2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
I believe Jesus has a word for us today on the importance of “going and making disciples”. Now before I lose half of you, I am not just talking about Africa here – although that could include some of us! What I am referring to, at a minimum, is our responsibility to our own sphere of influence. I believe Jesus wants all of us to think in terms of being missionaries. We have mission fields in our own homes, at our offices, when we are dining out, when we are pumping gas, walking the isles of Wal-Mart – wherever and whenever God directs our “temples” during the day, we are to be bringing the “aroma of Christ” into every encounter. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 2 Cor 2:14-16 (NIV)
The answer to such a question is Christ alone. This is why it is so important for us to grasp the concept of “Christ in us – the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27) so that “we will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3). Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal 2:20 (NIV)
The Bible Knowledge Commentary sheds light on this verse in regard to our discussion: "Paul could therefore write, I have been “crucified with Christ” (lit., “I have been and am now crucified with Christ”). This brought death to the Law. It also brought a change in regard to one’s self: and I no longer live. The self-righteous, self-centered Saul died. Further, death with Christ ended Paul’s enthronement of self; he yielded the throne of his life to Another, to Christ. But it was not in his own strength that Paul was able to live the Christian life; the living Christ Himself took up His abode in Paul’s heart: Christ lives in me. Yet Christ does not operate automatically in a believer’s life; it is a matter of living the new life by faith in the Son of God. It is then faith and not works or legal obedience that releases divine power to live a Christian life. This faith, stated Paul, builds on the sacrifice of Christ who loved us and gave Himself for us. In essence Paul affirmed, “If He loved me enough to give Himself for me, then He loves me enough to live out His life in me.” May our faith in Him grow in ever increasing measure releasing divine power to passionately pursue every endeavor He places in our sphere! This indeed enables us to “take hold of the life that is truly life” – after tasting and seeing that the Lord is good, all other living pales by comparison. Jesus tells us that it is necessary that we pray for this particular need to send forth workers into the harvest fields. Growing up in the south, I have often seen fields bursting forth with “fruit” ripe for the picking yet left to die on the vine. While granted I am talking produce here, this speaks of waste and death. We need to remind ourselves that Jesus had His disciples pick up “twelve basketfuls of broken pieces” of bread left over from the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. If Jesus does not want us to waste broken pieces of bread, how much more the broken lives of men? Believers are to go and make disciples of all nations – all believers, all to go. This is not just a call for the few. Before His ascension, He leaves His disciples (and us) with the following words:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matt 28:18-20 (NIV)
Jesus promises us that His spiritual presence will be with us until our tasks on earth are done. Equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit, we are to go forth in obedience to the call – the harvest is plentiful and men are dying on the vine. “All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them.” Hudson Taylor