People Spots
Online
Produced by James W.
Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants
Provided as a service by New Life Ministries
The
Harvest
by James W. Moss, Sr.
What is the harvest? In July, the combines will be running in the fields gathering wheat. In October they will gather soybeans. But, what is the harvest for the church?
The harvest is the people all around us who don’t know Jesus. There are so many of them. They may be in our own families, in the house next door, the guy who delivers our oil, the woman waving a flag at a construction site, the person next to us at the swim meet, at the next desk at work, or the next desk at school. Jesus cares for all these. Do we? But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Imagine that? Christ died for us while we were still sinners. He loved us so much even when we weren’t lovely. Can we so casually turn away from the many others for whom Christ died as if they don’t matter. They matter to Jesus.
Jesus was walking the streets of Jericho. Zacchaeus, chief publican, was perched in the tree. Jesus called out, “Zacchaeus, come down, because I’m coming to your house for supper tonight.” What a magnificent story. But the religious people were upset. They criticized Jesus in this manner. All the people saw this and began to mutter. He has gone to be the guest of a sinner (Luke 19:7). I love this criticism. Because Jesus was willing to associate with sinners, I know he was willing to associate with me. What am I, but a sinner saved by grace?
It is God’s longing that all should be saved. He wants everyone to come to him in a marvelous saving knowledge. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (II Peter 3:9). How is that going to happen? We are his voice, his hands, and his feet. He has chosen to work that way. But for us to achieve his will, we must have workers to gather the harvest.
Before we can challenge workers to go into the harvest they must see it. 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 (John 4:35). Jesus obviously had concerns that we could look right through the harvest and not see it. Leaders in the church have to see the harvest and then challenge workers to see it too.
The problem in the American church is that we have been gathering fruit from trees we did not plant. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor (John 4:38). I frequently travel through orchard country. Every once in a while, I pass through a field where all the trees have been cut. New ones are planted. Why would they do that? The old trees quit bearing fruit. New ones need to be planted to keep the fruit coming. We have been gathering the fruit from seeds sown a generation or more ago. When will we sow seeds to be sure there is a harvest to gather both now and in the future?
How do we get more workers? All of us are already doing more than we can. We can’t take on one new task. Maybe we need to seek the Lord’s guidance in examining the work we are doing. Does it count for the Kingdom? Or is it just busy work to keep the machinery oiled? The introduction of new people is always the key to expanding the work force. The most recent converts will be excited about their new found faith and give time and energy to the work. 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” (Matthew 9:37-38).
Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field. What is the voice of the Lord saying to you? Can you see the harvest? What will you do about it?
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Also see:
 | It's All about the Harvest - Vol. 9, No. 3 |
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For other evangelism resources, click here |
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Read about Jim's seminars and books.
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May 6, 2004. Volume 7, Issue 8. People Spots Online is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants. It is provided as a service by New Life Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org. Articles may be duplicated and reproduced in any way with proper credit. A new article is produced about every two weeks. To be added to a list to receive these messages directly by e-mail, send a request to churchconsultants@yahoo.com.