In Luke 10:1–12, Jesus sends out seventy followers to prepare the way for his coming, teaching them to travel lightly, offer peace, accept hospitality, and proclaim that God’s kingdom has come near. His instructions highlight both dependence on God and adaptation to the culture they enter—reminding us that ministry isn’t about standing apart but about living among people so the gospel can be heard. Just as Paul later connected with Greek culture at Mars Hill, we too are called to love our neighbors, build relationships, and share Christ in ways that show we genuinely care. True witness flows not from preaching at people, but from living with them in humility, love, and service.

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Well, good morning. It’s good to be with you on this wonderful Wednesday morning. It’s great to continue our time together in Luke’s gospel.

Today we’re looking at a story that really parallels something we saw at the start of chapter 9. There we read about Jesus sending out the twelve. Today we’ll see him sending out seventy others. Let’s read Luke 10:1–12:

“After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.” I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.’”

So back in chapter 9, Jesus sent out the twelve. Now he sends out seventy. The instructions are similar—don’t take extra supplies, stay where you’re welcomed, and if you’re rejected, shake the dust from your feet. But there are also some key differences. With the seventy, Jesus is very clear: they’re being sent ahead of him into towns he himself is planning to visit. And here he gives more detailed instructions—carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, greet no one on the road, and when you enter a house, say, “Peace to this house.”

One interesting phrase here is, “the laborer deserves to be paid.” As a preacher, that verse is often cited as a biblical foundation for the practice of paid clergy. Not every tradition does that, but it’s an important text for understanding how the early church supported ministry.

Another part that stands out is Jesus saying, “Eat whatever is set before you.” That catches my attention because later, in Acts, we see all the debates about keeping kosher laws and what’s clean or unclean. At the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, that becomes a major discussion. But here, even before all of that, Jesus is preparing his followers to eat what is placed before them, to live among people, and to adapt to the culture where they’re ministering.

Now, the text doesn’t say they ate anything unclean, but I do think this points us toward an important lesson: when we go into a culture, our job isn’t first to criticize or stand apart. It’s to live among people, to understand them, and to proclaim the gospel in ways that connect with their lives.

That’s true in missions—you may dress differently or adapt to local customs out of respect. I’ve done that myself. When I served a rural church, I wore cowboy boots to fit in. When I preach revivals, I always ask the pastor if it’s okay for me to move around, since not every congregation is used to that. And while I often wear a clergy collar, I won’t wear it at a camp meeting or revival if it would feel out of place. It’s about knowing the culture you’re in so the message can be heard.

Paul modeled this at Mars Hill when he quoted the Greek poets back to the Greeks. He knew their culture, and he used it to point them to Jesus. Here in Luke 10, Jesus is teaching his followers the same lesson—enter the community, eat what’s given, live among them, and share the kingdom in ways they can receive.

That’s an important word for us today. In our digital culture, in our workplaces, in our neighborhoods, how do we live in such a way that people see our love and know we care? If we just preach at people with no relationship, they’ll tune us out like spam email. But when people know we love them, when they see we’re willing to listen and care about what matters to them, then they’re more open to hearing about Jesus.

So Jesus tells the seventy—and us—live among your neighbors. Love them. Work for the good of your community. Build relationships, because when people know we love them, they’ll see the gospel in us.

Thanks for being with me today. We’ll pick up tomorrow with Luke 10:13. Have a great day.