The reactions were poles apart, but Jesus knew this is the way it would be. Some would welcome with humility and hospitality, whilst others would be arrogant and hostile. So He laid out a plan for His followers to follow when confronted by these two extremes...
Firstly, from verse 8, “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’". It was a simple method of operation but it contained a combination of cultural sensitivity and the expectation that people would be miraculously healed. For all intensive purposes, this was the best case scenario and I am sure that those who were about to embark on this adventure were very much looking forward to this response being the norm. Eating with the people, perhaps some that they would not normally eat with in any other context, and then healing their sick. What better foundation could you lay for the Good News abou the kingdom of God being close. I am sure many would have become followers of Jesus from that town.
The second option was not as friendly. "But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you.' " (vs. 10-11a). Probably a fair response to an icey reception. Whilst the disciples would not be keen to receive that kind of response, I am sure they were content to wiping the dust off their feet in protest - although probably they would like to do more. The previous chapter in Luke had some of the disciples offering to call down fire from heaven when a town refused Jesus' entry, to which Jesus declined; perhaps this could be their chance to initiate devine retribution. Maybe there was some other levitical curse they call call down on those that rejected His people. But wiping the dust off was it.
Although, what those towns wouldn't realise is that by rejecting the disciples they missed out on the opportunity to see God move in miraculous ways through the healing of their sick. Sometimes we don't realise that either. When we reject Him or His Word in areas of our life, we don't know what we miss out on...we think we might get off easy, perhaps a warning like the wiping of dust, but missing out on the work of His Spirit is the greatest punishment of all.
It does not end there though. Jesus continues by tellings His disciples that they should say to those who do not welcome them, "Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near."
The message was the same. Regardless of if people welcomed them or not, they were instructed to tell them that the Kingdom of God has come near. Simple. It doesn't matter what people say think, the Gospel message does not change.
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