The Missions of the 70 Disciples (Matthew 9:35-38) 3/27/2022
The 24 Answer of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd RUTC:
The Missions of the 70 Disciples (Matthew 9:35-38) 3/27/2022
The 25th Missions Conference is being held, and our own missions conference is being held this Lord’s Day. Why is missions needed? Why must we do this missions? Verse 35 says that Jesus went around all cities and towns, proclaimed the good news of the kingdom, and healed all disease and sickness. Verse 26 gives us the reason for that. It says that Jesus took compassion as he saw the crowd. This is God’s heart and what is rightful about missions. It is rightful for us to realize God’s heart now that we have been saved. There is a more important sentence. “They were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Because the sheep do not have a shepherd, they do not know where to go. They have no choice but to wander. Preys are waiting wherever they go. Eventually, they grow weary, tremble with anxiety, and die away. This is what it means to have been “harassed.” This is the state of our lives. God desires to heal and save them. This is the necessity of missions. The Lord says in verses 37-38 that we have something to do. There are too many people asking for help and many to share the gospel to and save, but there is a shortage of workers. Thus, it says to pray to the Lord to send out workers for the harvest. There is an absolute reason for God to answer when we pray for missions, give missions offering, and when God calls us. He desires to use me and for disciples who will be used for those works to arise through me. This is what is absolute about missions. Missions is the way to save all nations and peoples who are suffering and the absolute blessing that me, my posterity, and the church will enjoy. What do we think as we look at Ukraine currently? The United States and the rest of the world are anxious as North Korea has successfully created its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Is it up to politicians to stop these wars and the world from perishing? When Joseph alone realized the mission, his entire family, Egypt, and surrounding nations and peoples were saved. When his posterity lost hold of this mission, they became enslaved. Why did Israel become captives to Assyria and Babylon? They lost hold of the covenant of “all nations and peoples will be blessed through you and your offspring” and the mission that comes from that (Jonah’s great failure). On the contrary, when we hold onto the covenant and mission of “all nations will be blessed through you and your posterity,” God will have no choice but to work with the power of the Holy Spirit, the blessing of the throne, and unprecedented answers (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-20, Acts 1:8). It is not just the individual, but God will bless the church and nation as ones that will save and revive the world (why we focus on 18th century England, 19-20th century America, and 21st century South Korea). Now, we must hold onto God’s absolute reason for world evangelization and world missions and discover the absolute method.
- God desires us to be the 70 disciples who hold onto the accurate gospel.
The Lord did something after He said to ask the Lord to send workers for the harvest. He raised 70 laymen disciples (Luke 10). God desires to use us as the 70 disciples of this age.
1) Who are the 70 disciples? They are those who know Christ accurately and have held onto that blessing.
Personal problems and the problems of this world and age do not merely come. It is man’s greed and corruption. There is a fallen spirit behind that, Satan. That Satan crumbled the first life, Adam, and continues to deceive all lives (John 8:44). He leads all to greed, corruption, disputes (Isaiah 60:1), suffering, and curses (Revelations 13:15-18).
2) Why did Christ come? What did he do? He “finished everything” on the cross (John 19:30).
He took all sins and curses as the true priest (Isaiah 53:5-6). He delivered us (Romans 8:1-2) and made us children of God who will enjoy heavenly blessings (Ephesians 1:3-5). He came as the true king and crushed the head of Satan, who worked as a false king (Genesis 3:15) and destroyed the works of the Devil (1 John 3:8). He came as the true prophet, became the way to meet God, and became the eternal way of our lives (John 14:6). This Christ has finished all life problems.
3) The one disciple who knows, experiences, and enjoys this Christ is needed.
They are to go and speak of Christ and become witnesses of Christ. They are those who need to go to the world. Are they weaknesses, problems, and suffering? It is a time for that to become a deep opportunity to experience Christ. It is a time to receive evidence. A woman who had five failed marriages became that disciple (John 4:1-30). Mary Magdalene, who had been demon-possessed, became that disciple (John 20:18). Priscilla and Aquila, who were cast out of Rome for marrying interracially, became those disciples (Romans 16:3-4). They became the greatest supporters of the Lord and other evangelist who proclaimed the gospel. They became witnesses who received the blessing of the throne.
- The 70 disciples are those who do specialized missions in their place (laymen disciple, laymen missions).
This is the absolute reason for God to grant and bless my school, workplace, and business. This is especially the absolute reason for us to live in America.
1) I am the missionary of my field. God has sent me (commission).
Pray for darkness to be bound there (role of the watchmen of light and light tower). Pray to become a victor with a reason that can give the answer of Christ and testify to others (blessing of the summit). Pray to be able to save anyone (spiritual doctor). One day, thirsty and prepared people will find you (just as Pharoah came to Joseph).
2) Pray that I alone am the spiritual ambassador representing my region, nation, and people.
That was Joseph’s prayer (Genesis 45:5). This was Moses’ prayer (Acts 7:23). This was Esther’s prayer (Esther 4:16). Absolute answers and blessings begin to the disciples who hold onto the absolute reason (unprecedented blessings).
- The 70 disciples are people who prepare for future missions.
1) That is how there is a future for my life and separate answers and blessings to receive in old age (Deuteronomy 34:7, 1 Chronicles 29:28).
There is a separate prize to receive in the eternal future (Galatians 6:7-8). Do not be discouraged; it said that at the proper time, we will reap a harvest (Galatians 6:9).
2) Disciples who will reveal the light and glory of the gospel in this age will come forth from our posterity. They will come as missionaries who will go to each nation.
This is the conclusive reason we do the remnant movement (the “evangelism disciple” among the five blessings of a remnant). This is also why Paul went to the synagogue in each region. The Jews taught only the elitist mindset, law, tradition, and culture of Israel in the synagogue. However, Paul discovered disciples who would come to know and experience Christ and revive the world (Timothy, Titus).
Conclusion – We are not doing average missions. Only the gospel of Christ saves the world (world evangelization). Believers who know this gospel, have experienced it, and have concluded with only the gospel, save the world (evangelism disciple). The prayer, devotion and ministry of you, laymen, are important (70 disciples).