Recurrent Thought

Every Christ follower should seize the opportunity to harvest souls

Background

 As we continue to explore the 2025 Theme the Great Harvest, this evening we focus on why it is important to decisively act with urgency as far as harvesting of souls is concerned. Our theme verse

"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (Gen 8:22) ESV

Suggests that there is need to act with urgency, discernment and wisdom if we are to realise a bumper Harvest of Souls!

We need not procrastinate as we do not have all the time to serve the Lord. In John 9:4 Jesus says

"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work".  (John 9:4).

As we serve the Lord, we need to live a life of purpose and intentionality. We therefore need to take advantage of the Kairos moment.  

What is Kairos?  The word Kairos refers to an opportune time, a "moment" or a "season" such as "harvest time", A Kairotic moment is a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action: the opportune and decisive moment.

‘It is important to recognise that Harvests have time frames, or seasons. John 4:35-38. Harvest does not always appear as if it is ready. We must therefore learn to discern. We should not procrastinate in our harvest rather seize the moment. We should not look endlessly to the future for our harvest’’ (Lwesya E, 2025)

Sowing and reaping must be done at the right time.

While we celebrate a harvest season just once a year, we experience the spirit of harvest all the time.

Harvest

Harvest time is opportunity, a short and limited time, which will not last always; and harvest work is work that must be done then or not at all; If a particular season is missed, it cannot be recalled. The disciples were to gather in a harvest of souls for Christ as opportunities availed themselves.

In John 4:35-38, Jesus suggests three things to quicken them to diligence: —

1. That Harvesting is necessary work, and the occasion for it very urgent and pressing (v. 35): You say, it is four months to harvest; but I say, the fields are already white
   
   If the maize that is ripe be not reaped, it will shed and be lost, and the birds will pick it up. If souls that are under convictions, and have some good inclinations, be not helped now, their hopeful beginnings will come to nothing, and they will be a prey to predators.
    
2. That Harvesting is profitable and advantageous work, (v. 36): "He that reapeth receiveth wages, and so shall you."
   
   There is a present reward in the service of Christ, and his work is its own wages. Those who work will be rewarded with eternal life; and if, over and above this, they be instrumental to save the souls of others too, there is fruit gathered. Souls gathered to Christ are fruit, good fruit, the fruit that Christ seeks from our labour of love
    
3. That harvesting is easy work, as it is work that has been half done by those that have gone before us: One soweth, and another reapeth, v. 37, 38.   We are here to gather the fruit of the seed that was sown by those who paved the way for us.
   
   The one who sows or tells people about the Good News, and the one who reaps or experiences someone coming to faith, share both equally in the harvest.
   
   Both they that sowed and they that reaped shall rejoice together; and the great Lord of the harvest shall have the glory of it all.

Conclusion

Seize the opportunity to preach the gospel in season and out of season.

Prayer 

Pray that our lives will be characterised by sowing and reaping

May we be conscious of the fact that any time is a season for harvesting souls.