ESOCS Devotional 6 March 2026 – The Great Commission – A Test Run
MEMORY VERSE: “After this the Lord chose another seventy-two men and sent them out two by two, to go ahead of Him to every town and place where He Himself was about to go.” Luke 10:1 GNB
TEXT: LUKE 10:1-16
After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. 2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 5 But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ 12 But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.
13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. 16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”
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In the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19, the Lord commanded His followers to go and make disciples of all nations, and to baptize them into the Kingdom family. This commandment was expanded in Mark 16:15-18, with powers to perform miracles accorded to those who would conform to the requirements of this great assignment. This post-resurrection commission was aimed at causing believers to ‘occupy till the Lord of the harvest returns’ for the end time judgment.
In our text today, Jesus carried out what looks like a test-run of the Great Commission of the age. At this point, His three and half years earthly ministry was about to end. Having done a lot of teaching, signs, and wonders, it was time to go to the cross for the final onslaught. Jesus wanted a great amount of publicity and teachings that He was actually the Messiah. He wanted the Jews to know this before they came to Jerusalem for the annual Feast of Passover. Moreover, He wanted everyone to know and confirm who He claimed to be. So, when they would call for His crucifixion, all will be witnesses to the event. They would thus be among the remorseful thousands who would repent on the Pentecost event (Acts 2:41).
Just as the test-run activities of our text achieved their purpose, the Lord expects all believers to wholeheartedly embark on the Great Commission mandate in order that more souls would be converted before the rapture of 1 Thessalonians 4:4-17. It’s time to brace up. It’s time to swing into action, in response to the Lord’s commands. Time is running out, and hell must be further depopulated. And don’t forget, only those who win souls are adjudged wise in the Kingdom (Proverbs 11:30).
Reflections
- The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that wins souls is wise. Do you agree?
Prayer
- Lord Jesus, I need your support to respond to this clarion call.
Further Reading: Isaiah 54:1-10; Hosea 2:16-3:5; 1 Corinthians 15:1-19
ESOCS Devotional 6 March 2026
