Luke Chapter 10 continues the road toward Jerusalem.

In Luke 9, Jesus set His face to go to Jerusalem and taught the cost of following Him. Now in Luke 10, He sends out laborers, teaches mercy through the Good Samaritan, and shows us Mary sitting at His feet while Martha is anxious and distracted.

The chapter is about mission, mercy, and listening.

Jesus sends His people out.

Jesus teaches them what love looks like.

And Jesus reminds them that the “one thing necessary” is not frantic religious activity, but receiving His Word.

Jesus Sends the Seventy-Two

Jesus appoints seventy-two others and sends them ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to go.

That matters.

They are not going to build their own ministry.

They are preparing the way for Christ.

Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” This connects closely with Matthew Ch9, where Jesus looks on the crowds with compassion and tells the disciples to pray for laborers.

The harvest belongs to God.

The workers are sent by God.

The message is not human opinion. It is the kingdom of God.

Jesus also says He is sending them as lambs in the midst of wolves. That connects with Matthew Ch10, where Jesus warns the twelve that mission will bring opposition.

The kingdom mission is merciful, but it is not easy.

Jesus tells them to heal the sick and say, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” If a town rejects them, they are to warn that the kingdom has still come near.

That is serious.

To reject the messengers of Christ is to reject the Christ who sent them.

Woe to Unrepentant Cities

Jesus then pronounces woes on Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.

These cities had seen mighty works. They had been near great light. Yet many still did not repent.

That is a warning.

Greater exposure brings greater responsibility.

A person can be near sermons, near Scripture, near churches, near Christian language, and still refuse repentance. Being near the truth is a gift, but rejecting that truth is dangerous.

From a Christian Reformed lens, this reminds us that repentance is not produced by miracles alone. The heart must be changed by grace. People can see mighty works and still remain hard.

Jesus says, “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me.”

The message of Christ cannot be treated lightly.

Rejoice That Your Names Are Written in Heaven

The seventy-two return with joy, saying that even the demons are subject to them in Jesus’ name.

Jesus does not deny the reality of that victory. He says He saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. The kingdom of God is breaking in, and the power of darkness is being overcome.

But then Jesus redirects their joy:

“Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

That is beautiful.

Spiritual power is not the deepest joy.

Ministry success is not the deepest joy.

Even seeing demons submit is not the deepest joy.

The deepest joy is belonging to God.

Names written in heaven means salvation is secure in God’s grace. The believer’s joy is not finally in what he does for God, but in what God has done for him.

That keeps us humble.

And it keeps us steady.

Jesus Rejoices in the Father’s Will

Then Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit and praises the Father for hiding these things from the wise and understanding and revealing them to little children.

This does not mean God is against true wisdom. It means the kingdom is not received by proud self-confidence. It is revealed by grace to the humble and dependent.

This connects with Mark Ch10, where Jesus says the kingdom must be received like a child.

The proud miss what the humble receive.

Jesus then says that no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

That is a high statement of Christ’s authority.

We do not climb up to God by our own wisdom.

The Son reveals the Father.

The Good Samaritan

A lawyer stands up to test Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life.

Jesus asks what is written in the Law. The man answers with love for God and love for neighbor.

Jesus says he has answered correctly.

But the lawyer wants to justify himself, so he asks, “And who is my neighbor?”

That question exposes the heart. He is looking for the boundary line. He wants to know whom he must love and whom he may leave outside.

Jesus answers with the parable of the Good Samaritan.

A man is beaten, stripped, and left half dead. A priest and a Levite see him and pass by. But a Samaritan, someone the original hearers would not expect to be the hero, sees him and has compassion.

He goes near.

He binds wounds.

He pours on oil and wine.

He puts the man on his own animal.

He brings him to an inn.

He pays for his care.

Then Jesus asks which of the three proved to be a neighbor.

The answer is the one who showed mercy.

Jesus says, “You go, and do likewise.”

The point is not that we earn eternal life by being merciful enough. The Law exposes what true love requires, and we all fall short. But the parable teaches that true neighbor-love is not abstract. It is costly mercy toward the person in need.

From a Christian Reformed lens, this humbles us. We need mercy from God before we can truly show mercy to others. Christ is the ultimate merciful Savior who came near to helpless sinners. And those who have received mercy are called to show mercy.

Mary and Martha

The chapter ends in the home of Martha and Mary.

Martha welcomes Jesus, but she becomes distracted with much serving. Mary sits at the Lord’s feet and listens to His teaching.

Martha is frustrated and asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her.

Jesus answers gently:

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.”

Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.

This does not mean serving is bad. Martha’s desire to serve is not wrong in itself. But her service has become anxious and distracted. She is near Jesus, but missing the greater need: to receive His Word.

Mary sits at His feet like a disciple.

She listens.

That is the good portion.

This connects with Luke Ch8, where Jesus teaches us to take care how we hear. In Luke 10, Mary shows what good hearing looks like.

The Message of Luke Chapter 10

Luke Chapter 10 teaches us about mission, mercy, and listening.

Jesus sends laborers into the harvest.

He warns unrepentant cities.

He tells His servants to rejoice that their names are written in heaven.

He reveals the Father by grace.

He teaches mercy through the Good Samaritan.

And He shows us Mary sitting at His feet, receiving His Word.

From a Christian Reformed lens, this chapter reminds us that everything begins with grace.

The mission belongs to God.

Salvation belongs to God.

The Son reveals the Father.

Mercy comes from Christ before it flows through us.

And listening to Jesus is the one thing necessary.

Luke 10 calls us to go where Christ sends, love with costly mercy, and sit humbly at His feet.

Because the kingdom is not built by anxious self-importance.

It is received by grace.

And it bears fruit in mercy.