Now to the Harvest
Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.” -Mark 4:26-29, NLT
“The kingdom of God should be likened to something grand and glorious: to shimmering mountain peaks, crimson sunsets, the opulence of potentates, the lusty glory of a gladiator. But Jesus likens it to seeds…The God whom Jesus introduces will not be kept at celestial arm’s length. Jesus does not tell us how high and lofty God is but how very near and present he is, and how the routines of planting and harvesting are mundane clues to the nature and plan of God.” – James R. Edwards
“The point of the parable is not that disciples of Jesus should cease all activity and let spiritual growth just happen…The point is rather that the sovereign God is in charge of human history, and he will bring it to its destined conclusion.” – Walter W. Wessel and Mark L. Strauss
“The process of spiritual growth is spontaneous within the kingdom of God, but it remains a total mystery to natural humanity.” -R. Alan Cole
“The faith that Jesus requires of disciples is to sleep and rise in humble confidence that God has invaded this troubled world not with a crusade but with a seed, an imperceptible “fifth column” that will grow into a fruitful harvest.”- James R. Edwards
As I step back from this year’s mission’s emphasis theme, “Now. To the Harvest” I am struck by the way that tremendous contrast lies in our perception of that idea. Most often, I think of grandiose moments, tribes of unreached people converting en masse to follow Jesus. And while those stories of missionary efforts exist, that is rarely the current reality. Instead, “now to the harvest” means years of faithful service resulting in 1 or 2 new followers of Jesus. It is a family here, and a single mother there, more than a village turning to the salvation that Jesus brings. How wonderful that there are many who understand this and are still willing to labor in the harvest fields in places where most of us will never set foot! May God continue to call and impart harvest laborers with patient persistence until the work is done. In the meantime, let us not be among those who neglect the unseen or almost imperceptible work that such laborers engage in each day. God helping us, let’s be better partners and teammates to people who’s faithful service is far more like planting and harvesting than it is the grandeur of a mountain or the glory of a gladiator. We can be an encouragement in the moments when it seems, nothing is happening. We can and must be the ones who pray alongside their efforts, knowing that the King will grow His Kingdom. Even as Zoom now gives us the technological ability to ‘be’ in another country on a moment’s notice, so prayer gives us the heavenly ability to ‘be’ in the hard places where IW’s serve. We can, in prayer show up for our brothers and sisters who’s labor in the Lord is not in vain. God help us to pray expectantly, knowing that You have invaded these very dark places with the seed of the gospel and You are doing Your work. Might it be that the stories that emerge in 5 or 10 or 40 years are stories of the Kingdom growing gloriously among those we least expected!
Questions for further discussion/life application:
What international worker(s) could you pray with and encourage as a regular rhythm?
How have you seen the ‘mundane’ Kingdom of God grow in your life?
Who do you need to be praying for as you sow the gospel seed into their life?
What is the biggest hurdle to you sharing the good news about Jesus with others in your life? How can others encourage you to obey the call to be a witness for Jesus?
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