Encore Post: Our Lord Jesus Christ liked to use agricultural imagery when teaching about the Kingdom of God. On one such occasion he talked about the sower recklessly sowing his seed. Sowing seed anticipates having a harvest.
In the Midwest United States, corn is finally being planted after a long and grueling winter. The farmers are working hard to prepare the ground for the seed hoping for a bountiful harvest. They fertilize and treat the ground to make the seed bed as fertile as possible.
Likewise the seminaries of Ft. Wayne and St. Louis have been cultivating not the ground but men to serve as pastors. They have worked hard to send these men into the the Lord’s fields to plant the seed of our Lord’s Gospel. Soon they will be planted in their first calls working in the Lord’s fields of their respective congregations. What a joyful time!
Jesus tells His disciples in Matthew 9:37-38, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefor pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest.” Our Lord anticipates a great harvest not of grain but of souls. But how can there be a harvest if no one hears the Gospel?
It is nothing short of astonishing, at least in my mind, that just as soon as Jesus tells his disciples to pray for more workers he answers his own plea. For in Matthew 10 Jesus answers the prayer. He sends his disciples out, giving them authority but also to preach the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This vocation is serious business. Looking at the end of the Gospel Jesus again gives authority to his disciples, also giving the mandate to baptize and teach the nations all that He taught them.
And these men being called to work in the harvest fields now have the same mandate, to baptize and to teach in their respective congregations. They are to preach Law and Gospel, that by their preaching faith may be created. They are to sow Jesus’ Gospel, to plant that seed. All Pastors are called to be workers in the field. Yet it is the Lord who gives the growth. It He who produces a harvest.
As the Franzmann hymn says in the final stanza, “The Harvest Lord Who gave the sower seed to sow will watch and tend His planted Word.” May we always trust in the Lord and promise that His word never returns void.
Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana
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The harvest is plentiful –
What is the harvest ?
Where are the white fields .
A blessed afternoon Ron. Thanks for the comment and question. Looking at the greater context of Matthew 9:35-39, Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful…” after preaching and proclaiming the gospel to the cities and villages and seeing the people as sheep without a shepherd. The harvest are the people who will hear the Word of Christ and by hearing receive it in faith. We know that God does not desire the death of anyone, but rather that all would turn from their sin and live in faith in Him, as he says through the prophet Ezekiel. So the harvest is the church universal, those who call upon the name of the Lord and look to Him for their salvation. But as we know faith comes by hearing. The Word of the Gospel of the Kingdom (Jesus Christ) must be preached. For look at Augsburg Confession article 4 and 5 together. Hence, Jesus sends out his workers to preach and sow his seed to create faith in Him. So we rejoice that another crop of seminarians from Fort Wayne and St. Louis are being sent to do just that, to preach the Word of Christ to all they encounter and administer the Sacraments according to Christ’s command. I hope that answers your question.