Pastor Shannon Watterson spends the next few weeks talking about the purpose of the church. We aren't here to just build buildings, have a nice worship service, or even to fellowship with like minded people. We exist to reach people with the truth of the gospel.
The special person called to do missionary work is every person whos is a member of the church of Christ. The call does not come to a chosen few, it is to everyone of us.
In our scriputre today we will see that Jesus talking about missing something. He isn't talking about missed opportunities for success. He is talking about missed people. People who were right there, open to the Kingdom, but never reached because the Church was distracted or disengaged.
Matthew 9:35-38
We are the church of Jesus and every one of us as his followers should feel an urgency and responsibility to share the hope and love of the gospel. Jesus has commissioned everyone of us to become labors in the harvest field.
Matthew places this right after two chapters where Jesus had been performing miracles, healing the sick, raising the dead, opening blind eyes, casting out demons. In other words, Jesus came to meet the whole need of the whole person.
Jesus' ministry had three dimensions: teaching the truth, preaching the good news, and healing the broken. Jesus came to mee the whole need of the whole person.
This passage shows His heart. When He saw crowds He didn't get frusterated or walk away. The Bible says He showed compassion. He looked at them as sheep without a shepherd. Jesus was stepping in as the true Shepherd.
He sees people who have been missed.
In scriputre He changes the image. Instead of sheep, He talks about a harvest. The fields are ripe.
He tells us a truth: The problem isn't the harvest. The problem is the lack of workers. This will set up Matthew chapter 10. Jesus sends his disciples out. When He tells them to pray for more workers, they become the very first to answer to that prayer. That's still true today.
I want to tell you: the Church is God's plan to reach the world.
Do you feel the burden to reach the lost?
Jesus doesn't say the harvest will be ripe one day, no He says is is ready! People are more open than we think. Some are just waiting on an invitation.
I think about the Samaritan in John 4. Jesus meets her at the well, speaks the truth with compassion, and what happens? She leaves her water jar, runs back to town, and tells everyone of the "man who told her everything she's ever done."
The Bible says many believed in Him because of her. She didn't even fully understand everything about Jesus yet. But she knew the Jesus changed her heart, and invited her whole town to meet the Savior.
Who is around you who is already ripe but waiting for an invitation? (Family member, coworker, neighbor, friend?)
The church exists to reach people with the truth of the Gospel. That is not our mission statement but our heartbeat.
The workers are few, but YOU are one of them.
Jesus first prayer request wasn't for the lost, but for the Church. He said "pray for more workers".
We often ask for a "revival" but Jesus says pray for laborers. Because revival doesn't come without workers. The harvest doesn't gather itself.
Think about Isaiah Chapter 6. He sees the Lord high and lifted up, the angels crying "Holy, Holy, Holy" and in that holy moment he's undone by his sin. God cleanses him and the question comes.
"Whom shall I send, and wholeheartedly will go for us?" Isaiah doesn't hesitate to say "Here I am, send me".
God's heart was already burning for His people. What He needed was a willing worker to go. Isaiah became the answer to the very need he had just witnessed.
The truth is we are the answer to the prayer we've been praying.
God's Mission has a church. The church doesn't have a mission.
That means you're not just a spectator. You're part of the plan.
It's a calling to be fishers of men. We are to answer Jesus prayer for more laborers. I want you to be empowered to be part of God's mission.
Who is your one?
Paul, one of the greatest missionaries, was just a regular person who saw opportunity to reach the lost because he WANTED them to be saved.
Romans 10:1
Paul didn't have a desire to preach, but to save.
Romans 9
Paul prayed for people to be saved.
Who comes to your own mind that you want to be saved?
We pray for the lost, and then step into the harvest field ourselves.
We can't reache everyone, but we can reach someone.
Let's all declare this today:
- Jesus, the harvest is ready and I see a great need.
- I say yes to being a laborer.
- I commit to pursue my one.
- Use me to reach the lost for Your glory.
