Our Mission Field
Luke 10:1-9
1 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. 2 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. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 When you enter a house, first say, Peace to this house. 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.
To be a Missionary is to answer a very special call by the Lord. As you see in today’s scripture that it was Jesus himself who chose 72 people to go out into different towns and villages and to preach the gospel and to heal diseases. They were just regular people like you and me but they got a call to go.
Mission work has always been about the mind, body and soul of the gospel message. We do not get the names of these 72 chosen people but I am sure they are men and women of every age group and from every walk of life.
Our church has teams of just such Missionaries all around the world. You may not realize it but you are sending people out as Missionaries every time you give to the church.
They were once just ordinary people who became extraordinary by answering Gods call to service.
Just as in Jesus day the work of the Missionary is the same. They live the message of Jesus by helping others in very real and practical ways as well as attending to peoples spiritual needs too.
Jesus told them that there was a great harvest of people to gather for him but there were too few workers.
Jesus told us to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out more workers into the harvest field.
The mission field for Jesus was within walking distance. The 72 were sent out on foot not on camels or donkeys. They were sent to neighboring villages and towns. You and I can be missionaries here at home.
We can visit people in the hospital or senior residences.
We can coach or support our youth through team sports.
We can help our neighbours cut their grass.
We can volunteer to help kids get to and from school safely.
We can donate some of our crops to the Canadian Food grains bank.
We can do all these practical things right from where we live.
If God is calling you to foreign missions know that you can do that too.
This year young people will be traveling to places like:
Israel and Palestine – Mission Trip
South Korea – World Council of Churches
Toronto – Street Ministry
China – Teach English
Guatemala
Ghana
Maybe you would like somewhere closer to home?
Nova Scotia or Saskatchewan or Manitoba
Whatever the destination you will be serving God and your church while learning about how to meet people’s needs with the love of God.
Sometimes this is a great way to get young people involved in ministry again. Collecting patches for their backpacks while helping others is a great way to see the world and be a blessing at the same time.
Jesus instructed his missionaries to bless those they visit and those whose homes they stay in. It is my prayer that your homes may know that same kind of blessing. I also extend to you the opportunity to be a blessing by promoting missions in your homes and here in our church.
When we focus on others we focus on Christ and we become workers in the field of the Lord. – Amen.
