Field of Harvest / Battlefield - Luke 10:1-3, 17-24

• Jesus had plans to go into various cities and places. He sent disciples to go ahead of Him and minister to people, preparing the way for Christ to come and do His work. (Luke 10:1)


• Jesus instructed them to pray for a harvest - an increase of not just people who believe, but who will also join in the labors of the harvest. (Luke 10:2)


• Jesus warned them to expect resistance. They would be as lambs before wolves. They would not be able to handle the opposition with natural strength. They must depend on divine grace. (Luke 10:3)


• Jesus sent them into spiritual warfare. Satan is going to get involved. Jesus will stay involved, giving His people authority over the powers of darkness. (Luke 10:17-19)


• Jesus showed them their source of joy. It is not the individual victories that bring us lasting joy. It is the fact that we are free from our sins and have a place with Christ in God's family. (Luke 10:20)


• Jesus prayed to His Father with joy. Like Jesus, we should celebrate the sovereign graciousness of God. We may humbly but confidently do the work of the Gospel, knowing that both the Father and His Son are powerfully at work revealing Themselves to people. God's Spirit can neutralize the sinful, stubborn ways of man. (Luke 10:21-22) See I Corinthians 1:18-31; 2:1-5, 12-14; II Corinthians 10:3-5


• Jesus taught us to be thankful and humble for our own personal deliverance from spiritual deadness and ignorance. (Luke 10:23-24) See II Timothy 2:24-26; James 1:18-20.

What is written in the law? How do you read it? - Luke 10:26

Previously, in this series, it was stated that we need to observe how Christ ministered the Word. Then use the Word to release Him into the mind and heart of others. We need to expose people to an environment of Scriptural thought in which Jesus can speak to them as He did here on earth. In Luke 10:25-37 we have an example of one, who handled God's law on a regular basis, that tried to tangle Jesus in His words. The way Jesus handled this lawyer can help us to handle the questions of others, or to help someone begin the process of Biblical thinking. Answering Questions with Questions and Stories - Luke 10:25-37

• Ask a person if they know what the Bible has to say on a certain subject. (Luke 10:25-26)


• Ask them what they think it means. Help them to draw the right conclusions. (Luke 10:26)


• Show them the ideal standard that God has set. If they are ready, show them their need of mercy and grace through Christ. (Luke 10:27-28)


• If they are not understanding or not receiving the right conclusions, try illustrating the point with a story or object lesson. Here, Jesus told the story of the good Samaritan. (Luke 10:29-35)


• Again, help them draw the right conclusion. (Luke 10:36)


• Encourage them to make the right decisions and actions. (Luke 10:37)

Conclusions:

• We need to have a correct understanding of the words of Scripture in their context.


• We need to be prepared for resistance, ignorance, and the effect of incorrect teaching.


• We need to be able to compare other Scriptures for confirmation and for making complete thoughts (The whole counsel of God - Acts 20:26-27). We need to be thinking ahead of those whom we are trying to reach.


• We need to be familiar with the stories, parables, and other illustrations that the Bible uses. You can use other kinds of illustrations after you are sure that they are within the guidelines of Scripture.


• We need to help people to know what God says and what He means by what He said.


• We need to call people to decision and action.