What Jesus Did : Luke 10:2 - Pray for Harvesters
by Phil Ware
Pray for Harvesters - Luke 10:2
Jesus said to them, "There are many, many people to harvest (save). But there are only a few workers to help harvest them. God owns the harvest (people). Pray to God that he will send more workers to help gather his harvest." (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
So often we wring our hands when messages about how all Christians should be evangelistic don't seem to make much difference. At times, we can get frustrated when so few people sign up for evangelism training classes. However, we often neglect the approach Jesus commanded: we need to pray for harvesters. Why do we have so few reaching out to the lost? Could it be that we have not fervently and consistently prayed for the Lord to send out workers into his harvest fields?
Today's Prayer
Holy and gracious God, please stir your people's hearts and open your people's eyes to the need of reaching the lost. Send out workers for the harvest. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
After this, the Lord (Jesus) chose 72 more men. Jesus sent the men out in groups of two. He sent them ahead of him into every town and place where he planned to go. Jesus said to them, "There are many, many people to harvest (save). But there are only a few workers to help harvest them. God owns the harvest (people). Pray to God that he will send more workers to help gather his harvest. You can go now. But listen! I am sending you, and you will be like sheep among wolves. Don't carry any money, a bag, or shoes. Don't stop to talk with people on the road. Before you go into a house, say, 'Peace be with this home.' If a peaceful person lives there, your blessing of peace will stay with him. If the person is not peaceful, then your blessing of peace will come back to you. Stay in the peaceful house. Eat and drink what the people there give you. A worker should be given his pay. Don't leave that house to stay in another house. If you go into a town and the people welcome you, eat the food they give you. Heal the sick people that live there. Then tell them, 'The kingdom of God is soon coming to you!' But if you go into a town, and the people don't welcome you, then go out into the streets of that town and say, 'Even the dirt (dust) from your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. But remember that the kingdom of God is coming soon.' I tell you, on the judgment day it will be worse for the people of that town than for the people of Sodom. "It will be bad for you, Chorazin ! It will be bad for you, Bethsaida ! I did many miracles in you. If those same miracles had happened in Tyre and Sidon, then the people in those cities would have changed their lives and stopped sinning a long time ago. They would have worn sackcloth and put ashes on themselves to show that they were sorry for their sins. But on the judgment day it will be worse for you than for Tyre and Sidon. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No! You will be thrown down to the place ofdeath! "When a person listens to you, that person is really listening to me. But when a person refuses to accept you, that person is really refusing to accept me. And when a person refuses to accept me, he is refusing to accept the One (God) that sent me." When the 72 men came back from their trip, they were very happy. They said, "Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we used your name!" Jesus said to the men, "I saw Satan (the devil) falling like lightning from the sky. Listen! I gave you power to walk on snakes and scorpions. I gave you more power than the Enemy (the devil) has. Nothing will hurt you. Yes, the spirits obey you. And be happy. Why? Not because you have this power, but be happy because your names are written in heaven."-- Luke 10:1-20 (ERV)
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