PRAY FOR LABORERS
OR
AMBASSADOR’S FOR CHRIST
SUNDAY JUNE 20, 2021
Scripture To Consider:
“After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, ‘The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.’”
“But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.”
“Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.” Luke 10.1-12
Something To Consider:
Jesus broadened His measure of influence by appointing seventy more leaders in training. This brought the total of His ambassadors to eighty-two. There are a couple of things worthy of our considering. Jesus once again, as with the twelve, sent these seventy out in teams of two in order to establish a witness of two or three. The other reason for sending them out two to a team, was for support of one another.
Jesus also sent them into every city that He was about to go to Himself. That is an important lesson for us to understand. Jesus led by example in all He did, even when sending out evangelistic tag-teams. He never asked anyone to do that which He was not willing to do Himself. This is a tremendous lesson of a lifetime for leaders in training to learn!
Jesus, in His sermon on the mount, gave us many word pictures or earthly examples as to how believers are to live. In Matthew 5.16 Jesus instructed, “Let your light [your spiritual testimony] so shine before men [women and young people], that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” True spiritual leaders seek to glorify God rather than their reaping the attention and praise only God deserves!
And in Matthew 5.48, Jesus explained, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” And in Luke’s gospel, in verse 36 of chapter 6, Jesus announced, “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father [in heaven] also is merciful.” For if Christians are not merciful, from whom in the earth can we find mercy? Without our becoming merciful, how can we expect to become perfect?
Something Else To Consider:
According to Jesus, the problem is, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few.” But the solution to the problem is also according to Jesus, “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Are we praying as Jesus has requested? If called by God, are we willing to become part of the earthly evangelistic crusade that is mercifully letting their light shine in such a way as to bring glory to God and an increase of those being added to the kingdom of God?
A good point that Jesus has made is that it is God’s harvest, and God alone can equip, qualify, and send out laborers into the harvest. As leaders in training, we should obey His admonition to pray for laborers. But how do we effectively pray for laborers?
Jesus taught His disciples to pray in the sermon on the mount in Matthew chapter 6 beginning in verse 5, when Jesus proclaimed; “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites [so-called religious leaders]. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues [places of worship] and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men [women and young people]. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.”
Something More To Consider:
And in the following verse Jesus insisted, by stating; “But you [any and all believers praying for laborers] when you pray [not if you pray], go into your room, and when you have shut the door [to the outside world], pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
Jesus also said, “Behold I send you out as lambs among wolves.” Jesus never hesitated to warn His disciples both then and now, of the danger of being involved in His ministry. As humble, meek lambs, they were to take nothing for their provision, for God was to provide what they needed through others. They were to be content as lamb-like ambassadors for Christ, going in peace.
They were also to remember His words, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” Their message was to be, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” This is a message that after two thousand years is more true today than it was then! Therefore, are we praying for laborers and allowing God to prepare us that we might be sent? Are we spending sufficient time in our prayer rooms in secret prayerful communication with our heavenly Father?
A Few Final Words:
The apostle Paul lovingly declared in 2 Corinthians 5.20; “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ [earthly light bearing representatives], as though God were pleading through us.” Therefore, Paul also proclaimed, “We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” We cannot become candidates for being sent if we are not first and foremost reconciled to God through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In other words, first things first!
While praying for laborers we become ambassadors for Christ. Therefore, Paul reminds us as true believing end time representatives for the kingdom of heaven and yet living here on earth, of our duty in verse 21 of 2 Corinthians chapter 5; “For He [God the Father] made Him [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [in Jesus].”
Our earnest prayer for the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers is of less value, until our prayer becomes, “Here I am Lord, send me.” Then Jesus said to them, “The harvest is truly great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, let us pray for laborers, realizing our prayers may be answered by Your equipping, qualifying, and sending us. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 