Send Workers into the Harvest: Commentary on Matthew 9:38

This is the eighth prayer in the prayer acrostic,  F.O.L.L.O.W.  C.H.R.I.S.T. 

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H: Send workers into the Harvest!  

• "Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:38).

Prayerful Observations:
In Matthew 9:38. Jesus told the disciples to pray for laborers to be sent into the harvest. To send laborers into the harvest is to send workers to make disciples. Then in the next verse, Jesus summoned the twelve disciples and sent them (See Matthew 10:1-5).

It is noteworthy that Jesus told them to ask God to send workers before He sent them. We don't send ourselves. God chooses whom to send. He also decides when to send them. As we pray the above prayer, we are acknowledging that God initiates this process. We are acknowledging His authority. The prayer of the harvest is one of the disciple making prayers which were presented in subchapter 4.4. The remaining prayers in subchapter 4.4 acknowledge that God performs each remaining step in the disciple making process. The steps are easy because GOD performs them as we pray!

In Luke 6:12-13, Jesus spent the entire night in prayer before He chose the twelve apostles. "In these days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God. 13 When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:"

So, prolonged conversation between the Son and the Father preceded the choosing of "whom" to send. If Jesus prayed before making the choice of whom to send, shouldn't we? It is an arrogance against God to think that we can make such choices without prayer.

To attempt to make disciples without prayer is tantamount to saying "Jesus and the Apostles prayed, but I don't need to. I can figure it out on my own." Not only is this arrogant. It is an insult to God.

John 13-17 records the Upper Room Discourse which occurred just before His arrest and crucifixion. In that conversation, Jesus completed His earthly training of the apostles before they were to "Go and make disciples of all nations". Jesus said, "You didn't choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you" (John 15:16).

So, those whom were chosen did not choose to be disciple makers. It is the same with us. God has decided that all of His children are to make disciples. In Matthew 9:38, we see that, after choosing "whom" to send, God chooses "when" to send them. We are to acknowledge this authority by asking God to send laborers. In the example of Matthew 9:38, after they were instructed to ask God to send laborers, Jesus sent them.

I will often ask God to send a laborer to harvest a particular person. God will send one of His choosing. He has many on His team to choose from.

Are you on His team? Are you supposed to pray the prayer of the harvest? I will repeat the scripture for the prayer of the harvest. Jesus said, "Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:38). 

Some may say that since Matthew 9:38 is in one of the four Gospels, it therefore was spoken to Israel and only applies to an Israelite... To that theology of man which is contrary to the working of the Holy Spirit I say... Look to the words of Jesus at the very end of Matthew: "Go and make disciples of 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 that I commanded you" (Matthew 28:19). His commands apply to all nations, not just Israel. Yes, all of God's children are supposed to pray that prayer!  

Jesus commanded the disciples to pray the prayer of the harvest in Matthew 9:38. Then, in Matthew 28:19, Jesus told the disciples to teach all nations to follow all of the commands of Jesus, one of which was Matthew 9:38, the command to pray the prayer of the harvest. So, all believers should pray the Endorsed Prayer of the Harvest.

All Christians are disciples and all disciples are supposed to make disciples. This is clearly revealed, from the scriptures, in subchapter A5 in the appendix titled, "Is Every Christian Supposed to Make Disciples?". Its easy. That subchapter explains how to make disciples the scriptural way... the easy way... God's way!

So, I prayerfully admonish you to take just a moment to pray the prayer of the harvest. 

(Pause for prayer)

(Pause for prayer)

To see all twelve prayers in the acrostic FOLLOW CHRIST, click here.