Today Is the Day for the Harvest
David Wilkerson emphasizes the urgency and readiness of the spiritual harvest in today's world, calling for believers to step forward as laborers in God's field.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the urgency of the spiritual harvest, as Jesus proclaimed that the fields are ripe for reaping despite the lack of visible revival in His time. He challenges the congregation to recognize that even in today's turmoil and distress, people are ready to hear the Gospel. Wilkerson encourages believers to rise up as laborers, proclaiming their faith and the sufficiency of Christ in a world filled with anxiety and fear. He reminds us that the call to harvest is not diminished by the wickedness around us, but rather intensified by it. The message is clear: now is the time to believe in the harvest and act as laborers for the Kingdom of God.
Text
"[Jesus] said to His disciples, 'The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest'" (Matthew 9:37-38).
Jesus declared, "The fields are ripe and the harvest plentiful and it's time to begin reaping." At that moment, the great, final spiritual harvest began and this same harvest is going to last until Christ returns.
So what did Jesus see in his time? Did he see a spiritual awakening in Israel? Was there revival in the synagogues? Were priests returning back to God? The Gospels reveal very little evidence of any spiritual move toward God; if anything, they show the opposite. Yet, at this very point Christ declared that the fields were ripe.
Do you think Jesus' words regarding a ripe harvest apply today? Are nations repenting? Is there a great stirring in our society? Is there a cry for holiness in this generation?
With few exceptions, such things are not happening. When Jesus' disciples wanted to know the condition of things as the last days approached, he answered by speaking of famines, earthquakes, tribulation, divided nations, false prophets. "On the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear" (Luke 21:25-26). In short, Jesus is describing here the most anxious, depressed, stressed-out generation of all time.
In the midst of all this upheaval and turmoil, Jesus is telling his church, "People are ready to hear. Now is the time to believe for a harvest." Christ is the Lord of the harvest and if he declares the harvest is ready, we must believe it. It does not matter how wicked this generation becomes or how powerful Satan seems to have grown, our Lord is saying to us, "Raise up your eyes to the harvest!"
Jesus is seeking laborers who have endured fires and forgings, a people who will stand before the world and proclaim, "God is with me! I have come through more than a conqueror through Christ who lives in me. I am living proof that Jesus is all-sufficient."
Sermon Outline
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I
- Understanding the Harvest
- The Plentiful Fields
- Christ's Call to Action
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II
- The Condition of the World
- Signs of the Times
- Spiritual Apathy
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III
- The Role of the Church
- Raising Awareness
- Proclaiming God's Sufficiency
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IV
- The Need for Laborers
- Endurance Through Trials
- Living as Testimonies
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V
- The Urgency of the Hour
- Believing in the Harvest
- Responding to Christ's Call
Key Quotes
“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” — David Wilkerson
“Now is the time to believe for a harvest.” — David Wilkerson
“I am living proof that Jesus is all-sufficient.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Pray for God to raise up more laborers for the harvest.
- Be bold in sharing your testimony of Christ's sufficiency with others.
- Stay focused on the opportunities for ministry amidst the world's chaos.