The Hero

The Last Journey From Galilee

Picture: The Last Journey From Galilee 3TC 314.1

This chapter is based on Luke 9:51-56; 10:1-24.

Near the close of His ministry, there was a change in the way Christ worked. Up to then He had tried to shun publicity, refused the adoration of the people, and had commanded that no one should declare Him to be the Christ. 3TC 314.2

At the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, He had made His way to Jerusalem unnoticed and entered the city unannounced. But it was not this way with His last journey. He now traveled in the most public manner, preceded by such an announcement of His coming as He had never made before. He was going to the scene of His great sacrifice, and He must direct the attention of the people to it. 3TC 314.3

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” John 3:14. All eyes must be drawn to Christ, the Sacrifice that brought salvation to the lost world. 3TC 315.1

The disciples would have prevented Him from making the journey to Jerusalem. They knew the deadly hostility of the religious leaders. It was a bitter task for Christ to lead His beloved disciples to the anguish and despair that waited for them at Jerusalem. And Satan was close by to press his temptations. Why should He now go to Jerusalem, to certain death? All around Him there were suffering ones waiting for healing. He was full of the vigor of manhood’s prime. Why not go to the vast fields of the world with the words of His grace, the touch of His healing power? Why not give light and gladness to those darkened and sorrowing millions? Why face death now and leave the work in its infancy? The enemy attacked Christ with fierce and subtle temptations. If Jesus had changed His course in the smallest way to save Himself, the world would have been lost. 3TC 315.2

But Jesus had “steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” The one law of His life was the Father’s will. In His boyhood, He had said to Mary, “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49. But in God’s great plan, the hour for Him to offer Himself for our sins was soon to strike. He would not fail nor hesitate. His enemies had long plotted to take His life; now He would lay it down. 3TC 315.3

And He “sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.” But the people refused to receive Him, because He was on His way to Jerusalem. Little did they realize that they were turning away from their doors the best gift of heaven. The Samaritans lost all this because of their prejudice and bigotry. 3TC 315.4

James and John, Christ’s messengers, were greatly annoyed at the insult; they were filled with indignation because the Samaritans had treated Him so rudely. They reported to Christ that the people had even refused to give Him a night’s lodging. Seeing Mount Carmel in the distance, where Elijah had killed the false prophets, they said, “Do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” They were surprised at Jesus’ rebuke: “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And He went to another village. 3TC 315.5

It is no part of Christ’s mission to compel people to receive Him. He wants only voluntary service, the willing surrender of the heart moved by love. There can be no more conclusive evidence that we possess the spirit of Satan than the desire to hurt and destroy those who do not appreciate our work, who act contrary to our ideas. Nothing can be more offensive to God than, through religious bigotry, bringing suffering on those who are the purchase of the Savior’s blood. 3TC 316.1

Christ spent a significant part of the closing months of His ministry in Perea, the province beyond the Jordan from Judea. See Mark 10:1. Here the people crowded around Him, and He repeated much of His former teaching. 3TC 316.2

As He had sent out the Twelve, so He “appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go.” NRSV. For some time these disciples had been in training for their work. They had had the privilege of close association with Him and direct personal instruction. 3TC 316.3

Jesus did not give the same command to the Seventy that He had given to the Twelve—not to enter into any city of the Gentiles or the Samaritans. Though the Samaritans had rudely rejected Christ, His love toward them was unchanged. In His name, the Seventy visited, first of all, the cities of Samaria. 3TC 316.4

Samaritans Responded to Christ’s Love

In His commission to the disciples just before His ascension, Jesus mentioned Samaria with Jerusalem and Judea as the places where they were to preach the gospel first. When they went to Samaria, they found the people ready to receive them. The Samaritans saw that, despite their rude treatment of Him, Jesus had only thoughts of love toward them, and He won their hearts. After His ascension the disciples gathered a precious harvest from among those who had once been their bitterest enemies. 3TC 316.5

“A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.”
Isaiah 42:3 3TC 317.1

In sending out the Seventy, Jesus instructed them not to urge their presence where they were unwelcome. “Whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you,” He said, “go out into its streets and say, ‘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.’” They were not to do this from resentment or wounded dignity, but to show how serious it is to refuse the Lord’s message. To reject the Lord’s servants is to reject Christ Himself. 3TC 317.2

Religious Leaders Turned Many Against Christ

“I say to you,” Jesus added, “that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.” Then His mind went back to the Galilean towns where He had spent so much of His ministry. Day after day the Prince of life had gone in and out among them. The glory of God had been shining on the multitudes that crowded the Savior’s steps. Yet they had refused the heavenly Gift. 3TC 317.3

The rabbis had warned against receiving the doctrines that this new Teacher taught. Instead of trying to understand the Word of God for themselves, the people honored the priests and rulers, rejected the truth, and kept their traditions. Many had been almost persuaded, but they did not act on their convictions. In this way many rejected the truth that would have been their salvation. 3TC 317.4

The True Witness says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Revelation 3:20. Every appeal in the Word or through God’s messengers is a knock at the door of the heart. It is the voice of Jesus asking entrance. With every knock unheeded, the willingness to open becomes weaker. If we disregard the impressions of the Holy Spirit today, they will not be as strong tomorrow. The heart becomes less impressible, and it lapses into a dangerous lack of awareness of how short life is and of eternity beyond. Condemnation in the judgment will not result from the fact that we have been in error, but from the fact that we have neglected heaven-sent opportunities for learning what is truth. 3TC 318.1

When their work was completed, the Seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” Jesus answered, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Beyond the cross of Calvary, with its agony and shame, Jesus looked forward to the great final day when Satan will meet his destruction in the earth that has been marred so long by his rebellion. 3TC 318.2

From that time onward, Christ’s followers were to look on Satan as a conquered foe. On the cross, Jesus would gain the victory for them. He wanted them to accept that victory as their own. “Behold,” He said, “I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” 3TC 318.3

The omnipotent power of the Holy Spirit is the defense of every repentant sinner. Christ will not permit one who in penitence and faith has claimed His protection to fall under the enemy’s power. When temptations and trials come, look to Jesus, your Helper. Thank God, we have a mighty Savior, who threw out the evil one from heaven. Why not talk of Him? God will never forsake His people in their struggle with evil. 3TC 318.4

Secret of Personal Power

Jesus added, “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Be careful not to let self-sufficiency come in, leading you to work in your own strength. Self is always ready to take the credit if any success follows the work. When we realize our weakness, we learn to depend on a power that is not our own. See 2 Corinthians 12:10. Nothing reaches down to our deepest motives of conduct as fully as a sense of Christ’s pardoning love. We are to come in touch with God. Then His Holy Spirit will fill us, enabling us to come in touch with those around us. The more closely you connect yourself with the Source of light and power, the greater power you will have to work for God. 3TC 318.5

As the Seventy listened to Christ, the Holy Spirit was writing truth on their hearts. Though crowds surrounded them, it was as though they were shut in with God. 3TC 319.1

Knowing that they had caught the inspiration of the hour, Jesus “rejoiced in the Spirit and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.’” 3TC 319.2

The honored of the world, the socalled great and wise men, could not comprehend Christ’s character. But fishermen and tax collectors were enabled to see the Invisible. From time to time, as they surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s power, God illuminated the disciples’ minds. They realized that the mighty God had wrapped Himself in humanity and was among them. Often as Jesus had presented the Old Testament scriptures and showed how they applied to Himself, they had been lifted into a heavenly atmosphere. They had a clearer understanding of these things than the original writers themselves had. Ever afterward, they would read the Old Testament scriptures as a new revelation from God. They saw Him “whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.” John 14:1. 3TC 319.3

The only way for us to gain a more perfect grasp of truth is by keeping the heart tender and subdued by the Spirit of Christ. Human science is too limited to understand the plan of redemption. Philosophy cannot explain it. But we can know the science of salvation by experience. Only those who see their own sinfulness can discern how precious the Savior is. 3TC 319.4

The lessons Christ taught as He slowly made His way toward Jerusalem were full of instruction. In Perea the people were less under the control of Jewish bigotry than in Judea, and His teaching found a response in their hearts. 3TC 320.1

Christ spoke many of His parables during the last months of His ministry. The priests and rabbis could not mistake His meaning, yet they could find no basis on which to accuse Him. Christ repeated the beautiful parable of the lost sheep. And He carried its lesson still further, as He told of the lost piece of silver and the prodigal son. After the Holy Spirit was poured out, as the disciples went out in their Master’s name facing criticism, poverty, and persecution, they often strengthened their hearts by repeating what He said on this last journey: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:32-34. 3TC 320.2