Messengers in the Harvest: Trusting God to Send Us

Luke 10 shows a shift in the story of Jesus. Luke has spent the first nine chapters answering, “Who is Jesus?” Jesus is the Son of God and Savior. Luke now starts pressing the next question: if Jesus really is the Son of God, how should his disciples live?

Jesus answers by sending out seventy-two ordinary disciples ahead of him. These disciples are not the core twelve or some elite spiritual squad. Jesus gives regular people the job of preparing the way and saying, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” Their message is not, “Look what we can do.” Their message is, “Jesus is here.”

Jesus gives every disciple permission to be his messenger. Church gatherings matter deeply, but Sunday services can become a crutch when disciples assume somebody else will do the talking. God uses personalities, stories, strengths, flaws, actions, and words that belong to ordinary people. People who may never walk into a church building are often still open to a real conversation with someone they know.

Jesus sends the seventy-two two by two. Christian mission is not meant to be a lonely project. Partnership brings prayer, encouragement, accountability, protection, shared frustration, and shared joy when God moves. Jesus calls disciples to bring somebody else into the work, especially when faithfulness in a neighborhood, workplace, or friend group feels heavy.

Jesus looks at the world and says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” The problem is not that nobody needs Jesus or that the culture is too far gone. The harvest includes people in Pacific Grove, Monterey, Carmel, Marina, and every place where lives can look polished on the outside while carrying deep need underneath. Jesus tells his disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest for workers, and that prayer may expose the person God is sending.

Jesus also sends his disciples as lambs among wolves. Lambs do not need to become wolves to represent Christ well. The gospel can be spoken boldly without cruelty, arrogance, or the pressure to dominate every debate. Faithful disciples can say, “I don’t know, but we can figure this out together,” because being right is not the same as representing Jesus well.

Jesus tells his disciples to carry little because the Lord of the harvest is in charge. Disciples bear witness, pray, love, serve, and keep showing up, but only God changes hearts. Jesus is the Savior; his people are the messengers. Faithfulness matters more than controlling the outcome.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Ordinary disciples carry Jesus’ message Jesus appoints seventy-two others, not merely the twelve, to prepare the way for him. The call to speak of Christ does not belong only to trained leaders, polished communicators, or people with every answer ready. God works through faithful people who know Jesus and are willing to point others toward him. [24:47]
• 2. Mission works better with partners Jesus sends his disciples two by two because kingdom work is not designed for isolation. A partner can pray through discouragement, help notice opportunities, and celebrate what God is doing. Shared faithfulness keeps ministry from becoming a private burden carried alone. [31:26]
• 3. The harvest is still plentiful Jesus does not describe the world as spiritually unreachable or beyond hope. Hidden beneath comfortable appearances, busy schedules, and put together lives are people who need the love and mercy of Christ. The shortage is not need, but workers willing to go. [34:57]
• 4. Lambs need not become wolves Jesus calls his messengers to be humble and dependent, not aggressive and combative. Truth can be clear without treating another person like an opponent to defeat. A faithful witness values love, dignity, and honest conversation more than winning an argument. [42:55]
• 5. Faithfulness belongs to disciples, outcomes to God Jesus calls his people to love, pray, speak truth, and remain present even when others do not believe. Changed hearts cannot be argued into existence or forced by effort. The Lord of the harvest carries the outcome that disciples were never meant to control. [49:53]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [19:12] - Hollywood Marketing and Jesus’ Mission
• [20:48] - Luke’s Shift to Discipleship
• [22:28] - Jesus Sends the Seventy-Two
• [24:47] - Ordinary People as Messengers
• [29:27] - Sent Two by Two
• [33:41] - The Harvest Is Plentiful
• [38:22] - Pray for Workers
• [41:30] - Lambs Among Wolves
• [46:15] - Depend Fully on God
• [49:53] - Faithful Without Controlling Outcomes
• [51:38] - Jesus Is the Savior
• [55:32] - Lord, Send Workers

Bible Reading

Luke 10:1-4
“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.” [24:04]

Matthew 9:37-38
“Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” [33:37]

Luke 10:9
“Heal the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.” [23:37]

Observation questions

1. Who does Jesus appoint and send in Luke 10:1–4, and how does this group differ from the twelve disciples? [24:04]
2. What is the purpose of sending the disciples ahead of Jesus, and what message are they to bring to the towns they enter? [23:13]
3. What details in Luke 10:1–4 show that Jesus intends his disciples to depend on God and work alongside one another? [29:40]
4. In both Luke 10:2 and Matthew 9:37–38, what problem does Jesus identify, and what does he tell his followers to do first? [38:19]

Interpretation questions

1. Why might Jesus send seventy-two ordinary disciples rather than limiting this mission to the twelve? What does this suggest about who is called to point others toward Jesus? [24:47]
2. What does it mean that the harvest is plentiful even though some people may reject the message? How does this challenge the assumption that people who appear comfortable or put together do not need Jesus? [34:57]
3. Jesus sends his followers as lambs among wolves. How can a disciple speak clearly about Jesus while remaining humble, respectful, and unwilling to treat another person as an opponent? [42:55]
4. Why is it important that disciples pray to the Lord of the harvest instead of treating changed hearts as something they can produce through the right words or effort? [49:53]

Application questions

1. Who is one specific person in your life—a neighbor, coworker, friend, or family member—who may be open to a genuine relationship or conversation even if they would not attend a church gathering? What would it look like to take one small step toward them this week? [51:51]
2. What usually makes you feel unqualified or hesitant to talk about Jesus? How does the sending of the seventy-two ordinary disciples speak to that fear? [26:11]
3. Is there a place where you have been trying to live faithfully for Jesus on your own—your neighborhood, workplace, school, or friend group? Who could become a prayer and ministry partner with you? [32:41]
4. What might it look like for you to pray regularly for workers in the harvest while also remaining open to the possibility that God is sending you? [39:07]
5. Think about a recent difficult spiritual conversation or disagreement. Did you feel more pressure to win, to have every answer, or to represent Jesus with love and truth? What could a more “lamb-like” response look like next time? [44:03]
6. Is there someone whose response to Jesus has become a burden you are trying to carry or control? How can you continue loving, praying, and showing up for them while entrusting the outcome to God? [50:13]