Why So Few?

Out there in the countryside right now, fields are ripe for harvest. In our modern world, we can become so easily detached from where our food comes from and the important task of harvesting crops.

The harvest Jesus speaks about in Matthew 9 is a harvest of souls. Again, we can often lead lives that are so complicated and full of competing influences that we can all struggle to really commit to God’s work through His Church, playing our small part in ‘bringing in the harvest.’

Verse 35 of Matthew 9 is a summary of Jesus’ ministry. He travelled around Galilee for the most part in the first half of His ministry on earth, teaching in synagogues and outside. It says he went to all the towns and villages, nowhere was ‘off-limits’. He must have been exhausted with so much demand and clamouring and excitement around Him. He preached the good news that the Kingdom of God had come, in Himself. He was the good news! He healed every disease and sickness. There is no disease or sickness He is not Lord over.

Yet when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them. Why? – because He saw their desperate need. More than their physical needs, He saw their deepest need spiritually. They were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd, yet now, right amongst them, stood The Good Shepherd.

How do we see the world around us today? The words above that Matthew was inspired to write could easily describe the world we live in today. Many are harassed in various ways. Many are weighed down by a myriad of concerns or a sense of brokenness. Many are chasing after the ‘shadows’ or ‘mirage’ of pleasure and self-indulgence, wealth and security, and finding none satisfies even when they do so fleetingly find them. They are truly sheep without a shepherd, as indeed we all were before we knew Jesus.

Back in Matthew 9, as so often, Jesus then turns to his closest disciples and issues a challenge to them: ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’

Surely it is no coincidence that Matthew 10 follows on. The disciples, raw and unready as they were, are sent out by Jesus to carry on the ministry that he has been doing, totally and crucially dependent on His authority and power (10:1). On their own they would fail! With Jesus, obedient to Him, and totally reliant on His power, they were unstoppable!

Note that Jesus says the harvest is plentiful. Sometimes we make the excuse that no-one wants to know about Jesus. Personally, I don’t think that’s true. One CAP client recently was wearing a cross but not a Christian as far as I know. When I offered to pray, the offer was accepted. I have no idea how God will use that seed sown, but I believe He will. I find it incredibly challenging that I find a homeless person on the street is more open to prayer and being prayed for than their appearances might suggest. Oh, that we would see people through Jesus’ eyes!

I do believe though that the workers are few. There is no scripture that says sit back and let others do it. We all have a part to play in God’s big building project (1 Corinthians 12 – one body, many parts). We all have a testimony, we all have the treasure of the gospel to share. We may do that in many different ways according to our opportunities and gifts, but we are called to give witness where those opportunities present themselves, and sometimes that means positioning ourselves in ‘receive’ position. ‘Busyness’ is not wrong in itself, but if it stops us doing His work or hearing His prompt and taking His opportunities, then we have added to the ‘labour shortage’ of Matthew 9!

It is His harvest. We are not responsible for the harvest – He is. We are not judged by visible results – at least ten converts in a year for example. That is a worldly measure of ‘success’ and in Jesus’ kingdom, it is not about success but about sacrifice and service. When we are willing to submit our agendas to Him, lay it all down before Him, let Him order our day, our week, we will be surprised how He changes our perspective and ‘chance encounters’ and opportunities will crop up unexpectedly. We are not talking about necessarily standing on a street corner giving out tracts, but simply going about our daily business, prayerfully expecting God to open up opportunities to share His love and the wonderful good news.

So are we willing to be sent into the harvest fields this week? – Submission, sacrifice, service … that was how Jesus went about His day and as His followers, we must too.