Luke 9:51-10:24. The great evangelistic campaign of the seventy-two was a victory for the kingdom of God. Because these believers were spreading the gospel, even the demons could not stand in their way. Luke puts this story in its proper context by showing that even though this campaign was a success, there were other attempts to spread the same gospel that were not so successful. An attempt to reach a village of the Samaritans did not go as well as the encounter with the woman at the well in Sychar (John 4). The village did not receive him (9:51-56). Some attempted to join the movement but Jesus rejected them, knowing that they were not committed, thus would not be able to pay the cost of following him (57-62).  Even in commissioning the 72, Jesus warned that the major cities of this northern campaign would be judged because they would resist the message, in spite of all the miracles that would attest to its veracity (13-15).

LORD, give us the tenacity to keep preaching the gospel no matter what the reception we get.