What Are We Seeing?

Scripture

John 4:35–38 KJV 1900

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. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

Would you be surprised to know how man does not know Jesus?

Among the general US population, 29% are considered dechurched and 9% are never churched, for a combined total of 38% unchurched. In the DC area is 44% and in the Richmond area is 34%, with 34% in the Tidewater area. This is from a list of the top 117 churchless cities in the US.

I confess, I was shocked when I read the statistic. The reality of the matter is, we are losing the battle for the souls of men! Yet, perhaps a more pressing question is why. Why are we losing the battle? I do not believe it is a matter of action, or activity, or desire, or passion. Rather, I believe that this is a matter of perception and vision.

How do we see the world? The Lord says that harvest is ripe, and plentiful.

Exodus 16:4 “Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.”

Mark 1:2 “As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.”

Jeremiah 1:11 “Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.”

Ezekiel 8:15 “Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.”

WHAT IS A HARVEST

A. Let’s turn to the meaning of the word harvest to help us answer this question.

a. A harvest is the act or process of gathering a crop.

b. Now a crop is the product of seed that has been planted watered weeded fertilize.

c. Of course for seed to be planted there must be preparation of the soil to receive the seed.

B. In Jeremiah 4:3 we read FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD TO THE MEN OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM BREAK UP YOUR FALLOW GROUND AND SOW NOT AMONG THRONES.

a. Hosea 10:12 tells us break up your fallow ground.

b. Now fallow ground is ground that has been left un- attended through neglect or total disregard.

c. It is ground where weeds briers vines have taken over and covers the ground.

d. It is ground that has become hard and crusted over.

e. It is ground you would not want sow seed on if you want a harvest.

1. We need to understand that these words were spoken to God’s people by two different prophets so it means they are being spoken to us.

2. Once the ground has been cleared of the rubbish that grows there and plowed up it is ready for the seed that produces the harvest.

Jesus wants to know how we see the world today

1. DO WE SEE POTENTIAL FOR MINISTRY?

2. DO WE SEE PEOPLE IN SPIRITUAL NEED?

3. HOW WE CHOOSE TO SEE THE WORLD WILL IMPACT WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT WE SEE.

4. DO WE SEE EITHER PROBLEMS OR POTENTIAL?

Jesus wants us to know that the harvest is plentiful

1. THERE ARE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WHO NEED CHRIST

2. THERE ARE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WHO WANT TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Jesus sees the world as a plentiful/ripe harvest

1. JESUS WANTS US TO SEE THE WORLD THE WAY HE SEES THE WORLD

2. IF WE DO NOT SEE THE WORLD THE WAY JESUS SEES THE WORLD WE WILL MISS THE HARVEST

3. WE NEEDS TO SEE THE USA, VIRGINIA, AND MANASSAS AS RIPE FOR HARVEST

4. IF WE MISS THE HARVEST, WE WILL LOSE THE HARVEST!

5. REGARDING THE HARVEST -- WE NEED TO HAVE THE MINDSET OF PLENTY, NOT THE MINDSET OF LACK

6. THE MINDSET OF LACK

a. I LACK THE TIME TO SEE THE HARVEST

b. I LACK THE FUNDS TO SEE THE HARVEST

c. I LACK THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS TO SEE THE HARVEST

d. I LACK THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE THE HARVEST

e. I LACK THE CONNECTIONS TO SEE THE HARVEST

f. I LACK WHATEVER I NEED BUT I JUST DO NOT HAVE TO SEE THE HARVEST

g. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE POTENTIAL DISTRACTIONS IN OUR LIFE.

h. ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SATAN TO DISTRACT US FROM THE HARVEST AHEAD OF US.

i. IF WE DO NOT SEE THE HARVEST, WE WILL SEE THE DISTRACTIONS.

j. IF WE SEE THE DISTRACTIONS WE WILL NOT SEE THE HARVEST.

k. IF WE DO NOT SEE THE HARVEST WE WILL NOT REAP THE HARVEST.

II. THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARVEST

Luke 10:1–11 KJV 1900

After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

John 17:4 “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

Matthew 4:4 “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Deuteronomy 8:3 “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”

Jesus acknowledges a lack of harvesters

THE REASON A PLENTIFUL CROP IS LEFT UNHARVESTED IS BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH WORKERS IN THE FIELD

THOSE THAT WOULD HARVEST DO NOT HARVEST BECAUSE THE DO NOT SEE THE HARVEST IN THE FIELD

AN ABUNDANT HARVEST IS WAITING FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO HARVEST

THE HARVEST IS EVERYWHERE!

THE REASON WE ARE NOT HARVESTERS

James 4:2 KJV 1900

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

WE DO NOT HAVE BECAUSE WE DO NOT ASK

WE NEED TO START ASKING GOD TO FIND THE LABORERS FOR THE HARVEST

WE NEED TO START ASKING GOD TO HELP US SEE THE ABUNDANCE

WE NEED TO ASK GOD TO HELP ME SEE MY ABUNDANCE

WE ARE SO BUSY LOOKING FOR THE MAGIC WAND THAT WILL TURN US AROUND AS A CHURCH AND AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST THAT WE NEVER GO TO THE SOURCE – GOD, AND WE NEVER SEE THE HARVEST HE HAS PROVIDED.

WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE WANT – WE NEED TO WANT WHAT GOD WANTS AND THE ONLY WAY WE WILL GET THAT IS TO ASK GOD FOR IT.

WE NEED TO ASK THE LORD FOR HELP AND THEN ENTER THE HARVEST

WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE GOAL – A RIPE HARVEST

WE NEED TO AVOID THE DISTRACTIONS OF LACK THAT KEEP US FROM OUR HARVEST

ANY DISTRACTION FROM THE HARVEST AND PEOPLE MISS AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD

PEOPLE THAT MISS AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD MISS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GOD.

Closing

PREPARING FOR THE HARVEST

Acts 2:42–47 “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

THE EARLY CHURCH WAS ALL ABOUT JESUS.

THEY WERE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS, AND GOD WAS VISIBLY WORKING IN THEIR MIDST.

NOTICE THE ACTIVITY OF THE LORD IN RESPONSE TO THEIR PREPAREDNESS – HE WAS ADDING TO THE CHURCH.

SO, HERE IS THE QUESTION, “WHY WOULD GOD SEND PEOPLE TO A CHURCH THAT WAS NOT READY TO RECEIVE THEM”?

GOD ADDS TO A CHURCH THAT IS TOGETHER, MUTUALLY RESPONSIVE, GLAD, SINCERE, FULL OF PRAISE.

PREPARATION FOR THOSE GOD SENDS IS BOTH A CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AND AN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.

WE HAVE A PERSONAL STAKE IN GOD’S ACTIVITY OF ADDITION. WE HAVE CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY IN GOD’S ACTIVITY OF ADDITION.

WE HAVE GOT TO SEE THINGS THE WAY JESUS SEES THEM.

WE HAVE TO HAVE THE PERSONAL SPIRITUAL CHARACTER OF OUR OWN DEVELOPMENT

WE HAVE TO PREPARE TO RECEIVE THOSE GOD WILL SEND US SO THAT HE WILL SEND THEM – WHY WOULD GOD SEND PEOPLE TO US WHEN WE ARE UNPREPARED.

THE PLAN OF PREPARATION:

ASK GOD FOR SPIRITUAL EYES TO SEE THE HARVEST HE SAYS IS THERE.

ASK GOD FOR CONVICTION REGARDING OUR LACK OF UNITY, SINCERITY, AND PRAISE.