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“By the Sweat of the Brow”
October 31, 2010
Romans 6:19-23 & Matthew 9:35-37
There’s a phrase you’ve probably heard used to describe hard work which is “by the sweat of their brow.” In
this scripture we are challenged to do the hard work of reaping a harvest for God. Jesus summons us to look out
into the harvest of all the people who need God’s love, and get to work. And often this will require hard work
and maybe even some sweat.
These past few weeks we have been focusing a series called H2O. So we’ve been looking at images of water to
encourage us in faith. And when it comes to water, though the image of sweat is not the most appealing, the
fact is this scripture does relate to the perspiration that can come when laboring in the fields.
Jesus says “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”. He’s calling his disciples to see that there is a
great harvest, but it’s going to take time and effort to reap the fruits of it. The phrase is often used to infer
that the only way one will succeed is by working extremely hard…hard enough to cause one to sweat. And
while, yes this is often true, according to this passage in Romans, it’s the hard work of Christ that enables us to
work effectively. So how can we reap the harvest spoken of in this scripture?
Receive Jesus’ work on the cross
In order to reap the harvest, we first and foremost need to receive the gift and work of Jesus Christ. In this
passage we read the “wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ”. Notice the
difference between the two words “wages” and “gift”. “Wages” is something we earn, something for which we
work. But “gift” is something we receive.
And so the scripture is saying, that because of sin what we have earned is death. We cannot achieve salvation.
We cannot earn God’s love. We first have to receive the gift of God. This is where we need to begin. So when
we talk about working hard for God’s harvest, it’s important to understand that this is in no way implies that we
are working to earn God’s love.
In fact it says that we were once enslaved to sin, and that sin leads to death. Now to understand what that
means, the phrase “by the sweat of the brow” can help. You see, back in the very beginning of the Bible in
Genesis, that phrase is first used. Because Adam had turned away from God and sinned his punishment was
that he would now have to toil in the field in order to produce a crop. Now he would have to physically work
very hard to live. Working very hard causes us to sweat…thus, Adam now must make his living “by the sweat
of his brow”. The wages for his disobedience was separation from God and in fact all of humanity was now
subject to toil and labor for the rest of our days. That’s what sin reaps … harder labor, a break in our
relationship with God and thus eventual death.
But notice that while the wages of sin is death, the gift of God in Jesus Christ is eternal life. And if it is a gift
then it’s not something we must toil for. Now notice who this gift is through. It’s thorough Jesus. You see he
paid the cost. It’s free to us, but it was enormously costly to him. It was his work, his toil upon the cross that
paid for our sin. To get a picture of how much it cost him remember back to the night before the cross. Jesus is
in the garden praying and the weight of the crucifixion was upon him. So much so that it is recorded in
scripture that Jesus actually sweat drops of blood from his brow. The work of the cross, the toil of his death, the
payment of his life was so great that the sweat of his brow became blood.
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And so as we look at his completed work we first need to simply receive what he has done for us. Jesus paid it
all, he paid the bill for our sin. As we receive this gift, we then can work in the harvest, not with the intent of
achieving God’s love for ourselves, but rather we work out of gratitude for the work that Jesus did on the cross
for us.
Before Jesus sent his disciples into the fields to work, notice what he was doing. Jesus taught. Jesus healed.
Jesus was the shepherd who was moved with compassion for his sheep. Jesus’ actions showed the disciples a
number of things. It showed the disciples what work they needed to do. It showed them how they could do it.
And it showed them that all their work was for the purpose of glorifying God.
As A. T Peison wrote in his book the Truth, “Whatever is done for God, (for God’s glory and not our own) is
true service. Service is doing the will of God. He is the object. All is for Him, for His sake, as unto the Lord, not
as unto man. The supreme test of service is this: 'For whom am I doing this?’ Our work must again be tested by
three propositions: Is it work from God, as given us to do from Him; Is it work for God, as finding in Him its
secret of power; and is it work with God, as only a part of His work in which we engage as co-workers with
Him." A.T. Pierson wrote, The Truth.
(Equipped for our work of God when recognize Jesus work)
Once we accept God’s gift in Jesus Christ, we then can go out to work for God. So the second thing we
discover in this scripture is that in order to reap the harvest we need to be equipped by the Holy Spirit for the
work of God. While we cannot earn eternal life, we are still called to do His work. And God is counting on us
to labor in the fields.
The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. God looks out at the field of people who need to hear about
Christ and be offered His love, and he sees a great harvest. But to reap that harvest God requires workers. And
he’s calling you and me to step up to the task. God does not leave us empty handed though. God’s own Spirit
gives us the strength to share his love with others. So it’s both about relying upon God to give us the strength
to care for others and our being willing to take action. As I saw one one of our member’s Facebook page the
other day “Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet”. Karen Arceci
Facebook
We not only need to receive, we also need to be equipped and empowered to respond. It’s like the allegory told
of the Angel Gabriel speaking to Jesus about his plan for the disciples. Gabriel frowned and looked rather
skeptical. He knew well what poor stuff humans were made of. "Yes," he said, "but what if Peter and James and
John grow weary? What if the people who come after them forget? What if way down through the centuries
people just don't tell others about you? Haven't you made any other plans?" And Jesus answered, "I haven't
made any other plans. I'm counting on them." From Jason Jones' Sermon "Are You Mocking God?"
When we stop and consider it, this scripture speaks of a great privilege we have. It’s amazing that God calls us
to the fields and actually works through us to bring about the harvest. That God uses frail human beings for a
greater purpose is a miracle in and of itself. And yet realizing that we often are frail and grow weary causes us
to need to be reminded of how much we need to rely upon God’s Spirit to equip us for the task at hand.
As one scholar Timothy George said “the wise farmer can usually depend on expected timetables of seedtime
and harvest. Not so in the spiritual life. One of the greatest frustrations in the Christian ministry, and principal
cause for "weariness in well-doing" is the inability to calculate the spiritual outcome of faithful labors in the
work of the Lord. (Timothy George)
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Simply put, we can lose heart when we do not see tangible results right away. You see, while our task is like
reaping a harvest, there is a huge difference between the harvest that you normally see as a farmer, and the
harvest that Jesus calls us to. For the harvest Jesus speaks of is about people. It’s about more and more people
coming to know God’s love. It’s about more and more people growing in that love. And it’s about more and
more people being equipped to serve God in love.
And when the harvest deals with people, you will not always see the fruit of your labor. Sometimes we can
invest time and energy into people and not be able to see any results in our lifetime. Sometimes we sow a seed
but we never see it come to fruition. Sometimes we care for people and the seed does not grow until many
years later. Sometimes we love people and they choose to walk away. And when that happens it’s easy to
become discouraged.
This field is a little different than working a farm. For it’s hard to measure results in people. When it’s
something physical we work on, something like a garden, or as you can see outside our church, the roof, we can
see the progress that is being made. But seeing the progress in people is harder. That’s why this work requires
even more trust in God. God is calling us to simply respond in faith and trust Him for the increase. And though
it can be hard to see at times that the harvest is plentiful, God is faithful. God is at work. God’s calling us to
join in that work and to see the greater picture.
(The harvest is All around us)
Therefore, In order to reap a harvest we need to recognize that the harvest is ALL around us. Jesus is saying
the harvest is ready. Right now. We just need to open our eyes and see the people around us. For all of us
need God’s love. All of us need God’s seed of righteousness planted within us. All of us need Jesus. And so
we are challenged to look to the fields!
What field is right in front of us? Well the Barna Research Group has done some statistical research to help us
see what this field is like. They report that 33% of Americans are un-churched; they have no church affiliation
whatsoever. And they discovered that 20% of those who have church membership believe that simply living a
good life will gain them a place in heaven. In other words over half the population needs to really hear the
message of the gospel anew. Over half need to be reached with the good news of Jesus. And that does not
include the other half of us who need to grow in faith and love.
The point is the field is right here. It’s all around us. It’s our neighbor; our friend or family member. That is
why Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful.” There are people to reach out to and to love; there is work to be done.
There is a full harvest out there right now and it’s all around us. The issue is we need more laborers.
Prayer
In order to reap the full harvest, we need to pray and depend upon God to work through us.
Jesus says we are to ask (to pray) the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers. Why should we pray? Because
it will be by God’s power that the harvest will come. And we are asking God’s Holy Spirit to work through us
to accomplish the task. So the primary task we have is to pray. Some may ask, “What work can I do for God?
I’m not able to really do a lot”. Whatever your situation you can do the most important thing which is to pray,
because if the harvest comes it will come through God’s strength. What’s impossible for us, is possible for
God. When we pray and ask, we are relying on God to work miracles.
Prayer is powerful. To illustrate a time when a rich harvest was begun by prayer, we look back to something
that happened 130 years go in New York City. It was during the time in history when the economy had crashed.
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New York City alone had 30,000 unemployed men. In October 1857, the hearts of people were thoroughly
distraught while hunger and despair stared them in the face.
On July 1st , 1857, a quiet and zealous businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier took up an appointment as a City
Missionary in downtown New York. Lanphier was appointed by the North Church of the Dutch Reformed
denomination. This church itself was struggling and had a depleted membership. Burdened by the need,
Jeremiah Lanphier decided to invite others to join him in a noonday prayer meeting, to be held on Wednesdays
once a week. He therefore distributed this note which stated:
"HOW OFTEN SHALL I PRAY?
As often as the language of prayer is in my heart; as often as I see my need of help; as often as I feel the power
of temptation; as often as I am made (aware) sensible of any spiritual (loss) declension or feel the aggression of
a worldly spirit. In prayer we leave the business of time for that of eternity, and intercourse with men for
intercourse with God. A day Prayer Meeting is held every Wednesday, from 12 to 1 o’clock, in the Consistory
building in the rear of the North Dutch Church, corner of Fulton and William Streets (entrance from Fulton and
Ann Streets). This meeting is intended to give merchants, mechanics, clerks, strangers, and businessmen
generally an opportunity to stop and call upon God amid the perplexities (of their jobs) incident to their
respective avocations. It will continue for one hour; but it is also designed for those who may find it
inconvenient to remain more than five or ten minutes, as well as for those who can spare the whole hour."
Accordingly at twelve noon, 23rd September, 1857 the door was opened and the faithful Lanphier took his seat
to await the response to his invitation. Five minutes went by. No one appeared. The missionary paced the room
in a conflict of fear and faith. Ten minutes elapsed. Still no one came. Fifteen minutes passed. Lanphier was yet
alone. Twenty minutes; twenty-five; and then at 12.30 p.m., a step was heard on the stairs, and the first person
appeared, then another, and another, and another, until six people were present and the prayer meeting began.
It may have only been six that day but then, on the following Wednesday, October 7th, there were forty
intercessors. As a result it was soon decided to hold a meeting daily instead of weekly. Within six months, ten
thousand business men were gathering daily for prayer in New York, and within two years, a million converts
were added to the American churches. Undoubtedly the greatest revival in New York’s colorful history was
sweeping the city, and it made the whole nation curious. What began this movement was simply an incredible
response of the people to pray. (Illustration from sermoncentral.com Seeing The Harvest By Michael Belcher)
(this coming year we will look to have a challenge to pray … that each day will be covered with prayer.)
Jesus says “pray to the Lord of the harvest for workers, for the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.” To
reap this harvest we are to receive the gift made available by Jesus’ work on the cross. We need to be equipped
by the very Spirit of God working in us. We need to have God open our eyes to the harvest that is all around us.
And we need to pray to the Lord of the harvest that we and others might respond to his call. It will take some
effort and some sweat, but by the power of God there will be an incredible harvest…to the glory of God!