Person of Peace
Jesus sent his disciples out, telling them to pray for workers. Jesus has also sent us, desiring that we also will pray and look for workers.
We can learn a lot by understanding how Jesus had his disciples looking for workers. Let’s read the story:
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. 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. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’
Luke 10:1-11
Question: What is the first commandment that Jesus gives to his disciples as he sends them out?
Discuss this question together as a group and then click on this box and read the answer below.
The first thing that Jesus tells them to do is to pray for more workers.
Question: From where will these workers come? The disciples are the only workers at this time!
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Jesus is sending his disciples into the harvest field. Given that they are the only workers at this time, and that Jesus is telling them to pray for more workers, the workers must come from the harvest field!
So Jesus is sending out his disciples to not only have new people believe, but instead to find new workers!
Question: If Jesus is sending his disciples out to tell others about the Kingdom of God, why can’t they speak to anyone on the road? Why can’t they move around from house to house?
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Jesus doesn’t say this directly, but one reason may be related to his first commandment to pray for more workers. Jesus may want them to enter the house and teach them about what they have seen and what they have learned as they spent time with Jesus. In that way, this house will become the “home base” for new disciples of Jesus in that town. These people know the other people in the town better than the disciples do, so they can share with the other people what they learn from the disciples once the disciples leave. They become the new workers in that town!
As you are discipling an individual or a group, leading them through 3/3rds Groups and developing a relationship with them, you will want to look for Persons of Peace, just as the disciples were looking for these homes that they entered. These are people who spread the Gospel quickly and easily amongst many people. These are also the people who will bring together the people who will become the church!
Zume Training has a great video to teach this concept . Go and watch the video on this page to learn more about a Person of Peace and how you can find one!
Beyond the Biblical story above, we recommend that you read other stories that demonstrate how the person of peace will welcome and receive the message of the person who has brought the Gospel to them and share the message with others.
- The Samaritan woman at the well – John 4:1-42
- Cornelius – Acts 10:9-48
- Lydia – Acts 16:13-15
- The Philippian Jailer – Acts 16:25-34