Engaging the Harvest - Matthew 9:37

As we look around us today, with the threat of Isis and the like, peering down a barrel at our western civilisation, it is easy to think the end is near and indeed as believers we are living in the end of the end times, with many signs pointing to Christ’s imminent return.

And depending upon our eschatology or end times view point, we can have predominantly two different thoughts, that is one Jesus’ return is on us and everything that could be done for humanity has been done and now it is simply a waiting game. Or two, that now like never before has there been an opportunity for the church to arise and reap the great harvest of souls that lies before us.

As politicians argue whether to allow Muslims or not to enter their borders for fear of reprisals, one thing is certain, the great commission of our Lord Jesus continue to ring in our ears and what could be the greatest harvest of souls we have ever seen.

As Jesus said in the Matt 9:37, “The harvest is white but the labourers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that he may send out labourers.” The harvest is as white today as it was in Jesus’ time, if not more so with more and more choosing to follow the gods of this world rather than the Lord of creation. And with the church busy filling their fancy buildings and thrusting less and less into the harvest, it is no wonder the church seems powerless to many.

Many people ask, why has the church become so weak, where is the power of the Spirit that we once saw and knew of in all of our gatherings? Church has focused on the gathering of the faithful but forgotten that we are called to “go into all the world”. We have become experts at creating comfortable conferences but forgotten that it was to a lost and dying world that we were called in the first place. We have relied on our own abilities and strength to make us look good and forgotten that it is the Holy Spirit’s power that draws all men unto Christ.

What then must we do in these last days? We must return to the source of our strength and to the mandate that Christ left us and then we shall once again see the power of the Spirit return to the Church of Jesus Christ on this earth.