Go and Tell

"He (Jesus) told them (the 72 anonymous disciples), 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." Luke 10:2-3

- Jesus used "the harvest" often in speaking of the ingathering of believers. The harvest is plentiful! Many people are ready to believe in Jesus and follow Him.

- Harvesting is hard work, even when there are many people helping you. But Jesus said the workers are few. They (the 72 disciples) were to pray for more laborers to join them in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to pray the same prayer (there are still so many lost and unreached people in the world). 

- Just like these disciples, we (all Christ's followers) are called to go and make disciples (the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, "Go and make disciples of all 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." ~Jesus) and to be Christ's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20, "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."), sent out to represent Him in this world, commissioned to witness to the lost, and assigned the ministry of reconciliation.

- Lambs among wolves! This calling can be difficult and dangerous. "Any man who takes Jesus Christ seriously becomes the target of the Devil. Most church members do not give Satan enough trouble to arouse his opposition." (Vance Havner)

- GO! It's a command! We must go. We must be willing to go wherever and whenever God wants us to go and do whatever He wants us to do. We should echo Isaiah's attitude and response: "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8b) "Go, send, or disobey!" (John Piper) 

- Do you want to be bold and effective witnesses for the Lord? Pray, read God's Word, and study apologetics so that you will know how to defend your faith confidently and intelligently. "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15). "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) Be shrewd/wise (having/showing clever awareness and resourcefulness, applying God's wisdom) and at the same time, be innocent/harmless (staying away from sins, avoiding worldliness, having no deception or guile, intending to do good/do no harm, and keeping a pure heart/motive and a clear conscience)! Yes, our good behavior in Christ matters because if we live in sin, our testimony will be discredited (1 Peter 3:16-18).

Let's live our lives in such a way that people will know undoubtedly that Jesus is alive...that He is living in our hearts and guiding our lives! Let's tell the world about our Lord and Savior! "Save some, O Christian! By all means, save some. From yonder flames and outer darkness, and the weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, seek to save some! Let this, as in the case of the apostles, be your great, ruling object in life, that by all means you might save some." (Charles Spurgeon) (Note from me: Only God can save! Both Charles Spurgeon and John Wesley understood that and they just meant that Christians need to reach out to the lost with the Gospel in the hope that they might come to the Lord and be saved.)

Today is the last day of my #write31days and #blogboost (the Ultimate Blog Challenge) for October. By God's grace, I've survived :). I hope and pray that all my posts will honor the Lord and encourage my readers. To celebrate, I'm offering a wonderful giveaway (book & t-shirt) here.
Day 1: The Right Words at the Right Time
Day 2: Prideful Heart
Day 3: Plan What Is Good
Day 4: The Lord Our Righteousness
Day 5: No Excuse Whatsoever
Day 6: Speak What Is Right and True
Day 7: Pride Precedes Plummeting
Day 8: Use God's Gifts with Humility
Day 9: Humility vs. Humiliation
Day 10: The Gospel Announced in Genesis
Day 11: Broken Cisterns
Day 12: Kindness and Patience
Day 13: Worry about Nothing; Pray about Everything
Day 14: Wherever You Go
Day 15: The Lord Loves Justice
Day 16: God's Purposes Prevail
Day 17: Pit Diggers and Stone Rollers, Watch Out!
Day 18: The Lord My Rock
Day 19: By Grace Through Faith
Day 20: Be Faithful
Day 21: Love the Lord; Hate Evil
Day 22: How Shall We Pray for Our Enemies?
Day 23: My Tongue Will Tell
Day 24: Speak Up
Day 25: Be Cheerful
Day 26: Happy Are the Forgiven!
Day 27: Burden Bearer
Day 28: Unworthy F.A.T. Servants
Day 29: Sleepless in the Desert of Judah
Day 30: Waiting
Day 31: Go and Tell

This post is linked up with Fellowship Fridays @Christian Mommy Blogger, Faith-filled Friday @Missional Women, Faith Along the Way, Still Saturday @sandraheskaking,  Spiritual Sundays, Sharing His Beauty @The Beauty in His Grip, Playdates with God at The Wellspring, The Weekend Brew @My Freshly Brewed Life, Inspire Me Monday @Create With Joy, Sincerely, Paula, 3-D Lessons for Life, #GiveMeGrace, Unforced Rhythms, and Tell Me a True Story.