Running to the Harvest
Running to the Harvest: A Call to Radical Discipleship
There's a season approaching—or perhaps it's already here—when the fields are ripe and ready for harvest. But here's the uncomfortable truth: most of us aren't prepared for what it will require.
The Reality of Harvest
Harvest isn't glamorous. Anyone who's worked a real harvest knows this. It means rising hours before sunrise and returning home hours after sunset. It means no days off, no sick days, no excuses. When the fruit is ripe, everything else becomes secondary. Miss the harvest window, and the entire year's work is lost.
This agricultural reality mirrors a spiritual truth we often overlook: bringing in God's harvest requires everything we have.
The harvest is described as "great"—a word meaning unknowable or mysterious. We don't know where we're going, who we'll meet, or what we'll be called to do. We're as clueless as a farmer who doesn't know fruit trees need bees for pollination or that fields need warming when frost threatens the blossoms.
And yet, God wants to send us into this mysterious, abundant harvest.
This agricultural reality mirrors a spiritual truth we often overlook: bringing in God's harvest requires everything we have.
The harvest is described as "great"—a word meaning unknowable or mysterious. We don't know where we're going, who we'll meet, or what we'll be called to do. We're as clueless as a farmer who doesn't know fruit trees need bees for pollination or that fields need warming when frost threatens the blossoms.
And yet, God wants to send us into this mysterious, abundant harvest.
Following Jesus Isn't What We Think
In Luke 9:23, Jesus makes a statement that should shake us from our comfortable Christianity: "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."
Notice what's missing from this verse? Any mention of "just believe" or "easy faith."
Jesus continues with words that challenge our modern theology: "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."
This isn't about intellectual assent to doctrine. This is about a complete reorientation of priorities. It's about making Jesus—not family, not career, not comfort, not even our own lives—the absolute center of everything.
Notice what's missing from this verse? Any mention of "just believe" or "easy faith."
Jesus continues with words that challenge our modern theology: "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."
This isn't about intellectual assent to doctrine. This is about a complete reorientation of priorities. It's about making Jesus—not family, not career, not comfort, not even our own lives—the absolute center of everything.
The Cost of Discipleship
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus confronts people with the real cost of following Him:
To the enthusiastic follower who promised to go wherever Jesus went, He responded: "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (Luke 9:58). Following Jesus isn't a luxury cruise. There will be hardships.
To the one who wanted to bury his father first (likely meaning waiting for his inheritance), Jesus said: "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:60). The harvest can't wait for our convenience.
To the one who wanted to say goodbye to family, Jesus declared: "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).
This last image is particularly striking. When plowing a field, looking back creates crooked rows, reducing the harvest yield. In the spiritual harvest, every soul matters. We can't afford to look back at what we're leaving behind.
To the enthusiastic follower who promised to go wherever Jesus went, He responded: "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (Luke 9:58). Following Jesus isn't a luxury cruise. There will be hardships.
To the one who wanted to bury his father first (likely meaning waiting for his inheritance), Jesus said: "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:60). The harvest can't wait for our convenience.
To the one who wanted to say goodbye to family, Jesus declared: "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).
This last image is particularly striking. When plowing a field, looking back creates crooked rows, reducing the harvest yield. In the spiritual harvest, every soul matters. We can't afford to look back at what we're leaving behind.
Sent Into the Harvest
In Luke 10:1-2, we find Jesus sending out seventy disciples "into every city and place where He Himself was about to go."
Read that again. When we obey God, He sends us to places He wants to go. And what did Jesus do everywhere He went? He healed the sick, cast out demons, and proclaimed the kingdom.
Read that again. When we obey God, He sends us to places He wants to go. And what did Jesus do everywhere He went? He healed the sick, cast out demons, and proclaimed the kingdom.
The same calling rests on us.
Jesus told these disciples: "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few." The harvest is unknowably vast, mysteriously abundant—and we're woefully unprepared.
But preparation doesn't come from more Bible knowledge alone. It comes from radical obedience.
But preparation doesn't come from more Bible knowledge alone. It comes from radical obedience.
No Excuses Accepted
In Matthew 10, Jesus warns His followers: "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28).
The fear of man will not be accepted as an excuse for silence.
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33).
This is sobering. We will be held accountable for whether we speak what God gives us to speak to the people He brings across our path—even the angry-looking stranger, even the person acting erratically on the street, even the family member who doesn't want to hear it.
The fear of man will not be accepted as an excuse for silence.
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33).
This is sobering. We will be held accountable for whether we speak what God gives us to speak to the people He brings across our path—even the angry-looking stranger, even the person acting erratically on the street, even the family member who doesn't want to hear it.
The Question of Priorities
The story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22) isn't really about money. It's about priorities.
When he asked what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus told him to keep the commandments. The young man claimed he'd done this since his youth. But something was missing, and he knew it.
Jesus put His finger on it: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
The young man walked away sorrowful, choosing his possessions over a relationship with God.
How often do we do the same? Maybe not with money, but with comfort, reputation, time, entertainment, or family approval?
Jesus makes it clear: "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10:37).
When he asked what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus told him to keep the commandments. The young man claimed he'd done this since his youth. But something was missing, and he knew it.
Jesus put His finger on it: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
The young man walked away sorrowful, choosing his possessions over a relationship with God.
How often do we do the same? Maybe not with money, but with comfort, reputation, time, entertainment, or family approval?
Jesus makes it clear: "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10:37).
The Impossible Made Possible
When the disciples heard Jesus say it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom, they asked, "Who then can be saved?"
Jesus' answer is the key to everything: "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).
We cannot do what God has called us to do in our own strength. We absolutely need the Holy Spirit. We need Him to speak through us, to heal through us, to lead us to the right people at the right time with the right words.
The harvest is impossible—but with God, all things are possible.
Jesus' answer is the key to everything: "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).
We cannot do what God has called us to do in our own strength. We absolutely need the Holy Spirit. We need Him to speak through us, to heal through us, to lead us to the right people at the right time with the right words.
The harvest is impossible—but with God, all things are possible.
Not Our Will, But Yours
In Gethsemane, facing unimaginable pressure, Jesus prayed: "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39).
This is the ultimate question for each of us: Are we seeking the Father's will? Are we willing to go places we don't want to go, do things we're uncomfortable doing, speak to people we'd rather avoid—all to align ourselves with His purposes?
This is the ultimate question for each of us: Are we seeking the Father's will? Are we willing to go places we don't want to go, do things we're uncomfortable doing, speak to people we'd rather avoid—all to align ourselves with His purposes?
The Call to Feed His Sheep
After the resurrection, Jesus asked Peter three times: "Do you love Me?" Each time Peter affirmed his love, Jesus responded with a command: "Feed My lambs... Tend My sheep... Feed My sheep" (John 21:15-17).
If we love Jesus more than anything else in our lives, we are called to serve others—not just serve them, but care for them, love them, tend them, treat them the way we would want Jesus to treat us.
If we love Jesus more than anything else in our lives, we are called to serve others—not just serve them, but care for them, love them, tend them, treat them the way we would want Jesus to treat us.
Running to the Harvest
The fields are ripe. The harvest is ready. The season is here.
But it will require more than we've ever given before. It will require:
This isn't a call to joyless drudgery. Quite the opposite. This is the most exciting, rewarding, and enjoyable life we could possibly live—running to the battle, knowing we will win the victory.
The question isn't whether the harvest is ready. The question is: Are we?
But it will require more than we've ever given before. It will require:
- Focus: Like driving at high speed through dangerous curves, we cannot afford distractions
- Priority: The kingdom must be first, above family, career, comfort, and possessions
- Obedience: Immediate response without debate, delay, or resistance
- Dependence: Complete reliance on the Holy Spirit for everything
- Sacrifice: Losing our lives to find them
This isn't a call to joyless drudgery. Quite the opposite. This is the most exciting, rewarding, and enjoyable life we could possibly live—running to the battle, knowing we will win the victory.
The question isn't whether the harvest is ready. The question is: Are we?
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