January 31, 2025 | Be God's Family
Workers for the Harvest
Scripture: Matthew 9:35-10:15(NIV)
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Devotional
When Taylor Swift came to Indianapolis last fall, everybody took notice. She packed out Lucas Oil Stadium for three consecutive shows. It just so happens that Lisa and I were flying home from Florida on one of those days. When we boarded the plane, the attendant said, “Welcome to the flight to Swift-City!” Half of the aircraft raised their arms and let out screams of excitement.
Jesus may not have sold out a football stadium, but he was packing out the synagogues in towns and villages all over Galilee. His teaching, preaching and healing ministry was drawing huge crowds. If He would have sold some WWJD bracelets, He could have made a killing. Rather than thinking about what He could sell them, He thought about what He could give them. Even He and His twelve disciples didn’t have the capacity to meet all their physical, spiritual, economic, and emotional needs.
For that, they would need a team. Jesus gave His disciples three phases for meeting the needs of those around them.
First, Pray. He told His disciples to pray for workers to send out into God’s harvest field.
Second, Go. He sent out the disciples to get first-hand experience in ministering without Him.
Third, Train. Jesus commissioned and sent out seventy-two others for a similar kind of ministry (Luke 10:1-20). I picture the twelve apostles each training half a dozen people, preparing them for this experience.
My life verse is 2 Timothy 2:2, where Paul told his protégé, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”
Not even Jesus or Paul clutched onto ministry as if they were the only ones who could do it. They trusted others to come alongside them, even going beyond where they could physically go and be.
What is your ministry niche? How can you share that with others, so that the ministry of Christ can be extended beyond your imagination?
Poem
Mandate
Psalm 65
Frightened not by evil words
No threat from the fowler’s sword
Fields are ripe, gloved harvest hands
Kingdom’s bounty, our command
Get thee to it, tarry not
To the vineyard, reap the crop
Throw away what weighs you down
Work amid sun’s shining crown
Evil boasters, give no mind
Shake the dust off, focus find
‘Til the night falls, call to rest
Welcomed, by the Owner blessed
