One-Year Bible Reading Plan  : Seekers & New Believers| January 31 | Luke Chapter 10: Sending of the Seventy, The Good Samaritan, and Mary's Better Choice 

🌸 Opening Today’s Reading 

Dear Brothers, Sisters, and Friends, Peace in the Lord!

Welcome to Day 31 of our Bible reading journey! Today is January 31st, and we are so glad to continue walking together.

Yesterday in Luke Chapter 9, we witnessed the wilderness feast of five loaves and two fish, the radiant glory on the mountaintop, and Jesus' resolute decision to travel toward Jerusalem. Today, we step into Luke Chapter 10, where Jesus expands His mission, overturns worldly self-righteousness through a unforgettable parable, and invites us into a home where the most precious portion of life is revealed.

Here we find seventy disciples returning with joyful acclamations, a blood-stained road down to Jericho transformed by mercy, and a living room scene where busyness and quiet devotion softly collide.

Let us enter today's reading with expectant and receptive hearts!

📖 Context Snapshot: Lambs Among Wolves, Mercy on a Lonely Road, and Peace in the Living Room 

1. What Happened Before: From the Twelve Apostles to a Broader Kingdom Commission

Yesterday in Chapter 9, Jesus sent out the twelve apostles and revealed His glory on the mountain. In Chapter 10, as His journey toward Jerusalem continues, He appoints seventy others, sending them two by two into every town He is about to visit, launching a gospel movement across the land.

2. Today's Thread: Lambs in the Wilderness, Blood on the Jericho Road, and Sisterly Tensions

Jesus called seventy disciples together to assign them a strategic mission. Yet His opening words at their sending-off meeting left everyone gasping: "Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves!"

The disciples must have trembled: Isn't this sending us straight into danger? Yet to everyone's amazement, the seventy returned brimming with joy, reporting that even the demons submitted to them in His name! Jesus looked at them with a smile, but pointed them to a joy far grander than spiritual power...

Shortly after, a clever lawyer stood up to test Jesus, asking: "Who is my neighbour?"

With calm wisdom, Jesus shared a story set along a treacherous mountain canyon: a traveler was ambushed, beaten, and left half-dead in a pool of blood. A revered priest walked by and crossed to the other side; a respected Levite came, looked, and passed by as well. Just as life was slipping away, an outcast stranger riding a donkey stopped in his tracks...

The chapter concludes with an intimate home scene: a sister was rushing frantically in the kitchen, overwhelmed with service and growing frustrated, while her younger sister sat quietly at Jesus' feet, taking in every word. Outraged, the elder sister asked Jesus to intervene, only for the Master to gently defend the younger sister!

What secret joy did the seventy discover that made heaven rejoice? What radical mercy did the outcast stranger show on the Jericho road? And why did Jesus say the younger sister chose "that good part which shall not be taken away"?

The answers await you in today's chapter. We invite you to open your Bible and discover the truth!

💡 Questions to keep in mind while reading today:

• On Names Written in Heaven: The disciples rejoiced that demons submitted to them, yet Jesus directed their joy to their names being written in heaven. How does this reorient our spiritual priorities?

• On the Good Samaritan: The lawyer asked, "Who is my neighbour?", but Jesus flipped the question to "Who proved to be a neighbour?" How does this redefine active Christian love?

• On Martha and Mary: Martha was cumbered with much serving, while Mary chose "that good part." How can we maintain a quiet, listening heart amidst a bustling life?

💡 Today’s Scripture Verse  - Luke 10

10 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

🌟Daily Heart-Check: Anchoring Joy in Salvation, Practicing Active Mercy, and Sitting at His Feet 

Synchronized with the core questions from our reading guide:

• Anchor Your Ultimate Joy in Your Heavenly Citizenship:
  Earthly achievements, success, and even spiritual gifts pass away. Our deepest, unshakable cause for gratitude is that our names are recorded in heaven through God's redeeming grace.

• Be a Neighbor Who Showers Active Mercy and Love:
  The Samaritan did not debate religion or cross to the other side; he stopped, bound up wounds, and cared for the suffering. True faith expresses itself in practical, compassionate action toward those in need around us.

• Guard "That One Thing Needful" Amidst Daily Busyness:
  Serving others is good, but when anxieties and worries swallow our peace, we lose perspective. Take time daily to sit at the feet of Jesus, receiving the eternal, untarnished nourishment of His Word.

🎵 Response Song : 

🙏 Closing Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for showing us in Luke Chapter 10 our glorious identity as citizens of heaven, the radical mercy of the Good Samaritan, and the priceless portion found at the feet of Jesus.

Lord Jesus, thank You for recording our names in heaven. Give us hearts of compassion like the Samaritan, so that we may actively love and care for those who are hurting around us. Forgive us for times when we, like Martha, get overwhelmed and anxious with many tasks; grant us a heart like Mary's to pause, sit at Your feet, and receive that good portion that can never be taken away.

Bless every moment of our day today, and let us walk in Your peace, love, and grace.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen!