After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’
“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. Indeed, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” ~ Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
There's a lot of harvesting going on this week.
And the group who is doing it is growing by leaps and bounds.
Jesus began by sending the twelve out to do his work. He taught them, trained them, prepared them. And off they went, filled with the Spirit.
After that came the next group. Seventy two others went on their way, doing Jesus' work.
That work continues.
Now, I don't think many (or even any) of us are called to cure the sick, or exorcize demons.Some aren't even called to preach or teach.
But we are all still called.
The Kingdom of God is still unfolding and there is still work to be had. There is still a harvest coming.
Fortunately, we don't have to all go out there with no purse or bag or sandals.
And probably we ARE called to greet those we encounter.
There's a place for you to work in Kingdom. So pull on up a shovel, put on some gardening gloves, and join in the harvesting!
God of the harvest, you have given me tools. Help me to use them to help further your Kingdom. Amen
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