What actions can we take when our message is not welcomed? Setting the Scene Luke 10 records Jesus sending out seventy-two disciples. He equips them with power, gives them specific instructions, and prepares them for mixed responses. Verse 10 zooms in on the moment when the gospel is turned away: “ But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into its streets and declare, ” (Luke 10:10). What Jesus Told Them to Do • Step into the open: “go into its streets.” • State the truth openly (v. 11 continues the script: “Even the dust of your town … we wipe off”). • Move on without bitterness. Practical Steps for Us Today 1. Acknowledge the rejection without taking personal offense. • Acts 7:51 shows Stephen naming resistance for what it is. 2. Give a clear, final witness. • Ezekiel 3:18-19 reminds that sounding the warning clears our responsibility. 3. Shake off the dust—release the outcome to God. • Matthew 10:14: “If anyone will not … shake the dust off your feet.” 4. Leave, but leave in peace. • Romans 12:18: “If it is possible … live at peace with everyone.” 5. Keep the gospel moving to receptive hearts. • Acts 13:51-52: Paul and Barnabas shake off the dust in Pisidian Antioch and head to Iconium, “and the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Biblical Echoes of the Pattern • Jeremiah 26: Jeremiah proclaims, the leaders reject, he entrusts himself to the Lord. • John 6:66-68: Many disciples leave; Jesus keeps speaking truth, focuses on those who stay. • 2 Timothy 4:2-5: Preach “in season and out of season,” but be ready to “endure hardship” and keep going. Guarding Our Hearts While We Move On • Maintain gentleness (1 Peter 3:15-16). • Keep no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5). • Pray for those who resist (Luke 23:34). The Bigger Picture—Trusting God’s Sovereignty Rejection never thwarts God’s plan. It simply redirects the messenger to the next open door while leaving space for conviction to grow where the message was refused. Our task is obedience; the harvest belongs to the Lord (Luke 10:2). |
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