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The Harvest Plenteous, but the Laborers Are Few
Scripture: Matt 9:35-38
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.
John 4:35-38
35 Say not ye there are yet four months and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. We don’t have time to wait!
36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
37 And herein is that saying true one soweth and another reapeth.
38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored and ye are entered into their labors.
Luke 5:
1. And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God he stood by the lake of Gennesaret
2. And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
Have we given up on fishing and become distracted in just washing OUR nets?
3. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people out of the ship.
We have to get out of the church and thrust out a little into the field of harvest.
4. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught.
When we go fishing we shouldn't go for one fish, we should go for a draught! (Draught means a "haul of fish")
5. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
1. Simon made excuses just like we do, "Well bless God, we have tried that method before and didn't win one".
2. But Simon was humble enough to obey God and let down the net!
6. And when they had this done, they in closed a great multitude of fishes and their net brake.
When you reach for the multitudes, you will win so many that the net will break.
1. I always hear the excuse, "Well bless God, what good is it to go win all those people and they don't stay".
2. Well here we have the answer, when the nets broke, a lot of fish got away, they didn't keep them all.
3. However, they kept more than when Simon was sitting there cleaning his net saying we fished all night and didn't catch anything!
When you have a net breaking revival, you will lose some, but don't let that discourage you, just keep fishing and bringing in those you can hang on to!
7. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
The revival and catch that God has for this church cannot be cared for by just me. I need partners! We need each other!
Pay close attention to the word HELP; in Acts 2:45:
And sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all [men], as every man had need.
If we’re ever going to have real Apostolic revival, we must learn to HELP and GIVE to those in NEED!
8. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
When you begin to do what God has said to do you will look back and repent because you will see you were not being obedient and you were actually in sin!
9. For he was astonished and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
You're going to see that the harvest was truly plenteous!
10. And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
It’s all about fishing for men! LET’S GO WIN SOULS!
11. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all and followed him.
We must get back to forsaking all and following him!
We must forsake our computer games, hunting trips, fishing trips, shopping, hobbies, preacher’s forums, gossip and whatever else keeps you from going to the fields of harvest!
· We could be reaching way more people here in Lilbourn if we had the burden we needed.
· We believe it is just as Apostolic to help another group of believers as it is to be baptized in Jesus name.
As a matter of fact, just a few verses past our favorite Acts 2:38, we find Acts 2:45, which reads;
And sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all, as every man had need.
We must trade in our fishing poles for nets.
We need to catch whosoever will,
no matter their
· bank account status,
· family background,
· color,
· education, or
· social status.
Let’s reach for them all!
