DISTRIBUTION OF POWER

FIRST 9 CHAPTERS

We have seen Jesus doing miracle after miracle.

Teaching the disciples how to pray

Teaching them Kingdom Principles

Showing them what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.

THIS WEEK

We are going to see a different Jesus

We are going to see a Jesus do the unthinkable

We are going to see him do what only Great Leaders do.

I want us to be thinking about something:

Fill in the blank:

When you want something done right, you have to do it _________!

Though it may involve more work on our behalf

Though it gives us greater control of the results

Though the perfectionist in us rages on

There is something about how God builds his Kingdom that is intrinsically different

READ

Matthew 9:35–10:4 NKJV

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 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.” 1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

PRAY THAT OUR CHURCH WOULD GO FROM SPECTATORSHIP TO PARTNERSHIP

Matthew 9:35 NKJV

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Matthew 9:35-

Jesus is continuing to parallel everything that was expected of Messiah

He is continuing to go through cities and villages

Teaching in Synagogues

Which is radical when you think about how dangerous this was for someone like him

Up to this point, many thought he had Messiah-like qualities

Many had seen Him perform miracles

Many had seen Him say things that pertained to the Kingdom

In fact, we read here that He preached a specific message

The Gospel of the Kingdom

The Good News of the Kingdom

Not only was His role fulfilled in what He preached, but in what He did

There was a balance in Jesus’ life

There was an active telling and doing in the way He lived into his calling

There was both preaching and teaching as serving and ministering

It is how Jesus does things

So the question still stands:

Do we want to be more like Jesus?

Do we desire to live into the promises of ?

Romans 8:29 NKJV

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Or do we not care about the model that Jesus left us with?

Maybe we don’t really care about church

Maybe we are over it

Maybe people don’t really matter to us anymore

CHECK OUT WHAT CAUSED JESUS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON MISSION:

Matthew 9:36 NKJV

36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

MATTHEW 9:

When Jesus saw the Multitudes

The Miriads of people wandering about

Following Him without a real purpose but moreso for entertainment.

HE WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION

Splanknizomai

Deep Empathy for the people

A deep concern for the people

A deep suffering/groaning within for the people

What would cause such a deep concern?

None other than a weariness and lack of community

Everyone was trying to do life on their own

Everyone was looking to themselves to provide what only community could cultivate

They had grown weary in their sojourning

They had become like sheep without a Shepherd.

Where were the shepherds?

Where were the leaders of Spiritual Life?

They were too busy creating a burdensome Practicum.

What would Jesus do to fix it?

They were too busy adding to the laws of holiness

They were too busy entertaining their Rabbis.

When the Shepherds are too busy becoming famous, the sheep grow weary and are scattered.

But when the Shepherds are near

When they care

When they are on mission with the Sheep

The Sheep are comforted and encouraged to press on.

WHAT THE PEOPLE NEEDED WAS SHEPHERDS NOT HEIRLINGS.

JESUS KNEW THIS, AND CHECK OUT WHAT HE DOES ABOUT IT

Matthew 9:37 NKJV

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

Matthew 9:

Jesus turns to His disciples and lets them in on a little secret

“Fellas, it may not look like it”

But I’m telling you

The Harvest is truly plentiful

But the laborers are few

Up to this point Jesus had been doing all the work

He had been the one performing the miracles

He had been the one healing people

He had been living into the requirements of Messiah

The reality was that there was some work that needed to be done

Work that could have been done perfectly by the Father

Work that could be done better, faster, and have greater results

But like I said earlier,

But like I said earlier,

God has chosen to work through people not independent of people.

Because of His love for us

Because he believes in us

Because of the work that He is doing in us

He draws us into His Mission

He calls us into His Father’s Business

He asks us to join Him on this Life Changing Journey

CHURCH, HE IS TELLING HIS DISCIPLES THAT THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL.

ACCORDING TO:

2 Peter 3:9 NKJV

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Ezekiel 33:11 NKJV

11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

GOD’S HEART FOR PEOPLE IS THAT THEY WOULD BE SAVED

IF HE IS TELLING US THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY WANT, NEED, AND DESIRE SALVATION

THE PROBLEM ISN’T THAT THE GOSPEL IS POWERLESS, THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE AREN’T WILLING TO LABOR.

EVEN MORE CONVICTING, IF PEOPLE AREN’T GETTING SAVED, ITS PROBABLY BECAUSE WE AREN’T EVEN PRAYING

Matthew 9:38 NKJV

38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Church, I am here to remind you that the Harvest is still plentiful

I am here to tell you that Jesus is still in the business of saving souls

If we are not going to colabor with Him

The least we can do is pray that there would be enough laborers for the Harvest

The very least we can do is pray for those who are willing to live on Mission

If you are going to bench yourself, can you at least pray?

Notice what Jesus does

He tells them that the Harvest is Plentiful

Then lets them in on the reality of the Harvest

Tells them that we need more laborers in order to accomplish what He wills

Asks them to pray for more laborers

Then check out what happens in 10:1-4

Matthew 10:1–4 NKJV

1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

He calls the 12

He gives them power

He gave them authority over unclean spirits

He gave them power to cast them out

He gave them power to Heal all kinds of sicknesses and diseases

Notice how the calling came before the equipping

You think the disciples were scared?

You think they knew what they were doing?

You think they felt adequate to labor for the Kingdom?

You think they were all extroverts?

You think they were all secure in their calling?

Where they even saved?

JESUS IN HIS PLAN TO POPULATE HEAVEN WORKS THROUGH UNQUALIFIED BUT WILLING PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO MOVED WITH COMPASSION WHEN THEY SEE LOST AND BROKEN PEOPLE

THE CHURCH WILL NOT REACH PERFECTION UNTIL ITS WEDDING DAY

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CHURCH, YOU WILL MISS THE WEDDING DAY.

WHEN ALL OF ITS MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED

HE WOULD HAVE DONE IT HIMSELF

FROM THE CORRUBTIBLE TO THE INCORRUPTIBLE

FROM THE MORTAL TO THE IMMORTAL

FROM THE SINFUL TO THE SINLESS

PHILL

Philippians 3:12–14 NKJV

12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

WE ARE A WORK IN PROGRESS

We are his workmanship

We are His masterpiece

What He has begun in us He will perfect