Prepare for the Harvest

Good morning and welcome to CCC. Teachers and students at Nevada R5 we made it. Summer is officially here. What a blessing that is, well at least for the teachers and students…parents....tag you are it....we had them for 9 months during the day it is your turn.

I joke, kinda, but really the last day of school this past Friday was hard. It was full of emotions and feelings.

I struggle with the end of the school year, especially working with behavior students as I know what some of those kids are going home to or better yet what is not at home

safety

security

food

ability to meet basic needs

Jesus

So many of our students go home to hate filled homes

To homes where abuse is normal

Homes where they have to truly worry about where their next meal is coming from

Homes where 8 and 9 year olds are not playing with toys and friends but being a parent to their siblings

There were a lot of tears friday and it tore at my heart.......

That was the end of the day

The beginning and middle were also very emotional for me

Last week I spoke last week about my real struggle these past few years that God brought to a head this school year and more specifically the past couple of weeks....if you missed check out our website under media and the sermon contentment in recent sermons to hear that

Friday morning God again opened my eyes and heart

God again drove home to me that I was right where I needed to be

I was walking around Benton fighting back tears as God was speaking to my heart. 

He kept saying you love it here,

you love the kids,

you love the staff,

this is the best place you have worked in terms of culture and truly wanting what is best for kids. 

I placed you there and you were going to walk away from all of that.

That hit me like a ton of bricks and then faces began to come to mind

Faces of some very special ladies God placed in my path to help me as He grew me this past year

My beautiful bride and about 6 ladies I work with at Benton

God showed me when I was broken

When i was crushed

when i was vulnerable and defeated

they were there

All of these ladies have seen the real me and none of them held that against me

None of them judged me

They just loved me and helped me in any way they could

It was such a beautiful few moments

I was led to email them and express my gratitude and pure thankfulness for each of them and everything they did in my life and the help they selflessly gave me

Look for God moments

fingerprints of God

because they are everywhere

When you find them give Him thanks and thank anyone He used in your life!

Let’s Pray

START RECORDING

This morning I felt led to talk about something western churches dont do well at all

We, CCC, are getting better but still need to improve here as well

I first want to start with an overall perspective…God’s perspective so therefore it must be ours as well

2 Peter 3:9

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“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

That is God’s heart

Is that truly your heart?

God has laid on my heart a couple of sermon series that we will dive into this summer. One Spiritual Warfare and the other Balance

As God prepares us for “IT” we must prepare for opposition

Before we can prepare for opposition we must make sure our hearts are right

That our perspective is Godly and we are focused on what God is focused on

The harvest

God wants none to perish but all come to repentance

Repentance must be achieved before salvation can be accepted

Are you prepared for the harvest?

have you repented leading to salvation?

Is your name written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life?

If not yo must start there

Nothing else matters until through the Holy Spirit you repent, confess and make Jesus Lord and Savior of your life

Nothing else matters

not bank accounts

not job promotions or awards

Not family

not friends

not ministry

not religion

Nothing matters but repentance leading to salvation

If you have never accepted Jesus

if you have never repented and confessed

If you have never died to yourself to live from Jesus today may be the day

If Jesus is calling you wont you please answer His call?????

After you answer the call you have a two fold focus

proclaiming the gospel....leading others to Christ and teaching and discipling and being taught and being discipled

That is where we are this morning and quite frankly something all of us, including me can do much better at

If our individual and corporate focus was the harvest....IT…bringing people to salvation and discipleship…this place would be packed

why

because people all around us are desperately searching for what we have.....JESUS!!!!!!!

This morning I want to look to Jesus to find our proper perspective that I pray drives our every step

our every minute of every day going forward

both individually and corporately here at CCC

Matthew 9:35–38

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“And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.””

I want to pull 4 truths from this scripture this morning

4 truths that should have a major influence over our lives and how we live them

1. To draw people to Jesus they must see Jesus in you....proclaiming the gospel

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Our society is desperately seeking Jesus

They are shoving so many crazy things into the hole in their hearts that only God can fill through Jesus!

Pride

money

lust

sex

drugs

hobbies

alcohol

power

things

you name it they are chasing it and shoving it in that hole

They chase it so hard and every time they catch it

every time they find it they are crushed and disappointed

Jesus didnt use fancy smoke and mirrors to draw people

no He used the truth

Authentic truth

authentic love

authentic compassion

He was unapologetic

He was unashamed of Truth and His Father

He loved completely and fully

Agape love

selfless love

sacrificial love

When was the last time you loved a complete stranger with agape love?

When was the last time you loved a lost person with agape love?

When was the last time you spoke Truth to a complete stranger?

When was the last time you spoke Truth to a lost person?

When was the last time you proclaimed the gospel to a complete stranger?

When was the last time you proclaimed the gospel to a lost person?

You and I as Christians are called to proclaim the Gospel

Matthew 28:19–20

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“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Jesus wasn’t suggesting you go

Jesus wasnt mandating you hire pastors and support missionaries

We should hire pastors

we should support missionaries

but if that is your idea of go you miss Jesus

Go

make disciples

baptize

teach

proclaim the gospel

you

personally

you are to go

you are to make disciples

you are to baptize

you are to teach

you are to proclaim the gospel

Now you must understand you do not do it through your power

Acts 1:8

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“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””

The Holy Spirit empowers you

They Holy Spirit allows you to be Jesus witness to Nevada, Vernon County, Missouri, USA, the world You....empowered by the Holy Spirit

Go

Proclaim the Gospel

Draw people to Jesus!!!!!!

The western church and Christians are asleep

either they are ignorant.......

they just don’t care.....

or they are defiant about the call to proclaim the Gospel

2 Timothy 4:1–2

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“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

Again this is not a suggestion

This is an expectation

A charge

IN the presence of God and Christ Jesus.....this is very important

What is that charge....preach the Word

be ready in season and out of season

you are to always be prepared....prepared for what

the harvest

Reprove is from a Greek verb meaning to admonish, convict, convince

Rebuke is from a Greek verb meaning to tax upon, forbid, charge

Exhort is from a Greek verb meaning to call near, invite, beseech, comfort

We are called to always be ready to admonish, convict, convince, forbid, charge one another by speaking the Truth and standing on the Truth....God’s Truth

Also to call near…invite....comfort those around us

Be authentic

you belong to Jesus as a Christian

be Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit to others with patience

Loving as Jesus loves

rebuking

reproving

exhorting

teaching others as Jesus does that to you

Proclaim the gospel and you will draw near to Jesus!!!!!!!!

2. Compassion for the Lost

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Jesus was fully God and at the same time fully man

That means He experienced everything you and I experience as humans

He had and felt every emotion we have and feel

Jesus had compassion

He was moved with compassion

moved with compassion comes from a Greek verb meaning feel sympathy…to pity…be moved

compassion moves you to action

Jesus was moved to action

Why was He moved with compassion

because of the state the people were in

harassed

helpless

you and i were harassed and helpless before Jesus

the lost are broken

helpless

harassed

they are lost with zero hope

He compares them to sheep without a shepherd

That is bad news

sheep will be destroyed without a shepherd

Because Jesus knew their state He was moved with compassion

When was the last time you had compassion for the lost because of their state?

Not to mention moved with compassion?

You are to be moved with compassion for the lost

you know what awaits them

you know that without Jesus they will face the full wrath of God

they will die the second death and suffer eternity in hell separated from God

That should move you with compassion to proclaim the Gospel

3. Jesus is the Only Shepherd

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John 14:6

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“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus is the way

the truth

the life

and NO ONE comes to the Father except through Him

Proclaim Him

Proclaim the gospel

proclaim the good news of Christ!!!

proclaim the good news of the cross

proclaim the gospel

the good news of Christ crucified to pay for sins and risen from the dead to give eternal life!!!!!

Psalm 23

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“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

This particular psalm has really be on me lately

So many times this psalm is used at funerals and rightfully so but to say it is only good when someone dies sells this so short

Look at the beautiful passage

portraying a perfect shepherd

Because of Jesus as shepherd you have not want

all you need is given to you by God Himself

He is your protector and provider

You find rest in Jesus....lie down in green pastures....Jesus is your rest

Restores your soul..Jesus is your renewal and restoration....places yo in right standing with God Almighty

Jesus leads you on the path of righteousness

He is with you no matter the circumstances or situation you face here on earth

You have hope because of Jesus.....your table is prepared in the presences of your enemies…

you are safe

you are secure in His arms

You have nothing to fear so therefore you proclaim Jesus!!!!!

4. Pray for laborers

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First pray your heart is right

that you are a laborer

that you seek the harvest

that you are prepared to do all God created you to do

Do you truly have a kingdom perspective?

Are you driven by IT

proclaiming the Gospel to reach the lost

Speaking and living truth in fellowship and discipleship to grow yourself and help others grow in Christ?

Is that the focus of your life?

If not you are not a laborer but a consumer

Jesus never called you to be a consumer of the Gospel

You are to proclaim the Gospel

Live the Gospel

Just as Jesus was all in at the cross and died for you and for me......

You must be all in for Jesus and die to you....everyday.....dead to you

dead to sin

dead to flesh

dead to your desires

dead to your lusts

dead to your emotions

nailing them all to the cross everyday so that you may live in Christ Jesus

Before looking outside you must ask God to show you what is on the inside

Pray for others both from a kingdom perspective…worldwide and a local perspective…CCC nevada mo

Pray God continues to bring laborers to join shields with us here at CCC

Pray we grow to reach more lost souls

Proclaim the gospel

pray for reinforcements

I truly believe God has wonderful

big

eternity changing plans for us at CCC to carry out in Nevada

However if we are not a body of doers He will accomplish it through others

Proclaim the gospel

I challenge you to find someone everyday this week to proclaim the gospel to

I challenge you to invite one person....a different person everyday this week to church

Proclaim the Gospel and watch God work!!!!!

Those around you are dying and going to hell

You have friends and family members who are lost and will go to hell when they die

You must be moved with compassion because Jesus was moved with compassion

If you see the lost and feel nothing or even worse feel hate or contempt toward them

You need to check your heart.......that is not Jesus that is satan

You need to get with God and ask Him to search your heart

Search your soul

Search your life and show you what you need to surrender

what you need to give to Him

what you need to stop doing

what you need to start doing

Pray that God truly gives you compassion on the lost

compassion for your brothers and sisters in Christ

Pray that God gives you through the Holy Spirit an unstoppable drive to proclaim the Gospel and disciple yourself and others

Pray that God gives you IT

Opposition is real

Spiritual warfare is real

Your faith must be real

If your heart is not on repentance you must ask yourself if you have the heart of God......

you must ask yourself do you have Jesus

you must ask yourself do you have the Holy Spirit

Because that is their heart.....none should perish but all come to repentance

Whatever God has laid upon your heart it is time to come

You and I are made for more than chasing after things, money, power, drugs, sex, alcohol, hobbies, worldly goods and things

You and I were made by God to be used for God to do the good works He created for you to do

You and I were made to be in fellowship with God and others and to constantly proclaim the Gospel

You were made for more.......the question is are you living for more?

If not come

STOP RECORDING

Invitation Made for More