This devotional was sent to me by a friend. It gives so much encouragement to know that God has not called us to be famous, but faithful. Telling others the good news of eternal life does not have to be done in a formal setting. It could be having lunch with a friend or neighbor, calling a loved one, talking with someone you meet at the mall. The opportunities are endless. The message is timeless. Be faithful.
Based on: Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
God’s plan isn’t to win the war against the forces of evil through a few Christian superstars, but through multiplied thousands of believers working behind the scene–people like you and me. Notice what Jesus did in Luke 10:1-2: “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. 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.’”
Now who were these men? Nobody knows. But what we do know of them speaks volumes about the Great Commission of Christ. They were unknown, ordinary disciples, but they were certainly well trained for their mission.
How do we know that? Because if we compare the mission of the Twelve in Matthew 10 with the mission of the seventy-two here in Luke 10, the job description is practically identical. And when they returned, they rejoiced in their successes. Their names are not known like the names of the Twelve, but they had been trained to be effective in carrying out the commands of Christ.
Now what do you think would happen in our world if every person who turned to Jesus Christ in true repentance and faith went on to become a strong, mature, fruitful disciple? This would fulfill the ministry of evangelizing the lost and establishing the new believer, just as Jesus commissioned.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be faithful in sharing the gospel with my neighbors and friends. Amen.
To Ponder: As you pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers, are you including yourself in the process of spiritual reproduction and multiplication?