Harvest

Jesus invites all His followers to join in his redemptive mission in the world. So what is God’s mission, and how do we participate in it?

The Mission Starts With Jesus

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Matthew 9v35-38

Matthew 9 gives us a window into Jesus’ heart and ministry. He went from village to village, teaching in synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and affliction. When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion—they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

This moment gives us a glimpse of the mission: to bring the good news to those desperate for hope. But it’s not just about telling people something—it’s about showing them. As John Wimber once said, “The kingdom is about doing just as much as teaching.”

But before we dig deep, let’s define terms.

Gospel, Kingdom, Mission: What Are We Really Talking About?

Let’s clarify the language:

• Gospel: The good news that Jesus has come, and through faith in Him, we can enter His Kingdom here and now.
• Kingdom: God’s rule breaking into the world—where healing, restoration, and peace replace brokenness and chaos.
• Mission: God’s ongoing work to redeem, reconcile, and renew all creation—and our invitation to join Him in it.

Being on mission means we live as people of the Kingdom, proclaiming and demonstrating the good news in everyday life—whether it’s in the grocery store, a school hallway, or over coffee with a neighbor. This is how Jesus approaches mission.

Jesus’ Method: Proclaim AND Demonstrate

Jesus didn’t just preach about the Kingdom; He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and cast out demons. He made the Kingdom tangible. It was something you could see, hear, and even taste.

As believers, our calling is to follow His lead. That means Gospel Proclamation—speaking the hope of Jesus—and Gospel Demonstration—embodying that hope through love, service, and healing. It’s the marriage of word and deed that brings the Kingdom to life around us. But how does this scale? How does it become a movement that reaches the world?

The Model: Discipleship in Action

When Jesus saw the need, He didn’t just keep going. He turned to His disciples and said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

And then—He sent them.

Jesus’ model is simple:
“I do, you watch. We talk. Then I send, you do. We talk again.”

It’s discipleship in action. Jesus was never building a fan club—He was raising a movement of people empowered to live like Him and bring His Kingdom to the world.

What About Today?

The mission hasn’t changed.

People in our communities are still spiritually exhausted and confused. They’re searching for healing, for truth, for something real. And like Jesus’ day, the need is right in our backyard.

We don’t need to hop on a plane to live on mission. We just need to open our eyes to the fields around us. What we do need is something to change in us.

The Heart: Compassion That Moves Us

The final piece—perhaps the most vital—is Jesus’ heart.

Verse 36 says, “He had compassion for them.” That Greek word implies a gut-wrenching, visceral response. Jesus was moved to act because their pain became His.

And if we’re going to join Jesus in His mission, we need more than strategy—we need His heart. Without compassion, our plans stall. But when our hearts break for what breaks His, we become unstoppable in love.

So, What Now?

Maybe you’re reading this and realizing your heart has grown cold or apathetic. That’s okay. The good news? It’s never too late to be rekindled.

Start with this prayer:
“Lord, send out laborers into your harvest—and make me one of them.”

Then, take a practical step. Write down the names of three people in your life who don’t yet know Jesus. Start praying for them every day—by name, by situation, by heart.

Let God soften your heart again. Let Him move you with compassion. Let His mission become yours.

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You Are Sent

You are the people of God, called by Him into His redemptive mission in the world.

So step into the harvest.

Let your words proclaim.
Let your life demonstrate.
Let your heart reflect His.

The harvest is ready. Are you?