The LAW of the Harvest
Psalms 126:5-6
Jimmy Chapman
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I. A Plan To Employ
...A. Personal plan - 'he'
...B. Persistent plan - 'goeth forth'
...C. Precious plan - 'bearing precious seed'
......1. Precious because it is infallible seed
......2. Precious because it is inexhaustible seed
......3. Precious because it is incorruptible seed
......4. Because it is indestructible seed
......5. Because it is indispensable seed
II. A Passion To Embrace - ' and weepeth'
III. A Promise To Encourage
...A. Sure harvest because God guarantees it!
...B. Sweet harvest because it brings rejoicing
...C. Satisfying harvest because we are reaping souls for eternity.
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The LAW of the Harvest
Psalms 126:5-6
Jimmy Chapman
Victory Baptist Church
?/?/2001
Several years ago, I had the privilege to visit London, England. While there, I was blessed to visit Westminster Abbey, the beautiful church where all the Monarchs of England are crowned and more recently the site of the funeral of Princess Diana. On one occasion, it is reported that an elderly lady who was with a group of tourist and was listening to the guide explain the history of Westminster interrupted and asked, "Young man, will you stop your chatter for a moment and tell me one thing. Has anyone been saved here lately?"
Every church should ask that question on a regular basis? The most important work in the world is to bring men and women to Jesus. However, I read recently that almost 97% of Southern Baptist have never shared a verbal witness with one lost person. In our passage, God informs us of the law of the harvest. The law is simple, sure, and steadfast.
I. A PLAN TO EMPLOY - "He that goeth forth....... bearing precious seed"
A. Personal plan - "He"
Every individual is to be involved.
B. Persistent plan - "goeth forth"
Present tense verse....continual ministry
"Never forget that little word GO. It is two-thirds of the word GOD, on-third of the word GOSPEL, and half of the word GOOD. It is a little word with a big meaning."
Not one verse in the Bible that commands a lost sinner to go to church, but there is verse after verse in the Bible that commands the church to GO to the lost sinner.
I read about a sales company that was going bankrupt. They had a sales chart in the office and it showed the sales going straight down. They contacted a sales consultant to come and see if he could not stir things up and get the company back on track. He visited the office and noticed the sales chart that depicted the sales going down, and then he noticed on the other wall a map with hundreds of straight pens stuck into it.
He inquired as to what the straight pins in the map stood for. The sales manager replied, "The map is a chart of the our city, and those pins represent all the salesmen we have in the city."
The consultant looked at the map on one wall, looked at the sales chart on the other wall, scratched his head and said, "I know exactly what this company needs to do."
The sales manager instantly asked, "What?"
"Take those pins out of the map and put them in the salesmen."
I believe that was some good advice.
C. Precious plan - "bearing precious seed"
The SEED that we are sowing is the Word of God.
1. Precious because it is infallible seed
2. Precious because it is inexhaustible seed
3. Precious because it is incorruptible seed
"Born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever."
4. Because it is indestructible seed
5. Because it is indispensable seed
II. A PASSION TO EMBRACE - " and weepeth"
Soulwinning is not just a matter of the head; it is a matter of the heart!
Someone has very aptly described our day as "the day of the unbowed knee, unbended knee, and the unbroken heart."
F. B. Meyer once said, "If there is one thing which pierces the Savior's heart with unutterable grief, it is not the world's iniquity, but the church's indifference."
Years ago a young minister visited Dundee, Scotland deeply concerned that his ministry was producing so little results. He decided to visit the scene where years before the saintly Robert Murray McCheyne died at the age of thirty, but not before he had moved Scotland to its depths. The visitor asked the old sexton at St. Peter's if he could tell him the secret of the amazing influence of Robert McCheyne. The old man led the young minister into the vestry, "Sit down here," he said. "Now put your elbows on the table."
The young minister did so. "Now put your face in your hands." The visitor obeyed. "Now let the tears flow. That was the way McCheyne used to do!" stated the sexton.
The trouble to today is our ministering is not watered with tears.
After a revival meeting in a southern city, the evangelist and the pastor went to a woman's house to have some refreshments. After a little while the evangelist noticed the lady was physically blind. She asked the evangelist if he knew why she was blind, and after he replied that he did not she said to him. "Years ago the tear ducts in my eyes dried up, and no matter how broken my heart was, or how crushed my sprit was, I simply cut not cry. As a result of those dry eyes, I eventually lost my sight and I am blind because I cannot shed tears."
Far too many churches are spiritually blind because they have lost their ability to weep over those who are dying and going to hell.
III. A PROMISE TO ENCOURAGE
"shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him"
As we GO, we should SOW, and if we do we doubtless return with a GLOW.
No maybe or perhaps come.
Faithful toil shall not fail of reward.
The results will come if the conditions are met.
God has never lied and never will.
Our labor will not be in vain in the Lord!
A. Sure harvest because God guarantees it!
B. Sweet harvest because it brings rejoicing
C. Satisfying harvest because we are reaping souls for eternity.
Barry Goldwater once said, "The political battles of this generation will be won on the doorstep." That is where the harvest is. The Mormons realize this. The Jehovah Witnesses realize this. It is about time that independent Baptist recognize and act on this.
Going forth with weeping,
Sowing for the Master,
Tho' the loss sustained
Our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping's over,
He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing,
Bringing in the sheaves.
Jimmy