6 Minute Read
Today’s Bible Reading:
Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30
Luke 9:51-10:12
Psalm 74:1-23
Proverbs 12:11
Today’s Bible Verse(s):
Luke 10:2 (NLT): “These were his instructions to them: ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.’”
Reflections on Today’s Bible Verse(s):
Jesus often spoke with word-pictures. He loved to paint pictures in people’s minds so that they could grasp, understand, and remember the spiritual principles He was conveying.
In His words given in Luke 10:2, He painted a simple picture of a very important truth. Let’s investigate what He said.
Luke 10:2 (NLT): “These were his instructions to them: ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.’”
“The harvest” was a designation Jesus used to speak of people who are or will be saved. They needed to hear the Good News (Gospel) of the Kingdom. Further, they needed people to call them to respond to that Gospel. Just like a field needs someone to plant it and then harvest it, so the world needs people who will share the Gospel and call for repentance and faith.
Are there plenty of men and women, boys and girls who are up to this task? Not according to Jesus. He said that “the workers are few.” There weren’t many people in Jesus’ day who shared the Good News of the Kingdom and called for decisions. I highly suspect that if Jesus were living in the 21st century, He would say the very same thing. Not enough people are inviting people into the Kingdom of Heaven.
What’s the answer? How does this problem get fixed? How do we contribute to the growth in the number of people who share the Gospel and call people to salvation?
There are a few helpful and correct answers that we could give. But, interestingly, Jesus didn’t say that we need to train and equip people for Gospel ministry. He didn’t say we needed to create Gospel-sharing opportunities or evangelistic events. While those things are good and often very appropriate, Jesus didn’t mention them. Instead, He focused on prayer.
Luke 10:2 (NLT): “These were his instructions to them: ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.’”
We can do many things AFTER we pray, but we cannot do anything BEFORE we pray.
Evangelism begins with prayer. We should pray that God would raise up men and women, boys and girls, who see it as their privilege and responsibility to invite people into the Kingdom. We should pray that God would give us the opportunities to share the Gospel, give us the wisdom to see those opportunities, and the courage to use those opportunities.
People, apart from Jesus, are headed to a Christless eternity in Hell. If we don’t tell them about Jesus and how they can be saved by placing their trust in Him, they will not enter into a relationship with God or spend eternity with Him in Heaven.
So, let’s pray that God would raise up Gospel-planters and harvesters. Then, let’s put legs on our prayers and get busy in the noblest activity ever given to humanity.
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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