There is a severe shortage of called workers in our church body. We need more pastors in our pulpits. We need more teachers in our classrooms. We need more principals to oversee the education in our schools. We need more home and world missionaries.
We also need more laypeople – men, women, seasoned citizens, middle-aged parents, young adults, college students, teens, and children – who want to tell the good news of Jesus. We need more Christians to gladly answer the Lord’s call saying, “Here am I, send me, send me.”
The Hymn of the Day for this Sunday is from the Witness section of Christian Worship. It is 745 – “Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying.” This hymn was written by Daniel March, who was intensely interested in missions. He was a preacher serving in Congregationalist and Presbyterian churches out east in the late 19th century. March was invited to deliver a sermon in 1868 with the text, “Here am I, send me” from Isaiah 6:8. Unable to find a suitable hymn for the occasion, March penned one of his own.
The hymn encourages us to do whatever we can in responding to the call of Jesus to spread God’s Word.
The first verse: “Hark! the voice of Jesus crying, “Who will go and work today? Fields are ripe and harvests waiting; who will bear the sheaves away?” Loud and long the Master calleth; rich reward he offers thee. Who will answer, gladly saying, “Here am I, send me, send me”?”
Jesus told his disciples in Luke 10:2: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.” God is the Master who owns this world as his personal field. God wants his Christians to sow the seeds of the gospel in this world. The field of this world is ripe with souls. But the Master needs his Christians to step up and answer the call to bring in the harvest.
The second verse: “If you cannot speak like angels, if you cannot preach like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus, you can say he died for all. If you cannot rouse the wicked with the judgment’s dread alarms, You can lead the little children to the Savior’s waiting arms.”
Most people are afraid of public speaking. But that’s OK. You don’t have to speak like angels or the apostle Paul. All you have to do is get into personal conversations around the dinner table at home, across the fence with your neighbor in the backyard, in the breakroom at work, or wherever you find people to talk to. Steer the conversation to talking about the love of Jesus and how he died for all. Even if you can’t rouse the wicked, simply lead your children and grandchildren to Jesus. He is waiting for them with open arms.
Verse three: “If you cannot be a watchman, standing high on Zion’s wall, Pointing out the path to heaven, off’ring life and peace to all, with your prayers and with your off’rings you can do what God demands; you can be like faithful Aaron, holding up the prophet’s hands.
God demands all kinds of workers in his kingdom. He needs some of you to be watchmen standing on Zion’s wall warning people that the enemy of the devil is coming. But many Christians may not be suited for such work. But everyone – from the youngest child to the oldest homebound Christian can pray for the lost and for those who are warning them. All of us can support ministries and missionaries with our offerings. All of us can encourage our pastors and teachers like faithful Aaron and Hur who held up Moses’ hands.
Verse four: “Let none hear you idly saying, “There is nothing I can do,” while the multitudes are dying, and the Master calls for you. Take the task he gives you gladly, let his work your pleasure be; answer quickly when he calleth, “Here am I, send me, send me!”
We cannot be idle saying, “There is nothing I can do.” Personally, I’ve had lots of people over the years say they’re nervous about saying the wrong thing to a person. I always tell them, “You won’t say the wrong thing. Besides, you’re talking to people who are already going to hell. Nothing you say will put them in a deeper place in hell. Rather, the Holy Spirit can use whatever you say to release that soul from hell and take precious soul to be with the rest of the saints in heaven.”
God doesn’t call angels to save people. He calls regular people like you and me. Like the fishermen whom Jesus calls in this week’s Gospel lesson, Jesus equips and prepares his people for service. If you feel unqualified for the task at hand, then be assured that Jesus plans to use you exactly for that purpose. Consider serving on the evangelism team of your church. Pray about sending your children to Martin Luther College to become pastors or teachers. Find people who need to hear about Jesus. Let your attitude be that of Isaiah, “Here I am, Lord, send me, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)