Is not the harvest still plentiful?

Luke 10:1-9

At the time I’m writing this, a friend Mike Smith is leading a small team of people to do the work of Christ in India, it is not a fun trip, it takes forever and once you are there the days are very full.  Jesus is sending out seventy-two men who are followers to go into all the towns and places He is going with this message: “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.”  (Luke 10:2-9 ESV)

Are you aware of the size of the crowds that are following Jesus but by Jesus own words the numbers willing to go out were very small, seventy-two.  A comparison of the numbers who are willing to share their faith to the crowd that shows up at church on Sunday morning, the numbers are very small.  Is not the harvest still plentiful? 

“The study conducted by LifeWay Research found 80 percent of those who attend church one or more times a month, believe they have a personal responsibility to share their faith, but 61 percent have not told another person about how to become a Christian in the previous six months.”

And what were they to do; pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest, they were sent out as lambs in the midst of wolves, they took nothing with them, and I’m not sure why but Jesus told them not to greet anyone on the road.  The roads then and now are not a safe places, and maybe that was the reason.  They had the ability to offer peace to the house they stayed in and to eat and drink what they were given.  They were not to go from house to house, and when entering a town that received them to eat what is placed before them and to heal the sick in it and say, the kingdom of God has come near you.  These seventy-two were not doctors; they were followers of Christ who allowed the Spirit of God to work in and through them. 

They were guys like the ones with Mike Smith who were called to share, pray and minister to those they came in contact with in India, just followers of Jesus, no special gifts, ones who listened and did as they were commanded.  Have you ask the Father to make you His voice in this present darkness, His light?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice