The Harvest is Plentiful

By: Xh. Cher Cha Yang

Matthew 9:35-38, NIV

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on 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 workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Often when we think about mission, we think about oversea missionaries in third world countries such as Thailand, Loas, Africa, etc. But that’s not how Jesus sees mission. In Matthew 9, Jesus was moved with compassion because he saw the people’s spiritual hunger. The phrase “to have compassion” encompasses the idea of intense emotion, to feel deep sympathy, great pity, or great mercy for the crowd.

The religious leaders of Jesus’ time neglected the people, leaving them to wander in spiritual darkness. Furthermore, the religious leaders, who should have been their shepherds, kept the people from following the true Shepherd (Ezek. 34:5-6). However, that didn’t stop Jesus for he is the good shepherd, and he is willing to lay down his life for the sheep (Jn. 10:14-15).

Turning to his disciples, Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Meaning that there are a multitude of believers in those cities. Likewise, the same thing can be said of your situation. There are people in your city who are hungry for God’s Word. There are people in your neighborhood who are ready for the good news. Therefore, I urge you, my fellow believers, to wake up and hear Jesus’ calling, “The harvest is plentiful.”

As Christians, we must labor in God’s Word, constantly giving ourselves to meditation, reading, and prayer. We preach the Word in season and out of season and diligently minister the duties of our office for God’s glory. Sadly, there are more loiterers than laborers. It is for this reason that Jesus asks us to pray for more workers to enter His harvest. 

Today, as you move throughout your community, may your heart have the same tender compassion as Jesus did. May you desire to know him completely and be saved. May your prayer be for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 9:9-13). Be faithful in your walk with Christ. Work diligently by winning lost souls to Jesus. Never quit but fight the good fight. Complete the field that God has entrusted to you. And pray for new and more workers.

Reflections

1.Do you see your community as a harvest field?

2.Do you see the people in your neighborhood as sheep without a shepherd?

Prayer

Our Heavenly Father, we pray that You give us compassion for the lost just as Jesus demonstrated in the Gospel of Matthew. We pray that we will be obedient to completing Your Great Commission and preaching the gospel by starting with our family, friends, and neighbors. We pray that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.