Harvesting

John 4:27 - 42 and Matthew 9:35 - 10:10
This reflects on sending out someone into the harvest field.
1. THERE IS A HARVEST FIELD
This world is very needy and lost, there is a need for us to go and make disciples. We should see it is white, ready for reaping.
Jesus had been accused of using Satan's power, he answers by what he does and what his disciples do. The harvest is the crowds of people - verse 36. They are like sheep who need a shepherd, they need protection and guidance from a shepherd. People need spiritual guidance like sheep need a shepherd. Jesus compared the father to a shepherd who searches until the lost sheep is found. Jesus himself is the Good Shepherd. He saw some people didn't know right from wrong. He saw some people misused the Bible. The image of a shepherd is very strong in the Old Testament - Moses, Ezekiel and David use this image. Ezekiel and Zecheriah rebuked leaders for their poor leadership. People can get secular learning from school and university but people need guidance as to how to live to God. Secular learning cannot do this. People, like sheep, need leading.
Poverty often comes from ignorance not economics. People need a good shepherd. There is a harvest field all over the world - China etc. People have a big, aching emptiness that only be filled by Christ. All the rituals in the world cannot bring us to the living God. We need to be connected to God. Even the western world is spiritually bankrupt, there is a huge underclass and children who indulge in drink and drugs and millions who do not know Christ. We need the good shepherd to give us the values we can live by. There is a harvest field among our neighbours and friends who have never cared for him.
2. THE HARVEST NEEDS COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE.
Jesus saw people as harassed and helpless. He went around healing people of every illness and disease and preached the good news to them. He not only taught but showed deep concern for humanity, it was a medical and evangelistic ministry, he showed compassion. What Christ was doing we cannot imitate to the same degree but we can show compassion for the hurts of humanity. Spurgeon said 'his sympathies were awakened; he could not look with an indifferent countenance, his inmost soul was stirred.' Jesus showed true concern and did not expect a return from them. He didn't preach self help but told them the good news so when they came to Christ they would change. His example should stir us to great compassion. We need to life our eyes and see the need. There are teeming millions right here in England. We need the Lord to give us his eyes to see and his heart to to feel his concerns. We need to remember what we were before God's grace touched our lives and saved us from our sins. Are we too busy to take time to share the gospel.? Do we deep down, have an urgency and a concern to share the gospel with those around us? People are shepherd less without Christ.
3. THE HARVEST NEEDS A TEAM OF PEOPLE.
In the next chapter we see our Lord sending out the workers as teams. Ephesians 3:10. The church is a place to gather the harvest. The disciples are organised to work in time. The church is a base camp where there is prayerful, practical and financial ministry. The church is the place to meet for new believers to be built up so they can become workers in the field. Missionaries need to go God's way with the support of the local church.
4. THE HARVEST NEEDS PEOPLE TO TEACH AND PREACH.
Jesus taught in their synagogues. He went where He got a hearing. Jesus preached the good news. He had something to share with people. Preaching is teaching and instruction, it is more than that, it is God's message that demands a response or a verdict. It is God's authoritative way to bring God's word to people. We can bring unbelievers to where God's word is preached, the church.
5. THE HARVEST NEEDS PRAYER.
How do you create Christian workers and preachers? It can't, it is gifts and graces that God gives and are nurtured by the Church. Calvin said 'there never was greater necessity for offering this prayer than during the fearful desolation of the church which we now see around us.' It is also important that workers are called by God. There are almost always more need than workers but we need to pray to God for him to call more workers. We have a host of problems in our day , pray for workers.
6. THE HARVEST NEEDS WORKERS.
There are millions who are without God and hope and hope who are hastening to eternity. In Europe there are 1% of people who are evangelical believers. The harvest needs to be gathered before it rots. The doctrines of grace should not make us fatalistic but keen to work in the certain knowledge of its success. It needs willing workers, it needs helpers who will be committed full time, it needs short term workers, it needs all to be workers. It needs persevering and patient workers like Carey and Judson, we may have to work long and hard, but the harvest day comes. They worked for years before they had converts. Carey worked for 7 years before his first convert. Jesus preached to a despised Samaritan woman. It needs workers with faith and vision, we need the expectancy and hopefulness of Christ that anticipates harvest time, Luke 18:24 - 27. This country is ripe for the gospel. The old adage nothing ventured, nothing gained applies here. How will people be saved if we do not tell them? People receive power the spirit comes on them to preach. If we do nothing God will call us to account. Do we have eyes to see opportunities? The history of the growth of the church is marked by enterprise and vision. God blesses people who work with the most deprived and under privileged of people. Missionaries need to persevere and work where they see the need to work. We live in desperately dark days. We need to send out workers. Will you ask the Lord of the Harvest to send workers into His harvest? Will you volunteer for duty yourself? We need to do what we can - give leaflets, invite people in, speak to people. We can also pray for workers. We cannot tell what one conversation can do, Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman and through that, preached to a whole city. We need to see the need and go out and share the gospel. We are so timid, fearful and unbelieving, the world needs us to go out and work. We need to resolve to pray for the work in other lands and on our own doorsteps for workers.