* Did you feel it? We had a few very cool mornings and comfortable days in the 70’s. Autumn is here! Time for harvest! A time to collect from the fields the blessings our God provides for humanity. Maybe the corn and the soybeans will not produce a record yield this year due to climate conditions… A lot of rain during Spring and a bit of lack of rain during Summer, but still, many blessings out there to be gathered. We are also still enjoying vegetables from our gardens… the fruits of our labor… (Did you have a garden this year?)
* I also enjoy the opportunity to pick apples in one of the orchards we have in our area. Have you done that?
* But this Fall harvest weather led me to a Bible passage in Luke 10. Listen to what Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Luke 10:2. Before we go deeper into this verse, let me ask those of you who farm, and those who have gardens in your backyard: If you have corn, soybeans, zucchinis, and tomatoes out there, would you just let it go to waste? I believe you would do your best to “bring in the sheaves!” as the old gospel song says.
* So, let’s take a look at Luke 10. “After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.’” Luke 10:1-12.
* The first image that comes to our minds after reading this text, is of missionaries going out and proclaiming the gospel, passing out tracts… However, I believe there is much more to it! God certainly wants full time missionaries and evangelists going to all corners of the world. He sent out the disciples to do that, but the work of the harvest is much more than just speaking the Gospel. Besides, all believers in Christ are recruited to help with the harvest.
* We as believers in Jesus live in two kingdoms – God’s Kingdom and the Kingdom of this world. Jesus says that the Kingdom of God has come near – it is offered to all people, but the only way to be part of it is through Jesus.
* In the Kingdom of God there is peace… there is healing, there is the “Shalom” – the wholeness God offers. After all to be saved is to be made whole again, even though we continue to experience the brokenness in this world. For that reason FAITH plays such an important role in this Kingdom – It brings us the certainty of a perfect future.
* Another aspect of this text is that those who were sent out have the privilege to see God at work transforming lives, delivering them from rotting in the fields where Satan has their way with them.
* Oh, and do not forget, as you do the work of collecting the fruits of the field… bringing people to Christ, there will be wolves ready to pounce on you and destroy you. Be ready!
* You and I also need to remember that we are not saviors… Jesus is THE SAVIOR! Our job is to point people to Christ! We are not the focus… Jesus is!
* So how does the text, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” apply to us as we live among our communities?
A. We need to live as true disciples of Jesus, receiving His grace and following His command to bring the Kingdom to the lost in ways compatible with His will.
B. We need to understand that God’s Kingdom is about eternal life, but also about wholeness in all areas of life, such as in meeting physical and emotional needs. Will humanity experience complete wholeness in this world? No, because this world will continue to be broken until Christ returns, but we, as we work in the harvest, are to hold that hope high for those who are being “harvested.”
C. We need to be harvesters for Christ. We will see wonderful things happen in the life of many people. People transformed… people with hope… Show your FAITH & HOPE to your community and help them to experience spiritual… life transformation.
* Someone said, “Many churches today remind me of a laboring crew trying to gather in a harvest while they sit in the tool shed. They go to the tool shed every Sunday and they study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and then get up and go home. Then they come back, study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes and grease their tractors and go home again. They come back Wednesday night, and again study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and get up and go home. They do this week in and week out, year in and year out, and nobody ever goes out into the fields to gather in the harvest.”
* Are you willing to be a HARVESTER... not of corn or soybeans, tomatoes, okra, or cucumbers… but of people? If we, as a church have not understood the importance of the harvest yet… well, it is time to reevaluate our calling.
* Have a blessed “harvest!”
Rev. Don Sonntag
* I also enjoy the opportunity to pick apples in one of the orchards we have in our area. Have you done that?
* But this Fall harvest weather led me to a Bible passage in Luke 10. Listen to what Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Luke 10:2. Before we go deeper into this verse, let me ask those of you who farm, and those who have gardens in your backyard: If you have corn, soybeans, zucchinis, and tomatoes out there, would you just let it go to waste? I believe you would do your best to “bring in the sheaves!” as the old gospel song says.
* So, let’s take a look at Luke 10. “After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.’” Luke 10:1-12.
* The first image that comes to our minds after reading this text, is of missionaries going out and proclaiming the gospel, passing out tracts… However, I believe there is much more to it! God certainly wants full time missionaries and evangelists going to all corners of the world. He sent out the disciples to do that, but the work of the harvest is much more than just speaking the Gospel. Besides, all believers in Christ are recruited to help with the harvest.
* We as believers in Jesus live in two kingdoms – God’s Kingdom and the Kingdom of this world. Jesus says that the Kingdom of God has come near – it is offered to all people, but the only way to be part of it is through Jesus.
* In the Kingdom of God there is peace… there is healing, there is the “Shalom” – the wholeness God offers. After all to be saved is to be made whole again, even though we continue to experience the brokenness in this world. For that reason FAITH plays such an important role in this Kingdom – It brings us the certainty of a perfect future.
* Another aspect of this text is that those who were sent out have the privilege to see God at work transforming lives, delivering them from rotting in the fields where Satan has their way with them.
* Oh, and do not forget, as you do the work of collecting the fruits of the field… bringing people to Christ, there will be wolves ready to pounce on you and destroy you. Be ready!
* You and I also need to remember that we are not saviors… Jesus is THE SAVIOR! Our job is to point people to Christ! We are not the focus… Jesus is!
* So how does the text, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” apply to us as we live among our communities?
A. We need to live as true disciples of Jesus, receiving His grace and following His command to bring the Kingdom to the lost in ways compatible with His will.
B. We need to understand that God’s Kingdom is about eternal life, but also about wholeness in all areas of life, such as in meeting physical and emotional needs. Will humanity experience complete wholeness in this world? No, because this world will continue to be broken until Christ returns, but we, as we work in the harvest, are to hold that hope high for those who are being “harvested.”
C. We need to be harvesters for Christ. We will see wonderful things happen in the life of many people. People transformed… people with hope… Show your FAITH & HOPE to your community and help them to experience spiritual… life transformation.
* Someone said, “Many churches today remind me of a laboring crew trying to gather in a harvest while they sit in the tool shed. They go to the tool shed every Sunday and they study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and then get up and go home. Then they come back, study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes and grease their tractors and go home again. They come back Wednesday night, and again study bigger and better methods of agriculture, sharpen their hoes, grease their tractors, and get up and go home. They do this week in and week out, year in and year out, and nobody ever goes out into the fields to gather in the harvest.”
* Are you willing to be a HARVESTER... not of corn or soybeans, tomatoes, okra, or cucumbers… but of people? If we, as a church have not understood the importance of the harvest yet… well, it is time to reevaluate our calling.
* Have a blessed “harvest!”
Rev. Don Sonntag