The Sending of the 70
Deep Prep
Matthew 8:19-22; Luke 10:1-16
The Big Idea: Jesus enlists believers to spread the good news and equips them with power.
Learning Goal: Learners will gain an admiration for all missionaries who accept the
challenges of telling the story of Jesus.
The sending of the 70 happens only in Luke, although all four of the Gospels have instructions of
some sort for missionaries. In fact, many of the concepts in Luke's version of the story are
scattered word-for-word throughout the other Gospels. Luke's story in particular shows that the
Jesus movement was growing to such an extent that Jesus had enough followers (not just the
twelve apostles) to send them out. They spread the message of the good news of God's presence
in the world, preparing the people for a visit from Jesus himself. Most likely, 70 is a symbolic
number, perhaps going back to the list of the nations in Genesis 10, or maybe Moses' appointment
of 70 elders to help him (Exodus 24 and Number 11). Whatever the number, we get the
impression that the entire group paired up and went out into the world to tell the world about
Jesus.
The instructions were specific, and we are told that the disciples went ahead to places where they
were not necessarily welcome—sent like "lambs into the midst of wolves" (Luke 10:3). Mission
work was and is risky in many instances. The pattern for missionary journeys established in this
story is the basis for many of the best mission efforts today. Go—a definite first step, and one that
often stymies a would-be missionary. Offer a word of peace—if you are welcome, "abide"; if not
welcomed, shake the dust off your feet and make it clear that rejection of the message does not
change the message's truth. Go where the people are and live with them. Take nothing that would
change your rather desperate need for hospitality, since accepting hospitality does something to
erase the social barriers one might encounter. Greet no one—don't linger too long because there is
urgency to your work and a need for focus that should be recognized.
Most churches have abandoned the idea of sending out every follower as a missionary. Being a
missionary might be thought of by confirmation students as a rather exotic vocational choice that
we support one or two Sundays a year (and call them "Mission Sundays"). They may think that
all missionaries go to countries half way around the world, and before they go, they have to
attend language camp for months. The only thing a lot of church members may know about
missionaries is that they send back letters and e-mail messages telling of a life quite different
from anyone's back home.
Perhaps we can't recreate the itinerancy of the early church, so how is the gospel spread today?
How do we go about our mission if it is not door-to-door? What is appropriate and effective in
our shrinking world? What do Christians have to offer to others in an age of multiculturalism and
religious pluralism? Is there a time and place for woe articles, such as Luke 10:13-16?
We learn much from this story. The harvest is plentiful, and there is more work than there are
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workers to do it. Active participation from each disciple is necessary. There is risk and even
danger in mission. Focus is necessary. The host sets the context. Peace and the nearness and
certainty of the kingdom of God is the message. Perseverance is required as is the recognition that
success is not certain.
These short lessons on mission activity have stayed the same through the ages. More importantly,
God's redemptive and unconditional love remains the same even as the context and means of
mission changes. So how are people being sent today? Do they feel commissioned? Instructed?
Do they have something to do or to say when they go to or find themselves in a "mission
situation"? If nothing else, this class ought to be a time to try on language, raise good questions,
and be suspicious of easy answers. The challenge this story brings to the modern reader requires
all of these skills. Our kids are like "lambs in the midst of wolves" often. Does their faith help
them? Do they know themselves to be the powerful missionaries that they are?
Quick Prep
Matthew 8:19-22; Luke 10:1-16
The Big Idea: Jesus enlists believers to spread the good news and equips them with power.
Learning Goal: Learners will gain an admiration for all missionaries who accept the
challenges of telling the story of Jesus.
• The sending of the 70 happens only in Luke, although all four of the Gospels have instructions
of some sort for missionaries.
• The Jesus movement was growing to such an extent that Jesus had enough followers (not just
the twelve apostles) to send them out to further the message of the good news of God's presence
in the world.
• The pattern for missionary journeys established in this story is the basis for many of the best
mission efforts today.
• How is the gospel spread today? How do we go about our mission if it is not door-to-door?
What is appropriate and effective in our shrinking world? What do Christians have to offer to
others in an age of multiculturalism and religious pluralism? Do we know ourselves to be the
powerful missionaries that we are?
Adolescent Connection
Youth can relate to going into a strange or new place and not knowing what to expect or how they
will be treated. They do it all the time. If they can make the connection and follow Jesus'
instructions to his followers—bring peace, accept what is offered to you, bring word of the
kingdom of God, leave if you are not accepted—they can see the relevance to their lives. All of
this is valid and sage advice for youth today. The more you can encourage youth to make a
connection from Bible to life and life to Bible, the more the message of Scripture will be
significant and meaningful to them. If they see no connection to their life, it is difficult for them
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to assimilate new teachings. The brain sifts and sorts and deems something important, or not, and
then acts accordingly.
Baptismal Connection
In the Rite of Affirmation of Baptism, a five-part question addresses each confirmand's intent to
continue in the covenant God made with them in Holy Baptism. Here We Stand resources help
adolescents—with support from parents, leaders, and the entire congregation—prepare to answer
this question as they continue in their lifelong faith journey. Today's lesson focuses on the clause
"to live among God's faithful people" (Lutheran Book of Worship, page 201; Evangelical
Lutheran Worship, page 236).
Welcoming
Prepare your large group space by playing upbeat music in the background and by welcoming
learners as they arrive. Make a special effort to welcome and thank adult small group leaders for
their presence and for being willing to help pass on the faith to the next generation.
• Begin by thanking learners for coming! Remind the group what a privilege you feel it is to serve
God by leading confirmation, and what a gift from God you consider all of them to be.
• Ask learners to recall last week's Big Idea if they can. Reward the first person to get it right with
a handful of candy or some other small treat to share with their small group. (Be aware of any
food allergies in the group.) Ask for a volunteer to capture last week's lesson in their own words;
affirm all genuine responses; keep going until you're satisfied everyone has been oriented.
• Project this week's Big Idea on the screen or write it in HUGE block letters on your presentation
board or overhead slide. Invite learners to recite it with you aloud. Repeat it two or three times.
Skit: Flying Lessons
Ask or assign a small group to perform the skit. In a pinch, grab enough volunteers from the
audience to form an impromptu "readers' theater" troupe.
CHARACTERS: Rob, Vanessa, the distributor (who hands out the bags), and a crowd (an even
number of people—ideally ranging from 10 to 20)
PROPS: table, bags (enough for each pair of students to get three to five; ideally, the bags all
look the same)
In the background, there's already a large crowd of people standing in line, picking up their bags
from the distributor at a table on stage right and being sent off in groups of two. Rob and
Vanessa enter stage left.
ROB: ...and that's how I got high score on "Voltron: King of the Electorate."
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VANESSA: (Tries to muster up some enthusiasm.) Wow, that's, um, really cool, Rob.
ROB: Yeah, I know. I never thought it would happen for me. But it just shows you, if you stick
to something, good things can happen. (Notices all the people. Whoa! There are a ton of people
here today.
VANESSA: Yeah. Remember last week when pastor said that we were going to go all over the
neighborhood and invite people to church?
ROB: Oh, yeah.
VANESSA: That's why everyone's here. Come on, let's get in line.
(They join the end of the line.) We're each being sent off in pairs with some of those "welcome
bags." Each pair gets assigned a group of houses, and we get to pass out the bags and invite
people to come to church next Sunday.
ROB: (Starts looking around.) Right, yeah. But doesn't the church already have people doing
this? Like missionaries or something?
VANESSA: Yeah. We're the missionaries.
ROB: (Laughs.) Yeah, right. Good one, Vanessa. We're the missionaries.
VANESSA: Are you serious? Rob, all Christians are missionaries.
(They move closer to the table.)
ROB: Right. Uh, I'm not sure if you've noticed, Vanessa, but we're not exactly in a foreign
country.
VANESSA: (Shakes her head.) It doesn't matter if you go to a foreign country. As Christians,
we're all called to spread the gospel.
ROB: Yeah, but I don't even know how to fly a plane.
VANESSA: What?
ROB: That's what missionaries do, right? They fly planes into remote places and speak foreign
languages and make slide shows and stuff.
VANESSA: (Laughs as the distributor hands her some bags.) Well, that's what some
missionaries do. But like I said, wherever we are, that is our mission field. Come on, lets go.
(Vanessa starts to leave, but Rob stops to think for a moment. Vanessa pauses.)
ROB: Okay, if you say so. I just hope we don't get eaten by tigers.
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(As they exit, Vanessa whacks Rob on the back of the head.)
Quiz Show
Best Answers
This quiz show unfolds somewhat like the game "Family Feud." Assemble two teams of five
people each. Team members stand in a line, one team on each side of the quiz show host. The
host flips a coin to see which team gets to go first. On its turn, each team gets to decide together
on what they think are possible answers to the question. A correct answer scores a point, and
incorrect answer is a strike. After three incorrect answers—or strikes—the opposing team gets a
chance to play. After that team offers three incorrect answers, or all of the correct answers are
noted, the game ends. The team with the most points is the winner.
What are some of the things Jesus told the first missionaries to do?• Take nothing with you.
• Greet nobody on the road.
• Eat and drink whatever people provide you.
• Do not move around.
• Cure the sick.
• Tell them about the kingdom of God.
Buzz In
This quiz show includes 10 multiple choice and true or false questions. Select two "contestants"
and two "buzzers." When a contestant wants to answer, he or she must tap the buzzer on the
shoulder, and the buzzer will make a unique buzzer noise. When a question is read, the person
who buzzes first gets the opportunity to answer first. Correct answers earn the person one point.
Incorrect answers end the turn. Always give the correct answers so everyone can learn. You may
want to give a piece of candy or other prize to the contestant and the buzzer with the most points.
1. True or false: Jesus only called 12 apostles. (False: 70 people were called after the 12.)
2. True or false: The 70 were called to tell others about Jesus in friendly places that had a history
of showing hospitality to followers of Jesus. (False. They were going into dangerous places—
"like lambs into the midst of wolves.")
3. A "missionary" is a person who...
a. tells others about Jesus.
b. heals those who are sick.
c. makes a lot of money.
d. both A and B. (Correct.)
4. Modern missionaries serve in...
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a. China.
b. Mexico.
c. The United States.
d. All of the above and more. (Correct.)
5. True or false: Jesus told the 70 to take "no purse, no bag, no sandals." (True.)
6. True or false: Jesus instructed the 70 to "move around as often as possible." (False. He told
them, "Do not move about from house to house"[Luke 10:17].)
7. True or false: A person can only be a missionary if he or she moves to a new country and
becomes poor. (False. People can be missionaries every day, wherever they are.)
8. True or false: Missionaries, both in Jesus' day and today, are not always welcome in the places
they are doing God's work. (True.)
9. Jesus' instructions to the 70 missionaries included...
a. eat whatever is provided to you.
b. cure those who are sick.
c. say "peace to this house" when you enter a home.
d. all of the above. (Correct.)
10. When Jesus called someone to be a missionary, and he or she told Jesus, "First let me go and
bury my father," Jesus told him...
a. "Be done by tomorrow."
b. "Let the dead bury their own dead." (Correct.)
c. "Ask your wife to do it for you."
d. "Allow me to perform the funeral."
Presenter's Interruptions
Keep this menu of short theme-related bits at the ready for those moments when you feel you're
losing your audience.
• With a loud voice say, "Freeze!" Ask students to turn to the person next to them and tell of a
time they were in a new city, state, or country. How did it feel? Was it exciting? What kinds of
things did you do in this new place?
• With a loud voice say, "Stop!" Have students find someone with whom they have not yet
spoken today. Ask the pair to define the word missionary. What do they do? Who can be a
missionary? You may wish to write the answers on the board or large sheet of paper.
Opening Prayer
Begin by saying that we will be talking about missionaries. Dim the lights and ask the students to
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think silently for a moment about what a missionary does. After 30 seconds of silence, read this
litany together (provide a printed or projected copy).
L: God, we know that we live in a world filled with fear, hatred, and corruption.
C: Help us to be your voice in the world.
L: God, you call us to be ambassadors of your peace, love, and hope.
C: Help us to do your work in the world.
L: God, you called a group of 70 people to teach others in Jesus' day about the good news.
C: Help us to trust and be bold like they were.
L: God, you equip us with power and courage us to proclaim Jesus as Lord.
C: Give us the words to speak and the ways to act.
All: Amen
My Faith Story
Share a time in your life when God called you to an uncomfortable situation. Perhaps you can
relay an experience from when you were a young person. Or maybe it was during college or
seminary days. Were there others that supported you during this time? How did you know you
were doing God's work? What kinds of tasks did you carry out? Did this experience test your
faith?
Guest Speaker
If your congregation supports a missionary, read a recent correspondence from that person. If
possible, contact the missionary and ask her or him to write a letter specifically for confirmation
students. If you are unable to receive personal correspondence, contact your synod or churchwide
office to learn of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) missionaries that are
supported in your area. Also, check out www.elca.org/globalmission/story/index.html to share a
story from a missionary with the class.
Cartoon Connection: On A Mission from God
The Funny Shape of Faith, page 166
Following Jesus, doing the work he asks us to do, does not often end with riches. Maybe you get
a lousy tunic. Maybe you end up working in a non-profit organization, where the profit is, well,
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"non." But Jesus didn't say that doing the work of the God would be easy. In fact, God told us
straight out it would be really hard. But caring for one another, working for justice, practicing
mercy...these are the ways that we live into God's love. These are the ways that we reflect the
love of Jesus. These are the ways we share the good news of the Gospel.
Ask your young people to describe the traditional, stereotypical missionary. Is this a positive or
negative image? What are positive ways in which your group can share the love of God with
others in their school, neighborhood or community? Encourage them to put these suggestions to
use by becoming "missionaries for a day." Ask them to donate money to help support ELCA
Global Missions.
Handbook Connection
Have students turn to pages 89-90 in The Lutheran Handbook, "How to Share Your Faith with
Someone." Give them a few minutes to skim through this section. Then select someone to read
point 1 aloud. Sometimes young people struggle with where to start when it comes to sharing the
good news. Affirm the idea that sharing their faith can be a natural, unforced part of their
conversations. Next have the entire class read point 6 aloud. When Jesus sent out the 70
missionaries, they didn't have the luxury of being able to invite their friends to "youth group,"
confirmation class, or worship services. Encourage students to bring a non-member friend to a
church activity in the next month.
Have students turn to pages 110-111 in The Lutheran Handbook, "How to Care for the Sick." One
of Jesus' instructions to the 70 missionaries was to cure the sick (Luke 10:9). Select students to
read each of the three points aloud. You may wish to make mention of people in the congregation
who are sick or homebound. Ask students to think of ways they can care for these people.
Have students turn to the map on page 179 in The Lutheran Handbook, "The Holy Land—New
Testament Times." In Luke 10:13-16, Jesus mentions Tyre, Sidon, and Capernaum. Ask students
to find these cities on the map so they can see where the disciples traveled. Also point out Galilee
on the map. This is the region where Jesus was staying when he sent out the 70 missionaries.
Notice how far they are away from places like Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Bible Connection: Missionary Job Description
• Have students turn in their Bibles to Luke 10:1-16. This is the main account of the sending of
the 70 missionaries. Divide the story into three parts: verses 1-3, verses 4-12, and verses 13-16.
Select students to read each of these sections aloud while the rest of the group follows along in
their Bibles. After the first part is read, ask, "To what kind of situation were the 70 called?" (See
verse 3, difficult, hostile places.) After the second part is read, ask, "What were Jesus' instructions
to these missionaries?" Write the instructions on a white board or on chart paper. You may wish
to title the list, "Instructions for Missionaries." After the third section is read, ask, "What does
Jesus have to say to the cities that do not welcome the message brought by the missionaries?"
(See verse 16, rejecting the message of the missionaries is the same as rejecting God and Jesus.)
• Next, have students turn in their Bibles to Matthew 10:6-16. Select a student to read these verses
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aloud. What similarities are there between Jesus' instructions for the twelve disciples and the 70
missionaries? (In both cases there would be hostile people, sick people to heal, and the gospel to
preach. They should stay in one place in the city and eat the food provided to them. If a town
rejects the message, they should leave and go on to the next place.) Are there any differences?
(Sent to different places.) Why do you think Jesus sent the apostles to the "lost sheep of the house
of Israel" (verse 6), and not to other places?
• Finally, have students turn in their Bibles to Matthew 8:18-22. Ask the class to read these verses
aloud together. Why do you think Jesus did not let the man go bury his father? What does this say
about the urgency of Jesus' message? How can we be urgent in telling others about Jesus without
being overbearing and turning people away?
More Bible Connections
• What distinguishes someone as a disciple or missionary of Jesus? Read these Bible selections to
discover what sets disciples apart from other people.
• Luke 12:1-42—Disciples are not afraid
or ashamed tell others about Jesus.
• Luke 12:13-34—Disciples trust God completely.
• Luke 12:35-48—Disciples serve others faithfully.
• Luke 17:1-10—Disciples forgive each other freely.
• Luke 17:20-37—Disciples expect Jesus to return.
Object Lesson: Show Me the Way
Bring a compass to show the class (the navigational device, not the tool used for drawing circles).
It's possible that some students have never seen a compass or do not know what it does. Indicate
that this is something that has been used for centuries to show travelers which direction they are
headed. In the days before GPS and online maps, people journeyed knowing only landmarks and
directions.
Jesus told the first missionaries to pack light. In fact, he told them not to pack anything; just go.
This required a great deal of trust. Ask the students what kinds of things they pack when they go
on a trip. What kinds of things do they think are necessities when going to a new place? Would
you be able to follow Jesus' instructions or would you want to take at least a change of clothes
and some deodorant?
Emphasize the point that following Jesus' instructions required a great deal of trust on the part of
the 70 missionaries. Not only were they sent into hostile territory, but they did so without any
possessions or navigational devices (that we know of).
Science Connection: How Far Will It Spread?
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In advance of this lesson, assemble the following items and read through this experiment.
Confetti, polystyrene foam packing peanuts, or popcorn
Copy paper
Electric fan
Hair dryer
Shop vacuum with a hose
Brooms, dustpans, and large garbage bags for cleanup
"Spill" confetti, foam peanuts, or popcorn in different places around the room. Gather the
students in the center and talk about what an oil spill or other liquid spill is like.
Ask the students to think about what happens when there is a spill. Is there a way to control the
spill to maintain minimum damage? What are some ways to organize to clean up the spill? What
are some aftereffects of a spill?
Give each student a piece of paper to fold into a fan. Have students use their fans to distribute the
items you have placed around the room without touching the items. There will probably be little
success in moving the items.
Now turn on the fan, hair dryer, or the blower on the shop vacuum and watch how quickly and
haphazardly the "spill" spreads. Can you control the spill at this point? Turn the equipment off
and talk about how to organize in an efficient and effective way to clean up the spill. What can be
done? What can you do with the materials after cleanup?
This kind of spill isn't good! It spreads quickly, is messy, and can be destructive in our
environment. There is something we want to spill out and spread quickly, though—the good news
of Jesus, and God's love. We can be like the missionaries that Jesus sent by finding ways to share
this message.
Video/DVD: Call to Action
Option 1: Flyboys
Provide the movie Flyboys (2006, PG-13).
Start cue: (Chapter 7, 00:29:43) The pilots sit in folding chairs under a tent. The commander
stands at a map and briefs the troops on their mission. "The Germans are moving toward the
Meuse River."
End cue: (Chapter 7, 00:30:33) The commander asks, "Any questions?"
A company of inexperienced, young recruits has been training to become fighter pilots during
World War I. On the eve of their first mission, their commander briefs them on the enemy's
position, and their strategy to keep Paris from falling. As he prepares to send them out, he
reminds them to "remember their training" so that they will succeed.
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• How did Jesus train his followers before he sent them out? What final instructions did he give
them before they hit the road?
• What is a missionary? In what ways can we all be missionaries, no matter where we find
ourselves?
Please preview this content to determine its appropriateness for your setting.
Option 2: Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
Provide the movie Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003, PG-13).
Start cue: (Chapter 29, 0:15) Elle enters an office party: "Ladies, it's time."
End cue: Protesters carry a sign that reads, "Support Bruiser's Bill."
Elle's efforts to get an animal-protection bill passed have reached an impasse. Realizing that her
small support system in Washington, D.C., isn't enough, she calls on her nationwide network of
sorority sisters to join the cause.
• When have you experienced a "strength in numbers" victory?
• If you and your friends were staging a demonstration to get the good news out there, what
slogan would you paint on your sign?
Please preview this content to determine its appropriateness for your setting.
Option 3: Galaxy Quest
Provide the movie Galaxy Quest (1999, PG).
Start cue: (Chapter 14, 1:10) The crew hides behind corners in a hallway as soldiers run by. The
computer says, "Core overload. Emergency shutdown overridden."
End cue: "Pedal to the metal, Commander."
When actors from the TV show Galaxy Quest are mistaken for actual intergalactic heroes, they
become key players in a war between alien races. As the battle escalates, their commander
dispatches them to various parts of the ship and calls on his fan base on Earth to join the fight.
• What challenges might we, Jesus' disciples, experience in our "assignments" to various corners
of the kingdom?
• When has God's call to action "interrupted" your routine? How did you respond?
Please preview this content to determine its appropriateness for your setting.
NOTE: Consult Christian Video Licensing International at Motion Picture Licensing
Corporation (1.800.462.8855 or www.mplc.com) for its umbrella licensing program covering the
use of videos/DVDs or video/DVD clips in any public gathering.
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Music: Leaving Home
Option 1: "Life Is a Highway"
Provide the song "Life Is a Highway" by Rascal Flatts (from Cars—Soundtrack from the Motion
Picture, Walt Disney Records, 2006).
The good news of Jesus was spreading more and more into farther corners of the earth. Jesus sent
not only the disciples, but also many other people to share this good news and declare the gospel.
"Life Is a Highway" is a song with lyrics that suggest travel, movement, and meaning in
existence. This can be interpreted as a contemporary look at what the followers of Jesus might
have been feeling and thinking as they spread the good news around the world.
• Have you ever heard of missionaries? Who are they, and what do they do? Do you know any
missionaries?
• Imagine what it would be like to live the life of a missionary. Describe and share what you think
a missionary's life might be like.
• Would you ever be interested in becoming a missionary? Why or why not?
• How can you be a missionary in your life right now?
Please preview this content to determine its appropriateness for your setting.
Option 2: "All Over the World"
Provide the song "All Over the World" by Matt Redman (from Passion: How Great Is Our God,
Sparrow Records/sixstepsrecords, 2005).
Jesus and his disciples had been spreading the good news of the gospel to thousands of people on
their journeys. More and more people eventually became believers, and they were then sent to
share the good news with people all over the world. This song shares that story and that message
for today's world; the praises of Jesus can be sung in every language and in every corner of the
earth.
• How is the word of God being spread in the world today? Where is the word of God being
shared in the world today?
• What is your church community doing that helps to spread the good news of Jesus locally,
nationally, and internationally?
Please preview this content to determine its appropriateness for your setting.
Option 3: "Far from the Home I Love"
Provide the song "Far from the Home I Love" sung by Michele Marsh (from Fiddler on the
Roof—30th Anniversary Edition, EMI, 2001).
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In Fiddler on the Roof, this song describes the feelings of a daughter leaving home to be with her
husband. However, the lyrics could easily describe the feelings of someone leaving home and all
that is familiar to him or her in order to follow a calling to be a missionary.
• How do the lyrics mirror the challenges sometimes faced by missionaries in other countries?
• What are some of the challenges facing missionaries today?
• What are some ways you can be missionaries at home?
Please preview this content to determine its appropriateness for your setting.
Learning in Motion
Plan a photo scavenger hunt. Prepare in advance by taking photos of items—both common and
obscure—found in the church. Give the photos to small groups of students, and tell them they
have to find the items. (If you have a digital camera, you can put the picture files into a word
processing document so all the pictures are together on one page.) The group is to write what the
item is and where it is found. The first group to return with all the correct answers is the winner.
Once all return, explain that being a missionary sometimes means seeking out people and
situations that need your help. It takes time and persistence to do God's work in the world.
Closing Questions
Consider starting the Closing Time with a "Stump the Presenter!" moment in which learners may
ask you questions that have come up during their small group discussions, but for which they
want further explanation. This gives the small group leaders an "honorable out" when they get
into sticky theological territory, and it's a great way to start out your final minutes together.
If there are no "Stump the Presenter!" questions, tickle learners with one or more of the following
questions to connect Small Group Time with the larger conversation:
• Whom did Jesus enlist to spread the good news of the gospel?
• Whom does Jesus enlist today to do the same job of spreading the gospel?
• How can you be a missionary in everyday situations?
Closing Ritual
Have the group stand in a circle and join hands. Stand in the middle and offer this prayer:
God, you have called us to be your voice in the world. Empower us with the words to say
and the ways to act. Help us to be missionaries who share the good news of your Son, Jesus
Christ. Amen
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Closing Blessing
Before anyone leaves to go home, make sure each learner receives the following blessing from
the small group leader, or from you! (Or, if you like, consider writing your own blessing, based
on your teaching time.) Have leaders trace the cross on each learner's forehead as they say the
blessing.
Ask students to turn to a partner, place their hand on the shoulder or head of the other person, and
exchange this blessing:
May God bless you to be a bold and courageous witness in the world, today and always.
Amen
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Small Group Leader Sheet: The Sending of the 70
Instructions
Make sure each learner has a Learner Sheet for use during your discussion. At the end of the
lesson they can take the Learner Take-Home Sheet to use with their household at dinner or
bedtime.
Be sure to start on a positive note. Welcome each learner by name. Let them know you're glad
they're here! If anyone is absent, mention you'll be praying for that person together. Small Group
Time is for give-and-take discussion. Your main job is to draw learners out and get them talking
about the theme. Ask open-ended questions that will provoke responses. Once the conversation
begins, intervene only to bring it back on track or to stimulate more talk.
Quick Prep
Matthew 8:19-22; Luke 10:1-16
The Big Idea: Jesus enlists believers to spread the good news and equips them with power.
Learning Goal: Learners will gain an admiration for all missionaries who accept the
challenges of telling the story of Jesus.
• The sending of the 70 happens only in Luke, although all four of the Gospels have instructions
of some sort for missionaries.
• The Jesus movement was growing to such an extent that Jesus had enough followers (not just
the twelve apostles) to send them out to further the message of the good news of God's presence
in the world.
• The pattern for missionary journeys established in this story is the basis for many of the best
mission efforts today.
• How is the gospel spread today? How do we go about our mission if it is not door-to-door?
What is appropriate and effective in our shrinking world? What do Christians have to offer to
others in an age of multiculturalism and religious pluralism? Do we know ourselves to be the
powerful missionaries that we are?
Prayer Time
Go around the group and have each learner share the best and worst thing from his or her week.
Remind learners to pay special attention to (for example) the person on their right, as they will be
praying for that person in a moment (alternate prayer partners from week to week). When the
group has finished, prayer partners can pray for each other.
Key Words
DISCIPLE is a person who follows Jesus.
The Sending of the 70 page 15
MISSIONARY is the term given to someone sent to do God's work. This often includes teaching
about God and caring for the sick.
ENLIST means to call someone to a task. Jesus enlists believers to spread the good news.
EQUIP means to provide someone with what is needed for a task. Jesus equips the believers with
power to spread the good news.
Discussion Time
Use the following questions to kick off a conversation about the theme:
• Jesus called a group of 70 missionaries and sent them into the world to tell people the good
news of the gospel. He gave them a rather detailed job description. Read Luke 10:1-12 for the
details of the job. Do you think you would be able to say "yes" to Jesus if he asked you to do this
job? Why or why not? (Encourage students to be honest. Most people, regardless of age, would
have a hard time leaving everything and entering a potentially hostile environment. This gives us
a great deal of admiration for what these 70 apostles did, and it challenges us to deny ourselves
and follow Jesus.)
• The Lutheran Handbook section on pages 110-111, "How to Care for the Sick," is important.
There are lots of sick people in the world. Do you know anyone that is currently sick in mind,
body, or spirit? (Let the group respond.) How can you help the people? (Strategize ideas that
could be put into action by individuals.) How can this class support you in your care for this
person? (The class may have several ideas; be sure prayer is one of them.)
• A missionary is someone who tells others about Jesus. What are ways that you can share the
good news of Jesus Christ with people you know? Who is someone that you can share your faith
with? What is a specific way you can do this? (Affirm all answers. Encourage the youth to think
beyond the simple answers of "be nice to them" and "tell them that Jesus loves them." Challenge
them to consider some concrete, realistic ways they can share their faith. Remember that telling
the good news is often done through acts of loving kindness, not just the spoken word.)
Big Fun Idea
Find a place in your community where the members of your group have never been before. Make
plans to do something fun in this new place. Play a new game in a park, eat at a new restaurant, or
visit with the pastor in a new church. Talk about what it feels like for everyone to share a new
experience together.
Big Serving Idea
Find out if your congregation or another local church supports a missionary. If so, consider
sending letters of encouragement and thanks to this person. You may want to ask him or her what
is needed most in the mission field. Then plan a way to collect and send the items to the
missionary. Pray regularly for this person and for all missionaries around the world.
The Sending of the 70 page 16
Funny Shape of Faith Small Group Devotions: The
Sending of the 70
Have a volunteer read the devotion that corresponds with this cartoon: "On a Mission from God,"
The Funny Shape of Faith: Devotions for the Rest of Us (Augsburg Fortress, 2007), p. 167. Then
use the following questions to spark group discussion.
How do you share your faith with others?
What is mission work? What kind of mission work could you engage in?
What do you do when you're discouraged about trying to serve God?
The Sending of the 70 page 17
Learner Sheet: The Sending of the 70
Matthew 8:19-22; Luke 10:1-16
The Big Idea: Jesus enlists believers to spread the good news and equips them with power.
Big Fun Idea
Find a place in your community where the members of your group have never been before. Make
plans to do something fun in this new place. Play a new game in a park, eat at a new restaurant, or
visit with the pastor in a new church. Talk about what it feels like for everyone to share a new
experience together.
Big Serving Idea
Find out if your congregation or another local church supports a missionary. If so, consider
sending letters of encouragement and thanks to this person. You may want to ask him or her what
is needed most in the mission field. Then plan a way to collect and send the items to the
missionary. Pray regularly for this person and for all missionaries around the world.
Prayer Time
Remember your partner's prayer needs—record them here.
Discussion Time
• Jesus called a group of 70 missionaries and sent them into the world to tell people the good
news of the gospel. He gave them a rather detailed job description. Read Luke 10:1-12 for the
details of the job. Do you think you would be able to say "yes" to Jesus if he asked you to do this
job? Why or why not?
• The Lutheran Handbook section on pages 110-111, "How to Care for the Sick," is important.
There are lots of sick people in the world. Do you know anyone who is currently sick in mind,
body, or spirit? How can you help the people? How can this class support you in your care for
this person?
• A missionary is someone who tells others about Jesus. What are ways that you can share the
good news of Jesus Christ with people you know? Who is someone that you can share your faith
with? What is a specific way you can do this?
The Sending of the 70 page 18
Learner Take-Home Sheet: The Sending of the 70
Matthew 8:19-22; Luke 10:1-16
Take this sheet home and keep it someplace near the dinner table, like on the fridge. At least three
times next week at dinner, use Prayer Time and one other family activity to make your
confirmation learning come alive!
Prayer Time
Sit together at a table or in a circle and join hands. Ask someone to offer a prayer. It could be
something like the following:
Gracious God, thank you for the gift of this family. Help us to be at work in the world in the
way you call us to be. May we reach out to others and share the good news of your Son with
everyone we encounter. Amen
Key Words
Keep a family white board someplace near the dinner table, and write these words on it. Try
writing a family definition for each one during the week.
DISCIPLE
MISSIONARY
ENLIST
EQUIP
Talk Time
• Luke 10:1-16 is the often overlooked story of the sending of the 70. Select someone to read this
story aloud. What kinds of things did Jesus instruct these missionaries to do? To what kinds of
places would they be going—friendly or unfriendly?
• The Lutheran Handbook includes the section "How to Share Your Faith with Someone," on
pages 89-90. Spend some time reading the various ways you can share your faith with others. Is
this something that comes easy to you or is it somewhat difficult? Why do some people have a
hard time sharing their faith with others? Who is someone that you can share your faith with?
How can you go about it?
• What do you know about modern missionaries? Do you know any personally? Have you heard
what missionaries are doing today? Do you think missionaries do the kinds of things Jesus talked
about in Luke 10? Would you ever consider being a missionary somewhere else in the world?
Why or why not?
Web Time
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Check out www.elca.org/globalmission/mission/webs.html. Here you will find several Web sites
of ELCA missionaries. Spend some time looking at these sites to learn what missionaries are
doing to share the good news with the world. Does this sound like something that would ever
interest you? Why or why not?
Ritual Time
Have everyone share one way they can do God's work this week. After everyone has shared, ask
someone to offer a prayer. Pray that God will equip you with what you need to do God's work.
During the week, help each other carry out his or her mission plan.
The Sending of the 70 page 20
Video (High Resolution): Don't I Need a Plane?
Media file: TheSendingofthe70.mov
As Jesus sent out the 70, he said, "I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves"
(Luke 10:3). What a great analogy! It may seem scary at first, but there is comfort in this
statement.
In nature, wolves are dangerous, vicious creatures, while lambs are gentle and not well equipped
for danger. So why would Jesus send gentle "lambs" into dangerous missionary work? When he
called the 70, Jesus empowered all people to serve his mission. He acknowledged the scariness of
being sent into unfamiliar territory, but also reassured us that we all have the ability to do such
work, even if we don't feel ready. Our faith as Christians is more than enough to equip us as
"lambs" to fight the "wolves" in this world.
How can you be a missionary for Jesus? Are Jesus' followers compared to lambs in other parts of
the Bible? Work in groups to think of more analogies for Jesus' missionaries.
The Sending of the 70 page 21
Video (Low Resolution): Don't I Need a Plane?
Media file: TheSendingofthe70.mp4
As Jesus sent out the 70, he said, "I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves"
(Luke 10:3). What a great analogy! It may seem scary at first, but there is comfort in this
statement.
In nature, wolves are dangerous, vicious creatures, while lambs are gentle and not well equipped
for danger. So why would Jesus send gentle "lambs" into dangerous missionary work? When he
called the 70, Jesus empowered all people to serve his mission. He acknowledged the scariness of
being sent into unfamiliar territory, but also reassured us that we all have the ability to do such
work, even if we don't feel ready. Our faith as Christians is more than enough to equip us as
"lambs" to fight the "wolves" in this world.
How can you be a missionary for Jesus? Are Jesus' followers compared to lambs in other parts of
the Bible? Work in groups to think of more analogies for Jesus' missionaries.
The Sending of the 70 page 22
Music Clip: Send Me?
Media file: TheSendingofthe70.mp3
Song: "Send Me"
CD: Daughters of God (www.spiritandsong.com)
Artist: Nellie Cruz
© Sarah Hart, Kevin B. Hipp
There were no directions
Waiting for me when I arrived
I was given no map
Telling me go left or right
I was to learn life's lessons
Struggle in darkness, find my way
My only light, the promise you gave
When I was young, I thought of missionaries as something like mythical creatures, similar to a
unicorn or a hobbit. The reality is that missionaries are regular people like you and I. Just because
someone feels called to be a missionary doesn't mean that she or he doesn't have fear or other
struggles. The song "Send Me," sung by Nellie Cruz, laments some of the feelings a missionary
might experience. Play the song, then ask the following questions.
• Is there any difference between missionaries and people who are not missionaries?
• What are some things you might feel if you were called to be a missionary?
• What is the job description of a missionary?
Note: You can purchase the CD featuring this song from the Augsburg Fortress online store
(www.augsburgfortress.org).
The Sending of the 70 page 23
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Media file: TheSendingofthe70.zip
The Sending of the 70 page 24
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Media file: TheSendingofthe70.ppt
The Sending of the 70 page 25
Cartoon
Media file: TheSendingofthe70.tif
From HERE WE STAND Confirmation Series. Copyright 2009 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under Here We Stand Annual License.
The Sending of the 70 page 26