Welcome to this gathering at Lugarno Peakhurst Uniting Church on Sunday 3 July 2022. In last week’s reading various people gave different excuses in response to Jesus’ call on their lives. In today’s reading, we have a direct contrast, where we find seventy-two disciples appointed and sent out two by two by Jesus to go ahead of Him to every town and place, where He was about to go. In addition, they were to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field. In this case no excuses were given and they willingly carried out Jesus’ instructions.
On their return from what appeared to be a successful mission, they rejoiced that even the demons submitted to us. Jesus in a way rebuked them when He said ‘do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’
