Laborers for the Harvest
Matthew 9:35-38
35. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity. 36. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38. pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
This takes place just before Jesus selects the twelve apostles from the band of disciples that have been following him around and hearing him preach and teach. Up to this point he had been working somewhat independently. He had not broadcast the Good News far and wide yet. He had been “planting seeds” within his own town, and the surrounding towns. He was laying the groundwork for his broader ministry—and that of the apostles.
Word was certainly starting to spread about this odd man with amazing gifts and abilities! He could heal the sick and cure every ill in one’s life! Of course at this time there were many so-called prophets and sorcerers performing tricks, and perhaps they actually were able to cure some people—by controlling their minds and making them believe what they wanted to be true. But that power was not from God—it was from man—or even from Satan.
Jesus was unique among all the others: he was preaching the gospel of the kingdom. God’s kingdom which he was about to offer to mankind on the cross. Of course there was no way for his early followers to know what was ahead. They were just inexplicably drawn to him. They could not resist when he invited—more implored—them to join him in his mission. They we unable to say no when he told them to leave behind everything they knew and trusted and believed in, to become his followers.
How did that happen? How was that possible? These men were all hard workers. Some of them were probably relatively wealthy. They had families and jobs and homes—they had a life for heaven’s sake! And yet they dropped what they were doing and followed this odd man with the fire in his belly and light of love in his eyes at his mere behest. At this point, Jesus was still beseeching his followers to pray for “the few.” The Holy Spirit needed to act within each of them so they would be ready when he approached them.
What about us? Could we walk away from our current life? Could we give up our comfortable beds and our nice cars and our families and our jobs? Could we walk away and never look back? Could we obey without question and follow without regret? Could we invite the Holy Spirit in and say “take me, I am yours.” Could we ask to be led and shaped and refined to the point that we would not even resemble the person we are today? Could we take up a cross with Christ?
Christ asks much of us. He wants us to be one who stands out from the crowd. He wants us to step forward and boldly proclaim the Good News. He doesn’t want us to look back—but rather to the Cross. He doesn’t want us to regret our past or our present—only rejoice in the future promise of life with Him in heaven. He doesn’t want us to hesitate or falter. He wants us to jump up and down and flail our hands and urgently request to be called upon! “Take me, please, please!” He longs for us to say, “Sign me up, I’m ready!” He waits for us to realize that there is nothing on this earth, and nothing in this life worth holding on to at the risk of losing our relationship with Him.
I hope today you flail your hands and do whatever you need to do to answer the call of Christ. And that you join the few, the proud, the saved.
Mary
