Wanted: Laborers For God

The same problem that Christ faced in His day, we face today! There are very few laborers who are willing to work in the Father’s field. I will admit that reaping the soul harvest is challenging work and very few are willing to roll up their sleeves, as it were, and get in the field and start working. But remember, the Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian believers "For we are labourers together with God…" 1 Corinthians 3:9 Christian friends, the crop won’t pick itself! I have zucchini squash in my little garden along the fence. I have a few tomato plants there as well. But, I have yet to find that they have picked themselves. It’s not going to happen. I have to go out into the garden and pick them myself and if I do not, they will rot on the vine. The same is true about bringing men and women to Christ. We have to go into the field of the world to reap the harvest.

Brother and sisters in Christ, we need more laborers here at First Baptist Church! We need Christians who will roll up their sleeves and head into the harvest field. And, if you don’t know how to win souls or disciple your converts, join us on Monday evenings for the Training Evangelist Lay Leaders class.

Remember our Lord’s challenge, "…Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19. I think one of the men in the preaching class that said in reference to this verse – If you’re not fishing, you are not following! We are all supposed to be fishing. We are all to be laboring in God’s harvest field.

We have looked at the potential of the harvest; it is great. We have looked at the problem of the harvest; the laborers are few. Now we come to…

To be sure, we are to plant the Gospel seed and we are to water it with the Word of God, but it is God who gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). Since it is God who gives the increase, the verse says we are to pray! The power of the harvest is prayer, praying to "the Lord of the Harvest" who is God. It is God, who through the Holy Spirit, bring about the miracle of the New Birth (Titus 3:5). That is why we must pray over the harvest.

But is prayer effective? I have video set on Revival by Dr. Ken Connolly in my office. One of those tapes deals with the revival that took place in New York City in 1857. The nation was in bad shape. Vast multitudes of people were out of work. Many banks had failed, railroads were in bankruptcy, factories closed and thousands of small businesses were forced to close their doors. It was in these bleak days that Jeremiah Lanphier invited men to a noon prayer meeting to be held on Wednesdays. On the flyer he handed out was printed,

"This meeting is intended to give merchants, mechanics, clerks, strangers, and businessmen generally an opportunity to stop and call upon God amid the perplexities incident to their respective avocations. It will continue for one hour; but it is also designed for those who may find it inconvenient to remain more than five or ten minutes, as well as for those who can spare the whole hour."

At the first prayer meeting six people showed up to pray. The next week forty people came. At this meeting it was decided to meet daily at noon. Within six months ten thousand men were gathering at noon to pray. The result? Revival broke out in New York and spread. Within two years a million people were saved and added to American churches. One writer says before it was over 1 out of every 5 people in America had come to a saving knowledge of Christ. How did it all get started? People prayed and the Lord of the Harvest responded.

Studying for this message has been a good prompter for me. I need to pray more for souls to be saved and soul winners and I would urge you to follow the same pattern. My last point is…

Gill says, Our Lord compares the laborers (soul winners) "he is sending out to ‘sheep’, because they were meek and humble in their spirits, harmless, and inoffensive, in their lives and conversations." The desire of the Lord’s sheep is to do the shepherd’s bidding. But, there are the wolves. Their desire is to attack the sheep, and scatter them, keeping them from their appointed task. Wolves want to strike fear into the hearts of the sheep. The wolves want the sheep to run and hide. The wolves want the sheep to withdraw from Christian service. Tragically, fear of the wolves prompt many Christians in our day to withdraw from serving the Lord.

With that thought in mind, I want to close with the story of Nicolo Paganini was born in Genoa, Italy, Oct 27, 1782. He was one of six children born to Teresa and Antonio Paganini. He was an Italian violinist and a composer, considered by many as the greatest of all time. Paganini died on May 27, 1840 and in his will he left his violin to the city of Genoa on the condition that it must never again be played upon. While it is true that the wood in a violin will wear slightly when it is handled and used, it is also true that when left alone it will crack and degenerate. That is what happened to Paganini’s violin. The once lovely toned instrument became worm-eaten and useless.

Christian friends, this story serves as a reminder that a life that withdraws from Christian service to the Lord degenerates and becomes useless. God wants laborers. God wants you!

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