ESOCS Devotional 8 August 2023
MEMORY VERSE: “Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Luke 10:2 NKJV
TEXT: LUKE 10:1-16 (KJV)
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.
15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
The harvest is the means by which matured farm products are taken from the farm for consumption, commercial purposes or put into various specific uses accordingly .in the context above, Jesus Christ the master of proverb was not talking about farm produce but of human beings classified accordingly by their dispositions irrespective of tribe, language, race, tongue, colour, height to produce different nomenclature equivalent to the different classifications of farm produce or crops.
The harvest is great, therefore points to the fact that the different souls planted on planet earth to grows and mature in accordance to Gods divine wall and purposes are accountable to the sower who planted or sowed them as seed to grow and be fruitful for instance, Jesus Christ in Matthew 21:13&19 expected fruits on the fig tree when he returned to the city to refresh him because he was hungry. In this wildest imagination there was no single fruit. This unbelievable disappointment pushed or compelled him to curse the fig tree. “Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth forever.” As a result, the fig tree withered away ‘’ Verse 19.
Reflecting from our text, every one born into this temporal world is expected to bear fruits e.g., righteousness that will be harvested at the end of days. Note here that fruits are good life of righteousness exemplified while living on earth.
Following the above, the Lord is looking for laboring who will go round the world to preach the gospel to the nocks and cranes of the world to gather them who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour; identified by their fruit of righteousness. Are you ready to step out like the seventy in faith for this lima labour rewardable by God Himself at the end of days here on earth.
God has sowed seeds in the form of souls energized by the spirit of God to live on earth and make their choices. However, he has pointed man to the only way to bear fruits of righteousness and qualify for external reward. As laborers; Pastors, Evangelists, Apostles, Rabbi, Bishops, Primates, Prelates of different congregation. You are expected to weed the farm, water the crops, stake the climbing stems, care and nurture the entire crops in the farm before the harvest time. God has reposed so much confidence in you, you must not fail.
- What is your choice – to bear fruits of righteousness harvestable on the last day.
- Holy Father, grant me the courage to identify the vanities of this life and so bear your desired fruits to be harvested when you shall come.
FURTHER READING: Judges 15:9-end; Jonah 1:17-end; Luke 10:1-16; Acts 27:27-end
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ESOCS Devotional 8 August 2023
