“35 ¶ And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Mt 9:35-38 KJV)

“1 ¶ After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. 2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly [is] great, but the labourers [are] few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.” (Lu 10:1-3 KJV)

The hardest part about preaching on missions is painting the picture of the need of missions. Each week we have included in the bulletin the prayer letter of from 4 to 10 missionaries. Some we support some we do not. The purpose of printing them is to keep us imformed of the needs of missions around the world. And as a Prayer reminder.

Prayer is the lifeline of missions. We have heard it said That prayer support is more important that financial support. And I know that as a missionary that is true, but don’t take that to literally. Both are essential.

What Missionary are prayer needs?

What problems do missionaries face?

For what things do they need prayer?

Cedric Johnson and David Penner surveyed 55 North American Protestant mission agencies with more than 100 staff members overseas. The missionaries listed the following problems, in rank order:

 1. Relationships with other missionaries

 2. Cultural adjustments

 3. Managing general stress

 4. Raising children

 5. Marriage difficulties

 6. Financial pressures

 7. Loneliness

Dr. Ford Porter declared that “Prayer is God’s means of accomplishing his work here on Earth.”

This morning I would like us to look at the passages before us and see Four things.

The Languishing, the Labors, the Lord, Our Response.

I. The Languishing

A. The Multitude as sheep—Two truths in one sentence

1. That fainted

a) These were those who had become weary, and exhausted.

b) The Great Old Preacher Alexander Maclaren gives this description of this multitude.

He sees them lying there weary, and footsore, and travel-stained.

They have flung themselves down by the wayside.

There is no leader or guide, no Joshua or director to order their march;

They are a worn-out, tired, unregulated mob,

and the sight smites upon His eye, and it smites upon His heart.

He says to Himself, if I may venture to put words into His lips, ‘There are a worse weariness, and a worse wandering, and a worse anarchy, and a worse disorder afflicting men than that poor mob of tired pedestrians shows.

‘Matthew, who was always fond of showing the links and connections between the Old Testament and the New, casts our Lord’s impression of what He then saw into language borrowed from the prophecy of Ezekiel (ch. 34.), which tells of a flock that is scattered in a dark and cloudy day, that is broken, and torn, and driven away.

c) These are those who

(1) have become burdened by the rites of religion and the doctrines of the Pharisees;

(a) The Doctrine of works salvation

(b) The Doctrines of humanism that leaves a man guilty with no answer to he guilt, and no hope of doing better

(c) The Doctrine of Cults, and fear which will never win them the approval of God.

(2) Are sinking down under their ignorance and traditions,

(a) Those who know what the truth is, but afraid to leave family and friend to embrace that truth.

(b) Those who have built high places out of education, money, and fame, but are burdened by trying to reach it or keeping on top of the heap after “having it all”

(3) Are neglected by those who ought to have been enlightened teachers,

(a) What is worse, when those who have bought the philosophy of teachers and leaders and then fail, they are cast aside and ignored.

(b) They are pitied, patronized, and profited from but there is not help for them.

2. They were scattered abroad as having no shepherd

(1) Without his care they would stray away.

(2) They were in danger of wild beasts.

(3) They panted in the summer sun, and knew not where the cooling shade and stream was.

(4) What a picture of our day.

(a) There are medicine to treat every kind of emotional problem, but be careful it may cause—then a list of side effects most of which are worse that the problem.

(b) The sad thing is that the drug doesn’t solve the problem or remove it. It just put a mask on it.

(c) It may make you feel good, but leave you open for the attack of the enemy of your soul.

B. The Multitude as grain—The Lord used a second metaphor—the Harvest.

1. Notice some truth about the harvest.

a) It is HIS harvest

b) A crop will always produce a harvest.—A promise that if we will go into the field we will see the harvest.

2. In order for there to be a harvest, some must plant, some must water.

“6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8  Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.” (1Co 3:6-8 KJV)

3. There is a time of harvest and it will pass

“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” (Jer 8:20 KJV)

a) What a tragic thought that God gave a time to harvest, a season to harvest in, but the time is past and we are not saved.

b) It will be a terrible experience to realize that you had the opportunity and never got saved.

c) An unharvested crop is a waste

4. The fields are ready.

a) Don’t look for a better time

b) Don’t look for a better method

c) Don’t look for other harvester unless you are in the harvest.

5. We are commanded to pray to the Lord of the Harvest that He would send forth laborer,

a) Before you pray, are you fully engaged in the harvest

b) Before you pray, have you place all your resources at the Master disposal.

II. The Laborers

A. The word is ergates from the root word ergo to expend energy.

1. The Laborer is one who will spend energy in the in the harvest field.

2. One commentator said, “we will never have enough laborer, but there will always be loiterers in the harvest.”

B. We centuries of traditions of “full-time” worker in the harvest we have come to the point that nearly all believe that if we pay or hire a preacher we have gotten involved in the harvest.

1. This is not found written in the Word.

2. The Lord sent out seventy when he had 12 disciples. Those who were the specially called had another 58 added to there number.

3. If one can reap a bushel, two will more than likely reap more than two.

a) As Jay and I were out visiting last week his example and zeal, made me desire to do more.

b) I was helping a friend one day and he remarked that one addition man on a crew of 2 more than double the work produced.

C. The Harvest is no different today that it was in the Lord’s day.

1. It is still the souls of sinful men

2. It is still as urgent maybe even more so as we see the day of His coming approaching.

3. It is still opposed by the same wicked one, and wickedness.

4. Why do men’s heart seem harder, maybe because we don’t have enough laborers in the field.

III. The Lord

A. This is the same Lord that we spoke of last week. He is the ultimate master.

B. This Lord know the condition of the harvest, the condition of the sheep.

1. The Owner of the Crop or flock will check it regularly to know its condition, the laborer may be unconcern about it until the Master hires him.

2. The Owner of the Crop or Flock has a vested interest in it, because he has labored to bring it to the point of harvest.

3. Since the Master has said the fields are white unto harvest, it is in fact white unto harvest. Who are we to argue that fact.

C. The Lord is one equips the Labors.

“And when he had called unto [him] his twelve disciples, he gave them power [against] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” (Mt 10:1 KJV)

D. The Lord is the one who will reward the Laborer.

“Nor scrip for [your] journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.” (Mt 10:10 KJV)

 “And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.” (Mt 20:2 KJV)

 “So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them [their] hire, beginning from the last unto the first.” (Mt 20:8 KJV)

 “And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.” (Lu 10:7 KJV)

 “For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer [is] worthy of his reward.” (1Ti 5:18 KJV)

 “Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.” (Jas 5:4 KJV)

1. If the Lord declares time and again that the Labor is worthy of his hire, will not he take care of the Laborers in his harvest field.

2. Many fear to surrender to his calling, and wander aimlessly through life, with no purpose or direction. Because the desire the rewards of this life, not of the hand of the Lord.

3. Have you ever ask yourself “Why do I do what I do?”

a) Is it because you don’t know what else to do?

b) Is it because you just enjoy doing it?

c) Is it because you know that this is what the Lord wants you to do?

d) If the answer to the last question is not YES! Then why are you doing what you are doing.

IV. Our Response

A. I came across this parable years ago, it make a valid point.  And I close with this.

THE PARABLE OF THE ORANGE GROVES

I dreamed I drove on a Florida road, still and straight and empty. On either side were groves of orange trees, so that as I turned to look at them from time to time, line after line of orange trees stretched back endlessly from the road- their boughs heavy with round orange fruit. My wonder grew as the miles slipped by. How could the harvest be gathered?

Suddenly I realized that for all the hours I had driven (and that is how I knew I must be dreaming) I had seen no other person. No other car had passed me. No houses were to be seen along the highway. I was alone in a forest of orange trees.

But at last I saw some orange pickers. Far from the highway, almost on the horizon, lost in the vast wilderness of unpicked fruit, I could discern a tiny group of them working steadily. Many miles later I saw another group of them. I could not be sure, but I suspected the earth beneath me was shaking with silent laughter at the hopelessness of their task. Yet the pickers went on picking.

The sun had passed its zenith, and the shadows were lengthening when, without any warning, I turned a corner of the road to see a notice, "Leaving NEGLECTED COUNTY Entering HOME COUNTY."

The contrast was so startling that I scarcely had time to take in the notice. I had to slow down, for all at once the traffic was heavy. People by the thousands swarmed the road and crowded the sidewalks.

Even more extraordinary was the transformation in the orange groves. Orange groves were still there in abundance, but now, far from being silent and empty they were filled with the laughter and singing of multitudes of people. Indeed, it was the people I noticed more than the trees. People and houses.

I parked the car at the roadside and mingled with the crowd. Smart gowns, neat shoes, showy hats, expensive suits, and starched shirts made me feel a little conscious of my work clothes. Everyone seemed so fresh...so poised and happy.

"Is it a holiday?" I asked a well dressed woman with whom I fell in step.

She looked a little startled for a moment, then her face relaxed with a smile of condescension.

"You're a stranger, aren't you?" she said; and before I could reply, "This is Orange Day."

She must have seen a puzzled look on my face, for she went on, "It's so good to turn aside from ones labors and pick oranges one day of the week."

"But don't you pick oranges everyday?" I asked her.

"One may pick oranges anytime," she said. "We should always be ready to pick oranges, but Orange Day is the day we devote especially to picking oranges."

I left her and made my way farther among the trees. Most of the people were carrying a book beautifully bound in rich leather, and edged and lettered in gold. I was able to discern on one of them the words, "Orange Picker's Manual."

By and by I noticed around one of the orange trees that seats had been arranged in tiers, rising upward from the ground. The seats were almost full, but as I approached the group a smiling well-dressed man shook my hand and conducted me to a seat.

There, around the foot of the orange tree I saw a number of people. One of them was addressing all the people on the seats, and just as I got to my seat, everyone rose to their feet and began to sing. The man next to me shared his song book with me. It was called, "Songs of the Orange Groves."

They sang for some time, and the song leader waved his arms with strange and frenzied abandon, all the while encouraging the people to sing more loudly.

I grew steadily more puzzled. "When do we start picking oranges?" I asked the man who had loaned me his book.

"It's not long now," he told me. "We like to get everyone warmed up first. Besides, we want to make the oranges feel at home." I thought he was joking, but his face was serious.

After a while another man took over from the song leader, and, after reading two sentences from a well-thumbed copy of the Orange Picker's Manual began to make a speech. I wasn't clear whether he was addressing the people or the oranges.

I glanced around me and saw a number of groups similar to our own group gathering around an occasional tree, and being addressed by speakers. Many trees had no one around them.

"Which trees do you pick from?" I asked the man beside me. He did not seem to understand the question, so I pointed to the trees round about.

"This is our tree." he said, pointing to the tree we were gathered around.

"But there are too many of us to pick from just one tree." I protested. "Why, there are more people than oranges!"

"But we don't pick oranges." the man explained. "We haven't been called. That's the Head Orange Picker's job. We're here to support him. Besides, we haven't been to college. You need to know how an orange thinks before you can pick it successfully. Orange psychology, you know. Most of these folks here," he went on, pointing to the congregation, "have never even been to Manual School."

"Manual School?"I whispered. "What's that?"

"It's where you go to study the Orange Picker's Manual," my informant went on. "It's very hard to understand. You need years of study before it makes any sense."

"I see," I murmured. "I had no idea picking oranges was so difficult."

The speaker in front was still making his speech. His face was red, and he seemed to be indignant about something. So far as I could gather, there was rivalry with some of the other orange picking groups. But a moment later a glow came onto his face.

"But we are not forsaken," he said. "We have much to be thankful for. Last week we saw THREE ORANGES BROUGHT INTO OUR BASKET. And, too, we are completely debt free from the money we owed on the new seat cushions which grace the seats you now sit on.

 "Isn't it wonderful?" the man sitting next to me murmured. I personally felt that something was profoundly wrong here. All of this seemed to be a very roundabout way of picking oranges.

The speaker was reaching a climax in his speech. The atmosphere seemed tense. Then, with a very dramatic gesture he reached two of the oranges, plucked them from the branch, and placed them in the basket at his feet. The applause was deafening.

"Do we start picking now?" I asked my informant.

"What in the world do you think we've been doing for the past forty minutes?" he hissed. "What do you suppose this tremendous effort has been made for? There's more orange picking talent in this group than in the rest of HOME COUNTY. Thousands of dollars have been spent on the tree you're looking at."

I apologized quickly. "I wasn't being critical,"I said. "And I'm sure the speaker must be a very good picker. -But surely the rest of us could try. After all, there are so many oranges that need picking. We each have a pair of hands, and we can read the manual."

"When you've been in the business as long as I have, you'll realize it's not as simple as all that." he replied. "There isn't time, for one thing. We have our work to do, our families to care for, and our homes to look after. We..."

But I wasn't listening. Light was beginning to dawn on me. Whatever these people were, they weren't orange pickers. Orange picking was just a form of weekend entertainment for them...or maybe a group in which to find a shared identity.

I tried a few more of the groups around the trees. Not all of them had such high academic standards for orange pickers. Some even had classes for orange picking.

I tried to tell them about the trees I had seen in NEGLECTED COUNTY, but they seemed to have little interest.

"We haven't picked the oranges here yet." was their usual reply.

The sun was almost setting in my dream, and, growing tired of all the noise and activity around me I got back into my car and drove back the way I had come. Soon all around me were the vast and empty orange groves.

But there were changes. Some things had happened in my absence. Everywhere the ground was littered with fallen fruit. And as I watched, it seemed the trees began raining oranges. Many of them lay rotting on the ground.

I felt there was something so strange about it all; and my bewilderment grew as I thought about all the people in HOME COUNTY.

Then, booming through the trees there came a voice which said, "THE HARVEST TRULY IS PLENTEOUS,BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW. PRAY YE THEREFORE THE LORD OF THE HARVEST, THAT HE MIGHT SEND FORTH LABORERS...."

And I awakened- for it was only a dream.

by Dr. John White

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