Words of Jesus Podcast - Seeing The Kingdom Of God

Episode Date: December 8, 2023

Jesus instructs the disciples in a way that is counterintuitive to the physical world. Ambition is not encouraged. Selfishness is put-down. They are told to accept what is given with humility, not pursuing wealth, so your gospel is not perverted. A laborer is worthy of hire - a place to sleep, something to eat. The disciples were provided for by God not by manipulation or contrivance or pressure or compulsion or marketing. The demand on the disciples was to learn to be content. The miracles of healing and deliverance were exciting, but they were not the greatest miracle being made manifest. ***57: The Mission And Success Of The Seventy Disciples Of JesusLuke 10:1-24JESUS APPOINTED seventy disciples in addition to the twelve. He sent them before him, two by two, into every city and place through which he would pass. When they were gathered around him, he sent them forth with these instructions: “The harvest is truly great, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Go your ways. Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes, and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give; for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, ‘The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.’ But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same and say, ‘Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you.’ Notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable that day for Sodom, than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to Heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.” When the seventy were with Jesus again, they were much elated and said to him: “Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.” Jesus answered them, saying: “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from Heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in Heaven.” In that hour Jesus rejoiced and prayed to his Father, saying: “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father; and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.” Then he turned again to his disciples and said to them: “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”

Think Red Ink Ministries presents The Words of Jesus Series with Don C. Harris Hello friends and welcome once again to the Words of Jesus series. Don Harris, Think Red Ink Ministries, Pytown, New Mexico. Glad to have you on board with us as we go through some of the red ink. A lot of reading today, so we need to get started. We're actually in chapter 57 of our little book. And this is the mission and success of the 70 disciples of Christ.

I know that it comes as a surprise sometimes when we talk about the disciples. They say that there were 12 disciples. And there were indeed 12 disciples. Actually, there were more than that. There were 12 that actually endured with Jesus until the end. Well, actually, 11, you know that. Paul was the 12th disciple. Actually, the 12th apostle.

We call them the 12 disciples because they eventually were called of Jesus Christ to go into the world and preach the gospel. That's when they became apostles. Some people wonder about what's the difference. Well, the difference is, you know, there are many disciples of Christ, but the 12 apostles were the ones that were there with him when he died and they were faithful to the end and they were called to go out into the world and carry this gospel and empowered by christ to do miracles and to so that their their words would not be you know just set aside as as if they were just people who thought jesus was a really nice guy

but no these these were apostles these were ones that were called of jesus christ which by the way um from everything that i can read and everything i can understand about an apostle an apostle is not something that you can decide to be a disciple is something that you can decide to be as a matter of fact it's imperative that you decide to do that but an apostle is something that the lord decides it's something that he decides in and my experience has been or at least my my reading has has given me what what i've experienced in reading is that this is a an actual uh seeing of the lord uh that it's a he calls apostles in person and in deference to and my apologies to um you know the churches i think the mormon church is one of the best examples of this i understand that you know

we've got some modern evangelist if you want to call them that you know the prosperity peddlers and they call themselves apostles and there's a lot of people there's there's denominations that call themselves apostles the m The Mormon church is famous for being run by 12 apostles and that their apostleships can be traced all the way back to Jesus, which does not bear very close investigation. But there are people who fancy themselves as being an apostle, but it's only because they call themselves that, not because they've actually seen the Lord.

And when Paul says, am I not an apostle? Have I not seen the Lord? I mean, he makes it clear that, you know, apostles are called of the Lord Christ himself and not just something that i've decided to be because paul's apostleship was held in question in those days as to who is this guy you know he persecuted the church and now he's one of them who is this guy and uh and so he was constantly having to prove his apostleship or at least defend it in some way all right so jesus has taken 70

disciples and sent them out and uh and and here we read jesus appointed 70 disciples in addition to the 12 he sent them before him two by two into every city and place through which he would pass when they were gathered around him he sent them forth with these instructions the harvest truly is great but the laborers are few pray therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth laborers into his vineyard. Go your ways. Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse nor script nor shoes. And salute no man by the way.

And into whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be unto this house, and if the Son of Peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it. And if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of comments here. One of them is, we'll take the last first.

There have been denominations, perhaps only one I can think of, perhaps others, that was against house-to-house witnessing. They thought that was the wrong thing to do. I know there's more than one person that thinks that way because I feel that way as well. I don't think we can aggravate people into becoming Christians. You can aggravate them into coming to church. You can aggravate them into coming to Sunday school. But aggravating them into becoming Christians. You can aggravate them into coming to church. You can aggravate them into coming to Sunday school, but aggravating them into becoming Christians, I don't know how well that

works. Nevertheless, when they would teach against house-to-house witnessing, they would quote this scripture, go not from house to house, as if this was a foreboding, a forbidding of that practice of going house to house. But, you know, not even a careful reading, but even just a cursory reading of this, you can see that this is not what he's talking about at all. He's talking about people who take advantage of their status if you will of being men of god sent by christ to do these wonderful things or to evangelize or whatever and therefore all the goodies that that you know can come to us are duly ours and we should just like a smorgasbord, take over this whole city and just go from house to house and take whatever they give us. And Jesus is saying, no,

not only do I not want you to go out there and beg from these people and gather all these things to yourself, but whatever it is you do have, you just make sure that you don't leave here with two pair of shoes or two coats i don't even want you to take money with you i want you to be supplied i want your needs supplied mind you i want you i want your needs to be met however what i want you to do is is not depend on people

to do that there's a reason for that friend friend, because the gospel, unfortunately, I should not say unfortunately, but it just so happens that the gospel, it cannot be preached by angels who don't need to eat. It's not preached by angels who don't have families and kids in college and car payments to make and insurance payments to make and insurance payments to make and house payments and stuff like that or want boats or rvs or any of the rest of this stuff it'd be nice if the angels preach the gospel first of all we'd get one that wasn't tainted by the stupidity of mankind and it would it would likely be true and it would be you know

absolutely correct and in pleasing god if angels preach the gospel, but they don't. God chose to put the gospel into the mouth of men. We'll talk about this one day. It was one of the puzzling things that I could not understand. Why would you do this? Why would you take something as beautiful as the gospel of the Lord Jesus that changes men's lives, that ensures their eternity, the rejection of the Lord Jesus that changes men's lives, that ensures their eternity, the rejection of which causes their eternal damnation, and hand it to men

to go from mouth to ear, mouth to ear, mouth to ear, and every time it passes through a man, it just picks up a little bit more dust, a little bit more trash, a little bit more selfishness, a little bit more sin. It bit more selfishness a little bit more sin it gets worse and worse and worse and then we have to have a revival and we have to all go back to the

beginning and why did you do that why did you have angels preach the gospel turns out at the end of time in the book of revelation there is an angel that comes with the everlasting gospel. I wonder how ours is going to compare to his. Oh boy, these kind of things could be embarrassing. But he did choose to put the gospel into the mouths of men, and unfortunately men have flaws in their character that allow them, and in some cases compelel them to find out what's in it for them and if you do go into this with the attitude of you know my money my shoes my staff you know my script whatever and i have all these possessions and these people are going to feed me they're going to clothe me they're going to put me in their house.

And these people over here are going to do it too. And those people are going to. Because, you know, there are people out there that care about the things of God. That want to do well. And want to take care of God's man. Well, they're easy to take advantage of. You know, God told me. That you've been setting aside money for a second home when you retire.

He did. He wants you to give that money to this ministry. He does. And, or, you know, have you ever thought about what you're going to do with all your money when you die? You know, what you need to do is will it to this ministry. You see, these kind of things happen because they happen in the minds of men who are selfish,

who have their own wants and desires and lusts in mind. And Jesus is saying, in order to keep this at bay, here's some rules. One of them is, don't go out there with all your possessions making sure that what you own and what you't go out there with all your possessions, making sure that

what you own and what you have and what you have in your pocket, what you have in your hand and all the things at your disposal are the things that are taking care of you. If you're with me, you will be taken care of. Your needs will be met. You will eat what the people, what they said in front of you. Because what they said in front of you, you've been called to this. You are here because I say so. This is where I want you to be. Well, how do we find this place? You'll find it.

And here's the way you're going to find it. You're going to come there in an announcement of peace and you're going to find out real quickly whether or not this house is allowing the peace that you have within yourself to come into it if it's not so you're going to find that peace is thrown back at you remember Remember when Jesus, the woman who grabbed the tzitzi on his garment and was healed? Jesus didn't even know who she was. So much for, you know, having faith in Jesus and, you know, having to have some face-to-face encounter for, you know, being healed or whatever else you did wrong that's what they love to tell you uh when it doesn't happen but when it did happen in this situation jesus didn't even know who it was here's what he didn't know he said i felt virtue go out of me now my experience as a

pentecostal preacher i've laid hands on, I've prayed for people to be healed, and I've gone that whole gamut. Now, I understand the idea of the whole goosebump theology kind of a thing. I've been there, yeah, I've been there. But, you know, when I started being honest about my Christianity, and I read these words of Christ where he says, I felt virtue go out of me. Do you know, friend, I can't look you in the eye and tell you that I know what that is. Not honestly, I could tell you that. I could sell it to you for 69.95 if i wasn't honest but um but i don't know what that means jesus knew what

it meant but here's what i want you to see when he when he commissions these disciples to find a house in which they're to live during the time of their evangelism he says that you're going to feel that peace go out of you and if it's rejected if this is not the house you should be in you're going to feel that peace come back this is what he said let your repeat you let that peace return unto you and go find someplace else so there are things in the spirit of god that i think as paul says that we can have our senses sensitized we can our our senses the sense of our five physical senses have the ability to know the difference between good and evil now, evil, another one of those back words that people define incorrectly. But, you know, evil just means it's the wrong situation.

It's a bad thing. Like the prophet described the fruit that had gone rotten. I can't eat this fruit. It's too evil. Well, there's nothing spiritually wrong with those figs. What do you mean they're evil? Well, they're bad. They're no good.

And so he's saying that there is a point where a person can have such a spiritual life, be so in tune with the Spirit of God and led of the Spirit of God, that their five physical senses can tell the difference between good and evil. I think that's what he's talking about here and so your peace offered to this house i think if you think about this you have been in this situation more so than you perhaps even want to admit you ever been around somebody it just gives you the creeps they really there's really no reason for it but wow something's just not right here i believe that that is some in some sense in some way this what jesus is saying about your peace being reflected and it's coming back to you and it's like this is not the person that you need to attach yourself to but once you do find that

those people are going to put food in front of you. Eat that. You don't ask for something else. You eat that. And the house that they have you sleep in. You know, you don't say, you know, can I have a softer bed? Can I have an extra pillow?

Do you have a spare teddy bear? No, no. You take what they give you. These are rules that I'm instituting so that your gospel is not perverted that's the that's what i'm trying to prevent from happening if you're not careful the things that i provide you can actually draw you off of what i've called you to do how many times does this have to happen in in our experience in the modern church of today and the modern preachers and the and the people who are paid to preach and you know the given salaries

and retirements and all these you know all the perks of preaching perks really is there perks involved here's what i've noticed you forsake all you give away all you take what's putting before you and all of a sudden hey preacher here's a secret for you you want to you want to add 60 70 power to your preaching stop getting paid to do it that'll that'll do you a whole lot of good more good than than doubling your bible reading time or doubling your prayer time just stop being paid to do it stop being concerned with people who are willing to pay you to do it jesus is saying you're going to find people that are willing to pay you but you're in one house you're where i want you to be you're going to take what's

put before you and if you do this you don're going to take what's put before you. And if you do this, you don't have to worry about all these things tainting this glorious gospel that I'm putting into your mouth to save the world. It's one of the reasons why we don't have the pure gospel today. And so he says that, And in that same house remain eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. His hire? What's his hire?

My goodness, you're telling me that I'm in the gospel? I'm in the business? Business, if you want to call it that. I'm in the occupation of preaching the gospel and what does it pay a place to sleep something to eat is that all i'm afraid so he he says uh you know my father knows you have need of all these things what things place to sleep out of the rain clothes to wear something to eat well that doesn't sound very prosperous hey get your mind where it belongs buddy boy are you called to preach the gospel or not you can preach the gospel with your stomach growling i have then he says, eye unto you but into whatsoever city you enter and they receive you not go your ways out out

into the streets of of the same and say even the very dust of your city which cleaveth to us we do wipe off against you now friend i want you to know i have personal experience of this happening. Okay, I was a young Christian. Okay, you know, there's a lot of things about this story that I'm ashamed of. I don't even want to talk about. But there was me feeling that I was called to be in this city and to bring about a ministry in that city that would have done the children done the children of that city the teenagers of that city the families of that city a lot of good and you know things could have been wonderful and things but frankly you know we

weren't of a particular denomination this was down in the south and and we weren't of a particular denomination not even a denomination anybody had ever heard of. Well, we didn't have one. And so we were abjectly rejected, I mean, just out of hand because we didn't fit into that and we were denied certain things. I mean, to the point that you couldn't get an ad in the paper, you couldn't get a ad in the paper. You couldn't get, you know, a place to publicly speak. You couldn't get, I mean, it was unbelievable. It was, I mean,

it was like the Hatfields and McCoys. It was a mess. I mean, we almost starved to death in the town. And it came time where, you know, we had to pack up what we had and that didn't take long because most everything was sold in order to eat something it's true it's it's actually a fact that uh you know uh you know what goes with the black eyed peas doesn't matter what goes with black eyed peas that's all there is and that was because some poor widow thought we were starving to death. Nevertheless, I have personal experience with this. And when I left that city, I'm passing by the sign that says the name of the city from coming the other way. And on my way out, pull over on the shoulder of the road. I get out and I pull a tissue out of the box and i wipe my shoes and i drop that tissue right there

by the sign and says i'm wiping off my feet the very dust of this city that clings to me i am i am rejecting and got in the car and floored it. Well, perhaps youth should be tempered by some adult somewhere. I was a young man, and I thought that was just a wonderful idea. Gave me a huge sense of self-righteousness. And I don't know how much righteousness it provided me, but the self-righteousness was just more than i could ever ask for and um and in that particular situation i was unknowingly and i think the lord's certainly

understanding enough to know that it was an idiot speaking and Perhaps I I don't have these kinds of powers over cities to condemn the entire city to you know To the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, but listen to what he says He says that when you wipe your shoes off on your way out He continues with woe unto thee Corin woe unto the Bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in Tyre and Sidon which had been done in you they had long time repented sitting in sackcloth and ashes but it'll be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, thou shalt be thrust down to hell.

He that heareth you, he's telling his disciples, heareth me. And he that despiseth you despises me. And he that despises me despises him that sent thee friend that's an enterprise i would not wish upon anyone to despise the one who sent christ okay look truth is there were no miracles done in that city there there was you know just a big mouth kid that uh you know that was trying to preach the gospel as he saw it and they weren't necessarily witnessed to in such a way that would condemn their souls and we do serve a merciful and understanding god and i don't think that any city was actually condemned to the fate of

sodom and gomorrah at that time but i'm telling you that that there may very well be a time when it is time to walk away from something um i've seen people that are trapped in churches trapped in situations that they say they just can't get out of i think the lord called me there to help them well i'd be sure of that if i stayed if i were you all right uh when the 70 were with jesus again they were much elated and said to him lord even the devils are subject to us through thy name jesus answered them saying i beheld satan as lightning fall from heaven behold i give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing by any means shall hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, but that the spirits are subject unto you.

Rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. If we were to experience this, I think that we would become overly joyed about the fact that we have these kinds of powers that were given to us by the Lord Jesus. And he's saying that, you look, I know, you lay your hands on a leper and they get clean. And that's pretty look, I know, you lay your hands on a leper and they get clean. And that's pretty big.

I know. Well, did you walk on water when you were over there? Oh, you did? Oh, my goodness. Did they see that? Yeah, they saw that. And you raised a person from the dead? Yeah, they saw that.

And you cast out devils? They saw that? Yeah, they saw that. It was pretty cool, they're saying. Wow, I just never thought anything like this would happen. And Jesus is telling them, I think, not uncertainly, you want to know a miracle that's bigger than anything that you did while you were gone? I'll tell you a miracle. That your sorry, sinful, selfish

hide is going to see the kingdom of God. Your name written in the book. That's a miracle. Friend, we need to know that's a miracle. You want to see a miracle from God?

You can have one if you want it all you got to do is quit going your way and start going his way that's all you got to do quit loving yourself and start loving him and you're going to experience and be the beneficiary of one of the greatest miracles that ever was you ever wonder why Jesus talking about John the Baptist says there wasn't a greater prophet born of woman than John the Baptist but I say unto you that he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is I don't think we understand just how big of a miracle it is that we have even the opportunity to get ourselves out of this mess

and be saved and see the inside of the kingdom of God. Think ready, my friend? Bye-bye. © BF-WATCH TV 2021 Join us again for the next episode in the Words of Jesus series. you