Seekers, Are You Listening


     This morning as I looked over Luke 10, the scripture for the adult Sunday School Classes lesson, I wondered if the lesson will be taken in and used. How many classes will just teach and listen, then simply go about their daily business without a thought of the great message in Luke 10? How many will “seek” to obey? Seekers, are you listening?
     Jesus had many followers seeking, listening, and watching, not just the twelve disciples. In Luke 10, Jesus chooses 70 followers to go out in 35 pairs to go to every city and place. He had 70 people who were faithful and had faith in him, the Son of God. Jesus starts out with 3 commands, pray, go, and carry. Pray for the Lord to send out laborers. Go, “I send you as lambs among the wolves.” Carry nothing with you except what you have on you. Jesus is not promising them an easy journey and is not finished with his instructions. 
    Jesus’ next command is important. I never considered this part of the command, but I can see how it would hold some back. Jesus commands in verse 4, “and salute no man by the way.” Let’s think about this for a while. “Salute no man by the way.” Or, as you go, don’t take time to stop and talk. Think about it. What hinders a ministry? How about this?

“Hi, how is it going?”

“Jesus is sending us out to heal the sick and to announce that the “kingdom of God is come nigh.”

“Are you prepared for this task?”

“Well, um… Actually, you know, I have never healed the sick before.”

“Man, you better think about this before you leave. Where will you sleep? How safe will it be for you?”

    God opens doors and a ministry begins. Then there is some criticism. Or, someone questions if you are prepared. By stopping to “salute” someone, seeds of doubt and fear can be planted. We put off to prepare ourselves, so we will be ready. In other words, we do it our way and not God’s way. We disobey God’s leading. We turn away the leading of the Holy Spirit, because we think we are not ready and the timing is not right. Let me ask you, whose timing is always right, yours or God’s? Are we listening to God’s message and learning? Seekers are you listening?

(Scripture from KJV, Luke 10:1-16)

    

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