Time For Harvest: Workers Needed
Time For Harvest • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
The word harvest comes from an Old English word haerfest which means autumn. It is used to describe the time of the year when crops are gathered from the land. The harvest became known as a time to celebrate the bounty of the land that was gathered. Even today through out our land there are many types of harvest celebrations.
From a Biblical standpoint, it indicates spiritual growth and health.
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
Our memory verse for the month hints at this same idea:
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
There is an indication throughout scripture that seeds are sown and a harvest takes place. There is a process of growth that takes place that leads to maturity and this is described on both a physical level and a spiritual level.
Jesus provided an example of this in both His ministry and His teaching. He knew that the Father had sent Him to yield a harvest of righteousness and lead mankind to a saving relationship with Him. He provided this teaching to His disciples in .
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
As we study this passage and look at the example of Jesus, we see He had a method, a message and a mission.
The Method (vs.35)
The Method (vs.35)
Jesus went through all the towns. This is not a one time act, but a continuing process. Everywhere that Jesus went, He went with the purpose of proclaiming His redemption. By going to the all the towns and villages, Jesus is saying that no one and no place is too far to receive the gospel.
He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
Ephesians
He taught in the synagogues. It was natural for Jesus to teach there. Even though the synagogues were used for the religious establishment of the day, Jesus went there to proclaim something different than the practice of a religion. The established order was about keeping commandments and doing the right thing.
Jesus had a message to share! He took light to a dark, lost world.
Jesus taught the good news and how that good news exists through a relationship.
The Message (vs. 35-36)
The Message (vs. 35-36)
The message Jesus preached was the good news of the kingdom!
Jesus taught the good news and how that good news exists through a relationship.
You and I would do well to forget about religion and focus solely on that relationship! Jesus didn’t say you needed to attend a certain church on a certain day of the week. Jesus said I am the Way, the Truth and Life.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
You don’t get to the Father through religion you get to the Father through a relationship!
Jesus preached the Good News! Good news is from the word evangelion, which we get the word evangelize. It means the gospel, the good news of God’s salvation. There is nothing bad about good news!
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
From this Old Testament prophecy we see that is binds up the brokenhearted, gives freedom for the captives, and releases the prisoners from the darkness.
You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
From this passage we see the Good News gives peace through Jesus Christ. There is no peace like the peace of Christ.
A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,
and good news gives health to the bones.
This ancient passage tells us that joy and health come from the Good News. Even if you have a disease that debilitating and life threatening, the Good News of Christ will help you get through it.
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
Jesus proclaimed the Good News. Along the way of giving the good news, Jesus took the time to heal disease and cure sickness. He had a cure for the sin that separated mankind from a Holy God. His message came about because He took the time to look and was aware of the needs of the crowd. He saw them harassed and helpless. He had compassion on them. He was motivated by what He saw. When was the last time you were motivated by what you saw in people? How long has it been since you wept over someone that was lost? Jesus saw the people as sheep without a shepherd. If sheep were without a shepherd, they were bear bait. They were out in the open without protection, ready to be devoured by the schemes of evil.
So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.
Eze
Jesus did not just see lost sheep, He saw His lost sheep. In fact, each one is so important to Him that He would leave the 99 to find the one that was lost. What compassion the Lord had for His sheep!
to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
Jesus showed compassion throughout the Gospels.
Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’ ”
So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”
“I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
Jesus provided a method in going to all the towns and villages preaching the message of the Good News and showing compassion to His lost sheep. He did this to show His followers that His mission should be their mission. His mission should be our mission!
The Mission
The Mission
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
As we said earlier, the harvest has been depicted for centuries as a time to cut ripe grain and other products of the land’s bounty. In the Old Testament, harvest is used as a picture of the coming judgement.
Jesus is saying that it is harvest time. In , Jesus said:
Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
Both of these passages portray humanity’s readiness to respond to the gospel by fleeing the wrath to come. “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” There is a huge worker shortage.
Jesus is saying in both of these verses that humanity
Ever wonder why?
Here are some reasons why there is a worker shortage:
People don’t know how to do the method Jesus did, nor proclaim the message Jesus proclaimed.
People are too busy with their own stuff and don’t think they have time to share the message.
People don’t have a full understanding of what Jesus has done for them.
People think that someone else will do it and they won’t have to.
The truth is that all of these are just excuses. If you don’t know how to share the message of Christ with someone then learn. Sharing the message of Christ is simply sharing what God has done for you and how He has done it. It is building relationships and sharing what Jesus has done for you in your relationship with Him.
If you truly understood what Jesus has done for you, then you would not hesitate to share His love with a world that so desperately wants and needs it!
The reality is that people are more receptive to the Gospel than Christians are willing to share it.
Witnessing is not what you do but who you are! Is the Gospel so prevalent in your life that it overflows into your actions?
Jesus is saying that the harvest is plentiful. This means that if you share the Gospel, you will most likely be successful in helping bring others to Christ. In order for that to happen, one must be willing.
One thing that we as workers must realize is that we are to be obedient and work the harvest. We are not to grow the crop. Sure we can plant seeds, we can water them, we can even weed around the seeds, but only the Lord of the Harvest can cause that seed to grow.
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
I used to fear rejection when I shared the Gospel with others. I used to ask, “What if they turn me down?” Then I realized the truth of these scriptures in that we are called to work the harvest but the Lord of the Harvest does the drawing in and He is the One that convicts and converts. I am to be a willing servant. Sure, I can learn how to build relationships and I can learn what verses to share, but only the Father can draw the person into a saving relationship with Him through His Son.
Matthew
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
What are we doing when we ask the Lord to do something? We are praying. This verse is a command for us to pray and ask the Lord to send out workers. All of us can do that! If you pray this, I assure you that you will be placed in wonderful situations to worker in the harvest field. God has placed you in so many relationships in which you can share of His goodness, grace and love.
Sometimes we strategize before we pray. Everything we do in the Christian life ought to begin with prayer. Simply, we should ask, “Lord, how do you want me to be a worker in your harvest field?” As you pray, God will begin to move in your spirit and show you insight into exactly what to do.
I have learned that if I am a willing vessel, He will supply opportunity, strength to share and exactly what to share. God never leaves us hanging or alone. Remember,
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:
We pray and God answers our prayers. Jesus gives a command here to “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out more workers.” We learn from other places in scripture that prayer is not all we do. We have learned that prayer also requires action.
We have to be willing.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:8
If we are willing to go, God will also direct us in how to go:
Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.”
I want to invite you to pray this next week simply this prayer:
“Lord, send out workers into the harvest field. Show me how to be one of those workers.”
Watch what happens!