Ready for HarvestSample

Don’t Be Disappointed with the Harvest

Read Mark 4:1-8.

The crowds listening to Jesus were now so big that they couldn’t all hear him as he preached on the beach. Jesus’ solution was to use a boat as his podium. That’s a first for me. I’ve never heard of anyone else speaking from a boat, but it worked for Jesus. I guess his voice carried well over the water. Obviously, it was harvest time. The huge crowds were hungry and open. Huge responses seemed assured. But that’s not the whole story.

As we reap the harvest, there will be times when it appears that everyone is interested in our Christian faith. God will open doors that we’ve never seen open before. Many people will be swept into the kingdom. This is exciting and it’s what we’re praying for. This is what happens in harvest times. But it’s not the whole story. Jesus reminds us of this in his parable.

Jesus knew that the eager crowds were not all going to prosper in his new kingdom. Some on the lakeside that day were just there for the show. They marveled at the miracles and listened to the teaching, but they were oblivious to Jesus’ real kingdom call. They were like a hard path (4:4). The “seed” was snatched away by Satan before it could take root.

I had been discussing Christian faith with a man named Simon over a number of months and eventually I asked him along to a church service where I was preaching. I preached the best evangelistic sermon I could muster, making the gospel as clear as possible through proclamation, video and illustration. After the service, Simon came up to me with sparkling eyes. I could see that he finally grasped it. He excitedly said, “Now I understand what you’ve been saying: I just have to be more spiritual.” Simon was the “path” – well-meaning and interested, but unable to really hear the gospel. We must continue to love the path people, but you can’t help feeling sad. I’m sure Jesus felt the same way.

Some of the potential harvest will grow in “rocky soil.” These are often the people who get most excited about the good news. They love the idea of God’s grace and forgiveness. They are passionate about Jesus. But when things get tough, they fade away. They’ve been living on emotions and dreams but their roots have not gone down deep into Jesus. They have not counted the cost of being a disciple of Jesus. Their faith dies as quickly as it took root. That’s really sad, but Jesus said that we can expect it.

Some of the potential harvest will grow in thorny soil. These people will look spiritually healthy for some time, but eventually, their faith in Jesus will be squeezed out by their successes or problems. Maybe they will still call themselves followers of Jesus but there will be no fruit to prove it. That’s really sad, but Jesus said that we can expect it.

Don’t be disillusioned or disappointed when you find these different soils because Jesus experienced them too. But he promised that some of the harvest will prosper beyond your wildest dreams. The fruit God produces through them will be incredible (4:8). For example, Sarah gave her life to Jesus in her late twenties after struggling with all sorts of abuse and sin. Now she is a school chaplain.

So when you commit to help with the harvest and nothing much happens, remember this Jesus story. Seed sowing can be disappointing work at times. Some will be resistant and others will fall away. But we mustn’t give up or get discouraged because there really will be a miraculous harvest. Continue to believe and persevere. The harvest is coming.