F03 Empty Field
List of the Online Lessons: A B C D E F G H
F03 Empty Field
We are looking at the bigger picture of ministry to unbelievers and new believers. We began with the God’s heart and now observe the farmer entering the empty field. That’s exactly your situation! Outside of your community, you don’t see anything of God growing. Jesus calls us into those empty fields to enter and work. But where to begin? How do we connect with the people? What specifically to bring to them?
Among other things, the Lord Jesus gives these instructions to His disciples (Luke 10:5-9). Stay in that house, and eat and drink what they give you, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not pass from house to house. And in any city, if they receive you, eat what is set before you, and heal the sick…“
The following instruction is already in our second field, that of sowing, „and say to them, ‚The kingdom of God has come near to you.'“
The easiest place to start in an empty field (with unbelievers) is usually with our own relational map of acquaintances, relatives and friends. Who on your map will you reach out to tomorrow or next week? Diligent disciples, however, will soon exhaust the folks on their map. Then their acquaintances:
a) have either already accepted Jesus
b) or they have rejected Him
c) or they remain neutral supporters with whom it doesn’t go any further.
Is it that there is no one left to talk to? Looking at the „empty field“ makes one think of other groups or places where the Good News of Jesus has not yet penetrated. If your map is near exhaustion, pray for a neighborhood where you don’t know anyone or a part of town and ask Jesus how to connect with people there. This is looking for an „entry strategy.“ In prayers we create a plan for where we would go next, whom to reach to, and how to do it.
Before I joined my first club, I needed several weeks of prayer and trying different things. Some time after I joined, a few people accepted Jesus there. Later on, I perceived that the new disciples I had made and whom I continue to serve could continue there without me. In the meantime, the Lord Jesus has opened another environment for me to develop relationships and share the Good News.
John 4:35 Behold, I say to you: Lift up your eyes and see the fields, that they are close to harvest.
Even in your neighborhood there are people whom living Jesus is already working on! Pray persistently asking how to find them and how to connect with them, where is Your empty field, what kind of people are there for You.
When the Lord Jesus sends disciples, He does not guarantee that all people will receive them! (Matthew 11:21, 23:37, Luke 10:13, 13:34) Whole towns have rejected Jesus at times. He is grieved by this, but He does not stop there; He continues to seek and save what is lost. Even Paul’s ministry was accepted by some and harshly rejected by others; thus at least he discerned whom to pursue next…
After exhausting our maps, it became necessary to go out to complete strangers; for example, to shopping malls or to their doors (where the Lord Jesus sent His disciples: Luke 10:5-9). I assure you that when it is done well, the response is much more positive than we are used to think and say…
Think of the empty field in our diagram as a space and a way to connect with people. Yes, in the first place, we are committed to reach the lost, who do not yet know the Lord Jesus. But I find that we also need to connect with people who already know Him. Many brothers and sisters are not winning their unbelieving environment because NO ONE has taught them, yet. Once they connect with the heart of God, once they learn a few basic skills, and once they go out to people in an appropriate way, they can do it! Many Christians have unbelieving people very close to their hearts.
I’m thrilled that you’ve made it this far in this Bridges to People training! Which of your believing friends can you help to go out to their unbelieving friends in the next week? Ask about them and tell them your first experiences, or at least my experiences I’m sharing here, and especially with abundant prayer, try everything out in practice with your people.
I hope looking at the empty field awakens in you determination and motivating emotions…!
Lord Jesus, You are marvelous example to me of grieving for the lost people of Your time and of urgency of their terrible situation. You went out to them and brought them Rescue at great cost. Thank you so much…