Throughout our marriage, Sue and I have lived about a third of that time in fairly rural, farming areas. There are two things I came to understand about farmers: 1) once the seed has been planted they always want you to pray for rain and 2) they want you to pray for no rain when the crop is ready for harvest. When harvest time came there was excitement and pressure to get the crop harvested. And it was all hands on deck! Everyone associated with the farm was expected to play a role in the harvest from the farm hands to the wife and children, and yes, sometimes the local preacher. Harvest time is a window of opportunity when the crop is ready to be harvested that can’t be missed or great loss will result.
When Jesus was on earth he spent most of his ministry doing three things: teaching, proclaiming the gospel, and healing people.(Matthew 9) And people responded to his ministry by trusting Him as their savior. This was Jesus gathering the harvest of His kingdom and he called His disciples to pray for more laborers in the harvest. What’s interesting is the ones Jesus called to pray were the same ones he sent out as part of the harvest. Harvest time in the mission of Jesus is the opportunity to go into the world to gather those that God has called to himself. And it is all hands on deck! Everyone associated with the Kingdom of Christ is expected to play a role in the harvest because if the opportunity to harvest is missed, it will result in great loss. We live in a time when the harvest is plentiful and Christ calls us to pray for laborers to go into the harvest. Join me this Sunday as we continue our series on Mission by considering specifically the Mission of Jesus.