I once read an article in a paper that described a very long line of people outside a church. The person telling the story mentioned his curiosity and decision to get into the line to see what was going on inside the church.

The person finally arrived inside the church and as he looked to the front of the building he could see Jesus chained to the pulpit of the church. In astonishment the man asks why Christ was being treated so.

Christ's reply was that His followers were not obeying the great commission and that they had chained Him to the pulpit. Only the people that were interested enough to stand in line could finally come into the church and hear the Good News.

Yes, it was a dream but how true it is in churches across our land today!

THE HARVEST IS GREAT - THE TIME IS NOW

We want to look at the MISCONCEPTION OF THE HARVEST, the CONCEPTION OF THE HARVEST, the PERCEPTION OF THE HARVEST, and the PARTICIPATION IN THE HARVEST.

Many today view evangelism as the pastor winning souls by his dynamic soul winning messages. Many today have false ideas about a lot of things in the church.

Others view the United States as the MOST IMPORTANT MISSION FIELD. With 90% of full time American Christian workers working in America among about 10% of the world’s population I am forced to question this line of thinking!

Yes, America has needs - especially in the area of subcultures. Areas such as the American born Chinese, the Hispanic, the migrant workers, the Laotians, the Vietnamese, the Servicemen, the Foreign Students, as well as many other groups.

We need to reach these people - But we need to get some perspective - the United States needs to realize it isn't the world.

I. MISCONCEPTION OF THE HARVEST

I recently picked up a tract entitled "The Harvest is Past and We Are Not Saved." It is based on Jer. 8:20. "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." The idea behind the tract is to bring the person to feel that there will be a day when this will be spoken by some of the lost millions going into hell. I personally believe the text is being misused, and that the concept is in error for there will be no one in hell that has not personally rejected his Maker directly, be it by rejecting the revelation of God in Nature, the revelation of God in them, or the revelation of God in the Word.

Man is condemned not by his lack of hearing a message, but by his own rejection of the message, which he has received. This is seen in Romans. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness," Rom. 1:18 Man that knows the truth yet rejects its work will view the wrath of God.

God has revealed Himself to all of mankind, throughout all the ages. He had done this in several ways. God revealed Himself in nature: "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse;" Rom. 1:20 God revealed Himself in themselves: "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them." Rom. 1:19 He has also revealed Himself through the Word.

All mankind is, or was under a universal condemnation because of the fall of man in Adam. We all are sinners due for condemnation, however Jesus Christ made payment for the sin of all mankind -- BUT mankind must appropriate that payment. The Old Testament saint was to lay his hand on the sacrifice as it was being killed. So, we must lay our hand, so to speak on the head of Christ to accept His death in place of ours. Some respond to that message when they are told and some reject that message.

What about those that do not hear that message of reconciliation? They have no chance if we don't tell them RIGHT! WRONG! They have given up the right to hear that message, in that, they did not respond to the revelation within themselves or to the revelation within nature itself.

They have rejected God in His most basic forms of revelation! Romans one goes on to state, "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." (Romans 1:21-25)

The Sword of the Lord recently quoted a news release from England which mentioned that the British Methodists had okayed the use of female images for God so that they could image God in ALL the details of creation. Sounds like Romans one to me.

Then the question must be asked, "Why has the United States been given such an overabundance of the Gospel?" We have the Gospel offered in every bookstore, and many department stores. We have churches in the majority of towns and our cities have multitudes of churches. Yes, we might question the quality of the Gospel being given in our country today, but if someone wants to find God they can.

I believe it is because we are still, even though some might question my thinking, a nation that seeks to know God. Barely does this nation seek to know God, but on a whole I think that the nation does seek God.

People in this country are going downward into sin at an alarming rate yet the general sense of the country is still a people that are seeking after the fulfillment of life. We as Americans are seeking in the areas of sin, materialism, humanism, and every other ism yet most Americans are still seeking for fulfillment in the spiritual realm - they just haven't looked in the proper place as yet, and we as Christians have not been telling them where to look.

I witnessed to a man in Denver once and his reaction was, "Stan, my apartment is full of religious material, but nobody has ever in my life told me what you have just told me" - the simple Gospel.

A church member in a small town in Oregon recently told me that their church was having an outreach-training program in their church. She mentioned that the people are going out door to door and finding lost people that have been looking for God. The lost are excited that someone has come to tell them of Christ. The people from the church were also excited that the Gospel really works.

For this reason God has seen fit to leave this country as a lighthouse for Him. THIS IS NOT TO SAY FOR HOW LONG HOWEVER"!

YES, THE HARVEST WILL BE PAST ONE DAY AND MILLIONS WILL NOT BE SAVED! BUT, it will be because the millions rejected the message of God not because they did not hear!

In closing this thought we need to mention that the text in Jeremiah is not speaking of men in hell. It is speaking of Israel's unwillingness to leave their idols and follow God. It is the lament of Jeremiah that the summer is passing and there is no physical or spiritual salvation for Israel, in that the Lord had finally shut the door on their sinfulness and called upon them judgment. THEY HAD RECEIVED EVERY OPPORTUNITY!

II. CONCEPTION OF THE HARVEST

Many today ask me how God called me to a specific ministry. I tell many that He didn't call me. I have never been "CALLED" to do anything to the best of my knowledge unless you include the jillion times my mother called me to take out the trash. God led me into the ministry many years ago and has been leading me from ministry to ministry every since.

In Scripture we see God calling men at times, however He has told the New Testament believer to go preaching and we need no call, for we have a command already.

A man by the name of Andrew P. Stirrett in the early 1900's realized this fact and acted on it. This man sold his business and left his apartments and his worldly possessions in the hands of a mission. He proceeded to England for training before he had been accepted by the mission. When he wrote to tell them that he was on his way to Nigeria they decided to accept him "on suspicion rather than on probation." They weren't sure of the man at all.

He spent 41 of his 46 years with the mission on the field. He headed up their medical outreach after he had become a doctor. He was highly recognized in the medical community. He preached 20,000 times and preached to over 1 1/2 million people. He died at 83 beside his bed praying. CAN YOU IMAGINE SUCH A MAN AND HE SAID OF HIMSELF " I NEVER HAD A CALL" **** CAN YOU IMAGINE SUCH A THING?

I would like to read Mr. Stirrett's personal testimony of his going into the ministry.

"WHY I WENT"

"One evening in church the message was on the Holy Spirit. Some people, the preacher said, were afraid lest the Spirit should command them to do something they did not wish to do.

"For example, said he, a young man might be commanded to leave home and go away to do Christ's glorious work in China or some other needy field. Afraid to receive God's best gift? That message went to my heart.

"Instead of obeying immediately, I got into business for myself. I speak of this purposely because I believe there are many young people who are waiting for some special demonstration before they go to the field.

"I confess that I never had any call, except the 'still, small voice' which told me, as I believe He is telling others, of the great need of those regions where they have not the light.

"What finally brought me to my senses was a sermon on the return of our Lord. There came up before me more vividly my great sin of omission, my failure to tell those who know not the gospel. The question was insistent: 'Will Jesus be pleased if He comes, to find me behind the counter?'

"There was only one answer. I sold my business, and started for the field."

We have a clear command to go out preaching and Discipling, yet we have the majority of the effort going on in the United States. Indeed, the Christians in America are not going. We are seeing third world countries sending missionaries to the States. It seems inconceivable that the Lord would give the command to go to the world and not desire Christians to go to the world.

Let's imagine for moment that the U.S.A. was under attack on both coasts and the gulf. The president moves the White House to Omaha, NE; He deploys 90% of the nations active troops and forces in Nebraska and deploys 10% of the troops to guard the coasts. Now, would we impeach such a commander in chief? YES, OF COURSE!

Christ is the head of His army - we are in a spiritual battle. Do you really believe Christ would deploy 10% of His forces to reach the 90% of the world that is lost and 90% to guard the 10% of the population that is saved?

As Mr. McQuilikan mentions, "some that he calls aren't responding".

Let me quote the great commission: "Would you please at your convenience sometime consider a favor for me? Would you consider maybe witnessing to some one by the middle part of next year? If the person should happen to accept me you might if you can fit it in between vacations, breaks and time off, to teach the some of the things that I have told you? If they should happen to grow to the point of wanting to be identified with me you can, that is if it isn't to big and inconvenience to fill the baptistery and if you can get the water warm enough, baptize them for me." NO! NO! NO! This is not true Scripture; yet, many churches live as if this were how the great commission was written.

Let me quote the text as the Lord spoke it. "And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth. God ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. Amen." Matt. 28:18-20

What does Amen mean? SO BE IT! SO BE IT! GO YE - TEACH. SO BE IT! Jesus Christ Himself has given us an imperative - not a request, not a desired favor, and not an option -- He has stated "GO YE" or to put it more literally "as you are going". He assumes that we are going and the imperative is to teach those that we are going to!

It has recently been said that if you are going to the mission field because you are burdened for the lost people of a certain country that you are going for the wrong reason. When trials come if you are serving a burden it is easy to quit, but if you are obeying the GO you are serving God and can continue on knowing He is able to complete the task.

You do not see the idea of going to a specific people in Matt. 28 do you? Indeed, if you are going to the mission field you should be going because the Lord has told you to go - teaching and baptizing.

Yes, we are all to be burdened for the lost people of the world. Yes, we need to be concerned about reaching these people but it is all to be based on the Lord's statement to "GO".

In Mark 16:15, again the text has the idea that you are going - we are told to preach. The "preach" here is an imperative or a command. Notice that the "as you are going" is in the context of "ALL THE WORLD." AS WE ARE GOING TO ALL THE WORLD WE ARE TO PREACH AND TEACH!

Tell me how we in the American church are doing this when 90% of funds are being spent on the feeding of church members and the evangelization of the American public. Tell me how we in the American church are doing this when only a small minority of them ever witnesses to anyone.

I fear we Christians gear our spending much as the world does! The world spent $60,000 to get Humphrey, a whale that swam up from the ocean, back down the Sacramento River to the sea. How much have we spent on missions lately?

The latest figures show that the average Christian gives approximately $.33 per day to missions. That is not even the price of a cup of coffee a day! Do you realize if we doubled the amount to $.66 per day we could double the number of missionaries on the field? JUST HOW DO WE FIGURE THAT WE ARE REACHING THE WORLD FOR CHRIST WHEN WE ARE SPENDING MORE ON SCOPE MOUTHWASH THAN WE ARE ON FOREIGN MISSIONS?

The natural text to go to from this point is II Tim. 2:2 Let me quote it for you. "And the things that thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."

This is missions in the proverbial nutshell. As we are going we are to teach those we lead to the Lord, so that they can be going to teach those that they lead to the Lord, so that they can be going to teach those that they lead to the Lord, so that they can be going to teach those that they lead to the Lord --- yes, it is an endless process of evangelism and discipleship unto the coming of the Lord!

Just where is the "going to take place? We have seen in Mark that it is the world. Acts 1:8 mentions that the world in view as well. Indeed, a basis for the world can be easily seen in both testaments very clearly. WE ARE TO BE GOING TO THE WORLD WITH THE GOSPEL!

Are we? I fear that we are not. Over 90% of Christian workers are laboring within the borders of the U.S. We are not going to the world. We are making a very feeble stab at going to the world, but I don't think the Lord is really all that impressed with this generation’s missionary effort.

No, I can't know the mind of God on the subject but it doesn't take a mind reader to look at the facts and figures about missions and come up with the fact that the Church is blowing it on the world scene!

III. PERCEPTION OF THE HARVEST

The greatness of the harvest can be easily shown by a simple look at the population figures and a survey or two. To cut through the figures you can ruffly say that over 2 billion people have never heard the Gospel before. Dr. Robert C. McQuilkin states [New Tribes tract on God's call] that there have never been more than 35,000 missionaries laboring at one time in history. Remember these 35,000 people are dealing with the 2 billion that have never heard! (Most figures I see recently place the figure at about 50,000 missionaries on the field.)

Based on current figures this means simply that there are 3,333 LOST people dying every hour without ever hearing the Gospel.

Christianity is a dying organism by shear numbers today. The population explosion is going to bury Christianity in the history books if we don't wake up to the fact that the Lord has a job for us to do - NOW!

B. URGENCY OF THE HARVEST

"For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:" Acts 13:36 David served his own generation. This

is only logical. How could he serve any other generation? We are in the same situation as David. We can only serve our own generation. If we don't reach our own generation, then that generation will not be reached. Those people living right now will not hear the Gospel unless our generation tells them. That is simply put, and it is very URGENT!

NO OTHER STATEMENT NEEDS TO BE MADE! IF WE DON'T REACH THE PEOPLE ON THE EARTH TODAY -- THEY WON'T BE REACHED!

Lost people of our generation are dying at the rate of 3,333 per hour. How urgent a need do we have to have before we start acting? Before we start giving of ourselves. Before we start giving of our families. Before we start giving of our possessions.

IV. PARTICIPATION IN THE HARVEST

GOD WANTS YOUR PARTICIPATION! God wants men like Alexander Duff. Let me share a part of his story with you. He was a missionary to India.

"As an old man, he stood in Edinburgh, Scotland, and for two and one half hours he held his listeners spellbound as he told the story of trials and hardships and conquests. Then he fainted and was carried from the hall.

"When he came to himself, he asked: 'Where am I? What was I doing? Oh, yes. Take me back and let me finish my speech!'

"'You will kill yourself if you do!' exclaimed his friends.

"'I shall die if I do Not!' And so they carried him back.

"The whole audience arose, men and women sobbing. He was unable to stand, but sat down and said: 'Fathers of Scotland, have you any more sons to send to India? I have spent my life there, and my life has gone; but if there are no young men to go, I will go back myself and lay my bones there, and let the people know that there is one man in Britain who is ready to die for India!'" (This was in a tract put out by New Tribes Mission entitled "God's Call")

Today India is basically untouched by the Gospel. There is work going on but so little in relationship to the need! There are Christians there and the church is growing, but the need is so great that those working there are not keeping up with the population increases. As far as I know at this point in time India is closed to outside missionaries, other than those that go in as tent makers. (Those that go to a country with an occupation, such as doctors, teachers etc. and witness to those that they have contact with. The term comes from Paul's time of tent making to support himself as he spread the Gospel.)

CONCLUSION:

I would like to challenge you to think about what God has for you in this life. I want to challenge every one of you - young and old!

For the young I feel it is very important that you consider God's best for you lest you regret not giving your life to Him when you are older. You older folks consider what you might do for God even though you have not considered it before.

I would like to share a poem concerning a person looking back over his short life and realizing he had regrets.

V. Ben Kendrick

Just Thinking

"Dear Lord, I must confess that I often think it would be nice to be young again.

"But not to be able to run and jump and feel young would I wish this to happen.

"Just imagine a life with a new start which would allow me to do that much more for you.

"Lord, I think this with no thought for myself but only what could be done for your glory.

"As I said, Lord, these are just thoughts; for I realize that this could never be.

"I had the opportunity of serving in my younger days when life seemed like an endless span before me.

"And perhaps that is why I think and wish I could start afresh and live it all over again."

I see in churches everywhere I go that the church has made missions an option to be gotten to if there is time, and if there is money. We have missionaries that are trying to get to the field but can't because the churches are so tied up in their building programs that they do not have time, nor finances to fund a proper missions program.

We have missionaries coming home in the middle of terms to raise up new supporters to replace those that have dropped their support in the middle of the term.

We have pastors in this country that do not care to talk with missionaries when they drop in to say Hi.

We have a pitiful missions program in American churches as a whole. We have missionaries taking more time to raise their support that it takes for them to receive their college training.

American Christians are committed Christians, but I have to wonder to what they have committed themselves to.

Are we committed to Christ or things?

Are we committed to missions or a building project?

Are we committed to saving souls or upholstering the pews?

Are we committed to saving the world for our Lord or to saving our cash for ourselves?

Are we committed to God or mammon?

I FEAR THAT THE MAMMON WOULD WIN OUT IN ANY POLL TAKEN BY AN IMPARTIAL JUDGE!

Matt. 6:24 simply states, "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Money or things is the thought of mammon.)

Lest anyone say that this verse is for the Jews only, let me read another verse that simply restates the same principle from the letters of John. I Jo. 2:15-16, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

WHERE HAS MOST OF YOUR TIME BEEN SPENT LATELY? WHERE IS YOUR MAIN CONCERN? WHICH DO YOU LOVE MORE, GOD OR MAMMON?

The last part of I Jo 2:16 speaks of the "pride of life". This has the idea of having pride in your life style or way of life. Are you proud of the way you live? Maybe the love of the Lord is weaker than it should be.

God is interested in people that are willing to give all they have, including their lives to further God's purposes.

ARE YOU SUCH A PERSON THIS DAY? ARE YOU WILLING TO SAY HERE AM I LORD SEND ME? NOW, LET ME REPEAT THAT, HERE AM I LORD SEND ME. SOME INTERPRET THIS TO MEAN HERE AM I LORD SEND MY SISTER. ARE YOU WILLING TO SAY LORD USE ME AT WHATEVER THE COST?

We are intellectual, emotional and spiritual beings. We must respond in all three areas to missions.

INTELLECTUALLY: If we believe Christ died to save us from Hell. If we believe Christ is to return soon. If we believe the lost will go to hell then - we must get the Gospel out! LOGICALLY THAT IS THE LINE OF THINKING!

EMOTIONALLY: We need to be burdened for the lost - realize what Hell is like. An eyewitness account from Luke states, "I am tormented in this flame"

There are people waiting to hear the Good news yet there is no one to tell them. In the Islands of the Pacific, missionaries hear of tribes that want to hear about God - there are no workers to send.

We need to move our sights from ourselves to focus upon Christ so that we can see these millions that are lost.

SPIRITUALLY: As we are going - preach and teach. We are told to go so we don't need to wait for a "CALL". We need to say, Lord, here am I - sent me.

"Professor Latane, Professor of Psychology at Ohio State University made a study of Americans' work habits, and concluded that people tend to slack off or loaf when they work in a group more that when they work alone. Mr. Latane concluded that there is a 'diffusion of responsibility' in groups; each person feeling less responsibility to help because others are present." (Wall Street Journal: 3/19/81) Is it possible that the American church assumes everyone else is doing the work? Is it possible that the American church assumes everyone else is responsible to do the work?

THE HARVEST IS GREAT. THE TIME IS NEXT YEAR - RIGHT? NO! THE TIME IS NOW!

What are you going to do for Him?