Story of Jesus, December 10th

Chapter 10

The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And do not greet anyone on the road.”

“Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If those who live there are peaceful, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Don’t move around from home to home. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the worker deserves his wages.”

“When you enter a town and are welcome, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off to show we’ve abandoned you to your fate. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near!’ I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgement day.”

“What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and ashes. Yes, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgement day than you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.”

Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who listens to you listens to me. Anyone who rejects you rejects me. And anyone who rejects me rejects God who sent me.”

The seventy-two returned joyfully and reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”

And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

In that same hour, Jesus full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, father, for such was your gracious will. My father has entrusted everything to me. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those who the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen. 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.”

One day, an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him a question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But the man wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied with a story: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own donkey and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two silver pieces and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”

He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “Go, and do likewise.”

As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

“My dear Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are anxious and worried about many things, but only one thing is needed. There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”