The Harvest
Jeremiah 8:20-22; John 4:35
The last summer fruits of the year are being gathered across America. Farmers are busy with combines, raking up the seed and filling the silos of our country– ensuring longevity and sustainability for the preservation of a nation. If only food was enough to fill what we need. If only food was enough to satisfy and give meaning. Man does not live on bread alone. God could raise up a nation as well as bread from stones, but instead he uses living things– mustard seeds, fungal colonies, and flawed humanity.
The prophet Jeremiah, lamenting his deeply broken nation, quotes God as saying, “The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved. Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?”
The crops had been gathered in storehouses to ensure survival through the fall and winter, but there was no real guarantee available. Their future wasn't secure. The irony was that God was begging for them to come to him so that he might heal them– waiting patiently for the nation to give up their idolatry, their economic greed, and their violence to the oppressed, but they couldn't let their idols go. They wanted these things that made for a stable nation– a stable nation without God.
It's easy to look back in history and judge past generations for, what to us, are blatantly obvious flaws in theology and character. We look at the Jewish nation prior to exile and say, “why couldn't they just turn from idolatry to God?” We look at the southern part of our nation prior to the Civil War and ask, “why couldn't they see the sin of slavery?” We look at the German Christians in early 1900's and ask, “why couldn't they see the problems of Hitler and the not so hidden genocide being practiced throughout the Nazi Empire?” But can we be a people, now, that wonder: What will future generations ask of our time? What will be so blatantly obvious to them that is blurry and indistinguishable to us now?
Like the people and nations before our time, do we put our heads down, focusing on the task of survival, ignoring the problems that shatter the image bearers of God around us? Do we keep our heads down to the task of private religion or do we lift up our eyes and see the pains of the people around us? Do we see the people who do not look or think like us hurting and unsure of tomorrow? Do we find those that think differently, and are we willing to sit, show hospitality, and love them? “Lift up your eyes. The fields are ripe for harvest!” Jesus says. It is not in the bread of daily existence and in the task of surviving for another day or year that we find life and sustenance. The harvest is plentiful; there are broken people needing disciples of Christ to love them, to hear them, to talk with them– sharing the good news of Jesus to the broken world. There is more to life than just surviving through our times. There is the chance, the opportunity to be faithful to the person and character of Jesus Christ in a hurting world, starving for the truth and love of God.
When the Spirit harkens us to obedience, I pray that you and I will have the will to listen, to speak, to act in faithfulness to Jesus.
Announcements:
Adult Sunday School Classes - 9:45
Mitchell and Sarah Davidson are hosting a weekly Bible Study at their house on Thursdays (6-8)
Their address and number are listed below
Fall Festival/Harvest Festival will be Oct. 25.
Sign up sheet is at the back of the sanctuary
Children’s Church (Preschool and Elementary School) Sunday School teachers are need
Sign up sheet is at the back of the sanctuary
Trail Life's initial meeting is this week. We will be setting up times for future engagements
Speak with Pastor Steven or Damon Hargraves for more information
Church Weekly Schedule
Sunday worship at 11am
Sunday School at 9:45am
I am teaching through the Gospel According to Matthew
Wednesday Prayer Posse 12pm
Thursday Bible Study with Mitchell and Sarah
6-8pm
1815 E Rezanof Dr.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Mitchell (907-942-0381)
Pastor Steven’s Office Hours 8-4 Mon-Thursday
I have an open sign (if it is on, I am here)
If I am not in the office at these times, I am meeting with someone out of office
Call or text me 972-921-2516
Email steven@kodiakcbc.org