“The Harvest Is Plentiful But The Workers Are Few”
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
I’m going to say something that’s gonna sound crazy: Jesus and politicians
have a lot in common. Told ya! This no doubt comes as a surprise to those who
regard politics as bad business, or think of politicians essentially as liars, and who
believe steadfastly that politics and religion don’t mix. Nonetheless, Jesus and the
politicians have a lot in common.
When you think of it, politicians get elected by promising us something
better. When Ronald Reagan was elected President and then re-elected, he asked
the country: “Are you better off now than four years ago?” The first time the
people answered “no” and elected him for the promise of something better. Four
years later they responded “yes” to the question and elected him for another term
in hope for an even better four years.
Jesus and politicians do have a lot in common. Not always, however. A little
girl asked her mother whether all fairy tales began with, “Once upon a time.”
“No,” replied her mother. “Today most of them begin with ‘If I’m elected.’” Jesus
made promises, but not like that.
Was Jesus, 2000 years ago, promising something better? He was indeed! He
said He had come to bring in the kingdom of God—the rule of God’s righteousness
in the world. For 900 years, Jews had been hoping for a restoration of the glorious
kingdom of David and Solomon. For 500 years they had been longing for an end to
foreign tyranny and a return to prosperity and freedom. And in Jesus’ time the
longings and expectations were at an all-time high.
In the 9th chapter of Luke, we read: “When Jesus had called the Twelve
together, He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure
diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the
sick” (Luke 9:1-2).
You can find this same mission in the 10th chapter of Matthew’s gospel and
the 9 th chapter of Mark’s gospel; but here in our text for this morning Luke has
added another mission of the sending out the seventy-two.
I consider myself to be a serious student of the Bible but in no uncertain
terms am I an expert or a scholar. Those very same experts and scholars have
debated for years whether the number of people Jesus sent out was seventy-two
or seventy. The older manuscripts and some of the modern translations, like the
NIV that I use say seventy-two but the King James and the NRSV translations say
seventy.
Why would Jesus choose to send seventy? There are several biblical
parallels—but the most obvious one might be the seventy elders of ancient Israel.
Some other possibilities would be that the Sanhedrin had seventy members. But
the most significant one is the traditional view that there were seventy nations on
the earth which might fit the picture best as Luke was described by some scholars
as the “Writer of the Universal Gospel.”
Whether there was seventy or seventy-two one thing we can say for sure is
that Jesus sent them out in pairs—and He gave them specific instructions.
Those that Jesus sent out were told to travel light—no purse or money bag or
extra sandals—this was a journey of faith that they would be provided for. They were also told not to greet anyone on the road. This may sound strange coming
from Jesus, but we need to remember that to greet someone back then meant you
asked them about each other’s health—and then you asked each other about the
health of your father, mother, grand-father and grand-mother. As you can see, this
would have taken a lot of time. The mission these folks were on was urgent and
there was no time for wasting.
Their message was simple and to the point—it was the same message of
Jesus—it was the same message of John the Baptist: “The kingdom of God is
near.”
And they were told to eat what was put in front of them. The point of this
|was that they didn’t draw attention to themselves—they received no special
treatment—and they became one with those they were serving. This is known as
the “Franciscan Rule” which was passed down from St. Francis of Assisi. The most
famous of the Franciscan Order currently is Pope Leo II.
Before I went to Honduras in 2000, my first international mission trip, I had
several people ask what I would be eating while I was down there. I told them that
I would probably be eating what was put in front of me, knowing nothing of the
“Franciscan Rule.” While we were there, we were also sent out in pairs every day.
Just like in Jesus’ day there are people in our world—people within walking
distance of this church—who are spiritually hungry. Many people in our society are
lost—however you might define that word. People have their lives about as
messed up as any generation ever has. The world is crying out to us, “We need a Savior more than we ever have!” Jesus told those He sent out the same thing we
need to hear today: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”
What Christ needs is laborers who will go out into the fields. Do you
understand that? This is the church’s primary reason for reaching out in love as
Jesus reached out to a hurting and dying world. [Sowing seeds]
A preacher in the Midwest tells of a woman who called him to speak of her
dissatisfaction with the program of the Church. He invited her to come to his office
and talk the problem over with him. She accepted the invitation and brought to his
attention some of the things that were needed and could be done.
He gratefully acknowledged the wisdom of her ideas. He then said, “This is
wonderful that you are so concerned and interested in this. You’re the very person
this Church needs to head up this program. Will you take the job?” [This is usually
the end of the conversation]
Her reply was just as immediate. “Oh, no, I don’t want to get involved. With
my club work and the hours that I put on some other things, I just don’t have the
time. But I will be glad to advise you any time.”
The preacher’s answer was classic and well put: “Good gracious, lady, that’s
the problem now. I already have 400 advisers. I need someone who will work.”
Jesus doesn’t need advisers—He needs someone who will work! “The harvest is
plentiful but the workers are few.” [Jesus doesn’t needs fans, He needs followers]
A disciple’s joy is not in the possessing but in being possessed. No matter
how much authority we think we have—we still stand constantly in the need of
God’s mercy and grace, which He freely offers.
This week, as a nation, we celebrated our independence. From this day
forward—as followers of Jesus and those being sent—may every day be known as
dependence day—in remembering how helpless we are that we must always
depend on God, and wherever we are sent and whatever our job—we do so in
faith—not drawing attention to ourselves but to our mission—and remembering
who we are and whose we are.
“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
For He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care” (Psalm 95:6-7).
Eastman First Methodist Church 