Matthew 9:36 - 10:7

Purposeful Living this 2023

Introduction:

Joyful and Blessed New Year to us all!

The year 2022 may end, but the grace of God is unending!

I have entitled this morning’s sermon - “Purposeful Living this 2023: Living for the Glory of God”

I have prepared a 2 Parts Series - for today and for the next Sunday.

Allow me to begin by telling you of a fascinating and encouraging truth about Allegheny ants. Allegheny ants are common species in the eastern United States, they help enrich forest areas by carrying tons of soil from below ground to the surface.

A 3 year study by the University of Wisconsin revealed that one colony of ants moved 15 tons of subsoil (equivalent to 5 Mitsubishi Monteros), building clusters of large mounds - 2.5 feet height, 6 feet wide, 6 feet depth below the ground.

This “deep plowing” increased the nutrients, clay, and organic matter of the surface soil in the forest.

No wonder the writer of Proverbs (6:6) said, “Go to the ant…consider her ways and be wise”...

If God can use tiny Allegheny ants to move 15 tons of subsoil to the surface, to bring nourishments to the trees and plants, surely God can use you in 2023 to bring glory to His name!

God created the Allegheny ants for a purpose.

You have been CREATED, SAVED, and CALLED by God for a purpose!

The Bible is very clear as to what our purpose in life should be.

Men in both the Old and New Testaments sought for and discovered life’s purpose. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, discovered the pointlessness of life when it is lived only for this world.

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 NIV

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Solomon gives these concluding remarks in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Solomon says that life is all about honoring God with our thoughts and lives and thus keeping His commandments, for one day we will stand before Him in judgment. Part of our purpose in life is to fear God and obey Him.

This morning allow me to share to you 5 important lessons from God’s Word that we’ve read this morning, as we look at our master and LORD Jesus Christ, who lived a purposeful life while He was on earth....

I believe that the Word of God is living and active, and it will not return to God void but shall accomplish his purposes - and that is to bring the needed transformation of every believer!

I trust that God will speak to you and me, and help us fulfill our calling so we can live a purposeful life this 2023.

Matthew 9:36 NASB95

Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.

Matthew is showing us a glimpse of the heart of Jesus - He is compassionate towards the people in distressed and troubled.

Matthew records 7x he repeatedly described the compassion of Jesus.

As we are called to become more like Jesus - it is imperative that we also must possess a compassionate heart - like Jesus!

I. God can use you when you see others with compassion (Matthew 9:36)

Because of God’s compassionate heart, God can use you to reach out the lost and show compassion to those in need.

This new year 2023, many are still lost - emotionally lost, financially bankrupt, and spiritually lost - they don’t have hope!

People around you, especially the unbelievers need your compassion! They are desperately lost and they need to be rescued from their sins and unbelief!

God can you use as His mouthpiece to tell them the good news of salvation that Jesus offers.

Matthew 9:12–13 NASB95

But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The Pharisees have the knowledge of the truth, but they don’t have compassion for the lost.

There’s a big tendency that you now possess the knowledge of the truth - you may be able to explain what the gospel is - but do you have compassion?

Jesus desires for us to have compassion - not just knowledge, not just sacrifices of any kind.

May we have compassion to reach out those who are in need - not just for those who need physical and material needs - but above all the SPIRITUAL NEED! (Their SOUL)

For Christians, the marching of time is a friend to us because Jesus is nearing His 2nd coming!

But for Unbelievers, the marching of time is a terrible enemy! Their time is ticking! Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead!

Where will they go if they are not washed with the blood of Jesus?

Dear Christian, ikaw nga gipakamatyan ni Jesus, do not waste your time and resources on trivial things!

Live with a purpose - make it a desire to show compassion to the lost this year and in the years to come!

Matthew 9:37 NASB95

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Jesus is using an agricultural terms to send his message clearly and powerfully with the use of imagery that is common to them:

The harvest is referring to the unbelievers.

The workers refers to christians who are called to evangelize. The field is ready for reaping.

Jesus saw that there is much to be done, and only few are willing to get involved in proclaiming the Gospel!

II. God can use you when you respond and accept God’s calling with enthusiasm (Matthew 9:37)

Evangelism is a very challenging and very overwhelming task!

That is why only a few were willing to be involved!

The Christians in the past were disowned and killed because of their compassion for the lost - that they did not waiver despite the threat against their life!

Matthew 10:21–22 NASB95

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

Compassion for the lost can get you hurt, or even killed - Jesus already said this.

Nevertheless, we are called to respond, not with fear but with hope and courage because Jesus is with us!

You who are saved by the death of Christ, will you only live for your self?

The harvest are plenty but the laborers are few!

Brothers and sisters, we who belong to Christ are called to labor, to serve!

Be involved in serving the LORD here in His local church - look at our church - the workers are few!

Matthew 9:38 NASB95

“Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

Beseech - pray, ask, beg…this is in the imperative form - a command.

In the face of the overwhelming challenge, we are tempted to come to God mournfully, complaining about the heavy burden he has placed on us.

But Christ commands that we should come to God prayerfully.

III. God can use you when you come to Him Prayerfully (Matthew 9:38)

Prayer is our direct communication to God. We are called to pray and commune with God.

Prayer is an act of dependence before God...

A. Come to God prayerfully, acknowledging that this is His harvest.

God is the “Lord” of the harvest - it means that he is the owner of the harvest.

The saving of souls is the work of Jesus, we are just gatherers and reapers - but we must enter the fields if the harvest is to be gathered!

B. Come to God prayerfully, believing that more people will get involved.

We must not wait until others get involved before we enter the fields - we must get involved praying and believing that others will join us!

Prayer is useful…though God be not changed by it in Himself, yet the real change…is made by it on ourselves… - Richard Baxter

When we pray for more workers - we get to become that worker.

Faith is to prayer what the feather is to the arrow: without it prayer will not hit the mark.- J.C Ryle

Faith and Prayer must go together.

Pray to the LORD of the Harvest, Jesus Christ, for you to be able to live purposeful life this 2023

May the LORD help us to: Pray by FAITH, Live by Faith, and Walk with Faith.

We will continue the Part 2 of this 2 part series next Sunday.