Intensifying the Witness as the End Nears
1 The harvest season is a joyful time. It is also a time for hard work. There is only a limited time to gather the crops. The workers dare not loiter at their business.
2 Speaking figuratively, Jesus compared “a conclusion of a system of things” to a harvesttime. (Matt. 13:39) We are living in the conclusion of this system of things, with a limited time left for giving a witness “in all the inhabited earth.” (Matt. 24:14) As the end draws ever nearer, we need to intensify our share in the ministry. Why? Jesus explained: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.”—Matt. 9:37, 38; Rom. 12:11.
3 Be at It Urgently: When Jesus started his grand preaching work, he had only three and a half years to accomplish what he was assigned to do. He preached with a sense of urgency, saying: “I must declare the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this I was sent forth.”—Luke 4:43.
4 Jesus instilled in his disciples a similar sense of urgency. (Mark 13:32-37) That is why “every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.” (Acts 5:42) Less important activities did not take priority in their lives. As few as they were, they succeeded in preaching the good news “in all creation that is under heaven.”—Col. 1:23.
5 There is even greater reason for us to cultivate that same sense of urgency now, as “the end of all things has drawn close.” (1 Pet. 4:7) Jehovah has set a day and hour for the end of this system of things. (Matt. 24:36) The preaching work will be finished in the time that is left. That is why we continue to step up our efforts to reach more and more people with the good news.
6 By intensifying our share in the witness work as the end draws near, we will have the satisfaction of saying to Jehovah, as did Jesus: ‘We have finished the work you have given us to do.’—John 17:4.