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 The Preacher’s Notebook 
The Paper and Electronic Pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Mineral Springs, NC 
(Delivered by E-mail and Us Postage Through Subscription as an Extension of the Pulpit Ministry of this Church)
Dr. Terry W. Preslar – PO Box 388 – Mineral Springs, NC 28108
(704)843-3858 – E-Mail: preslar12@windstream.net
Copyright (C) 2007. Terry W. Preslar All rights reserved. 
Vol. I November, 2007 Issue 11
“The Harvest”
“...Lift up your eyes and look on the fields...” (John 4:35)A Sermon By Dr. Terry W. Preslar In this season of the year we all see and arereminded of the Harvest. How colorful this time is but it calls forth some reflection: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”(Jer.8:20). This text refers to the generation that wasthen and is now by-and-large a lost generation. I havetoo many lost loved ones, friends and colleagues andI expect that my readers do too. Like the farmer thatlooks at the field ready for the natural harvest – weshould be anxious for the Spiritual Harvest of souls.There has been a great “harvest of souls” in thedays that have passed. Many who read this paper cantestify of this truth. God has moved in the churchesof yesterday to harvest those generations; but now weare in the care of another lost generation and we need to reach them for Christ. Christ is the Lord of theSpiritual Harvest and He will give seed for the victory in the “Harvest of Souls.” The Harvest is not hap-hazard, it has structure and a divine pattern:
I-The Order of the Harvest
A) the rule of the Harvest (“...sow in tears...reap in joy.” Psa. 126:5-6)B) the work of the Harvest (“...break up your fallow ground...” Hosea 10:12)C) the danger of the Harvest (“The harvest is past... and we are not saved.” Jer. 8:20-22)
II-The Description of the Harvest
A) the universality of the Harvest (“...plenteous...” Matt. 9:37) [a bountiful Harvest]B) the comparative readiness of the Harvest (“...immediately...” Mark 4:29) [a ready Harvest]C) the quality of the Harvest (“The harvest truly is great...” Luke 10:2) [a good Harvest]D) the relative state of the Harvest (“...white already to harvest.” John 4:35) [a serious Harvest]
III-The Certainty of the Harvest
A) a Genesis standard (“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest...” Gen. 8:22)B) a historical record (Ruth came “...in the beginning of barley harvest.” Ruth 1:22)C) a Gospel recommendation (“Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest...” Matt. 9:38)D) a New Testament imperative (“...we shall reap, if we faint not.” Gal. 6:9)
IV- The New Testament Teaching on the Harvest.
The heart of N.T. teaching upon the subject of The
 
-2-Harvest is found in Gal. 6:7-9. Therefore, this is seen as a “law” of The Harvest which can be statedfrom the gleanings of Scripture taken from both Testaments. Here Paul sets forth the simplicity of TheHARVEST:A) vs #7 – the Prospect (proportionally) “...whatsoever...” (You harvest the same as you SOW)B) vs #8 – the Possibility (personally) “...he that soweth...” (You harvest more than you SOW)C) vs #9 – the Promise (positively) “...we shall reap...” (You harvest later than you SOW)
V- The Mystery of the Harvest.
Grace; for God, is gathering where you have not planted. (“For I fearedthee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thoudidst not sow.” Luke 19:21) This Mystery works in:A) Service (“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” 1 Cor. 3:5-6)B) Stewardship (“But this
 I say,
He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly
; and
he whichsoweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully
.” 2 Cor. 9:6)C) Sin (“...I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house,...” 2 Sam. 12:1-11; Job 8:3) See howGod brought this to pass as the Harvest works in Sin...1) Crop #1– the child died (12:12)2) Crop #2– Tamar is violated (13:4)3) Crop #3– Absalom killed Abnon (13:28)4) Crop #4– Absalom dies a rebel (18:31-32)
The Harvest Illustrated 
The Harvest that God intends is superior to any we might devise. To go after God’s Harvest is never loss, but gain.1- Moses left the sheep of Midian – 
To serve in a Spiritual Harvest 
(Ex. 3)2- Elisha left 12 yoke of oxen – 
To take part in a Greater Harvest 
(1 Kings 19:19-20)3- Gidion was thrashing wheat for himself when he left that – 
To thrash the enemies of God 
(Judges6:11-12)4-The “kine” left their calves – 
To pull the Ark of God 
(1 Sam. 6:7)5-The rooster left the hen house – 
To Crow for God 
(Luke 22:60)
The Condition of the Harvest 
There are three types of harvest in the natural field: “The Golden Harvest”, “The White Harvest”, and“The Black Harvest”. The Lord speaking to His close fellows in the Parables Says “...the field is the world.”(Matt.13:38). This statement by the Lord gives us the right to compare the real harvest with the spiritual onethat is surely before us in the field of the world.
I-The Golden Harvest [of plenty] (of joy).
This is when the grain has headed out, full, ripe and Golden incolor. This is the most desired Harvest and can only be taken:A) in youth (“Remember now thy Creator...” Eccl. 12:1)B) in tenderness (“Seek ye the Lord while He may be found...” Isa. 55:6-7)C) in conviction (“Harden not your heart...” Psa. 95:7-8) [Heb. 3:8, 15; 4:7]
II-The White Harvest [of opportunity] (of relief – otherwise it will be lost).
This is seen as the grainstays, too long, in the field. The Sun parches the heads of grain, bleaches the husk that holds each kernelto a gleaming white and loosens the kernel so that even the foot of the harvester in the field may causeit to be shaken from the head. This is the Harvest that has been ours since the Lord was here (“...Lift upyour eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”)A) in distress (the ready Savior) (“...not willing that any should perish...” 2 Peter 3:9)
 
-3-B) in danger (the able Savior) (“...able to save to the uttermost...” Heb. 7:25)C) in despair (the only Savior) (“...no other name...” Acts 4:12)
III-The Black Harvest [of finality] (of wantonness).
This Harvest is a bitter reality. If you leave the grainin the field it will draw the soils strength, hinder the winter plowing and even mold on the stalk, turningit a dark, menacing black that will poison any cattle that might eat from it through the winter. SomeHarvest is inevitable if we Sow:A) in this life (“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he alsoreap.”Gal. 6:7-8)B) In the lives of others – Your shadow is cast over someone else for good or bad (“...at the least theshadow... might over shadow some of them.” Acts 5:15)C) in future generations (“...Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third andfourth generation...” Deut. 5:9)
IV- The Elements of the Harvest.
Wherever this message is preached there may be all three componentsof a Harvest:A) The Planters – they have wept and now they may rejoice at the Harvest (“They that
sow in tears
shall
reap in joy
. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come againwith rejoicing,
bringing his sheaves with him
.” Psa. 126:5-6)B) The Seed – having been in the barn so long and now cast into good ground. (“
Is the seed yet in thebarn
? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not broughtforth: from this day will I bless you.” Hag. 2:19; Matt. 13:38; Luke 8:11)C) The Harvest Itself (“
For what shall it profit a man
, if he shall gain the whole world, and
lose hisown soul
?” Mark 8:36)
V- The Reality of the Harvest.
It is late (“...the summer has ended...”) What is there to do? The Master Says: “
Let both grow together until the harvest
: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matt. 13:30). When man is through and there is no more time there will be one more Harvest.Consider:A) The “Time” of the Harvest1) in God’s Time (“...
and in the time of harvest
I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together ...thewheat into my barn.” Matt. 13:30)2) in plenty of time (“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)3) in the right time (“...
It is not for you to know the times or the seasons
, which the Father hath put in his own power.” Acts 1:7)B) The “Type” of Harvest1) Selective (“The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and
they shall gather out of his kingdomall things that offend
, and them which do iniquity;” Matt.13:41-43)2) Splendid (“
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection
: on such the seconddeath hath no power,...” Rev. 20:6)3) Sure (“For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come,
and will not tarry
.” Heb. 10:37)C) The “Thing” of Harvest1) A Saved People (“...
the dead in Christ
shall rise first:” 1 Thes. 4:13-18)2) A Looking People (“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and
unto them thatlook for him shall he appear the second time
without sin unto salvation.” Heb. 9:28)3) A Prepared People (“...
every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself 
, even as he is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3)
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