The Most Inportant Job In The World
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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. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
We have here a most important theme, The sending forth of the seventy.
1. All believers are sent of God.
There is a verse which speaks of John the Baptist, saying, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” This should be just as truly said of any, and all of us.
The Lord appeared unto Moses saying; “Come now, therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou may-est bring forth My people the Children of Israel out of Egypt.”
The Lord said unto Isaiah, “Whom shall I send, and who will go?” Then said Isaiah, “Here am I; send me.”
Unto Jeremiah the Lord came with the words, “Thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee.”
The Lord Jesus Himself said of all of us, “As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.”
2. The Lord will back up those whom He sends forth.
When Christ said, “Go ye into all the world,” He also said, “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth.”
He said again, “Lo, I am with you.” Christ meant that He would back His servants, not alone with His presence, but with all the power invested in Him as risen, ascended, and seated Lord.
No missionary or pastor or evangelist or personal worker is asked to go forth in his own name, and in his own strength.
Paul very plainly said; “My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”
3. All believers sent of God and backed up by God are sent to a designated task. Our life as Christians should not be a hit and miss testimony.
It is all right to do whatsoever our hands find to do, but we should remember that the great and outstanding service to which we are called is a specified service.
Jesus Christ said, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.”
Paul said, “I have finished my course.”
Course - the route or direction followed by a ship, aircraft, road, or river:
There were times in Paul’s life when he sought to go to certain cities, but the Lord suffered him not.
There was one time when Paul was given a vision of a man of Macedonia praying him, and saying, “Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”
Then Paul endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called him to preach the Gospel unto them.
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.
Teamwork
The Lord Jesus, in sending forth the seventy, and also the Twelve, sent them forth two by two.
Should we not learn from this the wisdom of associates in the work of the Lord?
Paul first went forth with Barnabas; then it was Paul and Silas, and then, Paul and Timothy.
There is something in this comradeship which increases power and insures success. Each needs the other, and both need God.
a. Teamwork assures power in prayer.
Christ has said, “If two of you shall agree * * as touching any thing * * it shall be done for them.”
He has also said, “Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst.”
b. Teamwork assures mutual encouragement.
One can hold up the hands of another; even as Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Moses.
There come times when one might become fainthearted, but the touch of the hand, and the cheer of the voice of comradeship presses the disheartened on to victory.
c. Teamwork carries with it the sharing of responsibility.
There are problems which are too great for one to bear.
Moses felt this when he said unto the Lord; “I am not able to bear all this people alone.”
One may be able to discern what the other fails to see. Where one lacks the other may supply.
d. Teamwork makes possible the accomplishment of a larger work.
What one cannot do, two can do.
Where one lacks, the other can supply.
All gifts never belong to one person.
To one is given the spirit of wisdom, to another the spirit of knowledge.
To one is given faith, to another is given prophecy. Thank God for the possibilities of team work.
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.
THE LIMITED SUPPLY OF LABORERS
This is the very thing that always confronts the servants of the Lord.
There is so much more to be done, than there are hands with which to do it.
If every believer would go out into the harvest field, it would be different.
However, most believers are loiterers instead of laborers.
Loiterers - stand or wait around idly or without apparent purpose:
Laborer - a person doing unskilled manual work for wages:
1. Let us pray the Lord of the harvest for laborers.
We need to carry the lack of harvesters to God. It is His work we are seeking to do. Besides this, it is God who knows not only the needs of the field, but the persons who are prepared to meet that need.
We need to pray more about the personnel of laborers. He will send us help from the most unexpected sources.
2. Let us present the needs of the field to the people.
There are some who have willing minds and ready hands, but they lack opportunity; they also lack generalship: they are willing to serve, but they need some one to open the doors unto them for service.
3. Let us back up with money and necessary preparation the laborers who are willing and ready to go.
Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
SHEEP IN THE MIDST OF WOLVES
This is still true.
There are false prophets around us everywhere, who are ready to devour the lambs of God.
These prophets are “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Satan, their lord, is as a roaring lion; and he urges on these false teachers.
The one who is true to the testimony of Christ will always find obstacles in the way.
1. The difficulties of service.
The Apostle Paul was truly sent of God, but Satan withstood him at every turn.
His pathway was not a bed of roses or easy street.
The fact that he was walking in the will of God, and filled with the Spirit of God, did not mean that he was carefree.
Paul has left on record that he was thrice beaten with rods, that once he was stoned, that thrice he suffered shipwreck. He said, “A night and a day I have been in the deep.”
In the journeyings which Paul took he reports that he was, “In perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren.”
2. The joy of suffering for Christ.
The difficulties by the way should never hinder the true servant of Christ.
He should count it all joy when he falls into diverse testings.
Weariness and painfulness, hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness, should never dampen his ardor. Remember, Paul sang in the Philippian jail, with his feet fast in the stocks.
Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
SENT FORTH WITHOUT PURSE OR SCRIP
The seventy were to carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes. Money should never be the objective in the preacher’s ministry.
1. God is the One who hires us, and He will reward us.
Have we not read, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus”?
Why then should we be fearful as to what we should eat, or as to what we should drink, or as to wherewithal we should be clothed?
Does not our Heavenly Father know that we have need of all these things?
He who clothes the flower of the field; He who feeds the birds of the air, will surely feed us.
2. We should not serve for filthy lucre.
The Bible distinctively states, in instructions to the ministry; “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, * * not for filthy lucre.”
The words ring in our ears; “Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought?
neither do ye kindle fire on Mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of Hosts.”
3. Those who reap Spiritual things should not hesitate imparting temporal things.
There is an obligation which God has placed upon the people. He had said, “Freely ye have received, freely give.”
He has also ordained “that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.” Paul commanded the saints who cared for him in his need.
He said; “I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.”