We are to be the LABORERS to reach out to the harvest

Luke 10:2, “Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Pastor Timothy shared on one occasion with the church. He asked, “If the Lord of the harvest refers to Jesus. Have you ever wonder why would Jesus himself urge His believers to pray to Himself to send laborers into the field?

The answer is simple: Jesus, being the head of the church, is in heaven while we, the body of Christ, is on earth and hence we are His hands and legs and mouth piece to spread the gospel of God.

In Dutch Sheets: Intercessory Prayer, he wrote the following passages which I felt help to explain why we need to pray.

Why, then, am I supposed to ask Him for something He already wants to do if it’s not that my asking somehow releases Him to do it?

It has been handed over humans were forever to be God’s link to authority and activity on earth.

Please think about that. If earth remained a paradise, it would be because of humankind. If things became messed up, it would be because of humankind. If serpent ever gained control, it would be because of humankind. Humanity was really in control.

Here we have, I believe, the reason for the necessity of prayer. God chose, from the time of the Creation, to work the earth through humans, not independent of them. He always has and always will, even at the cost of becoming one. Though God is sovereign and all-powerful, Scripture clearly tells us that He limited Himself, concerning affairs of Earth, to working through human beings.

Therefore while we pray for more laborers to be sent to spread the gospel of God, let us be driven by the passion to proactively seek out opportunities to bring the message to people around us. Jesus already says that we are the laborers, meaning we are to be the workers. We need to work to reach out to the harvest.

Matthew 16:18, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

Pastor Timothy brought up something which I found very insightful. In the medieval times, when one nation attacks another nation, the attacker will attack the fort/ castle and the only way of penetrating the fort/ castle would be through the gate.

Hence what Matthew is illustrating here is we are the attackers, attacking satan’s gate to bring souls to the Kingdom of God. We are not to be passive. And this is further enforced in Matthew 11:12.

Matthew 11:12, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”

JY