AUDIO
TRANSCRIPT
In beginning of Luke 10 Jesus is sending out 70 of his followers in pairs to every city where he was going to go. I like that he sent them in pairs to help each other and encourage each other.
Jesus told them that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. He knew that His time was short and that these followers would go ahead and tell about Him and prepare the hearts of the people for him to come to them.
Jesus saw all people as the field and the field was ready to harvest. Again, he knew his time was short and He was burdened with the need for everyone to hear about his Father. The opportunity for harvesting people's lives and Souls for God was there but who would work the harvest of people?
As he looked and saw the people potential of the harvest—he also saw the lack of people labor to bring in His harvest. His heart cried out for volunteers! A harvest can be wasted if there are not enough workers!
He went on to say “BESEECH” the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. The Greek translation of this is much more forcible. It says that we beseech the Lord that He would PUSH them forward and thrust them out!
So we need to recognize that
The harvest is the Harvest of the Lord
We need to pray for workers (beseech)
We need to GO ourselves! He said GO!
We need to be filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit. Why? Because Jesus said that we are to go as lambs
Among wolves. Go with a kind, gentle heart to tell and show others Jesus. Only by the power of God are sheep able to walk among wolves and successfully share God.
The 70 returned all excited saying, even demons are subject to us in your name! Jesus agreed and rejoiced with them saying ”Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.” He then reminded them, “nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
Then Jesus was asked but what do we do to inherit eternal life?
Jesus responded with a question, “what does God’s word say?”
The man replied with one of the first scriptures that we taught our kids.
“YOU shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind AND your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said Do this and you will live.
Well the man wasn’t satisfied with this and said “Who is my neighbor?”
I think he was like we are sometimes. We think well I can love God ok, but my neighbor?
People are hard to love sometimes. They are tough and challenging and unloving so we think why can’t I just love the ones who love me or who are like me or who think like I do?
Jesus responded with the story of the Good Samaritan and ended by saying the one who showed mercy was the true neighbor. then Jesus said “GO AND DO THE SAME”
Charles Spurgeon said,”Let it never be forgotten that what the law demands of us the gospel really produces in us.”
Let’s follow Jesus’ command and GO AND DO THE SAME!