General News
28 June, 2026
In good faith
IN GOOD FAITH: Matthew 9:35-10:23 - Having had all this rain, what is the outlook for the harvest this year? It seems to me that we might have cause to look forward to a reasonably good crop if the good conditions continue.
But what about the harvest of faith?
Jesus often likened the kingdom of God to a harvest field: ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field’ (Matt. 9:37, 38).
Just as there are many things that can go wrong in a harvest of wheat, there are also many things that can go wrong with the harvest of the Lord, the harvest of faith.
The biggest problem we face is the cares of the world, the thought that leads Christians to say ‘I’m too busy to come to church.’ Are you really too busy to spend an hour a week in the presence of God?
And yet, Jesus still says that the harvest is plentiful. Despite the work of the devil, despite the distractions of the world, the harvest is plentiful!
But a harvest needs seed. St. Paul wrote in Romans ‘faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ’ (Rom. 10:17).
The seed of the harvest Jesus wishes to gather, is His own Gospel – that He died to bring us salvation without any merit or worthiness on our part.
And, He has already given us His Gospel. He said ‘Freely you have received; freely give’ (Matt. 10:8). For us the Gospel is free – but our salvation cost Jesus Christ His life.
None of us were there like Peter, James, John and the other apostles. But we too carry the Gospel just as they did.
We are all workers in the Lord’s harvest field, demonstrating by word and deed just what a Saviour we have, and all the great things God has done for us. In this way all Christians are sent by God – all Christians are apostles.
This is why we should always be asking ourselves, ‘Can others see Jesus in what I do and say, and what I refuse to do or say?’
And the Lord’s harvest fields are found not just in New Guinea or Africa or south-east Asia.
Those harvest fields are right under our nose – in Rainbow and Hopetoun, Lascelles, Woomelang, Pella and everywhere in between.
The harvest outlook is tremendous, and the Lord’s desire is that ‘all people … be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth’ (I Tim. 2:4).
We are not all gifted by the Holy Spirit to be evangelists, missionaries, or pastors, but we are all called to be witnesses, pointing others to the cross of Christ.
The Lord, who has begun His good work in us, will bring it to completion on the day of Christ. And who are we to not spread the priceless gift of the Gospel we have been given so generously?
Let’s spread the Gospel, and give of the abundance we have already received in Christ!