Step Up: So That Others May Know!
We seek to encourage our church in reading, studying, and living out Scripture in our daily lives. This study guide is designed to correspond to Sunday’s sermon (Nov. 12th) [Listen Here]. Read through this lesson on your own or with a small group.
The story about the sending of the 72 missionaries in Luke 10 holds a special place in the heart of Harvest Christian Church. This is where we get our name from, when Jesus explains to the men he is sending that “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” We have the mission of the church right in our name!
The Pacific Northwest is a region notoriously averse to Christianity. While our harvest is certainly plentiful, its roots are deeply planted, and it will take a lot of work from the workers to get them free. This week, we take a look at Jesus’ mission briefing to the laborers he sent out in to the fields to take a harvest.
Read
Go Deeper
- When sending His people out to spread His gospel, Jesus sent them in pairs. Why do you think He chose to do it this way?
- At the end of verse 1, the author makes a note that all of the places that Jesus sent the missionaries were places He Himself was about to go. What is the significance of this?
Jesus then begins to give the missionaries some concrete advice for when dealing with people on their mission- what to bring, who to talk to, how to handle rejection, etc. It is clear that Jesus knew how his people would be received among those they sought to bring into God’s Kingdom. However, rather than save them the pain of rejection or even the possible legal backlash of preaching the gospel of a man considered to be a heretic, he chooses to instead equip them with knowledge on how to handle it.
Go Deeper
- Who are the two groups discussed in verse 2- the harvest and the laborers?
- Notice that Jesus tells them to pray to the “Lord of the Harvest.” If the harvest is made up of those who have not accepted Jesus, why is he described as their Lord?
- Jesus tells the seventy-two to rebuke those that reject their message, with what could be considered pretty harsh words. Does this conflict with the gospel of peace and grace that Jesus came to preach?
Apply
- Sometimes Christians run the risk of surrounding themselves with only other Christians, and have few opportunities for evangelism. How can we avoid this problem?
- What are some “wolves” that we face today?
- Jesus advises the missionaries to seek out “son[s] of peace” when arriving at a house; someone who may not know the gospel, and may not even respond in the way the seventy-two desire, but would be willing to listen to what they have to say. Who is someone you know that could be described as a “son (or daughter) of peace?”
- What does it look like, in practicality, to “shake the dust off your feet” in real life?
It is the mission of the Church to bring the gospel of Jesus to the world. Sometimes we feel like we can’t be a missionary unless we dedicate our lives to some sort of disenfranchised people group on some other continent. Or that maybe we don’t know scripture well enough, or have too many personal sins to deal with before trying to convince others to become Christians.
The truth is, there is absolutely nothing that excuses us from reaching out to the world that desperately needs the hope that we have. We are the doctor handing the cure to the sick. We are not the cure, nor are we are not the one who created it. We are simply the conduit through which those in need can be healed. We are the laborers standing before a field ripe for harvest. It’s time to get to work.
Pray
Take some time to ask God for wisdom in how to approach the harvest that has been set before you. Ask for opportunities to show courage in your evangelism and to be able to handle rejection when it comes your way. Pray that we will not let any excuse stop us from getting into the field and reaping the harvest that is waiting for the light of God.