Developing a Heart for the Harvest
Mark Roberts
Much of our conversation about evangelism has to
do with what is wrong with the harvest. “People are too
busy” or “Folks already have their own religion” or “the
world is so secular” - these are common excuses for
why more evangelistic effort is not expended on our
part. What folly! Perhaps instead of blaming the
harvest we should spend a moment working on the
harvesters – you and I. If in a world that is
adverse to Jesus Christ (and it is) we are
going to speak for the Lord anyway something
must happen within the harvester’s
hearts that will move and motivate them to
do a difficult task with joy. So I ask “What
can we do to develop a deeper concern for
lost people, a concern that will motivate us
to do all we can to tell folks of redemption
in Jesus?”
First, consider the value of the soul. Isn’t it
amusing how people will chase after reports of treasure
or wealth? If a Spanish galleon loaded with gold is
located dive ships appear from everywhere as everyone
tries to get in on the find. When the lottery jackpot
gets big people stand in line to play. People will do most
anything for treasure, won’t they? But what treasure
has more value than a human soul? Jesus said “For
what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and
loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Do we really understand
that? Realize that Jesus came here and did not
offer a cure for every physical illness and disease, or a
financial remedy for the poor or a political solution to an
oppressive government. Jesus came to redeem and
save and rescue what mattered most: souls. Do I value
souls like Jesus does? He was willing to give His life on
a cruel cross for souls. What am I willing to do for
souls?
Second, understand that hell is very real. Despite
our current society’s loathing of the idea of eternal
condemnation the Bible assures us that hell is real, and
people are really going to go there and be there without
end. Usually we talk about that as a motivator to make
sure our behavior is what it ought to be, because we
don’t want to go. But who you do love that you’d like to
see go there? Can you imagine your spouse, your
parents, your brother, your best friend, your co-worker
in such a place for all eternity? It isn’t imagination, it
isn’t fantasy or a bad dream. The disobedient will be lost.
Jesus will come “in flaming fire taking vengeance on
those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished
with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and
from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:8-9). If reading
of hell motivates you to do right, then it ought also
motivate us to try and save as many others as we can.
I don’t want anyone to go there, so I must do what I can
to help everyone who will turn from such a place.
Finally, stop worrying about baptisms. Let’s not
play games and pretend Jesus was wrong. Jesus said
“few will find it” (Mt. 7:14) and He was right. Of the
hundreds of people you will meet and know in a lifetime
comparatively few will ever be interested in the Gospel.
Of the few folks you will form close association with
even fewer of them will listen to your thoughts about
religion, and only a small minority of that group will ever
respond. That is overwhelmingly discouraging if we
believe our task is to baptize people. Frankly, most
folks define evangelism in terms of baptisms, they
know that isn’t going to happen so many say “why even
try?”
There are a couple of answers to that line of thought.
First, we might note that some do obey the Gospel that
we never expect to do so. I have taught folks that I just
knew were on the verge of baptism – and they never
were baptized. Others I barely believed had any interest,
much less any real chance of obedience became
delightful Christians. The Scriptures have those too -
Sergius Paulus, a governor, Justin a ruler of the very
Jewish synagogue, and yes, a vicious persecutor named
Paul. It all works together to say be careful who you
cross off your list!
But more importantly, and what helps our heart, is to
relieve the pressure. “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” (1 Cor. 3:6-7). Who gives the increase? God
does. How liberating! If I talk to someone about Jesus
and they are unresponsive that isn’t my fault, or my
problem. I just do what Jesus commands. I teach the
gospel, that is all. I need to care deeply about people,
and I want people to obey the Gospel, but I don’t have
to go through any sort of mental checklist to decide who
will meet a quota, or get my annual baptism average up.
I can just teach people.
This may be the most revolutionary and yet most
under-rated idea of all. When we believe we should
baptize we put pressure on ourselves and pressure on
the prospect. It isn’t enjoyable, and we are all tight and
tension-filled. We can’t wait for people to grow at their
own rate. We aren’t doing this for the joy of telling good
news, we are flat out trying to bag another one, get
another notch in our belt. Evangelism becomes being a
high pressure salesmen and manipulator for Jesus
instead of a wonderful opportunity to speak of what is
closest to our hearts. Try relaxing a little. You can do
evangelism but you can’t make people obey the Gospel.
And praise the Lord, you just don’t have to!
The fields are still white unto harvest. Millions are
caught up in false religion and man-made counterfeit
Christianity. Millions more are trapped in our secular
society, with no religion of any kind. We cannot claim to
have the heart of Jesus if we can passively watch people
be lost without regrets. Let us develop a heart for the
harvest - a heart that will move us to do the Lord’s will and
do all we can to speak for Him!