This is a copy of my talk given at Ayia Kyriaki and Saint Stephen’s in the Anglican Church of Paphos on Sunday 6 July 2025. The Bible reading was Luke 10:1-11 and 16-20.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
I thank You for Your word.
By the power of Your Holy Spirit,
May You speak to my heart,
And change my life.
In the precious name of Jesus I pray.
Amen.

Introduction
An old farmer sat on the steps of his small shack. He was approached by a passing stranger who asked,

“How is your cotton crop coming this year?”

“I ain’t got none”, replied the farmer.

“Didn’t you plant any?” asked the stranger.

“Nope,” said the farmer, “I was afraid the boll weevils would get it.”

“Well,” asked the stranger, “how is your corn?”

“Didn’t plant any corn either,” replied the man, “I was afraid there wasn’t going to be any rain.”

“If you didn’t plant any cotton or corn, what did you plant?’ asked the man.

“Nothing,” said the farmer. “I just played it safe!”

If you don’t plant anything, it makes the harvest a lot easier, doesn’t it?

The Sending Of The 70
In our Bible reading from Luke 10, Jesus sent out his disciples to bring in the harvest. He was sending out workers to bring people into the kingdom of God. He said that there were many souls who were ready to be harvested, but there were not enough workers. One reason it was hard to find workers was that it was very difficult work. Jesus warned that the workers in his kingdom would often be treated very unkindly.

The sending of the seventy mimics the sending of the twelve apostles in Luke 9, including leaving no essentials behind. The seventy were to focus on the proclaiming that God’s kingdom has come near and were sent out where Jesus was about to go. They were to prepare the way for His coming. The apostles were to be with Him; to hear His instructions, and witness the sufferings, death, resurrection and ascension that they might proclaim these things to all the world. Jesus is giving us a foretaste of the great commission to go to all the world and proclaim the kingdom of King Jesus. And that great commission involves sacrificial discipleship.

The seventy were sent in twos so they could help, counsel, sustain and comfort one another. Every Christian needs such a friend. Someone to whom he can share his concerns, feelings and prayers.

All of us need someone to help us live the Christian life. Someone we can pray with, someone we can bounce ideas off, someone to watch our back when people oppose us. To labour together is better than to go it alone. The God who is the Lord of the harvest reminded the disciples that their responsibility was to work diligently. His responsibility was to ensure they had something to harvest.

The mission of the seventy was time sensitive. They had to prepare the villages for Jesus’ visit, which could happen at any time. We have a similar mission today. We are to spread the message of the Good News of salvation before Jesus returns. Since we don’t know the exact date and time of His return, our mission is also time sensitive.

Focus On The Essentials
That is why Jesus wanted the seventy to focus on the essentials. That’s why He gave them instructions. They were not to waste time on people who got angry or wanted to argue. Jesus advised them to tell the exciting news to people who were ready to hear it. This is good advice for us to follow today. We are to spend time spreading the Good News to people who are eager to hear it. We can’t always afford to spend time on people who are opposed to God’s word. It saps our energy and discourages us. Though, it has to be said, some people have a gift in this area.

The disciples were excited when they returned because the demons had submitted to them. For Jesus, this was not the most important thing. What was far more important for Jesus was that the disciples had been welcomed into God’s family. Jesus’ response to the report the seventy gave when they returned does not mean they should take no satisfaction in their ministry, which included successful exorcisms.

Rather, they should delight more that God has chosen them to be part of His eternal family. Ministry success is wonderful, but it cannot compare to the eternal joys of calling the God of the universe one’s Father-assured that one’s name is written in heaven.

Preach The Good News
Jesus sent the seventy out to preach the Good News and do the Kingdom work. He knew they were ready because they were transformed by spending time with Him, following His instructions and receiving His authority. He sends us out today. He has prepared us. We have received His authority to spread the Good News.

As believers in Jesus, we often feel weak and insignificant in the face of situations around us. Matthew 28:18 tells us that Jesus has all authority, and the passage from Luke tells us that He has delegated this authority to us as His followers.

A young police officer was taking his final exam at Hendon Police College in north London. Here is one of the questions:  You are on patrol in outer London when an explosion occurs in a gas main in a nearby street. On investigation you find that a large hole has been blown in the footpath and there is an overturned van lying nearby. Inside the van there is a strong smell of alcohol. Both occupants – a man and a woman – are injured. You recognise the woman as the wife of your Divisional Inspector, who is at present away in the USA. A passing motorist stops to offer you assistance and you realise that he is a man who is wanted for armed robbery. Suddenly a man runs out of a nearby house, shouting that his wife is expecting a Baby and that the shock of the explosion has made the birth imminent. Another man is crying for help, having been blown into an adjacent canal by the explosion, and he cannot swim.

Bearing in mind the provisions of the Mental Health Act, describe in a few words what actions you would take. The officer thought for a moment, picked up his pen, and wrote: ‘I would take off my uniform and mingle with the crowd.’

As a Christian, it is often easier to take off our Christian uniform and ‘mingle with the crowd’ – but we are called to retain our Christian identity, wherever we are and whatever the circumstances.  Our faith is not a private matter. We are told by Jesus to proclaim it in word and deed. When we are persecuted, we are not to retreat. We are here to build God’s kingdom, not bury it in our hearts. We can stay in our comfort zones, safely hovering above real engagement with the issues of faith that call out in our time. But if we do, then we risk missing the kingdom of God that has already come near in Jesus.

The Role Of The Church
The church’s job is to proclaim the kingdom of God. We’re tempted to believe that our job is to keep the doors open, or to preserve a certain style or tradition, or to be friendly. Many churches resemble just another club instead of a place to grow in faith, be active in our faith and make disciples.

Vs2: ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’

Jesus is still looking for people who will work for him and bring people into his kingdom. That is what the church is supposed to do. It won’t always be easy. In fact, it will be hard. Many people in the church are like the farmer in our story – they are “just playing it safe.”

Jesus calls us today to a discipleship that proclaims the message that the kingdom of God is here now. We have to expect that some will accept the message with faith and others will oppose us. We are preaching a message contradicts the ways of the world.

The seventy were the hands, feet, legs, heart and minds of Jesus. That was the way it was then, and it is still true today. For Jesus to complete His mission in today’s world, he needs hands, feet, legs, hearts and minds. The harvest is overwhelmingly great, and Jesus needs willing hands, willing hearts, willing minds and willing spirits. Jesus gets work done today through his disciples who are committed to doing the work. We may have to start by offering mercy and love to those who have been badly hurt by the church. In those cases, we may have to apologize for the pain the church has caused, even if we don’t completely understand it.

Are you sharing the hope of Christ with those who are lost or hurting? Are you looking for opportunities to bless others in practical ways? I read recently that eight out of ten church members have never invited anyone to church and that nine out of ten church members have never won anyone to Christ. If that is true here in ACP, we have so much work to do.

Conclusion
In Luke 10, Jesus tells us to pray to the Lord to send out labourers. He does not say that we should pray for more observers, spectators or complainers. He says that we should pray that the Lord would send out more labourers. No one can honestly pray for this work to be done if they are not willing to do it themselves. We must not say, “Yes, God, send more labourers into the harvest.” We must say, “Lord, let it start with me. I want to be a labourer. I don’t know what I can do or what I can offer. I don’t have a lot, but what I have is yours. I give it to you.”

When we say “yes” to proclaiming the Gospel and being a co-labourer with Jesus, there’s no limit to what God will be able to do in and through us.

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER The text contained in this sermon (except where stated) is solely owned by its author, Revd Paul A. Carr. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name.