My husband’s family is from rural South Georgia, where almost every two-way highway is lined with farmland on both sides. Peanuts, corn, soybeans and cotton are the major crops that are cultivated in that region of the country. Before traveling to visit Dale’s parents, I had never seen a field of cotton. I remember looking out the car window and thinking that it had somehow, impossibly snowed in South Georgia! I asked Dale to stop the car, so I could get out and see the cotton up close. I then snatched a branch from a plant growing through the fence and took it to my father-in-law, Donnie Brown, for a full explanation.
What I learned is that the fluffy white material I held in my hand was the fruit of the cotton plant, also known as the round cotton boll, and contained the fiber and seeds. Each plant can contain anything from ten to a hundred plus bolls. The boll is the rounded mature fruit of the cotton plant and is made up of separate compartments which are called locks, in which cotton seeds and lint grow. These open at harvest time. An average boll will contain nearly 500,000 cotton fibers.
Cotton isn’t ready to harvest until the boll opens and the fluffy fruit dries, giving it that snowball effect. Timing is everything, as the cotton bolls can be destroyed if soaked by heavy rains or attacked by the dreaded boll weevil, the most destructive cotton pest in North America for much of the twentieth century.
Today we read of Jesus gathering harvesters and sending them out to gather up those whose fruit is ready. And similar to harvesting cotton, timing is everything.
Read Luke 10:1-24
Speaking of Plows…
In the last lesson of Chapter 9, Jesus compares discipleship, following Him, to plowing a field. He responds to an interested disciple’s many excuses for not following Him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (9:62) The rows plowed will not be straight and the oxen might very well take over control. What a crooked mess that would be!
In today’s reading, there are fields ready to be harvested, having already been plowed and sown. Jesus appoints 72 of His disciples to go ahead of Him into the towns and villages surrounding the Sea of Galilee, encouraging them that, “the harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” (v 2) This mission would not be easy and is too much for The Twelve to accomplish. They would be like lambs among wolves. “Lambs” implies that the harvesters should not attempt to gain converts by force; that would be like trying to harvest cotton bolls before they are fully opened or fruit before it is fully ripe. The spread of the gospel is to come through proclaiming the “good news” of Jesus Christ and inviting hearers to respond willingly.
The instructions for harvesters were similar as Jesus gave to the Twelve on their earlier journey:
* Take no extra money, a traveling bag, or even extra sandals.
* Don’t greet anyone along the road - this wasn’t intended to appear rude, but to avoid distraction or becoming vulnerable to Satan’s attacks/tactics.
* Peace, shalom would guide their next steps. The harvesters were to pay close attention to what happened when they entered a new place and offered up shalom to their hosts. Does their peace rest on the host or come back to them?
* Don’t move from house to house, but gratefully receive the accommodations offered by their host.
* Stay on message! “The kingdom of God has come near you.” (v 11) Regardless of a town’s reception of them or their stay, this is the message: The Kingdom of God Drawn Near, bringing peace, hope and healing!
Jesus warned His harvesters that some people, some towns would not receive their message. These were the unrepentant and they should expect rejection from them. The fact that some are not ready for harvest is not a failure on the harvesters part. In fact, if some of the ancient cities who were destroyed because of their wickedness had the opportunity that these towns had - The Kingdom of God Drawn Near - they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes! Jesus’ last preparatory instructions included this encouragement, “My dear harvesters, know that you are my voice, my hands and feet to these towns and villages. If they reject you, they actually reject Me and the One who sent Me. You are only responsible for harvesting what is ready for harvesting.” (from v 16)
Later, the 72 return invigorated by the work they were able to accomplish through the Spirit. “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” (v 17) A memory is unlocked for Jesus. He nods, pleased for the 72 and their retelling of their adventures and reflects, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning…” (v 18) Commentators are varied in their interpretation of this statement. Some believe that this refers to when the angel Lucifer was kicked out of heaven because of his rebellion towards God, while others think it could be a vision by which Jesus saw something in the spiritual realm, but in either case Jesus indicates that Satan’s authority and power over people has been decisively broken.
Jesus gave the 72 power and authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and anything else within the enemy’s power, declaring that nothing at all would harm them. As the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 4:4, “You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Yet overcoming Satan and his minions wasn’t what they should be most excited about; rather, “rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (v 20)
Jesus prays, rejoicing to his Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these significant truths from the wise and intelligent and instead revealing them to infants - the common and uneducated, but trusting and faithful. Jesus then turns to these excited, devoted disciples, “You have no idea how blessed you are! Prophets and kings would have given everything to see this - their hope realized, The Kingdom of God Drawn Near!
Big Picture Questions for Today:
* When you hear Luke 10:2 quoted or preached, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest,” how do you feel? Guilty and ashamed because you rarely if ever look at your home, community or workplace as a field ready for harvest? Or maybe pressure to do something extravagant for Jesus, like a mission trip?
* Do you tend to take others’ rejection of the gospel as rejection of you? It’s hard not to, right? If so, consider Philippians 4, in which we are encouraged to allow the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, replacing fear and anxiety as we seek the Lord’s direction and submit to His authority.
Pray, the following liturgical prayer of harvest, Let Us thank God - A Harvest Prayer, written by Christine Sine, founder and facilitator of Godspace, which grew out of her passion for creative spirituality, gardening and sustainability. You can access this prayer and many others at www.godspacelight.com.
God we thank you for a harvest of plenty,
Small seeds that multiply to feed many,
Trees that blossom and produce abundant fruit,
Tomatoes that ripen on the vine with sweet flavour.
God we thank you for abundance overflowing,
Enough for our own needs and an abundance to share,
Enough to feed the hungry and provide for the destitute,
Enough to reach out with generosity and care.
God we thank you for seeds you have planted in our hearts,
Seeds of righteousness yielding goodness and mercy,
Seeds of love yielding justice and peace,
Seeds of compassion yielding healing and renewal.
God we thank you for the bread of heaven,
Christ our saviour planted in our lives,
Christ our redeemer growing in our hearts,
Christ your Son making us one with you.
God we thank you for the gift of life,
Like water poured out on thirsty ground,
Spring and autumn rains that revive and bring life,
A river that flows from your heart and out into the world you love.
Amen
©Godspacelight.com
