Move Out: Pray For Laborers

For the next seven weeks I’m doing a series called move out.

When you hear the words move out, what’s the first thought that goes through your head?

For most people it would be along the lines of moving out of our home or apartment and moving into another. But, for those who may have spent time in the military it brings a whole new meaning.

I remember the close knit camaraderie and team aspect of our units. So close and tight knit in fact, that there was a brotherhood within each unit, where even members of another unit didn’t mess with one of our members. We all had each other’s backs.

We got that way because of the intense training we went through to prepare us. The basic training. The hours and hours, day after day of practice. We all knew our role because it had been drilled into us over and over and over.

We were fully prepared for deployment. We could tear down rifles in our sleep and we knew our orders. We were as prepared as humanly possible for the words Move Out!

There’s a lot said in the two words move out. Move out because you’re prepared. Move out because you know your orders. Move out because it’s time to take the fight to the enemy. It’s time to move out!!

We’re going to be in Luke 10 this morning and I want you to keep the military idea of move out in mind as we read Luke 10:1-2

Luke 10:1–2 KJV 1900

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. 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.

We’re two weeks into 2024 and we have a renewed focus. That focus is people. People not here with us. People who need Jesus. Let’s talk about how Jesus, in these two verses, sets the precedent for our focus in 2024.

We’re going to discuss how Jesus calls us to move out in these ways.

We are All Called to Move Out

Jesus Tells Us to Pray

In chapter nine Jesus sent out the 12 disciples. Now Jesus sends out what the KJV says is 70 disciples. With later discoveries of texts dating closer to the original manuscripts we see the number 72. We think these numbers derive from the number of nations labeled in Genesis 10.

The Hebrew text has seventy while the Septuagint, the Greek OT, lists seventy-two. Either way the number is used, it signifies a shift. The twelve disciples were to represent the twelve tribes of Israel when Jesus sent them out. Now the seventy are representative to all the nations.

Jesus had gathered a following and they were being prepared by His teachings and His actions. Let’s look at the last thing He said in chapter 9.

Luke 9:62 KJV 1900

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Now it’s time to put that training to work. It’s time to put their hands to the plow and not look back. It’s time to take the fight to the enemy. It’s time to move out.

What were their orders? What was their role? The harvest!! This harvest isn’t talking about the final harvest “on that day.” It’s referring to the present, ready to be converted, believers in the here and now time. The disciples were trained, they followed, they trusted, and they were secure in their relationship with Jesus.

Here we are starting a new year. Most of us have followed Jesus for some time. We’ve soaked in His grace, soaked in His glory, and studied the Bible. We’re secure in our relationship with Him and have learned from Him. Now it’s time to move out!!

We are All Called to Move Out

Let’s look at Luke 10:1 again.

Luke 10:1 KJV 1900

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.

The first thing we should notice is that the 70 are appointed by the Lord. And they are in addition to the twelve apostles. Why is this important?

Because it shows that moving out into the harvest isn’t just for certain believers. It’s not just for pastors, elders, deacons, and church leaders. We are all called into the harvest.

And we also see that Jesus sent them out two and two. They weren’t sent out alone, they were meant to work together. The Lord’s plan for the harvest is for all of us to work together.

We must all be involved because the harvest is huge. Look at verse two.

Luke 10:2 KJV 1900

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.

Jesus says, “the harvest is great.” There’s no shortage for the harvest, and right now our society is ripe for harvest. There’s no shortage of people needing Jesus. But there is a shortage of people doing the work.

The harvest is great but the workers are few. That means the harvest is more than the current laborers can handle. That was the state of things then and it’s just as bad if not worse today. Way more harvest than laborers can handle.

Jesus then begins to lay out His plan for reaping the harvest. What’s the first thing Jesus tells them to do? He tells them to pray. Prayer is a major theme throughout the Bible, both in the OT and NT. That should give us some indication how paramount prayer is to our success in accomplishing God’s plan in our lives.

Jesus Tells Us to Pray

Jesus tells us to pray. But, what does He tell us to pray for? Pray for the harvest? Nope. Pray that the harvest will reap itself? Not in this generation. So what does Jesus tell us to pray for?

He tells us to pray that the Lord will send us laborers into the harvest. You see, we don’t need to pray for the harvest, because it’s always there. We need to pray for somebody to Move out!! For somebody to get harvesting.

That’s the first step in moving out. Pray for some somebodies to move out! There won’t be any harvest without laborers. Think about it! Can you imagine a farmer having sowed his crop and now it’s ready for harvest and he just stands there looking at it?

It’s not going to harvest itself. Somebody has to get out and harvest the crop. So Jesus says to pray for participants, for laborers. How are we supposed to pray for laborers for participants?

Pray for the desire to participate. Pray for that desire in yourself. Pray for that desire in others. Pray that there’s a conviction in ourselves and others for not participating.

I’m pretty sure all of us care about the eternal fate of others. But, I doubt most of us care enough. We say that’s for others. Jesus doesn’t expect me to do that. I don’t know enough, I can’t talk to people, I don’t have the gift of evangelism, I’m too tired, and too many other excuses.

That’s why we need to pray for the Holy Spirit to hold us accountable. To show us that we’re all responsible for the harvest.

Pray for vision. Pray that we’ll see the need. Who do we know that needs Jesus? Do we even think about that? Pray God opens our eyes to see those people. Pray for vision on how we reach those who need Jesus.

What works in our current society to reach those who are seeking Jesus? That’s a vision to pray for. Pray for each other to feel compelled to move out.

Pray that we feel the need. We see the world around us and always exclaim how much they need Jesus. But how many of us actually do anything about it? We see everything going on around us and complain about how revolting it is.

It’s like a horrible wreck. We just want to look the other way and pretend it’s not there. But, we can’t turn away and we know it’s there. I think most of us feel helpless to do anything about it, so we just sit here and do nothing.

Pray that we’re affected clear to the core of our being. Pray that we feel God’s desire for the lost in this world. Pray that we feel that so deep in our soul that we can’t help but move out!

Pray for courage. It’s terrifying to move out and make ourselves vulnerable. Jesus says later that the harvesters are lambs among wolves. To put it bluntly, the world wants to eat us alive.

As if it wasn’t bad enough! That’s really a terrifying thought isn’t it? We need to pray for the courage to face the wolves. We have to ask ourselves what we’re willing to sacrifice for God’s Kingdom.

In the military we were commited even to the extent of dying to protect America and it’s citizens. Are we that commited to Jesus? I would like to think I am. But I have to pray for the courage to be that commited.

Because laboring in the harvest of God’s Kingdom for His eternal citizens is exponentially more important than America and its citizens. When we are called to move out, the person who calls us must have authority to call us.

We have to trust the one who is telling us to move out. When I was in the military I wasn’t going to let the lowest rank person tell me it’s time to move out! I think you know where I’d tell them to go! The order had to come from a higher authority that we trusted.

When I was in the Navy we had an officer get stationed on our ship. He was fresh out of ROTC. A brand new butter bar ensign. That means he had a single gold bar for rank. He was the lowest rank of the commissioned officers.

He was assigned to be the office of our unit and it didn’t take long for him to get a bad reputation. He’d never been on a ship before, he didn’t have any clue as to how things really worked on a ship. If you’ve ever graduated from college, then you understand. While you learn some necessary things about your field, very little of it has any practical application at all.

That’s the situation this young officer found himself in on our ship. But he was full of pride and arrogance, so nobody was going to give him advice on any of the practical application. His authority was not trusted. In a time where we might be called to move out, he would not be one who’s orders were followed.

But Jesus tells us His authority. In Matthew 28:18 Jesus says, “all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” that’s the KJV. Every other translation I cross referenced says “all authority!” We all read that, and we all agree with that. We even say amen to it. But do we live like we trust in His authority?

We must pray for that kind of trust. Jesus is the Lord of the harvest. Pray that we trust we know enough. Trust that the Holy Spirit is with us. Trust that Jesus wants to reap the harvest more than we do.

Think about it!! I’m pretty sure he’s got much more invested in it than we do. I’m pretty sure His commitment to it makes ours look like a teenager’s commitment to obedience. We need to pray for the faith of a mustard seed. Faith that trusts Jesus will use all His authority to provide the support and resources needed.

We must trust that if we are corporately faithful to our call to harvest, Jesus will be faithful in providing all we need to accomplish the harvest. In verse 17 the seventy returned full of joy because they even have power over demons in Jesus name. It’s the same today as it was then.

However, Jesus reminds them, and us, that He’s the source of that power. And we’re not to rejoice in the power over demons (the power He gives us), but to rejoice because our names are written in heaven verses 19 and 20.

Luke 10:19–20 ESV

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Heaven rejoices when someone comes to Jesus and places their faith in Him, when their names are written in heaven. I really need you to understand, we are called to move out, We are to bring in the harvest, so their names are written in the Book of Life. We are called to be the catalyst for heaven’s rejoicing.

I read somewhere that the book of life is short, and when a page is read, only love remains. What an illustration of the Grace of God. Can you think of any better reason to rejoice?

We are all called to be laborers in the harvest. There are no bench warmers. There’s no plan for us to sit on the sidelines. The harvest is great. That means there’s more work than we can handle. No time to sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else do the work.

So, if you don’t feel a desire to be a laborer in the harvest, then it’s time to get on your knees and pray for that desire. It’s time to seek out others you trust to start praying for you to have the desire.

If others come to you then start praying that they will have the desire. We need to be praying for ourselves and for each other to have the desire to labor in the harvest.

Pray the we have the courage to move out. Pray that we trust Jesus when He says all authority in heaven and on earth are His. Trust that He will use that authority to support us as we move out.

Get motivated to move out. I can’t think of any greater motivation than knowing God’s grace for those who believe. How can we just stand on the sidelines and watch this train wreck happen? How can we stand there and watch lost souls continue on without showing them Jesus?

The harvest is plentiful and our society is ripe for the harvest. Especially the young people in our society today. They’re seeking Jesus and they don’t even know it. We just need to alter how we approach them and how we share the gospel with them.

This year we are going to focus on the community, the people, and how we share the gospel message to build the church. The first step is the we acknowledge we are all called to be laborers. That we need to pray for the desire to labor for Jesus, both in ourselves and in others.

We can’t have the harvest without the laborers and the first thing Jesus tells us is that we are all supposed to laborers. He tells us we need to pray for laborers. May we all find the desire to labor in the harvest, no matter how big or small our part might be.

My challenge this week is that we search ourselves and see where our desire stands. If we need desire, let’s not only start praying for ourselves, but let’s seek others to be praying for us. If others come to us and seek prayer let’s be diligent in praying for them as well.