Jesus was briefing 72 disciples (in addition to the twelve trainee-apostles). He told them to go without any visible means of support, nothing in reserve, just the provision that God would arrange for them.  In today's terms, no overnight bag and no credit card.  He wanted them to be a part of His mission, and therefore He would supply every one of their needs.  Later He asked the apostles, “‘When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?’  ‘Nothing,’ they answered." (Luke 22:35). The God who calls, also provides!

They would have known of Abraham who obeyed God’s call to leave his hometown without knowing where he would end up (Hebrews 11:8), and Elijah who was fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:2-6).  They would know that Jesus had no home or any of the usual domestic securities (Luke 9:58).  He was calling His followers to be like Him, to rely on divine provision; not to avoid the divine call like the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-30).  

Their mission, going out two by two, was surrounded by urgency. Soon, Jesus was going to visit the towns which had been prepared by the disciples as they preached, healed and cast out demons. There was no time to waste: the people had to know Jesus was coming so that they might want to welcome Him.  The social conventions of Eastern greetings might have delayed them by days or weeks; then Jesus would arrive unannounced, and the people would be unprepared.

It is the same today, if we are to work with Jesus.  We rarely have enough resources 'up front', and every ministry has to depend on the Lord to supply even the most basic of needs.  He never wants us to think that we can work for Him without working with Him.  If we were independent of Him, we might think that success was due to us (with the corresponding discouragement when everything seems against us!).  But also, there is urgency.  Many churches today have forgotten their role to prepare the world for the second coming of Christ (Matthew 25:13).  Believers may be content to enjoy fellowship while sinners slip unnoticed into a lost eternity.  Let us repent of that attitude and get back to the job, with Jesus!