As a farmer prepares for a new harvest season, he/she prepares the soil and makes ready for planting seeds. After the seeds are planted, the farmer waters these seeds. Then the farmer waits for the seeds to take root and sprout by the power of the sun, fresh air, soil, water, etc. Just as a farmer prepares for a harvest, Jesus also called us to prepare for another kind of harvest. Jesus told His disciples and apostles that the harvest was plentiful but that there were not enough farmers for the harvest just before sending them out like sheep among wolves as stated in Luke 10:2-3, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.” These farmers were to go out and preach the need for repentance and that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Jesus had given His disciples and apostles the power over the enemy in order to preach to the lost, cast out demons, raise the dead and heal the sick as revealed in Matthew 10:7-8, “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Was the kingdom of heaven really at hand? Would the second coming of Jesus be happening soon? Jesus preached this and instructed them to also preach this because He knew they would die soon. Once we die, its too late to repent and turn to Jesus! When we die, depending on whether our salvation is secure in Jesus or not will depend upon what happens next. Paul tells us when we die we either awake to judgement day or to Jesus rapturing the saints to heaven as explained in Hebrews 9:27-28, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” No one knows the number of their days that God has allowed them on earth. Only God knows our future and the number of our days that are given on earth to choose Him in Christ and to serve Him for His purpose and glory – Job 14:5, Psalms 90:12, Psalms 139:16, Ecclesiastes 6:12, Ecclesiastes 8:7-8, James 4:14. No one can cheat death! Your wealth, riches, fame, bloodline, and position in life cannot save you. Only Jesus can save you!
When we are secure in Christ, we do NOT have to fear death for Jesus tells us that we will live forever with Him and God the Father. Those that do NOT believe, however, will experience everlasting condemnation and punishment in the lake of fire for rejecting Jesus, the messiah, whom God the Father sent on His behalf and according to His will as revealed in John 5:24-30, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” Jesus explains that His food was to do the will of the Father and to complete His work where both the sowers and reapers would receive rewards and rejoice together as explained in John 4:34-38, “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.”
Jesus gave all His disciples and followers important instructions. He did NOT just limit these instructions to ONLY ordained preachers and evangelists but gave this commandment to all His followers which are the members of the body of Christ. When we become born-again believers, we are ALL ordained by God in Christ through being baptized by His Holy Spirit – Matthew 3:11-12, John 3:5-7, Acts 1:4-5, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:38, Acts 4:31, Romans 8:8-11, 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, Galatians 3:26-29. Jesus tells us ALL to spread the gospel, His good news, to everyone as stated in Mark 16:15-16, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Jesus continues to tell us ALL to make disciples of all nations as revealed in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Did He say you had to have a seminary or theological degree before spreading the gospel? Certainly not, and definitely not knocking the ones that have these degrees here but only making a point that ALL true born-again believers in Christ are called and ordained through His Holy Spirit that abides in us to do our part for expanding His kingdom. He equips us with a spiritual gift(s) that has been entrusted to us for use in expanding His kingdom for His ultimate glory, praise, and honor! – Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-31, Ephesians 4:7-16, 1 Peter 4:7-11. As born-again believers in Christ, God gives each of us (farmers) a field of people or sphere of persons to sow seeds and water for the gospel of Christ as Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 10:13-18, “We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment. But ‘he who glories, let him glory in the LORD.’ For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.”
We are called to be the salt and light of the world as Jesus stated in Matthew 5:13-16, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” We must be good examples for Christ by shining our light before unbelievers while also presenting ourselves as holy illustrations for building up other believers in the body of Christ in which God has entrusted us with as revealed in 1 Peter 5:2-4, “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” We will receive rewards in heaven in the form of crowns for following God’s commandments and by being a doer of His word upon becoming fruitful for fulfilling God’s will in our lives through Christ for expanding His kingdom and His Church. God will receive all the praise, honor, and glory as stated by Jesus in the parable of the True Vine as revealed in John 15:1-8, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ‘I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.’ ” To be a true disciple of Christ, as a branch, we must abide in Him, the true vine, in order to become fruitful for God and His kingdom.
God’s word has equipped all the saints, each of us, with divine inspiration and instruction in righteousness so that we would have everything we need to carry out His work and will for our lives as stated in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” We are ALL farmers for Christ as Paul explains as one body of Christ that some plant the seeds and some water the seeds where it is ONLY God that gives the increase which roots into a fruitful plant for His kingdom as detailed in 1 Corinthians 3:5-15, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants, and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” We must always sow, plant, and water seeds in the Spirit and not of the flesh as stated in Galatians 6:7-10, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
Even though we may sow in the Spirit, there will be many that will NOT give up their worldly lusts and pleasures for Christ and His gospel as explained by Jesus in the parable of the Sower as we read in Luke 8:11-15, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” We will be rewarded in heaven based on how we used the spiritual gift(s) that God in Christ equipped us with for His purpose as Jesus explained in the parable of the Talents as stated in Matthew 25:14-30, “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ‘So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ‘Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ ‘But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
As farmers are patient during their harvest season, we must also be patient for the harvest and return of our Lord as James reveals in James 5:7-8, “Therefore, be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” God’s word tells us that the weeds or tares will be separated at the end of the harvest and will be condemned in the lake of fire as Jesus explains in the parable of the Wheat and the Tares as stated in Matthew 13:24-30, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”
As born-again believers and children of God, we are a chosen people called for His purpose and glory as Peter detailed in 1 Peter 2:9-10, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” We must continue to run this race for Christ as farmers for Him with endurance until the end as stated in Hebrews 12:1-2, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
If it were easy to follow and serve God in Christ, everyone would do it! This is why Jesus said many would follow the easy and wide path of the world (the world is under the sway and trance of Satan and his evil demons – John 15:18-19, Romans 1:28-32, Ephesians 2:1-3, James 4:4, 1 John 2:15, 1 John 5:19, Revelation 12:9) into destruction where only a few would take the difficult and narrow path to heaven as stated in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” So, take the narrow and difficult path that leads to everlasting life in Christ! – Matthew 22:36-40.
Do you know where you will spend eternity after you die on earth? Will Jesus be your Lord and Savior or your eternal judge – John 3:15-21, Romans 2:16, 2 Timothy 4:1? Jesus says He is the narrow gate to heaven where it is difficult to find and only a few will enter by it where many will enter the easy, wide and broad gate that leads to Hell and destruction – Matthew 7:13-14. Will you experience the second eternal death (spiritual death) – Revelation 2:11, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 21:8? Do you know for sure that you are written in the eternal Lamb’s Book of Life – Revelation 3:5, Revelation 20:12-15? The place called Hell is NOT a myth and is very real and an extremely awful place – Watch this Video!
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