The Harvest Is Plentiful (sermon)

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” Matthew 9:35-38 35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." We live in the most prosperous society ever. One of the reasons Americais successful is because it relies on the capitalist system, which requires continual increases in material wealth. We expect things to become faster, cheaper, and better all the time. No one is satisfied with hand-me-downs; everyone expects an upgrade. Better cars, better houses, better cellphones. Really, I have no problem with material prosperity, and I wouldn’t want to live in a stagnant society. But I believe our material prosperity masks our spiritual condition. American society is rotting at the core. Even though more people are getting higher education, medicine is improving, and we have wonderful technology, people are more desperate for salvation than ever. They are like sheep without a shepherd, harassed to the point of exhaustion and completely unable to fix their situation. Not only does material wealth in our society blind us to the problem, but it prevents Christians from solving the problem. I thank God for bringing me to know Him. I often wonder how I could get along if I didn’t know my Creator; if I didn’t have an eternal purpose. But, even though I am so thankful God saved me, I admit that I am often distracted from sharing that salvation with others. Material wealth and prosperity, “the things of this world,” are often what distract me. Material things are temporal, not eternal. They are temporary; one day all those things I’ve spent so much time worrying about will be gone and no one will remember them. But when I share God’s salvation with other people—when sharing this precious, free gift I’ve been given—then the results are eternal. And isn’t that what we should be doing? How can we who have been called out of darkness continue to walk around as though we were in darkness? Shouldn’t we be walking differently than those who can’t see? And shouldn’t we be guiding them out of danger? So today I want us to reorient ourselves. These verses will help us remember the situation—many people are suffering and desperate for an answer, and we have that answer. Let’s go through Matthew 9:35-38 verse-by-verse, studying Jesus’actions and words. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you through these scriptures. Don’t close your ears to God’s word, but make a decision to bare your heart. I beg you to listen to the Holy Spirit. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Are you asking the Lord of the harvest to send out workers?

35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. Jesus has commanded us to go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. And He has given us authority so that we can do the things He did in His name. What does this mean? Well, for one thing, it means we better get started now. It also means we have been given a commission, and the person who receives a commission doesn’t get to pick and choose which parts they will obey. Jesus went to every town and village and preached, regardless of those people’s readiness or response. He didn’t stay longer with the nice people and avoid the nasty people—He fulfilled His commission. In the same way, we must realize that we cannot choose who our partners in the gospel will be, who we will reach out to, or even where we will go. We can’t predetermine what our ministry is going to be like. God willlikely use us in some way that we never expected. Are you ready to do something you haven’t anticipated or wanted? If God calls you, are you going to listen or ignore His call? My wife and I both recently got great jobs, just what we wanted, and things have been going pretty well for my family after relocating here last year. I’ve really been happy with my new job, but then I asked myself if God wanted me to leave this job to do something for Him, would I? Now, don’t get me wrong—I really like this job and don’t think God is asking me to leave, but the question is still a good one to put to oneself. If God wanted you to do something other than what you had planned or where comfortable with, would you obey? Are you ready to fulfill your commission, or is God’s commission subject to change according to your plans?

36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them… The Greek word translated here as “compassion” literally means “moved in the intestines,” and I think is similar to our phrase “gut-wrenching.” When we feel something very strongly, we feel it in our gut. Maybe when some young person is in love, they often don’t feel like eating, or if you hear some horrible news, your stomach feels as though it dropped to the floor. I believe this is the type of compassion that Jesus had for the crowds. In order to minister to people, we need the heart of God. More than anything else, I think this is the most important aspect of ministry. It doesn’t even matter which ministry, you still have to have some strong feeling of wanting to help others. But compassion is important especially in the pastoral ministry. We need to be like Paul the Apostle, who said Christ’s love compelled him to do everything for the Corinthians’ benefit. (2 Cor 5:14) We need to be like Timothy, who Paul said was genuinely concerned for the Philippians’ welfare. (Phil 2:20-21) Brothers and sisters, do you know God agonizes over the unsaved? Can you love people, not with the love of men, but with the love of God? Not just people who seem worthy of salvation, but even those who are despised and rejected? Did you know that Jesus died for that person sitting in the row in front of you? Can you have compassion for that person? One song really reminds me of what I ought to be doing. It’s called “If We Are the Body” by Casting Crowns and the chorus goes like this:

Jesus paid much too high a price For us to pick and choose who should come And we are the Body of Christ If we are the Body Why aren't His arms reaching Why aren't His hands healing Why aren't His words teaching And if we are the Body Why aren't His feet going Why is His love not showing them there is a way

…because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. The Greek words actually imply sheep that are pursued and tormented until they have to lie down do to exhaustion. They have no defenses any longer, no energy to run, and they are completely helpless. Brothers and sisters, this is the condition of our friends and neighbors who do not know God. There is one Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. And He delegates undershepherds to feed, protect, and gather together His flock. The Bible says that whoever desires to become an overseer, or under-shepherd, desires a noble task. It is the most important work in the world to watch after and serve God’s people. I beg you to have this ambition, not to have ambition for your career only, or for a new car only. I beg you to make this your focus in life. Make it your goal in life to build the kingdom of God, which is not a building or organization, but rather the extent to which God reigns as King in the hearts of people. Be kingdom-minded. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you as well. God is going to provide for you and your family. I always remember the verse in Psalm 37:25, which says the children of the righteous will never beg for bread. God will take care of me as I take care of His people. In fact, one way to ensure your prosperity is to serve and give to others—not only your money, but your time and energy. God promises you that you are not short-changing yourself or your family by serving Him. All God’s blessings will be yours when you align your priorities correctly.

37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Jesus said there were few suitable workers. I believe today it’s the same as back then—it is always a minority of people who really abandon themselves to God. Throughout history, there have been those people who say to God, “Yes, Lord, please use me whatever the cost.” They are willing to give their everything for Christ, and God helps them bring in a multitude of harvest. I recently read a biography of George Whitefield, who together with John and Charles Wesley began great revivals in England and Americain the 1700s. Their group was started when they were students at Oxford; their group was called “Methodists” because of the strict discipline they imposed on themselves. Their aim was to be devoted to God completely. God gave them grace and used those men mightily to spread revival. Imagine at that time, before there was electronic amplification, a man like George Whitefield could preach to more than 20,000 people! John Wesley rode tens of thousands of miles on his horse around England,

preaching the gospel several times a day in the open air. The Methodists were subject to severe persecution, and many times violent mobs would try to break up meetings or stop the minister from entering town. “Unless a seed falls to the ground and dies, it cannot produce a crop.” God needs workers who are ready to pay the price. I believe God is ready when we are ready. I earnestly desire to see revival in Seattle, but every time I think about it, I ask myself if I am ready. Am I ready to live for Christ every moment, day-in and day-out? If I am really hungry for God, then why is it such a chore to spend devotional time? Brothers and sisters, I am not right in this regard, but I am not ignorant either. I realize that God requires a great deal of us if He will entrust us with the fire of revival. Do you want to see your school radically changed by Jesus? When I was a student at the University of Washington, Dwayne helped us envision the time when Christians would continually meet in Red Squarefor fellowship, prayer, and worship. We had a vision to see our school won for Christ. Maybe for you, it is downtown Seattle and the homeless community, maybe it is Seattle University, maybeGod has placed you at Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks, or Nintendo for a reason. We need to have a vision of what God can do through us, then surrender ourselves to God as a worker who is ready to reap the harvest.

38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Jesus is the Lord of the harvest,it is not our own work or our own ministry. Jesus is our Master, and we are only laborers in His field. “Send out” is actually much more powerful in the Greek. The word used is more like “thrust out and forced out” into the harvest field. We have a limited opportunity here on earth. God has given us here in Americamany blessings so that we can spend a lot of time pursuing our own pleasures. But to whom much has been given, much will be demanded. God is going to call us into account if we don’t use what He has given us. It is the most sacred and honorable work of all to labor in God’s harvest, but it is not easy, it is very demanding. We have to be ready to surrender our own plans and let God do with us what He has planned. As we ask, God is preparing His workers, even now. I believe God is doing a work in some people’s hearts right now. Respond to the Holy Spirit. God is calling you to serve Him with your whole life.