Successors are ambassadors
Series: Follow me | Bible text: Luke 10:1–21
Every follower was called to Jesus in order to be sent out from there. The Latin term for this is Missio Dei (sent by God). When passing on the gospel (=good news), motivation is crucial. Jesus describes the only driving force that leads to good results with the following words: «Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
The first nine chapters of Luke’s Gospel mainly deal with the question of who Jesus is. Then there is a change and the question now is: What does it mean for people if Jesus really is the Son of God? The answer: Be a successor! In this context, Jesus gives each individual follower three things: a mission, a message and a motivation.
Mission
«Then the Lord chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead two by two to all the towns and villages he was going to visit […] Now go, remembering that I am sending you like lambs among wolves» (Luke 10:1,3 NLB).
In Luke 9:1, Jesus sent out his twelve disciples to preach, cast out demons and heal the sick. Jesus did the same: he convinced people of the truth, he freed them from the things that enslaved them and he healed them. Jesus worked to mend the torn and frayed fabric of the world. If we only had chapter 9, we would say that it is the clergy, the employees of the church, who communicate and do the great things. We pay them and encourage them to be cheerful and successful. But now Jesus calls 72 more followers together and equips them with the same mission. Being a follower of Jesus means coming close to God’s heart through Jesus in order to be sent out from there. The basic rhythm of discipleship is the invitation to be close to God and to be sent out into the world. Jesus blesses people so that they can be a blessing. He calls in order to send out. He heals in order to send agents of healing into the world. The Latin word for mission is Mission. Every follower – not just the clergy – is on a mission. Before a person meets God, he is preoccupied and absorbed with himself. But Jesus takes care of our guilt and our shame, gives meaning and significance and deeply satisfies the longing of our hearts. Even if we have only partially understood and experienced this, there is no longer any excuse for being absorbed by our own little problems. A follower is sent to be a healing agent of God, to make new the torn fabric of the world.
The focus of a successor is on people of all ethnicities. In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the table of nations in Genesis 10 lists exactly 72 nations. So when Jesus sends out 72 followers, He has the whole world in view.
«For we are God’s creation. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we can carry out the good deeds that he has prepared for our lives» (Ephesians 2:10 NLB). This is fascinating: Jesus Christ has prepared deeds in you that only you can do. Your experiences, your joy, your sorrow, your nationality, your age, your gender, your combination of gifts are unique. There are hands that only you can hold, there are needs that only you can meet, there are demons that only you can exorcise. There are people God has prepared for you to bring healing to.
Message
Followers of Jesus are on a mission with a message. It is important to understand that they are not just to talk, but to be the best of neighbours (Luke 10:30–37). Today, however, I am focussing on the message. The 72 followers are to say: «[…] The kingdom of God is near you» (Luke 10:9 NLB). And if they don’t want to listen: «Do not forget that the kingdom of God is near!»(V.11 NLB).
Every follower of Jesus has been given a message to proclaim publicly and ask everyone to believe it. That is highly explosive. Many contemporaries would say: «I have nothing against you believing in Jesus. But don’t claim absolute truth and don’t try to convert other people.» The problem is as follows: a successor is sent out, the Gospel to proclaim. Although Jesus uses the word Gospel does not need it explicitly, he often uses it: «Go into all the world and preach the Gospel of all creatures» (Mark 16:15 LUT).
The term «gospel» means the message from an objective, history-changing event that changes the situation of all people and to which everyone must respond. There is a document that starts with the words: This is the Gospel of Caesar Augustus. It was the declaration that Augustus had ascended the throne as Roman emperor. Heralds were immediately sent out to proclaim the Gospel to proclaim. It was the announcement of a history-changing event that affected everyone. No one in the Roman Empire could say: «Maybe he’s your emperor, but he’s not mine.» Each person had to come to terms with the event.
In 490 BC, the Persians invaded Greece and the Battle of Marathon took place. To everyone’s surprise, the Greeks won. If the Persians had won, the Athenians would have been defenceless. To prevent panic from breaking out in Athens, they had to hear the gospel as soon as possible. It was an indescribable history-changing event that was relevant to all Athenians. That’s why they sent out a runner. He ran the whole 42 kilometres from Marathon to Athens. All he could say was: «Rejoice, we have won!» Then he dropped dead from the exertion.
If Jesus were only a prophet of God, his message could be seen as advice that can be accepted or rejected. But Jesus claims more: «I saw Satan fall like lightning from the sky!» (Luke 10:18 NLB). This means that Jesus was before the foundation of the world. He is not a creature, but the Creator. He is God. If that is true, then his coming does indeed mean Gospela history-changing fact that requires a response from all people.
Motivation
The gospel of Jesus claims that someone will adopt a new world view and change their life. That cannot be argued away. The decisive factor here is the motivation of the messenger being sent. If the motivation is wrong, the good news takes on a destructive character.
The following is written about the return of the successors: «When the seventy-two disciples returned, they told him with joy: «Lord, even the demons obey us when we cast them out in your name!» (Luke 10:17 NLB). Jesus does not like these motives and replies: «But do not rejoice that evil spirits obey you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven» (Luke 10:20 NLB).
What’s wrong with being happy that the evil spirits obey you? The problem was that they were not happy about people’s freedom, but about themselves, their authority over demons. They believed that this meant they were something. In ancient times, you were someone if your name was written. In every city there was a scroll on which the names of the citizens were written. Only the citizens of the city were people with names. The other residents were servants, farmers and employees. Rejoice that you are citizens of heaven!
Followers of Jesus should not derive their self-confidence from their talent, authority, performance or achievement. This would lead to what brought Satan down, namely pride. Those who act on this impulse cannot repair the torn and frayed fabric of the world. Those who derive their value from their service will put pressure on people and manipulate them. People then become trophies that you need to feel good about yourself. When people are dismissive, they threaten our personality, our being someone. James and John experienced this and asked Jesus: «Lord, shall we rain fire from heaven and burn them up?» (Luke 9:54 NLB). People of the world are rightly afraid of religious people with false motivation.
Jesus sees precisely these tendencies in this group and challenges them not to rejoice in their gifts, achievements and authority. People back then believed that a book would be opened at the Last Judgement in which all the things we have done would be written down. If the good deeds outweigh the bad, our name will be written in the book of life. That is religion. Jesus uses the Gospel and says: «Your name is already written!» If a person has become a follower of Jesus, then his name is written. And that is the gospel: Rejoice not in what you do, but in who you are in Jesus. You are already accepted! Regardless of how you live from now on, regardless of your performance, regardless of whether people believe you or not. Rejoice in who you are in me – and you are always on the safe side. Absolutely accepted. This motivation is constant and makes us friendly and courageous. Courageous, because we proclaim the gospel regardless of what people think. Friendly, because my name is written in heaven, even when people reject me.
After the people of Israel had created the golden calf at Sinai after the exodus from Egypt, God became angry. Moses then asked: «But I ask you to forgive them their sin – if not, then blot me out of the book you are keeping» (Genesis 2:1). 32:32 NLB). God answers: «[…] I will only blot out from my book those who have sinned against me […] Now go and lead the people to the place I have named to you. My angel will guide you» (Exodus 32:33+34 NLB). It was clear to Moses that a righteous God could not overlook the people’s actions and had to strike them from the book. Nevertheless, he loved his people and wanted them to be saved. He was prepared to take the punishment upon himself. God says: «It is true. I cannot overlook sin. I have to cancel it. But I will continue to lead them.» This measure only makes sense in view of the ultimate Moses who will come. It was Jesus» name that was struck from the book. On the cross, he quoted Psalm 22: «My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?» Then: «But I am a man, not a worm […]» Because his name was removed from the book, my name could be written in. This is the only motivation that is never overbearing or exploitative and with which we can joyfully bring the Gospel to people on our mission.
Possible questions for the small group
Read the Bible text: Luke 10:1–21
- How do you experience the duality of being called and being sent? What does the mission involve?
- God has accepted us in such a way that we should no longer be absorbed by ourselves. How do you experience this in your life?
- What is the original meaning of the word Gospel? Do you deeply believe that the coming of Jesus into this world Gospel is?
- What do you think about the gospel’s claim to absoluteness in what we call a tolerant world? Are Christians allowed to make such a claim with their message?
- What is the basis for a motivation that rejoices in the fact that our names are written down in heaven? What are the consequences of truly believing this in terms of our courage and kindness?
