Bringing the entirety of the storehouse in (2)

I thought to name this, "What do you know of Harvests?"

I know that it is a faith-filled business. You plant seed not knowing if or when the harvest is going to come - You say "but there are seasons" But what if there is a famine,

I know that once you plant the seed you have to wait, you cannot make anything happen. In fact, you don't know what's happening, until that tiny little shoot comes up from the ground, because you have to plant it below the earth, where you have no sight.

However, there are many positives. A man with experience will be put over the whole harvest, Lets call Him "The farmer"

He will have servants who go out to sow the seed, let us call these "sowers"

He will have servants who go out to reap the harvest, let us call these reapers

In a certain place, Jesus called Himself "The Lord of the Harvest" (Luke 10:2)

I want to say, there is no harvest if you don't pray, because the "laborers" they are the ones that actually bring in the harvest.

All that I have said so far is pittance compared to the magnitude of Harvest.

Did you know that there are two harvests, this is what Jesus meant when he said:

"Do you not say, 'There are still four months and [then] comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! (John 4:35)

I have often heard the harvest in terms of a call to evangelism. It is framed like this:

Don't you know that the harvest is here? Go out and evangelize, if you don't go you will not be part of the harvest.

While this may sound right, God gave me a totally different way of looking at it. Not only is the first way rather offensive, it makes it sound like you're not doing your job. It makes it sound like "you terrible person, you are not being part of the harvest"

I think if Jesus were here today he would laugh and be besides Himself. then He would be angry, because they did not understand what was being said.

the call to the harvest is not a call to evangelism. In his parable, who do you think He himself is framing He Himself as? Let us look at the whole passage...

Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him [anything] to eat?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, 'There are still four months and [then] comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors." And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I [ever] did." (John 4:34-39)

This maybe a funny question to ask, just bear with me.

He Himself is this, The Farmer who looks out over the harvest fields and says "They are ripe for harvest" so let the harvest be collected. How is he sure the harvest has come? Because He Himself has come. He (In John 12) refers to Himself as the seed.

There is another thing to glean from this passage, it is this: "no one ever did anything without a reward" It has to be the Holy Spirit that is empowering Jesus to speak these words.

The end of the passage refers to one "who has labored" This is a reference to the importance of those coming before (Forerunners) who prepare the way for Harvest. I would like to infer from this that if you are not convinced we live close to the return of Jesus. Look at the signs, look at the nations, and look at the fields. These three distinctly different exhortations come from Matthew 24, Habakkuk 1, and John 4. They are different because they do not refer to the same thing, but they are connected. The "signs of his coming" are those things that show the hour is URGENT. In habakkuk, the exhortation comes from God saying to Habakkuk "you need to look higher than the front porch, look into the nations, see what I am doing" in a phrase this is exhorting us to be filled in our hearts. The third "looking!" is referring to the harvest, the ingathering of multitudes, the worshippers who worship God in Spirit and in truth.

I want to suggest the reason Jesus knows these are all happening, is because He is the whole point.

Getting back to the point of all this, the proper frame of reference to listen and hear what he is saying. Both the sowers and reapers have something in common, they both receive wages from the farmer. This is the joy of harvest. In fact, I couldn't just finish at wages. But for this sake, I need to say "don't do anything without a reward" Let this sink into your heart. You need to get out of your head, and even your heart, that worship and the glory of God are not connected. What you do for God is rewarded because He's the one you come to.

In the Westminster Catachism it writes:

Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever

However this is not true!

The enjoyment of God is to glorify Him they are not seperate!

I am enthralled in my heart when I say to God "I love the things that you do for me, you are wonderful and glorious, magnificent and indescribable"

This statement places a connection between the things He does for me, and the person of Who He is. This is why I am whole-hearted, I have found the one whom I can be whole-hearted for.

This raises a question. If it is not a call to evangelism, then what do I do?

I want to assure you, there are many responsibilities during harvest, not just the Farmer, not just the workers. There are different types, we are all priests, we all have been given a kingdom (which we will receive when He comes) We are not all apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, pastors. We have just to be ourselves, and ask God the question, what do you see in me?

Your part in the harvest is unique and cannot be done by anyone else. The irony in this statement!

There is much more that can be said.

I want to finish with a scripture from Proverbs

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones.
Honor the LORD with your possessions, 
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
 Nor detest His correction;
(Proverbs 3:5-11)

I want to suggest we have missed the power of these verses. I also want to make the connection between the verses and these verses found in Hebrews

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? (Hebrews 12:5-7)

What is it, it is just this, "What do I know of harvests?" But I do listen, and this is my part. I, just like you, want to bring in the harvest in entirety. I, just like you, want to learn from the heart of God and be a good Son. I, just like you, mean to be whole-hearted in approaching God, and knowing Him.




It is certainly a marvel! my heart does not want to be ruled, but God has ruled my heart! I am fearfully and wonderfully made! My soul knows this very well