"The Harvest is Large” 

By:   Pastor Milton Coats

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Matthew 9:36, 37 says “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few”.

When Jesus lived on this earth and walked among men, there were a lot of hurting people.  I believe it’s worse now than then.  It’s rarely a day goes by in my life that I don’t hear about or encounter hurting people in dire straits one way or another.

It’s encouraging to know Jesus came to alleviate humanity’s pain and suffering.  Jesus is able to heal us everywhere we hurt.  In Luke 4:18, 19, Jesus in his inaugural sermon said the spirit of the Lord was upon him.  He had anointed him to preach the Gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, preach deliverance to the captive, recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.  Acts 10:38 tells us God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power and He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him.  In Hebrews 13:8, we’re told Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Praise God!  That’s shouting stuff!

In our text in Matthew, we see Jesus going about all the cities and villages teaching and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom.  He was healing all manner of sickness and disease.  But Jesus’ spirit was disturbed when he saw the multitude fainting and scattered because they had no shepherds.

Jesus understanding the enormity of the harvest saw it as ministry opportunities and brought awareness to his disciples.  Jesus encourages them to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send forth laborers.  In addition to instructing his disciples to pray, he sends them forth into the harvest.

So, as we approach this Lenton season, let’s recognize the harvest is large, ripe and ready.  Let us also approach this season with renewed fervor to enter into this great harvest.

In John 4:35, Jesus told his disciple “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest”.  It’s Harvest Time!