The gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John reveal many essential attributes of the character of Jesus Christ. One thing we discover from His many teachings, conversations, and interactions with others is that Jesus was a master communicator. Not only did He deliver incredible sermons and teach using thought-provoking parables, He also utilized rhetorical techniques like hyperbole and metaphor to explain the kingdom of God, spiritual truth, and God’s heart for humanity.
One of Jesus’ more popular metaphors was His use of the harvest to refer to those ready to receive the gospel and salvation. At one point, Jesus even taught His disciples that “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”
But what does this famous phrase mean, and what should Christians understand about Christ’s invitation for all believers to participate in evangelism and the harvest? Let’s take a look.
In the ninth chapter of Matthew’s gospel, the author tells us that “Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.” (Matthew 9:35)
This came on the heels of Jesus casting out demons from two possessed men in the country of the Garadenes (Matthew 8:28-34), calling the tax collector Matthew to be His disciple (Matthew 9:9-13), and after He had healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-17), the paralytic man (Matthew 9:1-8), the synagogue official’s daughter (Matthew 9:18-19, 23-25), the bleeding woman (Matthew 9:20-22), and two blind men (Matthew 9:27-31).
Matthew further observed that “seeing the people, He (Jesus) felt compassion for them because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)
In Jesus’ day, the physical and material needs of the people were tremendous, so too was their spiritual need for a savior. At this point, Jesus looked to His disciples and said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” (Matthew 9:37; see also Luke 10:2).
He continued, “therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38).
Jesus had identified a clear and pressing need and saw an opportunity for ministry. Now it was time to get to work.
In His wisdom, Jesus often employed agrarian metaphors, which His more rural audience would undoubtedly understand and relate to. However, this would not be the only time Jesus looked to the harvest to describe salvation, the gospel, and His role in rescuing souls from the consequences of sin (see Matthew 13:1-23, 24-30, 36-43; 21:42).
In this instance, however, Christ used the harvest, or the time when workers of the orchard, vineyard, or field went out to collect fruit that was ready to be gathered, to describe weary souls ready to receive the gospel and embrace salvation.
In this metaphor, God the Father is the owner of the field and lord of the harvest. He planted the seed and, through the work of the Holy Spirit, prepared His crop for harvest. Christ, acting on behalf of the Father, saw that the time was now right. The prize of God’s creation, humanity, was ready to respond to salvation and many were to be gathered.
Naturally, there will always be bad and unseasoned crops in every harvest. Some fruit needs more time to grow. The same is true of salvation. Some are not ready to receive and be gathered. Others will not respond or reject the message of salvation entirely and never be gathered. However, in the words of the great commentator Matthew Henry, “the multitudes desirous of spiritual instruction formed a plenteous harvest.” In the eyes of Jesus, not a moment should be wasted, lest the opportunity, like the fruit, wither away.
To reach the multitudes and reap such a plentiful harvest, Jesus looked for workers to send out into the field and into the world (Matthew 9:38). But where would Jesus find such faithful workers to join Him in His work?
As Jesus looked forward to the harvest, His immediate attention turned to His closest followers, His students, who we know as the twelve disciples.
In Matthew chapter 10, we read that “Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness” (Matthew 10:1).
Before, the Twelve had followed Jesus, watched Him closely, and learned from His example, character, and teachings. This was the essence of what it meant to be a disciple (see Matthew 10:24-42).
Now, however, the Twelve were being given authority and sent out as qualified representatives of Jesus Christ to reap in the harvest (see Luke 9:1-6). Their role had changed. Now they were taking on the duties and responsibility of apostles.
At the time, Christ’s twelve apostles were sent into Galilee and, to use another metaphor, “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 10:6) Later, Jesus would commission an additional seventy of His followers to go into every city and place He was about to visit, preparing the way for His arrival (Luke 10:1). As the Twelve were sent out by twos, so too would the seventy be sent out on their divine mission (Mark 6:7; Ecclesiastes 4:9, 11; Acts 13:2; 15:27, 39-40; 19:22; Revelation 11:3).
It is important to remember, however, that Christ alone is the Lord of the harvest. Those He sends are hired worked chosen to participate in His work. Jesus reminded His disciples of as much when He said, “for in this case 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 labor.” (John 4:37-38)
In His grace, Jesus chose to include His disciples in His ministry, allow them to participate in His mission, and entrust them to later build His church. And though the Twelve hold a unique position given their proximity to Jesus and the authority He specifically gave to them, all believers of all generations are called to participate in the harvest through the bold and faithful preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus’ mission was made evident, “the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
After His death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus then commissioned and empowered His followers to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15).
Though Jesus had completed His saving work on the cross, the harvest would not be complete, so long as countless souls in every corner of the world have yet to hear the gospel preached. Just as in Jesus’ day, the world is filled with broken, hurting, and sinful people in need of salvation. In the words of Jesus, they are like “sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).
Our work, the work of all Christians, therefore, is not done.
As it is written, “how then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!’” (Romans 10:14-15).
To put it in other terms, how will a world living in darkness ever see if those who’ve been given the light refuse to shine or hide their light from the world? (Matthew 5:14-16).
Unfortunately, the words of Jesus ring true even today: “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”
There are many reasons why the chosen workers neglect the harvest and refuse to go into the field. Be it sin, fear, apathy, doubt, or any number of excuses we can come up with, Christ’s followers are called to heed the call to evangelism and participate in the harvest however they can.
Does this mean that every Christian must travel overseas to participate in global missions? Not necessarily. It is incumbent on every believer to remember, however, that Christ has placed them in a field of souls ready for the harvest, a harvest that is both local and global in reach.
This harvest may involve friends, family members, coworkers, or neighbors. Likely, it is some combination of all these. In any case, to become an effective laborer and active participate in the Lord’s harvest, we must…
Lastly, we must be active and faithful in prayer, praying for the harvest to come and the workers who are called to go out to seek and save the lost.
In the words of Matthew Henry, “let us pray that many may be raised up and sent forth, who will labor in bringing souls to Christ. It is a sign that God is about to bestow some special mercy upon a people, when he stirs them up to pray for it. And commissions given to labourers in answer to prayer, are most likely to be successful.”
Further Reading
Why is God Called the ‘Lord of the Harvest’
5 Thoughts on Being a Witness for Christ
A Prayer for Rich Harvests
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Andrey Iudin