The harvest is plentiful, but qualified workers are distracted

Matthew 9:35–38; Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8

Matthew 9:35–38 ³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Matthew 28:19–20 “¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Intro: How Many Christians are in the World Today? Approximately 2.38 billion people practice some form of Christianity globally. This means that about one-third of the world’s total population is Christian. If there are these many Christians in the world today, why do we still have a shortage of workers?

**Maybe it is not the quantity of these workers that is the problem, but the QUALITY?

There are so many of us Christians in the world today; many of us are sick – so we can’t work towards the harvest; many of us are suffering from obesity and health related issues – so we can’t work towards the harvest; many of us are overworked – so we are constantly tired – so we can’t work towards the harvest; many of us are suffering from anxiety – so we can’t work towards the harvest. The Christian community world is filled with so many distracted Christians.

Money; Media; Need for Entertainment; Relationships; Routine; Our Work; Our Hobbies; Busyness; Worries of Life; Satan; Or Simply Ourselves?

Why are we so distracted? Let’s take a closer look at MAN

**PICTURE OF BODY – SOUL – SPIRIT**

Genesis 2:7 “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says that man is three-in-one: man is spirit; man is soul; and man is body. Ecclesiastes 12:7 “Your body came from the earth. And when you die, it will return to the earth. But your spirit came from God, and when you die, it will return to him.” Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

The question is this: Where does the soul go at the death of the body? Where does the real you; the eternal you; where does it go at the death of the body?

“Consider how precious a soul must be when both God and the devil are after it.” Charles Spurgeon

NOTE: Your ability to overcome distractions will be the number one determinant of how successful you are on your Christian walk. David was distracted by pleasure. Abraham was distracted by fear. Paul was distracted by pain. We give our distractions all sorts of names, but at the end of the day, distraction is anything that pulls our attention away from God. And it can come in many forms.

What distractions have we spoken about? Food – gluttony (overeating which leads to health problems); Over-working, so we are always tired; anxiety – worry, fear… all these are distractions… so that we aren’t able to become qualified workers for the kingdom of God. So the enemy uses all these distractions to take our focus away from God.

Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Distractions come in different forms, but all of them can be grouped into 3 categories:

1. Manual Distractions:This is when a driver takes their hands off the wheel for any reason. This type of distraction includes: Eating/drinking while driving; adjusting the radio; using a cell phone or adjusting navigation device; Reaching for items in the seats. For workers in the kingdom of God, manual distractions are health related issues (mostly caused by terrible diets) that Christians are going through which takes their hands off the task God has given them.
2. Visual Distractions:Distractions like these take your eyes and focus off the road. This could range from things like billboards, a street sign, a nice car, a person on the street, your passenger. For workers in the kingdom of God, visual distractions are your work and work related activities. You work so much that all you see is how to make money, and more money than your neighbor. That’s all you ever talk about. That’s all you see. (no wonder you are tired all the time).
3. Cognitive Distractions:Anything that takes your mind off the task of driving. Feelings such as anger, sadness, or aloofness can keep you from driving with a clear mind at full attention. Your reaction time slows down significantly when your mind is preoccupied with other thoughts and mental tasks. For workers in the kingdom of God, cognitive distractions are distractions like worry, fear, and anxiety.

1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you … abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.

Galatians 5:16–17 “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit; and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

Conclusion:

According to Luke 5:16 “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”, there are NINE places in the Bible when Jesus would leave all the distractions just to be with His Father. What about you? If you want to be a qualified worker for the kingdom of God, you have to get away from all the distractions. Practically speaking:

1. Take the first 15 minutes of your day to be with Jesus (no phones).

Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

2. Take another 15 minutes of your day just to be with YOU (no phones).
3. Leave groups you aren’t an active member in– if you aren’t participating in the group, then leave.
4. Un-follow people you are jealous of, or people you envy.
5. Re-prioritizeyour time with Jesus.

Remember – Revelation 3:20 “… I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in …”

If you do not know Jesus, this is the time to surrender your life to Him. Jesus died for you so that you could have complete freedom over every form of distractions. Jesus loves you and if you open the door of your heart to Him, Jesus will come in and your life will not remain the same again.