SCRIPTURE
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his field harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38
SPOTLIGHT
Unexpectedly, the 84-year-old man on the telephone said to me, “I need to tell you something. I don’t mean to be selfish, but I have a very limited lung capacity, I am on oxygen, I have lost a great deal of weight, I am frail, and I don’t know about the future.” My friend was ONE BREATH BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. He was telling me he was dying. I assured this well-educated geologist and atheist that he was not being selfish in telling me his situation, and how I appreciated him being transparent.
What would you have done if you had heard those words? The door was open for me to share Jesus Christ’s Good News when he said, “I don’t know about the future.” I knew I had to walk through the door. Could he argue with me that the age of this world does not lend itself to believing in God? Yes, most definitely. But I am not a debater, I am a Christian. I am not a doctor, but I am a believer. I am not a fortuneteller, but I do have good news for anyone who wants to know the future. The fact is, that I have been called by Jesus to share the Good News with anyone and everyone, anywhere and everywhere.
I seized the opportunity to share how much God loved him. I wanted to give him hope before he died. I told him how Jesus Christ wanted him to spend eternity in heaven with Him. Christ died on the cross for his sin which separated him from God. Just as the thief on the cross could not do anything to deserve eternal life, so my friend was in the same position. The only thing that could be done was to believe and receive. I invited him to pray a simple sinner’s prayer.
Will you hear the call? Jesus Christ’s call is crystal clear. In the Scripture text above, Jesus says that the harvest is really big, meaning that there are many people who just need to hear the Good News in order to become believers. Many people are waiting for someone to give them hope. Our Lord goes on to say that the workforce is small. Few believers are taking in the harvest of souls. Then Christ instructs us to pray for harvesters to get to work in reaping the harvest of souls. Before praying for the harvest, namely the people who need to know Jesus in a personal way, He instructs you and me to pray for the number of workers/harvesters to be greatly increased.
Matthew wrote about how Jesus called believers in many different ways. Jesus invited Peter, Andrew, James and John to participate in life’s most important mission when He said, “Come, follow Me, and I will send you out to fish for people.” [Matthew 4:19.] Just before leaving earth, Jesus issued what is known as the Great Commission to all believers. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” [Matthew 28:18-20.]
Jesus Christ’s call to believers is crystal clear. His primary concern is that you actively be involved in sharing the Good News. You are to open your eyes, look at the fields and go out to reap a harvest. [John 4:34-36.] Your call is to take intentional action steps to get involved in the harvest. Take bold steps. Be active not passive. Move rather than wait. Sow and reap.
I invited my friend Donald to pray a prayer that is as simple as ABC. A-admit you are a sinner because you cannot save yourself. Neither do you deserve to be saved. B-believe that Jesus Christ is the true living God, who loves you so much that He willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin. C-confess to Christ that you want Him to become your personal Savior and Lord.
Donald politely listened to what I described as simple and yet profound. I emphasized again that Jesus Christ wanted him to spend eternity in heaven. In addition, his Godly aunt had been praying and longing for him to become a believer so she could see him in heaven. Then I added that I hoped I would see him in heaven also. I will never forget the next words that he said to me, “You will be the first to know if I pray the prayer.” He had used the word “IF,” rather than, “WHEN.” He was not yet willing to cross over the threshold of faith. After my telephone call, I called friends to join me in prayer for his salvation. Unfortunately, Donald died without me ever knowing if he prayed the sinner’s prayer.
Probably you know people who have ONE BREATH BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. Everyone you see is only one breath away from death. You need to hear Christ‘s call to go reap a harvest.
SOMETHING TO DO
Make a list of people who you know are near death. They may be older or sick. Then remember that everyone you see in a given day may not be around tomorrow. Pray about how to share the Good News with this harvest field.
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I hear You call. I will become a harvester. I will share the Good News. I will be a person who, “fishes for men.” I will fulfill the Great Commission. I will also need Your help. Anoint me with Your Holy Spirit. AMEN.