Two city slickers decided that they had had it with city living, so they bought a ranch down in Texas. The first thing they decided they needed was a mule. So they went to a neighboring rancher and asked him if he had a mule to sell. The rancher answered, “No, I’m afraid not.” They were disappointed, but as they visited with the rancher for a few moments one of them saw some honeydew melons stacked against the barn and asked, “What are those?” The rancher, seeing that they were hopeless city slickers, decided to have some fun. “Oh,” he answered, “those are mule eggs. You take one of those eggs home and wait for it to hatch, and you’ll have a mule.” The city slickers bought one and headed down the bumpy country road toward their ranch. Suddenly they hit an big bump, and the honeydew melon bounced out the back, hit the road, and burst open. Now, seeing in his rearview mirror what had happened, the driver turned his truck around and drove back. Meanwhile a big old Texas jackrabbit came hopping by and saw this honeydew melon burst in the road. He hopped over to it and, standing in the middle of that mess, he began to eat. The two city slickers spied their mule egg burst open and this long-eared creature in the middle of it. One of the men shouted, “Our mule egg has hatched! Let’s get our mule.” But seeing those two men coming toward it, the jackrabbit took off hopping in every direction with the two city fellows in hot pursuit. The two gave everything they had to catch him, but finally they could go no farther. One of the men said to the other, “Well, I guess we lost our mule.” The other man nodded. “Yes, but you know,” he said, “I’m not sure I wanted to plow that fast anyway.”
I believe a lot of Christians treat evangelism and missions that way. We see what needs to be done. But it looks so hard and there’s so much to do, we decide not to do anything. We just give up and do something that we can accomplish. There is an event in Jesus’ life that gives us some encouragement
“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. 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. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:35-38)
In this story are 3 people we need to better understand if we are going to reach the world for Christ.
1. The Lord of the Harvest
Submission to the Lordship of Christ is the key to world missions. None of us like to submit, but we all learn to do it: teens, speed limits, IRS, jobs, etc. Jesus has a right to Lordship: All things were created, consist, and controlled by Him (Col. 1:16,17). He rules as Lord: Jesus is Lord of the Christian (our talents, time, body, treasure). Jesus is Lord of the Church. Jesus is the Lord of Circumstances (our dangers, diseases, death, Finances, Fears). His request as our Lord it to go into the world and preach the Gospel to everyone: Evangelize, Baptize, Disciple (Matt. 28:18-20).
Yet, there are three types of servants to their Lord: Some slaves serve through fear. Some servants are hired to serve through wages. But the children serve through love. Which are you? Slave, Servant, or Child of God.
2. The Lost of the Harvest
There is no emotion like being lost. Whether a child lost, or the parent of a lost child, it is a horrible feeling. Jesus describes those who are not following Him as lost. This is the tragedy of our day. The majority are lost, searching for love, life & light. Yet, their lostness isn’t the worst of it. The direction of their misdirection is that they will find themselves in Hell. They need a shepherd to lead them to the Savior. They need us to show them how to go to Heaven.
3. The Laborers of the Harvest
The Lord recognizes that the problem isn’t a lack of crops, but a lack of laborers to bring in the harvest. His plea for is for more laborers.
Think of this: 10% of the world speaks English, 90% of today’s Christians come from English speaking countries. 95% of preachers speak in English. 95% of the church’s income is spent among the 10%. The missionary ratios to unsaved around the world: Mexico: 1 to 60,000, Africa: 1 to 20,000. India: 1 to 125,000, S. America: 1 to 30,000, Middle East: 1 to 250,000. Eastern Europe: 1 to 900,000, U.S.: 1 to 600.
Why is there a labor shortage? Insubordination, Indifference, Idleness.
God promises the laborers His presence, protection, provision, peace, power.
So, let us pray, give, help, and go – personally, corporately, and vocationally.
A man met a girl from another city. He began to correspond to her and soon fell in love. He wanted to marry her. So, he wrote a letter and asked her to marry him. He gave it to his brother to mail for him. He waited for an answer – a week, two weeks, a year, even after 20 years he had no response. After several years, his brother passed away. While cleaning out his brother’s apartment, he found the letter in the lining of his brother’s coat. A letter sent, but never delivered. I wonder if God feels the same way. He sent His love letter to the world through His Son. Yet, for many, the letter has never been delivered. They do not know how much He loves them.
Will you take the message of God’s love to everyone you know?
Will you help those who are going to those who have never heard?