fault that anyone suffers forever. He has brought His kingdom near. He has earned forgiveness of sins for everyone. The Holy Spirit offers that forgiveness through the Gospel to everyone. The only thing the Holy Spirit does not do is jam the Gospel down people's throats. Some people resist the Holy Spirit and reject the Gospel. The Kingdom of God has come near, but not to them.
In the Small Catechism, Martin Luther explains the Lord's Prayer. When He gets to the second petition, He says this: Thy kingdom come. What does this mean? The kingdom of God comes indeed without our prayer, of itself. But we pray in this petition that it may come to us also. How is this done? When our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead a godly life here in time and there in eternity. We pray in this petition that it may come to us.
The crucifixion and the empty tomb are objective facts. We can go into the historical record and learn all kinds of things about Jesus. We can know that most of His ministry was in Galilee. We can know that He tangled with the temple authorities in Jerusalem. We can research ancient documents and learn how those temple authorities coerced Pontius Pilate to crucify Him. We can uncover the mystery of an empty tomb. All of these things are objective facts. The Apostle James tells us that even the demons believe the objective facts and shudder [James 2:19]. We need more than objective facts.
Two little words take the Gospel from objective fact to personal reality. Those two words become the truth when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word. The Holy Spirit's gift of faith makes the difference. Without that faith, the life of Jesus is just a collection of the objective facts. With that faith, the life of Jesus Christ is the way of salvation for me … and you.
Two little words can make such a difference. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins can add two words to the objective facts. Listen to the difference this makes. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary for me. Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate. Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate for me. Jesus died on the cross. Jesus died on the cross for me. Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus rose from the dead for me. Jesus ascended into heaven. Jesus ascended into heaven for me. From there He will come. From there He will come for me. Amen
Please quote from my sermons freely. I expect people to copy my sermons or I wouldn't put them on a site like this. I only ask that you quote accurately if you attribute anything to me.
Send James T. Batchelor an email.
Welcome
