Harvesting As Jesus Commanded Luke 10:1-9 The Problem: Plentiful Harvest, but Few Workers • Plentiful Harvest ○ Jesus saw that many were ready to hear the Gospel in his day, and the same is true in our day. ○ Most people are ready, willing, and even eager to speak about the Bible, Jesus, and the Gospel ○ Young Adults1 81% believe God exists 57% believe God is the one described in the Bible 89% willing to listen if someone was willing to engage them in conversation about Christianity 61% willing to study the Bible if a friend asked them to ○ Many today are hungry for the truth! But the problem lies with the fact that there are… • Few Laborers ○ Just as with Jesus, we find that there are few who are willing to be laborers ○ Few are willing to serve, to go out to the lost, to build relationships, and spend time making friends with those who need to hear the message of the Gospel. ○ Just as in Jesus’ day with the Pharisees, many are content to wall themselves up inside of religious houses, living a private faith. 77% of young adults think that Christianity is more about organized religion than loving God and loving people 90% believe they can have a good relationship with God without the church Solving the Problem: Jesus’ Commands • Jesus commands his disciples to pray for more laborers (v. 2) ○ Have you prayed for more laborers? • Jesus commands his disciples to be laborers (v. 3) ○ Jesus sent his disciples to the people, not for the people to come to them The disciples were sent with a partner. He sent them to be deliberate and purposeful (don’t stop on the road) The disciples were to leave behind their own “comforts” & “securities” (4) The disciples were to stay with the people, live with the people, and build relationships with the people (5-7) • Go, not come • In homes, not church buildings • Building a relationship, not cold contacts (Not house to house) • Person of Peace – connecting to one who is able to connect to others in an area The disciples were to bring the message of the Kingdom Will we be a church that prays for laborers? Will we be a church that laborers? Taken from Ed Stetzer’s Lost and Found.
1