Workers for the Lord of the Harvest
Transcript Search
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 37:40
0 ratings
· 4 viewsFiles
Notes
Transcript
Pyramid scheme:
usually good for the one at the top, not so much for the ones on the bottom.
In the kingdom of God, all who are of Christ are to be recruiting other workers.
In this case, the workers at all levels receive the manifest blessings of the cross
Big Idea: Gospel work is a partnership between all believers
Big Idea: Gospel work is a partnership between all believers
Gospel work is:
Antagonistic to many
Best with support
Commanded by our Lord
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.
Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’
And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.
And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.
Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.
Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say,
‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’
I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
Some manuscripts have 70. 70 was the number of elders filled with the spirit to help Moses and Aaron. sometimes 70 represents the nations of the world in ancient Hebrew context. 12 disciples/12 tribes.
two by two:
There is strength in having help (mutual support and encouragement)
Also, it took two witnesses to establish a fact
In this case, two witnesses to the ministry of Jesus, but also
two witnesses to the rejection of Jesus by some
In every town and place where he himself was about to go
This group was the advance party
They had the privilege to have a ministry like John the Baptist, preparing the way for Christ
He has given this privilege to all his followers!
And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
In this verse, “Pray” is an imperative verb. An unequivocal command from Jesus to these disciples to pray.
This prayer is to work and do the work. He tells the laborers to pray for other laborers to help them! Just as a worker at harvest might say to the landowner, “we need help”, so we are to work, and at the same time appeal for other workers. This is an earnest plea; The workers who care about the work and the success of the harvest pray earnestly that the Lord of the Harvest would do what is needed to increase the harvest. Why? Everyone benefits. The workers have more glory to share in, but ultimately they want to see their Master glorified!
That is why it says the prayer is to send out laborers into HIS harvest. It is his harvest, his work, his field, his success, and yet as his work is done, he blesses those who work for him, and so they want to have more workers in order to increase the glory of their Good Master.
Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
Two more imperatives: GO and BEHOLD.
He is sending them, commissioning them. And they are to behold, or take note, that he is sending them out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Their mission would be to people who are opposed to God. God’s enemies are also enemies of his people. There is inherent danger in this mission. There will be opposition of all kinds, from mockery and dismissal to outright violence. Wherever the gospel has been brought, it has found opposition.
In this case, our Good Shepherd is knowingly sending lamps into the midst of wolves. Why would a shepherd do that? He does so knowing first of all, that his lambs will be kept, all of them.
While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
Jesus sends us into temporary dangerous places, but eternally, those in Christ will be preserved. So whether the wolves eat the sheep, or the wolves themselves are made into sheep by the Lord, we are safe in going out on his mission, because He will keep us.
Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.
This mission is so urgent that they are not even to be burdened with carrying excessive baggage. And it is so urgent that they are cautioned to not take time to go through the long greetings that were customary in those days
Luke Comments
This is not to be interpreted as a discourtesy, but since Oriental greetings were long and time-consuming, such greetings were best avoided. The urgency of the mission did not permit such lengthy niceties. On the other hand, the greeting found in the next verse was part of the mission.
Have you ever worked with someone who seemed like they would rather talk all day than engage in the needed work?
It is frustrating! There is work to be done. As John Wayne would say, “We’re burning daylight!”
There was not time to stop for long conversations that were not part of the mission.
Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’
Shalom.
And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.
Those who receive the peace of God will be open to the messengers
Those who are not ready or will never receive the peace of God will reject the peace, but this will not take it away from the messenger. We are to have peace even when others do not receive Christ.
This is a reminder that ours is a message of peace. You may keep this in mind, when you struggle to bring the conversation to things of the Kingdom. The concept of peace resonates with everyone, because everyone has some area of life that lacks complete peace without Christ.
You can use the lack of peace to bring them to the gospel of peace.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.
Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.
Be content with what is provided. The laborer on the one hand should not feel guilty for receiving his food since he is doing gospel work. On the other hand, he should not be always looking for something better. He must be content.
Eat what is set before you. Some of the food may not have been perfectly kosher according to all the traditions, but the messengers of Christ were not to be concerned with this. Later, we know that all food was declared clean, and Jesus himself taught that the traditions of men were not as important as matters of the heart
Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
We will see the later narrative, when they return, that they had much excitement in being instruments of God’s healing power. They were given the gifts of healing, but more importantly, they were to connect that healing with the message that the kingdom of God has come near to you.
But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say,
‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’
Luke: An Introduction and Commentary 1. The Mission and the Message (10:1–12)
Perhaps a town will not receive them. Then they are to go into its streets with their message. They are to tell the people two things. First, they must wipe the dust off their feet against them (for this symbolical action see the note on 9:5), an action that tells the citizens in symbol that they have placed themselves outside the people of God. Second, they are to say that the rejection of their message does not alter the realities: it was nothing less than the kingdom of God that had come near. In rejecting the preachers they were not simply rejecting a couple of poor itinerants, but the very kingdom of God, and that has serious consequences. The people have drawn down judgment on themselves. That day is not explained, but clearly it means the dreadful day of judgment
I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
This is a damning judgement on those who refuse the gospel. Sodom is the epitome of an evil place in the OT, and the punishment of Sodom was severe.
Big Idea: Gospel work is a partnership between all believers
Big Idea: Gospel work is a partnership between all believers
Gospel work is:
Antagonistic to many
Best with support
Commanded by our Lord
What will you do with this gospel of peace you have been entrusted with?