I've been studying Luke. My memory verse for this week is Luke 10: 2-3, "He (Jesus) told them (the 72 anonymous disciples), 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves."
What I got out of these verses:
- Jesus used "the harvest" often in speaking of the ingathering of believers. The harvest is plentiful! Many people are ready to believe in Jesus and follow Him.
- Harvesting is hard work, even when there are many people helping you. But Jesus said the workers are few. They (the 72 disciples) were to pray for more laborers to join them in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to pray the same prayer (there are still so many lost and unreached people in the world).
- Just like these disciples, we (all Christ's followers) are called to go and make disciples (the Great Commission) and to be Christ's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), sent out to represent Him in this world and commissioned to witness to the lost.
- Lambs among wolves! This calling can be difficult and dangerous. "Any man who takes Jesus Christ seriously becomes the target of the Devil. Most church members do not give Satan enough trouble to arouse his opposition." (~Vance Havner)
- GO! It's a command! We must go. We must be willing to go wherever and whenever He wants us to go and do whatever He wants us to do. We should echo Isaiah's attitude and response: "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8b) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nnqOI4mVKc (I love this song; please take time to listen to it :)). "Go, send, or disobey!" ~John Piper
- Do you want to be bold and effective witnesses for the Lord? Pray, read God's Word, and study apologetics so that you will know how to defend your faith confidently and intelligently. "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15). "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) Be shrewd/wise (having/showing clever awareness and resourcefulness, applying God's wisdom) and at the same time, be innocent/harmless (staying away from sins, avoiding worldliness, having no deception or guile, intending to do good/do no harm, and keeping a pure heart/motive and a clear conscience)! Yes, our good behavior in Christ matters because if we live in sin, our testimony will be discredited (1 Peter 3:16-18).
Let's live our lives in such a way that people will know undoubtedly that Jesus is alive...that He is living in our hearts and guiding our lives! Let's tell the world about our Risen Savior!
What I got out of these verses:
- Jesus used "the harvest" often in speaking of the ingathering of believers. The harvest is plentiful! Many people are ready to believe in Jesus and follow Him.
- Harvesting is hard work, even when there are many people helping you. But Jesus said the workers are few. They (the 72 disciples) were to pray for more laborers to join them in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to pray the same prayer (there are still so many lost and unreached people in the world).
- Just like these disciples, we (all Christ's followers) are called to go and make disciples (the Great Commission) and to be Christ's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), sent out to represent Him in this world and commissioned to witness to the lost.
- Lambs among wolves! This calling can be difficult and dangerous. "Any man who takes Jesus Christ seriously becomes the target of the Devil. Most church members do not give Satan enough trouble to arouse his opposition." (~Vance Havner)
- GO! It's a command! We must go. We must be willing to go wherever and whenever He wants us to go and do whatever He wants us to do. We should echo Isaiah's attitude and response: "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8b) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nnqOI4mVKc (I love this song; please take time to listen to it :)). "Go, send, or disobey!" ~John Piper
- Do you want to be bold and effective witnesses for the Lord? Pray, read God's Word, and study apologetics so that you will know how to defend your faith confidently and intelligently. "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15). "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) Be shrewd/wise (having/showing clever awareness and resourcefulness, applying God's wisdom) and at the same time, be innocent/harmless (staying away from sins, avoiding worldliness, having no deception or guile, intending to do good/do no harm, and keeping a pure heart/motive and a clear conscience)! Yes, our good behavior in Christ matters because if we live in sin, our testimony will be discredited (1 Peter 3:16-18).
Let's live our lives in such a way that people will know undoubtedly that Jesus is alive...that He is living in our hearts and guiding our lives! Let's tell the world about our Risen Savior!