God’s Intentions (Part III)

Is Jesus’ Priority Your Priority?

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.  But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He 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.” Mark 9:35-38

The last statement of Jesus in the above passage has bothered me for years! I have always thought that there are many Christians who love God and want to do His work on this earth. As a matter of fact, many Christians find it difficult to reach people for Jesus. They don’t think that people are open to the gospel. So many Christians think that the harvest is not plentiful!

We think of ourselves as ready and available for God’s work . We just need to find the harvest and those who are open to the gospel! We find that there is either a lack of interest or indifference about God. On a few occasions that we try to strike up a conversation, it ends up getting into politics, sports, or others subjects, and it leads the conversation away from God!

To the contrary, Jesus saw the lack of laborers as the problem. He saw the shepherds of His day were not leading and guiding people into truth. He saw many sheep without the shepherd! This  meant that the harvest was plentiful, but shepherds, who were available to do God’s work, were few!

As I was meditating on the above scriptures, I felt like the Lord was warning the body of Christ about the harvest. The harvest are those who are ready to accept Jesus. The harvest are those individuals who are weary, scattered, fearful, and helpless. They are looking for someone to guide them and help them understand what is going on in their lives as well as the world! Are we giving people Jesus or are we providing a solution other than Jesus?

Many Christians think of themselves as laborers in God’s Kingdom, but to be truly a laborer for God, we must be in tune with the Lord and how He wants to bring His Kingdom on the earth! Unfortunately, the noises around us, including our own ideas and opinions, have muffled the still small voice of God.

All the drama, anger, and commotion on TV and the social media has compelled Christians to take a position on whose side they are on. They may claim that they are on God’s side, but in reality they are swimming in the stream of current events and are being distracted and derailed from the priority of the gospel. Their main focus has become to express their opinion and take a stand for their position.

In this tumultuous climate, arguments ensue and people are offended all in the name of so called “Spiritual” stance. All along we miss the opportunity to share the gospel with someone who may  ready to hear the gospel or accept!  We may not even give them even the time of day because in our minds their political stance and social views are contrary to ours.

As we get closer to the end of the age, we will see more instability and more topics to argue about and be divided on. If we want to see the harvest brought in, we must guard our hearts, eyes, and ears. The people of God must remain committed and focused on being a laborer for Jesus and not use the Bible to push an agenda or a position and thereby abdicate their responsibility as laborers for God!

Jesus declared that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few! Are you a laborer for the Kingdom!? Is Jesus’ Priority Your Priority? If so, what will you do not to get distracted and derailed from your main calling?