Looking For A Harvest

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

LOOKING FOR A HARVEST

Luke 10:1-16

10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 13 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.  16 "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

 

This is a large chunk of scripture, but how do we break up the words of Jesus in his instructions to the seventy-two that he sent ahead of him. What we can do is focus on some of the things Jesus said. First, let us concentrate on the harvest being plentiful, and the workers are few. We wonder how often we look at the field as if there is a plentiful harvest. Of course, we are not thinking about a field of corn planted by a farmer, but about those who yet know the good news about the kingdom of God. How many people are actually unaware of the good news? Have we lost sight of the fact there is still a plentiful harvest? In a society that seems to be full of people who say they are Christians or believe in God, it would appear there are not too many to harvest. Yet, if we were to consider how many of them are born again, Spirit-filled followers of Jesus Christ, with the full knowledge of the goodness in the kingdom of God, then perhaps that field is still full of a plentiful harvest. We wonder if we too are called to be one of those workers. However, are not all believers called to go into the world and preach the good news about the kingdom of God? Have we slacked off because we think, either that is not our calling, or we just got lazy, or that we are satisfied with us four and no more? Well, more than us four, but all of us in the local church are fine with just us and are not too concerned, or not concerned at all about the plentiful harvest. Maybe we should start looking around in the field, and seeing who is ready for the harvest. We should be looking for a harvest. 

Being Fit

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

BEING FIT

Luke 9:57-62

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."  59 He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."  61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." 62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." 

NIV

Although we might be able to look at the three different men and what the response of Jesus was to each of their reasons for not dropping everything to follow him, it is his final statement that is the main point. Each of them had something to go back to do, although maybe not the first man. Still, Jesus did not tell him, “Sure, come and follow me”. However, it still comes down to not looking back. Once we decide to follow Jesus, that former sinful life must remain in the past, and every year, that past becomes more and more distant. Do we remember that formal life of sin? Yes, of course, it is impossible to forget, our minds simply have memories of our life experiences. But to desire to go back is not there. We would never return to that kind of life. However, the kicker to all this is the concept of following Jesus. Are we simply being Christians, or are we followers of Jesus? Have we actually put our hands on the plow, so to speak? Is there a difference between living as a Christian, doing what we think Christians are supposed to do, following the rules and regulations we feel we should, and simply following Jesus? What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus, putting our hands to the plow, or as Jesus made it clear, being a servant in the kingdom of God? There has to be something about being fit for service in the kingdom of God. This means that each one of us has some kind of service in the kingdom. When Jesus said that he did not come to be served, but to serve, then we have the truth of following Jesus. It is not to be served, but to serve. That means we have to do more than just come to church on Sunday and take up room in a row, and simply listen to a “Good sermon” and go home to our normal life until the next time there is something to attend, a prayer meeting, a bible study, or whatever. Are we just attendees, or are we followers of Jesus? If we are following Jesus, then we must go back to the idea of daily taking up our cross and following Jesus. However, the word ‘service’ is not in Greek in this verse, it is simply, if we look back, we are not fit for the kingdom of God. Still, following Jesus must include following Him, and doing what he did. We should always be straining forward, marching forward, changing, always being transformed, always reflecting His glory in ever-increasing glory. That means we can never be static, doing the same thing every day, simply living as a Christian, but not really following Jesus. Let us always be following, walking alongside with Jesus. If we are following that means moving forward, being fit. 

No Union

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

NO UNION

Luke 9:51-56

51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they went to another village.

NIV

We have to notice that Luke does not include it was time to go to the cross, die and be buried, and then be resurrected before being taken up, or ascended back to heaven. Luke simply puts it that the time was approaching for his ascension. Although the cross is significant, and the resurrection is just as important, it is the ascension of Jesus that puts him at the right hand of the Father where he is continually making intercession for us. Every portion of the event that will take place has everything to do with our lives. Yet there is another truth we see within this narrative that is interesting to ponder on. First, we know about who the Samaritans represent. From John’s gospel we have the account of Jesus at the well having this conversation with a Samaritan woman who confesses the Jews have nothing to do with them. There is a hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans. From 2 Kings 17, we see the Samaritans set up their own high places, and even to this day, at least at the time of Jesus, they persisted in their former practices. They neither worshipped the Lord nor adhered to the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom God named Israel. So we have this comparison between the believers, the Jews, in God and the world, and the Samaritans, who do not believe. When the messengers that Jesus sent to a Samaritan town to get things ready for him the people there did not welcome him because he was heading for Jerusalem.

Here is where the rubber hits the road for us. There is a comparison between us who believe in Jesus and the world that does not. Now, we are headed for heaven, and if we actually lived as we were, and spoke of our journey to get there, which has been through the cross and the resurrection, and were always speaking about the kingdom of God, we may find the world does not welcome us. However, if we blend in enough, not wanting to shake the boat, so to speak, then the world has no problem with us and in fact, may embrace us. Shadrack, Meshack, and Abendigo would not blend in and fall down to worship the image of gold and they ended up in the fire. Of course, God delivered them and they did not even smell of smoke. Although the messengers wanted to call down fire on the Samaritans, it is the other way today: the world will send fire upon us if we do not blend in and take our stand against them. Yet, we are clothed in God’s armor, and we will not be harmed by the actions of the world, yet they might hate us because we believe. There can be no union between the believer and the world. 

For or Against

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

FOR OR AGAINST

Luke 9:49-50

49 "Master," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us." 50 "Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you." 

NIV

Why did the disciples think they were the only ones who could use the authority of the name of Jesus? Was it because they were the ones that he chose, that he called them from their present work to follow him? Did they not know that Jesus came to save those who were lost and that all men were called to follow him? Of course, not everyone does follow Jesus, some have turned their backs on him and have gone their own way, fulfilling their own fleshly desires. Yes, God loved the world, not just a few, but the world that he gave his Son so that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have an everlasting life. So then others chose to follow Jesus and to do that which Jesus did, one being driving out demons. This man had been driving out demons in the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus has power over the dark forces of evil. Because this man was driving out demons in the name of Jesus he was among one of those who were for the disciples, not against them, as the Pharisees were. This gives us the clue that all believers are working toward the same goal. We are all working for each other, serving each other, being one with each other, as we are one with Jesus and we all have the same Spirit dwelling within us. We are not just thinking about the local church in one denomination, which sometimes it seems we think we have the right interpretation of scripture and some others have gone astray, and therefore they are not for us and we are not for them. However, we believe that kind of thinking is in error. It is the world that is against us, not other believers. Therefore, it does not matter what group we belong to as the disciple thought. What matters is that someone believes in the name of Jesus. Now, on the other hand, if that is all someone believes, as we have heard some say, that everything must be done only in the name of Jesus, which includes baptism. We cannot forget the Father, Holy Spirit, and Jesus are included in the three in one, and each the Father, the Spirit, and the Son are God. However, to do miracles, drive out demons, and heal those in need, it is the name of Jesus who has all authority. Whoever believes in Jesus and calls upon His name can do that which He did, and is for us and we are for them. 

The Child

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

THE CHILD

Luke 9:46-48

46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all — he is the greatest." 

NIV

It is interesting that Luke records a slightly difference account than Matthew although Mark records this event the same as Luke. The point is the same in that Jesus took a child and made a compassion of what a child is and who the disciples were. However, Matthew’s account informs us that Jesus told them in order to even enter the kingdom of God they needed to change the way they think, becoming like a little child, and in doing that they would be the greatest in the kingdom. This is all about living a humble life. Jesus, although he is God, did not come to earth to be served as a God should be, but to serve. He offered himself for the very people he created, paying the punishment that He as God demanded for sin, so that we did not have to. That is the purest form of love, while also demonstrating the highest degree of humility in suffering to cross. To argue who is the greatest is the opposite of humility, which is pride. A child has nothing to be prideful about, yet here we adults are always comparing our greatness. How we know more, have more degrees, a better title, or position in life, and even in the body of Christ. We boast about our accomplishments, how many good things we have done, as individuals and as a church. The world expects us to boast, to produce a resume of all our experience and accomplishments, even the highest degree of our education. Everything is about how great we are. Even within some churches, those who have the title of pastor must give an annual account of all they activities, and how much they did. This makes us feel like we are boasting in order to maintain our position and title. It simply is not about who is the greatest, but how we should live humbly before our God and before people. Then we are welcoming the humble child as we welcome our humble Savior into our lives, serving rather than looking to be served. However, we must also be careful not to serve or be the least with the agenda of being the greatest. That is why the child is there in this verse. The child has no agenda, no accomplishments to boast about, no good deeds to brag about, no formal training or title to be prideful about. Children only know to believe what they are told. Let is remember we are the children of God. Therefore let us live like a child. 

Afraid to Ask

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

AFRAID TO ASK

Luke 9:43-45

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44 "Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men."  45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

NIV

Although we do not walk in the same shoes the disciples did there is a truth, we can gain from them. They did not have the advantage of the complete New Testament which explains fully the words Jesus spoke to them. We know all about Judas, how the High Priest, and the complete Sanhedrin, which included many Pharisees who wanted Jesus dead. They wanted to get rid of him because he was causing them to lose control over the people. We know that Judas sold out Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. However, what we can learn from these disciples is regarding their being afraid to ask Jesus what he meant because they did not understand. When we hear the word of God and various sermons from either the local pastor of the church we belong to, or from some who use multi-media platforms, or read some commentary or other books, we come across a plethora of interpretations. However, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and we would think He dwells in all those who hear expound on the word of God, He leads us into all truth. The Spirit also gives us the gift of discernment to detect any false preachers, and teachers, in whatever format they present their interpretation of the word of God. The point is that if or when we are not sure about what something of the word of God means, we should never be afraid to ask the Spirit to lead us to the truth of the meaning. We should not simply be sheep led to some pasture and accept the food from the hands of a human, because we have the Great Shepherd and He has given us the Spirit who guides us, in, and through the food from God unfolding the truth to us. Although the truth was hidden from them, it is not hidden from us due to the Spirit. Jesus told us to ask, and we would receive, and this includes asking about the truth of the word of God. We will not be afraid to ask. 

Living With Faith and Truth

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

LIVING WITH FAITH AND TRUTH

Luke 9:37-43

37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not." 41 "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here." 42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

NIV

We know it wasn’t Peter, James, or John who could not drive out the evil spirit because they were on the mountain with Jesus and saw Him and Moses and Elijah in their glorified forms. However, nine others were waiting somewhere at the foothills of the mountain, and we have to believe those who were this man was referrer to. Nine men, who had been walking with Jesus and hearing all his teachings so far, saw many miracles, including feeding thousands with two fish and five loaves. Yet they were still an unbelieving and perverse generation. However, looking into the Greek we see two words, faithless and distort or turn aside. It is possible for these men, even after being with Jesus for however long they had, so far, to still not have the faith needed to do what Jesus can do, such as in this case to drive out an evil spirit. In the gospel according to John Jesus tells them a great truth. He told them, and us, that He and the Father are one, and anyone, which included them and includes us, who has faith in Jesus, will do what He has been doing. In fact, Jesus said that we will do even greater things than what he did because he was going to the Father, which is where he is now, and that He will do whatever we ask in His name so that He will bring glory to the Father. Jesus repeated this in case we did not grasp it the first time. Again, He said that we may ask him anything in his name and he would do it. This cannot be any clearer. Yet those men who heard him and watched him do all that he said and did, still were faithless and they distorted His truth. Let us not get clumped into that same category with them. Let us live with faith and pure truth. We know that because we are a people with faith, we are being transformed so that we reflect the glory of God in ever-increasing glory, and that because we are a people of faith, faith that God has given us, we can ask him anything. We should be able to ask for healing of ourselves, and healing for others. We should be able to drive out evil spirits. We should be able to ask for and perform miracles in his name. However, we cannot doubt, that we cannot be seen by Jesus as faithless and as distorting his word, as unbelievers live and do. We will live with faith and truth.