Our ministries, in whatever form those ministries are revealed, are to prepare the way for a visitation from Jesus. “The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit” (Luke 10:1). Jesus had a plan, and He was preparing the disciples on how to live and act as they went forth.

“Now go and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves” (vs. 3). There will be times when wolves will try to gnaw on the lambs the Lord sent out to prepare the way for His coming. Some disciples will give up at this point at the first exposure to a wolf’s voracious teeth.

The disciples carried blessing with them to give to those willing to accept the Lord, “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you” (vs. 5-6).

If the disciples’ message was rejected, Jesus told them to dust the rejection from their feet and move on. The Lord issued a warning to those who refused to accept His Message: “I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day” (vs. 12). Rejecting the Gospel has a dire outcome for those who reject the Lord. The disciples of Jesus, then and now, carry that sober reality with them when they preach and teach in His name.

“Then Jesus said, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me” (vs. 16). All that Jesus taught pointed people to the Father. His message and His ministry were about offering people the only way to return to the Father.

When the disciples returned from their ministry assignment, they said, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” (vs. 17). The Lord responded to their excitement, “Don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” (vs. 20).

The Lord chooses people who have failed Him in so many ways to present the Gospel to unredeemed people. In our going out in Jesus’ name, we, like the 72 who were sent by the Lord, will be taught a valuable truth: the Message is more powerful than the messenger.