The harvest is dying (Pt.1)

(Part 1)

“The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.”-Luke 10:1-3

As we have watched the devastation caused by the rain this year on our farmer’s fields, my heart couldn’t help but break as I passed acres of field saturated by water still loaded with early wheat crops that needed to be harvested. I thought to myself, if those fields don’t dry out soon there will be no harvest taken from them. 

I wonder how many of us have driven by those same fields and not noticed, not calculated the loss, not considered the impact of those crops dying in the field?  It got me questioning why aren’t we bothered by harvest dying in the field? That led me to a similar spiritual thought. As believers the harvest that Jesus was speaking of was not grain or corn, but people. Jesus saw the souls of mankind to be the greatest commodity on the planet.

After His encounter with a Samaritan woman, Jesus was speaking with his disciples and makes this powerful statement:

 “You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike.”-John 4:35-36

Jesus’ mission according to Luke 19:10 is to seek and save those who are lost. I am certain that when it is time to bring in the harvest, that a farmer sees what lies before him as a monumental task. Yet, they feel a sense of urgency and responsibility to bring it in. Nobody is bringing that harvest in for them. They must get it before it is lost. 

I wonder what would happen, in the body of Christ, if we lifted up our eyes and saw the harvest with the same urgency and sense of responsibility. Winning the world to Christ is also a monumental task, but where is the urgency and passion?

It begins with understanding that we do not have harvest problem; we have a laborer problem. The reason the harvest is dying in the filed is there are not enough people committed to bringing it in:

“These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”-Luke 10:2

Part of the problem is that we don’t see harvesting as our job. We convince ourselves (wrongly) into thinking that one person plants, another waters, and another brings in the harvest; when in reality it is all of our responsibility to glean the fields. 


Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church 

Live the same way Jesus died (Pt.3)

(Part 3 of 3) 

“Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.”-John 19:23-27

Jesus had just been beaten, scourged and now nailed to a cross. He was in the most agonizing moment of His life and yet when He looks out and sees His mother. Through the blood and the pain we get a glimpse of Christ’s compassion. 

He commissions John to take care of His mom. I don’t know about you, but when I am going through a difficult situation, I can become so focused on myself and my situation that I fail to look up. Considering what He was walking through, no one that day would have faulted Him for failing to make provision for His mom’s care. What Jesus was facing was certainly of greater concern than the need facing his mother. However, instead of putting His head down and pressing forward to His destiny, He chose to lift up His head and respond to a need in someone else’s life.

Jesus was demonstrating compassion as He died on the cross. A lesson we must learn if we are going to live as Jesus died. 

Beyond the humility, meekness, and compassion that Christ showed us from the cross; the forgiveness that He displayed may have been His greatest message:

“There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.”-Luke 23:32-34

Jesus was led out and crucified like a criminal. He was beaten, barely clothed and left hanging for the world to see. He came to His own people and they rejected Him. Yet, from the cross we see no anger, no bitterness, no desire for revenge. Jesus rather responds with forgiveness. Next to love, forgiveness may be one of the most powerful forces in the universe. Christ’s act of forgiveness stands as a testament to the life He lived. When we live as Jesus died, the forgiveness that we show others stands as a testament to the world that we have died with Him as well. 

Walking with Christ, means living as Jesus died by letting our lives reflect His in humility, meekness, compassion and forgiveness! 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Live the same way Jesus died (Pt.2)

(Part 2 of 3) 

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”-Matthew 16:24

Following Jesus with a cross on your shoulder is the perfect imagery for a person living as Christ died. When we choose to live as Christ lived we are saying that we want to do the things that Christ did; which there is nothing wrong with. Jesus said in John 14:12: “I tell youth truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and ever greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” However, when we choose to live like Christ died, it means that we want to respond to things they way that Christ responded. 

How do we live as Jesus died? It begins with humilty. In Acts 8:32, Luke writes: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.” Although, Jesus, had every right to protest His treatment, He chose to remain silent before His accusers. Passages like Luke 19:3 and John 23:39 describe for us how the religious leaders, soldiers and even the criminals hanging on crosses next to Jesus maligned Him and scoffed at Him. Yet, He chose to remain silent; to humble Himself. He could have spoke out. He could have opened His mouth. 

There are times that we should speak up for sure, but there is a price that is paid if we are not careful how we weigh our words. Our righteous anger comes off as obnoxious or indignant and we jeopardize our witness to the very people we are trying to see come to Christ. Jesus could have set the record straight. Exposed every heart that was surrounding Him that day, nevertheless He responded with humility. He did not see His liberty as important as the people’s salvation. 

He, also, demonstrated meekness:

“He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”-Matthew 27:42-43

This moment, in my mind, is one of the most beautiful responses that you will read in Scripture. When Jesus had every right and the power to come off the cross, He chose to constrain that power for our benefit. 

Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is constrained power. He could have called a legion of angels to come take Him down that day, but chose to constrain that power for our benefit. He could have avoided the entire process from the arrest, to the beating, scourging and crucifixion, but chose to constrain His power to fulfill God’s mission to seek and save the lost. 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Live the same way Jesus died (Pt.1)

(Part 1)

“But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss. But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, “Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!” And one of them struck at the high priest’s slave, slashing off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.”-Luke 22:47-51

I was listening to a preacher several weeks ago, who made a statement that has captivated me since. He said the we should live the same way Jesus died. I have given that a lot of thought lately, because it is very noble to die like Jesus died. In fact, many around the world lay down their lives for the gospel everyday and although they may not be crucified on a cross, they are martyrs, nonetheless, for the gospel of Christ. 

It is fitting, as believers, too, that we live as Jesus lived. We should daily strive to walk in righteousness, proclaim the Good News, care for those in need, and make disciples. However, we cannot fully appreciate or experience the life that He lived, until we live the way He died.

You might ask them, why are we studying this passage about Jesus healing a man’s ear? Jesus and his disciples had just enjoyed Passover together and a long night of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had labored in prayer all night as He laid down His will for the Father’s will in anticipation of His own crucifixion. 

When the armed men show up to take Jesus, Peter, in his zeal, cut off a man’s ear in an attempt to protect Jesus from being arrested. Jesus, then, in his last miracle before His crucifixion heal the man’s ear in one final act of restoration. Although it was a bonafide miracle, it was not His mightiest miracle by far. In fact, on the scale of miracles He performed, it doesn’t even make the top ten. Yet, even with its low ranking among miracles, it was still a miracle nonetheless. Something not person standing there that day could have accomplished. It was a final witness to the power, authority, and identity of Jesus. 

It was also a turning point. Jesus from this moment until He emerges from the grace, would not gather a crowd to teach them as He had previously done, He would not heal the sick, nor would he do any other miracles. However, what we learn from Him during this time could revolutionize our life. The idea that we should live in the same way Jesus died originated with Jesus: 

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”-Matthew 16:24

Following Jesus with a cross on your shoulder is the perfect imagery for a person living as Christ died. When we choose to live as Christ lived we are saying that we want to de the thing that Christ did; which there is nothing wrong with. Jesus said in John 14:12: “I tell youth truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and ever greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 

However, hen we live like Christ died, it means that we want to respond to things they way that Christ responded. 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Louder than Goliath (Pt. 3)

(Part 3 of 3)

“Then David’s question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him. “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”  “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.”-1 Samuel 17:31-33

Upon leaving Eliab, David was taken to see the king When David told the King that he would fight the Philistine, Saul ridiculed him. He told David that he was too young and too inexperienced. David could have taken that to heart. 

You better believe that the moment that you rise up in faith that there are going to be those who were too afraid to take the risk themselves that are going to ridicule you, question your maturity, and question your abilities. King Saul, although he wouldn’t fight Goliath, even tried to get David to wear his armor. He was basically saying, “I am not fighting him, but if I was I’d wear this armor.” 

David could have considered Saul’s words and said, “You are right!” and walked away. He would have been defeated without ever having set his foot on the real battlefield. 

More important than David defeating the lion and bear, before he faced Goliath, was his defeating the voices that day that were louder than Goliath. He overcame Eliab’s scorn and Saul’s ridicule and it’s a good thing, because the next voice he heard was the giant: 

“Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.-1 Samuel 17:41-44

When everyone else responded in fear, David responded with the same faith as he responded to Eliab and Saul:

“David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!”-1 Samuel 17:45-47

What silenced Goliath was not a stone to the forehead, but David’s declaration of faith. He faced Goliath by himself, but he was not alone. He understood and confidently proclaimed that the Lord was with him and going to win this battle. 

Some of you are terrified of the giants that you are facing. You are paralyzed with fear. You were paralyzed the moment you came face to face with it, because you’ve believed the lie that Saul told David: “Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t possibly win. You don’t have the faith for it.” You have let people who feel passed over convince you that if they were not worthy enough, neither are you. If they were not brave enough, neither are you. We need to silence those voices today. If not, we will never face the real enemy. 

Pastor Scott Burr