July 17 - Temporary Mission

Luke 10:1 - "Jesus appointed 70 others and sent them two by two ahead of him, to every town and place where he was about to go."  

       Luke 10 tells the story of Jesus sending out 70 persons to towns, ahead of his 
eventual arrival to those towns (verse 1).  The story contains specific commands to these 
70 persons for this particular mission only.  (Cross-reference Luke 18:18-30, which also 
describes a specific command to one person only; conversely, a general command for all 
believers regarding the poor can be found at Matthew 6:1-4).  First, the 70 were 
commanded to "remain" at "whatsoever house they entered (vv 5 & 7)".  
How were they to know what house to enter?  We are not told.  How long were they to 
remain in that house?  One hour?  Till supper was over?  Till they left that town?  I 
believe that the latter is the answer.  Why would Jesus tell them to "remain" 
if they were just there for a short visit?  The implication is that they were to lodge at 
someone's house till moving on to the next town, unless the owner's peace returned to 
them negatively.  Then they could pick another house to attempt a welcome lodging.  
However, they were not to lodge in different houses during their stay in that town (v7) - 
"Go not from house to house".  This is not a prohibition on visiting multiple 
houses, just moving their lodging from house to house.  Remember the context of 
"remaining".  How else could they get out their message if they didn't visit 
each house?  Let's examine some other possibilities.
       What was their mission?  Jesus told them to "heal the sick, and say unto them, 
'the kingdom of God has come near to you'."  That was all - two things.  Later 
in the chapter (v. 17), we find out that demons were subject to the 70 persons when they 
used the name of Jesus to drive them out.  This implies that exorcism was part of the 
"healing of the sick".  Where did the healings take place? How did they 
proclaim the nearness of the kingdom of God?  We are not told.  However, there are some 
possibilities.  First, we could infer that only the house in which they lodged was given 
the "good news" and healings.  Second, they could have preached in the streets 
or at the market (public places).  Third, they could have proclaimed the "good 
news" in the weekly synagogue meetings.  Fourth, they could have gone from house to 
house, inviting the inhabitants to listen to their message.  We don't know, because we 
are not given the specifics. We also do not know how long was the mission.  There is much 
to be left to the imagination.  

 July 11 – Nostalgia

Ecclesiastes 7:10 – "Do not say, 'Why were the old days better than these?' It is not wise to ask such questions."

       Usually this question arises in the minds of older individuals who grew up in a middle-class lifestyle; although the question can emanate from anyone who has lived to see large societal changes. That last word is what causes the question in the first place: CHANGE. That is a constant in our ever-moving western world of 2026. Societal structures, government, business, cultural mores, and technology seem to progress (not necessarily for the better) whether we like it or not. It is usually when we don't like it that the big question above is asked. This is where nostalgia kicks in. We long for the old days when things were better, when life was simpler, more community-oriented, less disjointed, slower, peaceful, and more godly. Often, life was actually better, due to the fact that we had more freedom, more money, less stress, and less regulation from governing authorities. However, sometimes the question is asked because life was so good that, in our minds, it verged upon the closest thing to utopia in a fallen world. Since that utopia has dissipated, we now want it back. That will never happen however, because we can't go back to the days of the local emporium or general store or non-existent social media, or whatever we deem to have been better. Life has changed!

       A renewal of the mind is needed once again. I am convinced that life is a constant series of repentings. Remember that repentance means a change of the mind. Then, John the baptizer told us to produce fruit in keeping with repentance; that is the action part (Luke 3:8). We must remember that we are strangers and aliens on this planet (1 Peter 1:11), a vapor that appears for a short while, then vanishes (Psalm 39:5, 6). The old days, as good as they might have been, will pale in comparison to the awesome things that God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). As part of the mental correction, Hebrews 11:13-16 encourages us with the following: "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. They admitted that they were aliens and strangers on this earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one."

       When life seems worse now than in the "good ole days", we Christians must remind ourselves, that we were born for such a time as this (Esther 4:12-14). God placed us in the exact time in history and location so that we would reach out to him (Acts 17:26-27). There are good new days ahead, even if they are only in the next life. Keep the faith; you will eventually get there!