The Means of Harvesting

SUN CITY BIBLE CHURCH MISSIONS WEEK-END

SEPTEMBER 2007

“HARVEST TIME” - MATTHEW 9.35-38

Message #3 – Sunday Evening

The Means of Harvesting

AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST IN NEW YORK SAYS THAT THERE ARE MORE NEARSIGHTED PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK CITY THAN IN ANY OTHER. HIS SUSPICION IS THAT IT IS BECAUSE PEOPLE ROUTINELY OPERATE DOWN AMONG THE SKYSCRAPERS, HEMMED IN BY THE WALLS OF HIGH BUILDINGS, WHICH IN TURN LIMIT THEIR FIELD OF VISION. FOR MANY THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY FOR DISTANT VISION IS TO LOOK UP AT THE SKY, WHICH VERY FEW DO. THUS, HE SAID, THE CONSTANT USE OF THE EYES FOR SHORT DISTANCES TENDS FOR NEARSIGHTEDNESS. I CANNOT ATTEST TO THE VALIDITY OF THIS CLAIM BUT I DO KNOW THAT AT TIMES WE, AS BELIEVERS, CAN BE SO FOCUSED ON THE IMMEDIACY OF OUR OWN LITTLE LIVES THAT WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE WORLD, AND THE PEOPLE AROUND US.

IN VERSE 35 OF CHAPTER 9, MATTHEW SUMMARIZED THE THREEFOLD MINISTRY OF THE LORD JESUS AS HE WENT ABOUT THROUGH ALL THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF ISRAEL, TEACHING AND PREACHING ABOUT THE KINGDOM.  HIS HEALING MINISTRY WAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHENTICATING HIS PERSON AS THE MESSIAH OF PROPHECY. 

THIS SPECTACULAR ASPECT OF JESUS’ MINISTRY ATTRACTED LARGE CROWDS AND AS HE OBSERVED THE CROWDS, MATTHEW SAYS “HE HAD COMPASSION ON THEM.”  JESUS SAW THE CROWDS … HE SAW THAT THEY WERE OPPRESSED AND HELPLESS, LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD. THEY WERE LIKE SHEEP BEATEN DOWN AND MORTALLY WOUNDED BY WOLVES AND UNABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES.

HAVING NO SHEPHERD TO GUIDE AND PROTECT THEM, THE PEOPLE WERE MALIGNED BY THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS, HELPLESS BEFORE THEM, AND WANDERING ABOUT WITH NO SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE. THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS, WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN THEIR SHEPHERDS, WERE KEEPING THE SHEEP FROM FOLLOWING THE TRUE SHEPHERD. A. T. ROBINSON SAYS, “THEY WERE BEWILDERED BY THOSE WHO SHOULD HAVE TAUGHT THEM; HINDERED FROM ENTERING INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, LADEN WITH THE BURDENS WHICH THE PHARISEES LAID UPON THEM.”

WE HAVE THUS FAR LOOKED AT THE METHOD OF HARVESTING AS GIVEN TO US BY THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS AND WE HAVE, JUST THIS MORNING, EXAMINED THE MOTIVATION FOR THE HARVESTING AS DISPLAYED IN THE GREAT MOVING OF CHRIST’S HEART WITH COMPASSION OVER THE CONDITION OF THE MULTITUDES HE SAW AS HE WENT FROM PLACE TO PLACE. 

WE HAVE NOTED THAT HIS METHOD AND HIS MOTIVE ARE SOMEWHAT LACKING IN THE CHURCH AT LARGE TODAY AND MY HOPE IS THAT OUR TIME IN THIS PASSAGE TOGETHER WITH YOU HAS BEEN USED OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO STIR YOU INTO A RESPONSE WHEREBY YOU … AND THIS CHURCH … WILL BE MORE ACTIVELY AGGRESSIVE IN ALLOWING GOD TO WORK THROUGH YOU TO REACH ONLY THE FAR REACHES OF THE GLOBE … BUT PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY … YOUR OWN COMMUNITY … SUN CITY … THE MENIFEE VALLEY.  I SAY MORE IMPORTANTLY BECAUSE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES INVOLVED IN REACHING THE FAR CORNERS OF THE EARTH.  BUT IF SUN CITY AND THE MENIFEE VALLEY ARE GOING TO BE REACHED AND IMPACTED FOR CHRIST AND THE GOSPEL;  IF THE LOST HERE ARE GOING TO BE EFFECTIVELY RESCUED, IT MAY BE THAT ONLY YOU … SUN CITY BIBLE CHURCH … THE PEOPLE … YOU FOLKS … ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IT.

AND THAT BRINGS US THEN TO CONSIDER THE THIRD ASPECT OF THIS PASSAGE:

THE MEANS OF THE HARVEST

37 THEN HE SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, “THE HARVEST TRULY IS PLENTIFUL, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW. 38 THEREFORE PRAY THE LORD OF THE HARVEST TO SEND OUT LABORERS INTO HIS HARVEST.”

THE REALITY OF THE HARVEST

JESUS CHANGES HIS METAPHOR HERE FROM SHEEP TO THE HARVEST ALTHOUGH THE “HARVEST” IS ALSO A BIBLICAL THEME AND FREQUENTLY IT IS USED AS A PICTURE OF THE END TIME HARVEST … OR THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.

·       HERE, AND IN OTHER PLACES, JESUS IS NOT TALKING ABOUT THE END-TIME HARVEST BUT RATHER THE HARVEST OF SALVATION THAT IS READY NOW AND THAT IS TAKING PLACE AS THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED AND PEOPLE BELIEVE IT, TRUSTING CHRIST, THEREBY BEING RESCUED FROM THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS AND PLACED INTO THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST.

LUKE 10.1-2 - AFTER THESE THINGS THE LORD APPOINTED SEVENTY OTHERS ALSO, AND SENT THEM TWO BY TWO BEFORE HIS FACE INTO EVERY CITY AND PLACE WHERE HE HIMSELF WAS ABOUT TO GO. 2 THEN HE SAID TO THEM, “THE HARVEST TRULY IS GREAT, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW; THEREFORE PRAY THE LORD OF THE HARVEST TO SEND OUT LABORERS INTO HIS HARVEST.

JOHN 4.35 JESUS SAID TO THEM, 35 DO YOU NOT SAY, ‘THERE ARE STILL FOUR MONTHS AND THEN COMES THE HARVEST’? BEHOLD, I SAY TO YOU, LIFT UP YOUR EYES AND LOOK AT THE FIELDS, FOR THEY ARE ALREADY WHITE FOR HARVEST!”

NOTICE THAT IN EACH INSTANCE, JESUS AFFIRMS THE SIMPLE REALITY THAT THE HARVEST IS READY, IT IS PLENTIFUL, IT IS GREAT, IT IS RIPE!

THE WORLD HAS MORE WINNABLE PEOPLE THAN EVER BEFORE ... BUT THE CHURCH BY AND LARGE IS EMPTY HANDED AT A TIME OF HARVEST.

FOLKS, IT IS HARVEST TIME! 

·       IT HAS LONG BEEN TIME TO STOP PRAYING FOR THE HARVEST TO RIPEN. 

·       FOR TOO LONG WE HAVE WASTED TIME PRAYING THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE OPEN TO THE GOSPEL, NEVER NOTICING THAT GOD IS ALREADY DOING THAT WORK IN THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE ALL AROUND US.

SATAN WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE JUST AREN’T INTERESTED ANYMORE. 

·       HE WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE THAT THE HARVEST IS PAST,

·       THAT PEOPLE DON’T CARE ABOUT GOD ANYMORE

·       THAT NO ONE IS INTERESTED IN BECOMING A CHRISTIAN IN THIS DAY AND AGE.

IF THAT IS TRUE, THEN GOD IS FAILING TO DO HIS JOB. 

·       HAS GOD FAILED IN THIS DAY AND AGE TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THAT WHICH IS LOST?

·       HAS THE SPIRIT OF GOD CEASED IN HIS LABORS TO WOO PEOPLE TO FAITH BY CONVICTING THEM OF SIN, OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, OF JUDGMENT AND OF THE NEED FOR A SAVIOR. 

MAY IT NEVER BE SUPPOSED THAT HE HAS FOR EVEN TODAY HE USES THE WORD OF GOD, AND CIRCUMSTANCES AND EVENTS AND PEOPLE IN THEIR LIVES TO CREATE WITHIN THEM A BURNING THIRST FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY CANNOT PROVIDE THEMSELVES, NEITHER CAN THEY EARN OR BUY IT.  GOD HAS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE PREPARING A HARVEST.

THE MISSION AND VISION OF CHRIST THROUGH THE HIS BODY, THE CHURCH ON EARTH, IS TO REACH A WORLD IN DESPERATE NEED WITH THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL.

·       HIS VISION IS ONE OF A GREAT HARVEST OF SOULS. 

·       AND HAS PROMISED THAT AS WE GO OUT AND ABOUT IN THE CITIES AND VILLAGES … AS WE GET OUT IN THE FIELD AMONG THE PEOPLE TEACHING AND PREACHING AND TOUCHING THEIR LIVES FOR CHRIST THAT EVEN THE GATES OF HELL WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST US. 

SO WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? 

ALL MEN EVERYWHERE ARE FAINTING, WEARY, BEWILDERED, SCATTERED, AND THEY ARE AS SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD. THE LORD’S VISION IS A WORLDWIDE ONE.  IT INVOLVES EVERY HUMAN LIFE ON THE PLANET.

JESUS SAID, "SAY NOT YE, THERE ARE YET FOUR MONTHS, AND THEN COMETH HARVEST? BEHOLD, I SAY UNTO YOU, LIFT UP YOUR EYES, AND LOOK ON THE FIELDS; FOR THEY ARE WHITE ALREADY TO HARVEST. AND HE THAT REAPETH RECEIVETH WAGES, AND GATHERETH FRUIT UNTO LIFE ETERNAL: THAT BOTH HE THAT SOWETH AND HE THAT REAPETH MAY REJOICE TOGETHER" (JOHN 4.35-36).  

SO WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE, "AND LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP, IF WE FAINT NOT" (GALATIANS 6.9).  SO WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

THE HARVEST IS GREAT.  IT IS PLENTEOUS.  THERE ARE FIELDS AND FIELDS OF PEOPLE GROWING IN THE VALLEYS AND HILLS OF THE WORLD.

·       THEY ARE GROWING HERE IN THE MENIFEE VALLEY. 

·       IT IS A HARVEST THAT IS READY AND DESPERATE TO REAPED

·       IT MUST BE REAPED IN ITS SEASON … IN ITS GENERATION. 

THERE IS ONLY A DESIGNATED TIME FOR EACH GENERATION IN SHICH IT CAN BE REAPED.  EVERY GENERATION HAS TO BE REAPED IN ITS GENERATION. EVERYONE HAS ONLY A CERTAIN SEASON (GENERATION, LIFE-SPAN) WHEN HE CAN BE REAPED. HIS SEASON FOR BEING REAPED IS ONLY AS LONG AS HIS LIFE WHICH IS BUT A VAPOR THAT APPEARETH FOR A LITTLE TIME AND THEN VANISHETH WAY AND IS LOST FOEVER. 

SO WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

·       A HARVEST OF CHILDREN NEEDS TO BE REACHED AND TAUGHT.

·        A HARVEST OF YOUNG PEOPLE NEEDS TO BE REACHED AND GROUNDED IN THE WORD.

·       A HARVEST OF WOMEN NEEDS TO BE REACHED AND TAUGHT THE CONFIDENCE AND PROTECTION OF GOD’S LOVE.

·       A HARVEST OF MEN NEEDS TO BE REACHED AND TAUGHT THE STRENGTH AND SECURITY OF GOD’S DIRECTION AND CARE.

·       A HARVEST OF SENIORS NEEDS TO BE REACHED WITH THE COMFORT AND ASSURANCE OF LIFE ETERNAL BEYOND THE GRAVE THAT IS SECURED ONLY THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST.

 SO WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

THERE IS A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY OUTSIDE THESE DOORS FOR A HARVEST.

·       THERE ARE FIELDS AND FIELDS OF LOCALITIES, NATIONALITIES, CLASSES, PROFESSIONS, HEALTH, ABILITIES, APPEARANCES, EMOTIONAL STATES, AND MENTAL CONDITIONS—AND ALL ARE LOST, SPIRITUALLY SICK, AND UNREACHED.

·       THERE IS NO END TO THE FIELDS OF HARVEST. 

SO WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

WELL THERE IS A PROBLEM … A TERRIBLE PROBLEM … A PROBLEM TODAY JUST AS THERE WAS IN THE DAY OF THE LORD JESUS.  THE PROBLEM IS NOT WITH THE HARVEST. THE PROBLEM IS THE LACK OF LABORERS. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE WAITING FOR!

THE CHALLENGE OF THE HARVEST

THE HARVEST IS RIPE, BUT THE LABORERS, SAYS JESUS, ARE FEW."

THE HARVEST IS GREAT BUT THE WORKERS ARE FEW.  CHRIST NEEDS PEOPLE, THAT IS, BELIEVERS: MEN, WOMEN, BOYS, AND GIRLS, HE NEEDS MANY LABORERS AND HE NEEDS THEM NOW. UNLESS THERE ARE REAPERS TO GO FORTH, THE HARVEST WILL DIE AND ROT UPON THE EARTH.

YET, WHY ARE THERE SO FEW LABORERS? CHURCHES TODAY ARE PACKED WITH BELIEVERS WHO CLAIM CHRIST IS THEIR VERY LIFE.

·       HARVESTING IS HARD WORK. IT REQUIRES SOME COMMITMENT. 

·       YOU CANNOT HARVEST THE CROP FROM INSIDE THE CHURCH BUILDING … YOU HAVE TO GO WHERE THE CROP IS, OUT INTO THE FIELD.

HARVESTING REQUIRES A TEAM EFFORT. THERE ARE THOSE WHO USE THE SICKLE TO CUT DOWN THE CROP. THERE ARE THOSE WHO GATHER THE CROP IN BUNDLES AND BASKETS TO BRING TO THE STOREHOUSE. BUT EVERYONE WORKS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CROP DOESN’T ROT ON THE FIELDS.

WHY ARE THERE SO FEW LABORERS?

·       SOME REJECT THE CALL OF GOD, THINKING THAT IT MUST BE FOR OTHERS BUT NOT FOR THEM.

·       SOME POSTPONE THE CALL OF GOD, THINKING IT IS TOO SOON … PERHAPS AFTER THEY GET MARRIED, PERHAPS AFTER THEY SETTLE DOWN AND HAVE CHILDREN … PERHAPS AFTER THE KIDS ARE GROWN … PERHAPS AFTER THE GRAND KIDS ARE GROWN … PERHAPS AFTER THEY …. AND THEN THEY ARE DEAD.

·       SOME GIVE THE CALL A LOW PRIORITY, PURSUING THEIR PROFESSION OR LIVELIHOOD INSTEAD OF LABORING IN THE HARVEST FIELD.

·       SOME PREACH A FALSE GOSPEL, CHOOSING INSTEAD TO PROMOTE THEIR OWN IDEAS INSTEAD OF THE TRUTH OF GOD.

·       SOME ARE SATISFIED WITH THE TRADITIONAL EMPTY RITUALS AND APPROACHES OF RELIGION.

·       SOME ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH THE BUREAUCRACY AND MAINTAINING THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS THAN THEY ARE WITH REACHING PEOPLE FOR CHRIST.

·       SOME ARE JUST LAZY

THERE ARE A THOUSAND REASONS BUT THAT DOES NOT CHANGE THE GREAT NEED.  THE WORDS OF SONGWRITER LANNY WOLFE ARE AN APT DESCRIPTION OF SO MUCH OF THE CHURCH TODAY:          

THERE IS PEACE AND CONTENTMENT IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE TODAY,
LOTS OF FOOD ON HIS TABLE AND NO ONE TURNED AWAY.
THERE IS SINGING AND LAUGHTER AS THE HOURS PASS BY,
BUT A HUSH CALMS THE SINGING AS THE FATHER SADLY CRIES,

MY HOUSE IS FULL, BUT MY FIELD IS EMPTY,
WHO WILL GO AND WORK FOR ME TODAY.
IT SEEMS MY CHILDREN WANT TO STAY AROUND MY TABLE,
BUT NO ONE WANTS TO WORK MY FIELDS,
NO ONE WANTS TO WORK MY FIELDS.

PUSH AWAY FROM THE TABLE.
LOOK OUT THROUGH THE WINDOWPANE,
JUST BEYOND THE HOUSE OF PLENTY
LIES A FIELD OF GOLDEN GRAIN.
AND IT'S RIPE UNTO HARVEST,
BUT THE REAPERS, WHERE ARE THEY?
IN THE HOUSE,
OH, CAN'T THE CHILDREN HEAR
THE FATHER SADLY SAY,

MY HOUSE IS FULL, BUT MY FIELD IS EMPTY,
WHO WILL GO AND WORK FOR ME TODAY.
IT SEEMS MY CHILDREN WANT TO STAY AROUND MY TABLE,
BUT NO ONE WANTS TO WORK MY FIELDS,
NO ONE WANTS TO WORK MY FIELDS.

-- LANNY WOLFE

THE PLAN OF THE LORD JESUS, FOR REAPING THE HARVEST, REQUIRES WILLING LABORERS TO GO OUT INTO THE FIELDS AND BRING THEM IN.

THE REMEDY FOR THE HARVEST

AND THIS IS WHERE WE COME IN.

FIRST, WE ARE TO PRAY FOR WORKERS.  GOD WANTS US TO ASK HIM TO SEND MORE WORKERS. 

·       DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE HARVEST OF SALVATION INCREASE? THEN PRAY FOR WORKERS.

·       PRAY THAT GOD WOULD CALL MANY TO WORK IN THE FIELDS WHICH ARE RIPE FOR HARVEST. WE ARE TO PRAY.

THIS IS ALMOST A SURPRISE.  WE WOULD ORDINARILY THINK THAT JESUS MIGHT SAY, “THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW, SO:

·       LET THE PASTORS PREACH DYNAMIC SERMONS.

·       LET COMMITTEES MEET AND MAKE GREAT PLANS.

·       LET THE PEOPLE READ BOOKS AND ATTEND CONFERENCES.

JESUS DOES NOT MENTION ANY OF THOSE WORTHY THINGS. RATHER HE PEELS BACK ALL THE LAYERS OF ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITY AND LAYS BARE THE CORE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT IS SUMMED UP IN ONE WORD.  “PRAY”.

AND HOW ARE WE TO PRAY?  JESUS SAID WE ARE TO ASK THE LORD OF THE HARVEST TO “SEND FORTH” WORKERS.

·       THE UNDERLYING GREEK WORD CONVEYS A VERY POWERFUL IMAGE. THE WORD IS EKBALLO.

·       THE EK PART MEANS “OUT” AND THE BALLO PART MEANS, “TO THROW” (LIKE THROWING A BALL).

·       IT COMES INTO ENGLISH AS THE WORD “BALLISTIC,” WHICH REFERS TO THE EXPLOSION THAT OCCURS WHEN THE HAMMER OF A PISTOL HITS A BULLET, PROPELLING IT OUT OF THE GUN.

WE ARE TO PRAY THAT GOD WILL LIGHT A FIRE INSIDE THE CHURCH THAT WILL IGNITE A MOVEMENT INSIDE MANY HEARTS THAT WILL RESULT IN PEOPLE BEING “THRUST OUT” OF THE CHURCH INTO THE HARVEST FIELDS OF THE WORLD.

·       IN A SENSE THEN, WE ARE TO PRAY THAT GOD WILL THROW SOME PEOPLE OUT OF THE CHURCH. …

·       WE ARE TO PRAY AND EARNESTLY PLEAD WITH THE LORD TO STIR HIS PEOPLE TO BECOME WORKERS IN THE FIELDS.

WHEN HUDSON TAYLOR, PIONEER MISSIONARY TO CHINA, SPOKE ABOUT THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL WORKERS ON THE FIELD, HE SAID, “THE GREAT NEED IS NOT FOR MORE ELABORATE PLEAS FOR HELP. IF WE ARE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE WORLD, TWO THINGS MUST HAPPEN. FIRST, THERE MUST BE EARNEST PRAYER TO THE LORD OF THE HARVEST. SECOND, THERE MUST BE A DEEPENING OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE OF THE CHURCH SO THAT MEN WILL BE UNABLE TO STAY HOME.”

HE WAS RIGHT FRIENDS.  WE MUST PRAY AND GROW IN OUR OWN WALK WITH GOD SO THAT WHEN GOD CALLS WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SIT STILL INSIDE THIS PLACE BUT WILL MOVE OUT INTO

THE COMMUNITY HERE AND BEYOND

·       CARING MORE THAN SOME THINK IS WISE

·       RISKING MORE THAN SOME THINK IS SAFE

·       DREAMING MORE THAN SOME THINK IS PRACTICAL

·       EXPECTING MORE THAN SOME THINK IS POSSIBLE.

WE CAN BECOME PART OF THE ANSWER TO OUR OWN PRAYERS AS WE ASK OURSELVES,

·       "WHAT DOES MY HEAVENLY FATHER WANT ME TO BE DOING TO GET THE HARVEST IN?

·       WHICH FIELD SHOULD I BE WORKING IN?

·       WHAT TOOLS DO I HAVE AT MY DISPOSAL?

·       HOW CAN I BE MOST EFFECTIVE IN BRINGING IN THE HARVEST?"

THERE IS ALWAYS MORE HARVESTING TO BE DONE THAN THERE ARE HARVESTERS TO DO IT. SO LET'S BE PRAYING –

·       BUT NOT FROM A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE VANTAGE POINT OF THIS BEAUTIFUL AUDITORIUM AWAY FROM ACTION.

·       RATHER, LET'S BE PRAYING FROM OUT THERE IN THE FIELDS.

·       THAT'S THE BEST PLACE TO BE IF WE ARE GOING TO BE AWARE OF HOW GREAT THE NEED IS FOR MORE WORKERS.

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE BEING ENGAGED IN THE WORK YOURSELF TO MOTIVATE YOU TO ASK FOR MORE WORKERS.

·       THEN IT IS NOT A MATTER OF "SEND THEM - IT'S NOT FOR ME."

·       RATHER, IT IS A CASE OF "WE NEED HELP WITH THIS HARVEST.IT'S HARD WORK AND WE ARE NOT GETTING IT ALL DONE. LORD, PLEASE SEND SOME MORE TO JOIN US."

SO PRAY, AND BECOME THE ANSWER TO YOUR OWN PRAYER BY ALLOWING GOD TO SEND YOU OUT INTO THE FIELD TO HARVEST.

·       YOU HAVE BEEN RESCUED THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF JESUS IN BRINGING THE KINGDOM NEAR.

·       ASK HIM TO TOUCH YOUR HEARTS WITH THE COMPASSION OF JESUS, SO THAT YOUR HEARTS GO OUT TO THE LOST CROWDS AROUND YOU, HARASSED AND HELPLESS LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD. 

·       THERE WAS NEVER A BETTER TIME THAN THE PRESENT TO GET MORE DEEPLY INVOLVED LONG WITH THE MISSION OF JESUS, PRAYING FOR MORE HARVEST WORKERS, AND GETTING ON WITH THE HARVEST OURSELVES.

WHEN GOD RESPONDS TO OUR PRAYERS HE WILL OFTEN BEGIN WITH US.

·       THE PEOPLE WHO GO TO THEIR KNEES TO BEG GOD FOR WORKERS ARE OFTEN THE VERY PEOPLE GOD USES TO ANSWER THEIR OWN PRAYERS.

·       IN THE EARLY 1940S A YOUNG WOMAN NAMED EVA LODGAARD WAS A STUDENT AT MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE.  SHE WAS PART OF A PRAYER GROUP CALLED THE “GO YE PRAYER FELLOWSHIP.”

·       SHE SAID THEY HAD TO KEEP RESTARTING IT BECAUSE THE LORD KEPT CALLING PEOPLE FROM THE GROUP TO THE MISSION FIELD.

·       EVA LODGAARD GRADUATED FROM MOODY IN 1945 AND WAS SENT OUT AS A MISSIONARY. 

·       62 YEARS LATER, IN SHE IS STILL SERVING THE LORD WITH SCRIPTURE MEMORY MOUNTAIN MISSION IN EMMALENA, KY. 

·       SHE’S IN HER LATE 80S AND HER HEALTH IS NOT GOOD.  BUT HER FAITH REMAINS STRONG AND SHE IS AN INSPIRATION TO ALL. 

·       LISTEN TO HOW SHE CLOSED ONE OF HER LAST LETTERS: "I CAN'T DO MUCH ANY MORE BUT I DO HAVE TIME AND STRENGTH TO PRAY." 

SOME OF YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO “DO MUCH” ANY MORE … BUT YOU HAVE THE TIME AND STRENGTH TO PRAY … AND YOU HAVE THE TIME AND STRENGTH TO TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR … AND TO TALK TO THE LOST PEOPLE ALL AROUND YOU WHO NEED RESCUING.

IN THE MINISTRY OF CHURCH PLANTING WE OFTEN MAKE THE STATEMENT THAT LIVING THINGS REPRODUCE.  DEAD THINGS DO NOT REPRODUCE … ONLY LIVING THINGS DO AND SO IT IS WITH CHURCHES. 

·       IT IS THE NATURE OF THE HEALTHY CHURCH TO GROW … NOT ONLY TO GROW BUT TO REPRODUCE ITSELF.

·       THE BODY OF CHRIST IS EQUIPPED WITH A GROWTH GENE AND IT IS ABLE TO REPRODUCE.

·       MISSIONS … OUTREACH ARE NOT OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE CHURCH.

·        A CHURCH WHICH IS NOT FOCUSED ON REACHING NEW PEOPLE AND NEW COMMUNITIES AND NEW LANDS WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS A CONTRADICTION.

WE ARE GREAT PLANNERS. WE LIKE TO SPEND MANY HOURS DRAWING UP COMPLEX ORGANIZATION CHARTS, CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED DIAGRAMS, AND IN DEPTH PLANS FOR REACHING THE COMMUNITY AND BUILDING THE CHURCH.

LET ME SUGGEST TO YOU A UNCOMPLICATED PLAN THAT WILL PROBABLY DO MORE TO HELP THIS CHURCH AND YOU AS INDIVIDUALS TO REACH YOUR COMMUNITY THAN ALL THE COMPLICATED PLANS IN THE WORLD.

• GET A GOAL.

THAT’S ONLY GOOD SENSE.  YOU CAN NEVER KNOW IF YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT A PLACE IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHERE YOU WERE GOING IN THE FIRST PLACE.  IT HAS WISELY BEEN SAID THAT IF YOU AIM AT NOTHING YOU WILL HIT IT EVERY TIME … BUT WHO WANTS TO GO THROUGH LIFE AIMING AT NOTHING? 

WITH LOST SOULS DYING ALL AROUND US, THE CHURCH CANNOT AFFORD TO AIM AT NOTHING … SO GET A GOAL.

HERE’S A GOAL FOR YOU TO CONSIDER: WHY NOT ASK GOD TO WORK IN YOU IN SUCH A WAY THAT EVERY PERSON IN THIS CHURCH WOULD SHARE THE GOSPEL AT LEAST ONCE IN THE YEAR AHEAD.

·       YOU ALL KNOW THAT YOU WILL HAVE MANY MORE THAN ONE OPPORTUNITY IN THE YEAR AHEAD BUT WHY NOT START SMALL AND JUST SET ONE AS A GOAL.

• GET A PLAN.

PLANNING IS SIMPLY SETTING A STRAGEGY FOR REACHING YOUR GOAL.  A PLAN TELLS YOU HOW YOU GET FROM HERE WHERE YOU ARE … TO THERE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.

HERE’S A PLAN FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.

·       CREATE A 10 MOST WANTED LIST OF THOSE PEOPLE YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO SEE COME TO FAITH IN CHRIST AND THEN BEGIN PRAY FOR THEM REGULARLY.

·       THINK OF WAYS TO DEMONSTRATE TO THEM THE TRANSFORMING LOVE OF CHRIST THROUGH GOOD WORKS.

·       INVITE PEOPLE TO CHURCH AND CHURCH EVENTS. PASTOR KING PREACHES PRETTY GOOD NOW BUT IMAGINE WHAT IT WILL DO TO HIS PREACHING IF YOU FOLKS WORK TO HAVE SOMEONE SITTING IN EVERY SEAT DURING EVERY SERVICE ON EVERY SUNDAY.

·       SHARE YOUR STORY. TELL PEOPLE HOW GOD HAS SAVED YOU AND CHANGED YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER.

·       SHARE THE GOSPEL. IT IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR SALVATION TO THEM THAT BELIEVE.

• GET BUSY.

AH … SOMEONE IS THINKING I JUST MESSED UP A GOOD IDEA WITH THAT SUGGESTION. 

·       THIS IS OUR BIGGEST HURDLE. 

·       WE’VE GOT LOTS OF GOAL SETTERS AND PLANNERS, BUT ARE SHORT ON WORKERS.

·       BUT THIS IS WHERE THE "RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD." WE CANNOT AFFORD TO SIT IDLY BY AND WATCH AS PEOPLE PERISH AROUND US.

DR. J. WILBUR CHAPMAN, FAMOUS EVANGELIST, SAID THAT THE NEW TESTAMENT TELLS OF FORTY PEOPLE, EACH SUFFERING FROM THE SAME DISEASE, THAT WERE HEALED BY JESUS.

·       OF THIS NUMBER, THIRTY-FOUR WERE EITHER BROUGHT TO JESUS BY FRIENDS, OR HE WAS TAKEN TO THEM.

·       IN ONLY SIX CASES OUT OF FORTY DID THE SUFFERERS FIND THE WAY TO JESUS WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.

OF THE VAST NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO FIND THEIR WAY TO JESUS TODAY, MOST OF THEM REACH HIM BECAUSE THE FRIENDS OF JESUS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE WELFARE OF THE SOULS OF THEIR FRIENDS...THEY ENGAGE IN BRINGING IN THE HARVEST!

ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION, PEOPLE COME TO CHRIST THROUGH THE WORK AND WITNESS OF OTHER ORDINARY CHRISTIANS JUST LIKE YOU AND YOU … AND YOU.

·       WORKING IN THE HARVEST IS BY NO MEANS RESTRICTED TO WHAT WE MIGHT CALL, FOR WANT OF A BETTER TERM, 'FULL-TIME CHRISTIAN WORK'.

GOD'S PLAN FOR THE SALVATION OF THE CHINESE FOR WHOM JOHN AND BETTY STAM GAVE THEIR LIVES BROUGHT AN AMAZING HARVEST. 

·       IN 1949 THE MISSIONARIES IN CHINA WERE THROWN OUT BY THE ATHEIST COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT, LEAVING ABOUT 5 MILLION CHINESE CHRISTIANS, AND SEEMINGLY CLOSING THE DOOR TO EVANGELISM.

·       BUT GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING. SINCE 1970 THERE HAS BEEN CHURCH GROWTH IN CHINA UNPARALLELED IN WORLD HISTORY.

·       BY 1992 THE STATE STATISTICAL BUREAU IN CHINA WAS ESTIMATING THAT THERE WERE 75 MILLION CHRISTIANS IN MAINLAND CHINA ALONE.

IT IS THIS HARVEST OF SALVATION WHICH IS THE GREAT WORK OF THE CHURCH IN THE INTERVAL BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND COMINGS OF CHRIST.

·       IT IS A WORK THAT NEEDS WORKERS.

·       GOD USES PEOPLE AS THE MEANS OF BRINGING OTHER PEOPLE TO KNOW HIM.

·       GOD WANTS TO USE YOU

·       WILL YOU BE USED?

THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS WE NEED TO ASK AT THIS POINT:
1) WHAT VISION IS GOD BIRTHING IN YOUR HEART?
2) HOW WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED … AS THE SENIOR CITIZEN WHO ENJOYED HIS RETIREMENT AND MADE THE PAYMENTS ON HIS 5TH WHEELER?  OF AS THE BELIEVER WHO GAVE SACRIFICIALLY OF HIMSELF IN ORDER THAT OTHERS MAY BENEFIT FROM THE PAYMENT MADE FOR THEIR SALVATION ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY.
3) HOW MUCH OF YOURSELF, YOUR TIME, YOUR EFFORTS ARE YOU WILLING TO INVEST?

ONLY YOU CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS … BUT THE HARVEST WILL BE IMPACTED EITHER POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY BY YOUR ANSWERS.  IT IS A SOLEMN RESPONSIBILITY!

AS WE BRING OUR TIME TOGETHER TO A CLOSE, I WANT TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER FOR YOUR WONDERFUL, GRACIOUS HOSPITALITY.  WE HAVE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED OUR DAYS WITH YOU AND HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN SOON.  THANK YOU (KING) FOR INVITING ME TO COME.  THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND GENEROUS FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF OUR MINISTRY WITH MCE.

BE ASSURED OF OUR PRAYERS FOR YOU IN THE DAYS AHEAD.  I’D LIKE TO ASK YOU ALL TO STAND WITH ME NOW AND PERMIT ME THE PRIVILEGE OF PRAYING VERY SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU AS YOU RESPOND TO THAT WHICH YOU HAVE HEARD THESE PAST TWO DAYS.

PRAYER:

SOVERIGN GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR LOVING THE WORLD. WE KNOW THAT YOU TAKE NO PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF THE WICKED. YOU DESIRE THAT NO ONE SHOULD PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE. THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO JOIN YOU IN BRINGING YOUR MESSAGE TO THE WORLD.

LORD OF THE HARVEST, WE CONFESS HOW COMFORTABLE IT IS TO COME TO CHURCH TO WORSHIP WITH YOUR PEOPLE. WE ARE SO RICHLY BLESSED. YET, LORD, WE ARE SO POOR.
WE HAVE EYES BUT DO NOT SEE.
WE HAVE EARS BUT DO NOT HEAR.
WE HAVE LIPS BUT DO NOT SPEAK.
WE HAVE FEET BUT DO NOT GO.

SEEKER OF LOST SOULS, AS THESE PEOPLE PRAY IN DAYS AHEAD, PLEASE DO THINGS IN THEIR LIVES AND IN THE LIFE OF THIS CHURCH THAT THESE DEAR FOLK ARE NOT USED TO.  AS THEY GO INTO THE FIELD AND SEE THE THOUSANDS THAT NEED TO BE RESCUED AND ARE MOVED WITH COMPASSION … DO THINGS THAT WOULD COMPLETELY BAFFLE AND AMAZE THEM IF THEY KNEW THEM IN ADVANCE.  NOW I ASK YOU TO IGNITE A FIRE IN THEIR HEARTS. THRUST THEM OUT FROM THIS PLACE INTO THE COMMUNITY AROUND AND PERHAPS EVEN SOME TO THE VERY ENDS OF THE EARTH. GIVE THEM YOUR HEART O GOD AND MAKE THEM WILLING TO GO WHEREVER YOU MAY SEND THEM.  MAKE THEM WILLING TO SPEAK TO WHOMEVER YOU MAY SEND THEM.  MAKE THEM WILLING TO BE USED AS REINFORCEMENTS FOR THOSE WHO ALREADY LABOR IN YOUR HARVEST FIELDS.  AMEN.