David Alsobrook - The fields are white

THE FIELDS ARE

WHITE

by

David Alsobrook

CONTENTS

1 The Fields Are White
2 The Promise of the Father
3 We Are Debtors
4 Doing Exploits
5 Binding Unseen Foes
6 Whatever Your Hand Finds
7 A Letter From the Philippines

"And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed" (Galatians 3:8).

The Fields Are White

The great majority of Christians today are not actively concerned with world evangelism. While the earth's population grows increasingly larger the propagation of the good news is not keeping pace. Often I hear statements like

"All the world has heard the Gospel." It is surprising to find how many Christians say such things when you know the actual facts.

The facts are that over a billion of the earth's masses have never heard of the Lord Jesus Christ. Add to that figure another billion who have not been exposed to a scriptural presentation of salvation. In other words, they have not been made aware of the real claims of Christ. Add to the above the fact that over 1,300 languages do not have the printed Scriptures.

It is my heartfelt conviction that there are many millions of people living right now who would accept Jesus if they only knew about Him! All over the world at this very moment are dying souls perishing without "the hope of the Gospel" (Col. 1:23). Isaiah prophesied, "...the isles shall WAIT for his law" (Isa. 42:4). Millions are waiting, waiting, waiting. Anyone who purposes to help send the good news to these waiting multitudes are fulfilling God's dearest objectivethe reconciling of men unto Himself.

Isaiah further cries, "Blessed are ye that SOW BESIDE ALL WATERS..." (Isa. 32:20). "Waters" refers to the nations of the world in this verse as in many other places in the Bible. God is pronouncing a special blessing to anyone who sows the seed of the Word to the unreached world.

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO SEND THE GOSPEL TO ALL THE NATIONS!

Solomon, according to the wisdom given him, said, "Where there is no vision, the people perish..." (Pro. 29:18). The obvious meaning of this verse tells us that a visionless people are a withering people. There is another meaning: If we have no vision for Gospel outreach, the unreached will perish! Solomon further adds, "...he that winneth souls is wise " (Pro. 11:30). It is indeed foolish that the body of Christ permits waiting millions to go to their graves unevangelized. OUTREACH is so near the heartthrob of God that a special eternal reward awaits every believer who becomes actively involved in this worthy task.

No less a personage that Gabriel declare d, "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever" (Dan. 12:3).

Yet, with all the Bible teaches concerning WORLDWIDE GOSPEL OUTREACH there are so few who are doing much to fulfill this divinely given responsibility! There are many excuses offered in a feeble attempt to thwart this obligation "The timing is not ready."

Or, "The financial means of our church do not allow for outreach outside our little kingdom." Or, "People like Billy Graham and others are doing so much. What could I ever do that would amount to anything." One even finds that many saints have the foggy impression that someday, somehow, someway, someone will reach everyone! The challenge is so great, however, that before the goal of world evangelism can be realized every individual Christian must come to grips with his responsibility AND FULFILL IT. I've even heard ministers say, "When the world is ready the Gospel will go out." I've got news for them. THE WORLD IS READY!!! OUR PRECIOUS LORD JESUS SAID:

"Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and LOOK ON THE FIELDS; for THEY ARE WHITE ALREADY to harvest" (John 4:35).

Beloved, the fields are already white! The world is ready to hear the message of Christ. "The fields" are the various sections of the unevangelized world (see Matt. 13:38).

The principal root of the many problems in American Christianity is our self-centeredness. This attitude of "our-ism" has us overly concerned with our needs, our church, our growth, etc. Sermons are geared to "getting our needs met." As Christians we are to represent Christ instead of the un-Christlike selfishness which characterizes so many in this society.

Jesus' word for us today is, "Behold, I (Jesus, King of kings) say unto YOU (everyone called by My name), LIFT UP YOUR EYES (stop focusing all your attention on your needs) and LOOK UPON THE FIELDS (start concentrating your concern on others ) for THEY ARE WHITE ALREADY TO HARVEST (they are ready for you to give them the Words of Life)."

Yes, the fields are white and ripe unto harvest. NOW is the time to spread forth the Full Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off (Jer. 31:10). "For the promise is...to all that are afar off..." Peter affirms (Acts 2:39).

God's love for humanity burns; strongly at this hour.

WHAT IF WE WERE THEY? Place yourself in their situation. Suppose your ears had never heard of our lovely Jesus? Suppose you sat in the regions of darkness?

Do not be misled by the popular doctrine of "mercy for the ignorant." Ignorance is not excused. It is true that the ignorant unsaved will be beaten with fewer stripes than those who knew the Master's will but refused it (see Luke 12:47-48). The fact remains, however, that they will still be beaten! A person is not lost because he rejects Christ. He is lost because he is without Christ.

If you love Jesus then surely you wish everyone could know Him, don't you? Those willful Christ rejectors do not merit our undivided efforts. We should make our foremost aim the giving of the Gospel to every creature. While we continue to call the hardened rejector to repentance we must set our priorities straight.

God told Ezekiel that were he to be sent to a people of a strange language they would receive his message. The nation of Israel, on the other hand, would not receive Ezekiel due to the hardness of their hearts. They had heard God's call many times and refused repeatedly (see Ezek. 3:4-7). The old covenant was primarily for Israel in those days. Consequently, God did not send the prophet to a foreign land. The new covenant, however, is for every nation (see Rev. 5:9). We must go to every land and declare the whole counsel of God. America has heard God's call many times and hardened her heart. Although the Gospel is prevalent on the air waves and printed page our beloved nation is refusing her final call. Much will be required of our nation at the Judgment. "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required" (Luke 12:48).

Just as Jesus upbraided Capernaum, Tyre and Sidon, and other places where He ministered miraculously, but was rejected, so shall America be upbraided if she repents not.

The only hope lies in repentance and proclamation of the Gospel to the regions beyond. This country, as no other nation in the world, can be a beacon of light to every nation. Rather than realizing this tremendous potential our nation annually spends three billion dollars on dog food.

The Promise of the Father

In the Old Testament and especially in the Psalms we often see prophetic glimpses of Christ. He speaks concerning His sufferings in numerous passages. These glimpses are almost always spoken in past tense and viewed as an accomplished fact, although it was centuries before the event occurred. "God...calleth those things which be not as though they were" (Rom. 4:17).

The second Psalm is one of the key messianic passages in the Old Testament. While much that is spoken is still future, the seventh and eighth verses foretell one of the incidents which occurred on resurrection day. The pre-incarnate Word speaks: