Introduction:
Like we’ve been discussing the last few weeks, it is so easy for us to get bogged down in what is going on around us, we can, like the old adage says, “Miss the forest through the trees.”
What that means is we live in a world full of lost people and don’t seem to see that we live in a world full of lost people.
That passage we will consider this morning reminds us that we live in a world that is in desperate need of salvation.
Read Matt. 9:35-38 and pray.
In this passage we will see the compassion of Christ, that stirred His heart to preach the good news, demands that we do the same.
You will notice that Jesus used the word "harvest" to refer to those people among whom the gospel was sown.
He made several interesting observations about them in this text.
Put info from outline here…
3 Principles of the harvest I want to discuss this morning, first of all notice:
1. The Savior’s Compassion
Read vs. 35-36.
Notice that the first thing it said about Jesus was that He was proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom.
This is a reminder to us what is on the heart of God and why Christ came, found in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
No matter what was taking place, Christ never abandoned His mission…the mission that took Him to the cross.
He came to seek and save the lost, and that is why He died…because we are and we were lost without Him.
And when Jesus looked at the people in vs. 36 he had compassion for them.
He saw their problems…he saw the liars and the thieves, the adulterers and the blasphemers, it was all clear to Him.
And what did He do? He had compassion.
Do we do that?
Let’s be honest, if we know the dirt on someone, do we show compassion?
If we are really honest that isn’t what we do.
We might say to ourselves, “How could they?” or get on the phone and ask someone that question.
Maybe we’ll turn our nose up to them and think we are better than they are…when in fact we aren’t.
We’re all sinners, and remember why did Jesus come?
To seek and save the lost, the sinners.
That is why He had compassion on the people He saw them dying in their sins, and that is what we should do.
Instead of judging, we should do our part to save them from judgment by proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom…like Jesus did.
The first principle harvest, have compassion.
The 2nd thing we see in our passage is…
2. The Situation Analyzed
Read vs. 37
Jesus looked out, analyzed the situation and gave His report…the fields are white unto harvest and workers are needed.
Obviously He was using an agricultural point of reference that more than likely rang in the ears of many of His listeners in what was a largely agricultural society.
The image they may have had may have been the same one we get when we consider a crop of wheat that begins to fade into a “white” color when it is time to begin the harvest…a sign that said, “Time to get to work”.
For us, as a church…it is harvest time.
We don’t have to look very hard to see that the fields are white unto harvest and workers are needed.
Consider this: There are an estimated 251 million unbelievers in the United States and Canada…that is out of an estimated 339 million people in the 2 countries.
Let me give you percentage on that…around 74%.
So basically, 3 out of ever 4 people you come across, they are lost.
3 out of every 4 people are looking at facing an eternity separated from God…they are hell bound.
Folks, the fields are white unto harvest and the workers are needed.
We are beginning our Annie Armstrong Easter offering to help support the work of 2500 full time chaplains and 5500 full time missionaries in the United States and Canada.
Meaning each missionary or chaplain is responsible for 31375 and their eternities.
And you think you have a hard job?
The workers are few, and the task is much too big for them to handle alone.
And that takes us to our third principle of the harvest this morning…
3. The Solution Given
Read vs. 38.
Pray for workers to be sent into the harvest, who are willing to go in and get their hands dirty in building God’s kingdom.
Hearts are ready, minds are open…all they are waiting on is someone willing to work.
Read Romans 10:12-15
Workers are needed folks, and there are times we can’t simply write a check and hope to clear our conscience.
Prayer is essential, prayer is needed and prayer is what Christ calls for…and it is a specific prayer.
Pray for the Lord of the harvest to send workers.
Pray that God would open the hearts and minds of those within His church to answer to the call, to be the beautiful feet that carry the Good News of Salvation to the masses.
Here is the kicker, when we pray; we need to be praying open ended prayers.
Too often we pray for God to send out missionaries, and a big part of that prayer is that it is someone other than ourselves.
Have you been there?
Honestly…have you?
If we are going to pray in faith, purposeful and prevailing prayers for our Wednesday night crowd, we have got pray opened ended prayers that say, “Lord let your will be done and let your kingdom come.”
When it comes to praying for workers of the harvest that means we should be praying, “Lord, send workers into the harvest…and let me know what my role is in this mission.”
Your role may be signing the check that will support someone like Melanie in reaching the un-churched.
Your role may be the prayer warrior she and the other 8000 workers in North America, and the over 5000 workers serving internationally need to do their job.
But you know what, when we pray those open ended, prevailing prayers of faith, we may find that our role is to be the one whose beautiful feet carry the good news to the lost.
Closing
What is your role in the harvest?
Have you considered that lately?
Have you prayed about it?
One thing is for certain, the harvest is white and ready…and knowing your role depends on which side of the harvest you are on.
Either you are praying for the workers in the harvest or you are part of the harvest.
Which are you?
Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
How…ABC
If you have accepted that gift, what are you doing with it?
Are you doing your part in working the harvest?
Are you praying for the harvest, and asking God about your role in it?
You can respond today:
• Surrendering in service
• United with the church
• Coming to the alter and saying, “I surrender my will and my life to you…whatever, how ever, where ever”
