The Comming Harvest

The Coming Harvest

The Great Commission and the harvest scriptures are some of the greatest examples of our goal as the Body of Christ to reach the World for God. Christians almost always try to reach the lost thinking like a Christian or from a Christian perspective and never as a non Christian.

If you want to effectively relate the message to a non Christian, you have to think like a non Christian. For instance, think back before you were saved and a Christian approached you and told you every thing you did was wrong, you’re going to Hell and you need Jesus. How would you react? Would you rush to the altar or would you say get lost?

Friendship evangelism has always been the most effective way of reaching the lost. Not door to door or street corner evangelism. Not that there isn’t a place for these ways, but I believe they’ve been proven to be too pushy, and inefficient.

I’m a history buff. I’ve been studying past revivals and have seen a common thread in just about every one that I’ve studied. In four so called “Great Awakenings.”

Jonathan Edwards in the 1700’s. God’s outpourings in the 1800’s. “Azusa Street” in the 1920’s, and the “Jesus Movement” in the 1960’s and 1970’s. God poured out His grace. The lost responded and those of His people that recognized His favor led them into the Kingdom. The rest sit on the side lines to watch the show or criticize it. They consist of Christians who oppose the revival for various reasons, from those that call it phony because it wasn’t like the revival they went through. Others believe that these things ceased after the first century according to 1 Cor 13. Others say they are charismatic, but oppose every move that ever happens because it looks weird.

I bet they would have thought Isaiah was weird because he ran around in nothing but a jock strap for three years. They definitely would have thought Ezekiel was weird when he sat in the town square after shaving his head and beard and burning a third in the fire, striking a third with the sword representing Gods judgment. I use to think those tongue talking charismatics were weird and out of order until I recognized that there was a difference between a prayer language of worship, and the gift of tongues, which is the same as prophecy, God has a message for the church in another language.

Some have a problem with those that laugh even though they don’t when the pastor jokes around during the sermon. Prophecy is always tough, when the prophet generalizes or the rapture date setters that think they know when the Rapture is coming even though Jesus made it clear that only the Father knows. The Harvest is great, but the workers are few. The way to reap the harvest lies with those that respond to Gods outpouring grace in the coming harvest.

Eph 4:11-13 and Jesus’ prayer in Jn 17:7-19 talks about unified Christians working together to show the world that God sent his Son, until we all reach the fullness. “Not by faith or might, but by my Spirit” says the Lord. This is how the Coming harvest will be reaped. Christians responding to Gods outpouring grace is how Gods work has always been accomplished.