Dear Christian friends:

In our text Jesus talks about a great harvest. Here in California we live in a large farming state and know what a harvest is. Here in our text Jesus talks about God's harvest. He does not mean a harvest of wheat, or oats, or soy beans. Jesus here talks about another harvest, much more valuable than wheat or oats or soy beans. Jesus talks about a harvest of people.

We need to understand about God's great harvest and then gladly help in that harvest work.


In our text Jesus says to His disciples, "The harvest is great." "Great" here means many, many people. When Jesus traveled around the Jewish country and saw the many people who did not yet know God He thought about a large field of wheat, ripe, golden and waving in the breeze, ready for harvest. Jesus felt sorry for the many people because they were ignorant about God, the same as sheep without a shepherd. (verse 36) These people were not yet gathered into His church. It is the same today! There are many more people today who do not know Jesus or believe in Him. They are not yet gathered (harvested) into God's kingdom. About 50% of the people in the U.S.A. do not belong to any Christian church. Among the deaf people it is worse.

When he was here in May for our PRILDA Convention Rev. Zuhn said that 80% of the deaf in the U.S.A. do not belong to any church. Here in California it is worse, 85%! And in the world 70% of the people are not Christians. Truly the harvest is great!

"Great" also means valuable. Wheat and soy bean harvest is valuable, precious food, and worth much money. Farmers hurry to gather in their crops when they are ripe. They don't have much time. They don't want it destroyed by hail or birds or insects such as grasshoppers. God's harvest is much more valuable. People are more valuable than wheat or beans. God loves all the people although they are sinners. He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for all people. God does not want anyone lost to Satan and hell. He wants all men to be saved and come to know the truth in Jesus. (John 3:16- 17) And Jesus, the Son, feels the same as the Father. When Jesus saw the many people who did not yet believe in Him He felt love and mercy for them. (verse 36) Later He volunteered and gave His life for them on the cross.

Jesus wants the people to believe in Him and love Him and follow Him. He wants them to be gathered into His Church so they can have peace in their hearts because their sins are forgiven and they can have joy and hope in Him now on earth and forever in heaven. Yes, God's harvest is "great." It is very many, many people and very valuable people. Jesus said one "soul", one person's soul, is worth more than all the money in the world. (Matthew 16:26)

The harvest is "great", many, many, and very valuable, but there is one big problem. What is that? Not enough workers to gather the harvest into God's kingdom.

In our text Jesus says, "The harvest truly is great, but the workers are few." (verse 37) That was true 2,000 years ago during Jesus' time on earth and it is also true today. There are not enough workers in God's harvest.

Who are the workers?

In our Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod we now have 600 vacant churches, churches with no pastor. In a few years our leaders estimate it will be over 1,000 vacancies. Why? Not enough young men are enrolling to study and prepare for the ministry at our colleges and seminaries. Also our members do not volunteer to help with the local church work. Only about one-third of the members in any congregation are active to help the pastor do the church work. That is true also here at Pilgrim. Many members are not trained to go out and witness to others about their faith in Jesus. They are afraid or ashamed to talk to others about Jesus Christ. Or maybe they do not think it is important. On the 4th of July we visited with our daughter Jane. She told us about a former neighbor, a young mother, who is dying with cancer. Jane went to visit her, and tried to cheer her. But she said to Ferol and me, "Maybe I should have witnessed to her. She is not a Christian. But I didn't know what to say to her." I think many church members are like Jane; they don't know how to witness to someone about their faith and hope in Jesus.

What's the answer to that problem? The harvest is great, but the workers are few. Jesus says, "Therefore you pray the Lord of the harvest; ask Him to send workers into His harvest." (verse 38)

How often do you pray to Jesus that He will send more workers into the world to teach and preach the Gospel? Jesus, the Lord of the harvest, promises to hear and answer your prayer. He is waiting for you to come and ask Him. Prayer is the answer to this problem.

If you pray daily for more workers, then you yourself will receive the Holy Spirit and become a more responsible church member. You will, like Jesus and our daughter Jane, feel love and compassion for those who are dying without Jesus. You will want to learn how to witness to unbeliever friends and neighbors. You will join our Evangelism Committee. (Eddie Bachus is the Chairman), and learn about witnessing.

Also if you daily pray for more workers, you will ask some young deaf man to think about becoming a pastor for the deaf. Now we have 3 pastors who are deaf. We need more deaf young men to study at the seminaries to become pastors. Also think about asking hearing sons of deaf parents to go to the seminary and study to become pastors to the deaf. Hearing sons of the deaf may have signing skills and understanding about the deaf. They can become good pastors for the deaf. Now we have only one hearing son of deaf parents who is a pastor for the deaf in our Synod. He is Rev. Munz of Indianapolis.

If you pray everyday for more workers in God's harvest you will become a more active church member. You will not make excuses. This hymn tells us not to make excuses:

"Let none hear you idly saying, There is nothing I can do, While the souls of men are dying And the Master calls for you. Take the task He gives you gladly, Let His work your pleasure be; Answer quickly when He calls you: Here am I, send me, send me!"
TLH 496: HARK! THE VOICE OF JESUS CRYING

Amen.