It's Time to Go

Thank you Pastor Beck for giving me this opportunity serve God and thank you for the church for being so kind to us.

Introduction: More than 50 years ago, Elder Bruce Dana, a missionary got into his car with his companion to head to an appointment. The two left their windows open because it was a hot August day in St. Maries, Idaho. As soon as Dana sat down, a kitten that crawled in through the open window jumped on his back and dug its claws into the missionary’s left shoulder. “I thought the devil had a hold of me,” Dana said, and though at the time he yelled because he was terrified, later he said he and his companion had a good laugh about the incident. “The world is pretty negative, and laughter is the best medicine,” Dana said. “We’re just trying to help people, even in the church, live a happy gospel.”

Missionary Bruce Dana was right. The world is negative in general, especially toward Christianity today. If you look around the world, Christians are being executed and even in our country today. A lot of Christians are being arrested for going to church due to this pandemic stay at home order. Christians should not let this be a discouragement, but rather re-joyed for a task to go and do the will of God.

Please turn your Bible to Matthew 9:35-38.

Before we get started, let looks at the context so we can fully understand it.

The authority displayed by Jesus in word and deed in chapter 5-9 is now seen extended to his disciples. Their ministry is carefully presented as parallel to and derived from that of Jesus in this second collection of Jesus’ teaching. Matthew prefaced this charge with a demonstration of the King’s power, as he prefaced the Sermon on the Mount by authenticating the King’s qualifications. Before the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus separated from the multitudes, but here He has compassion on them. Then He ministered to His disciples, but now He sends His disciples to minister to the multitudes in Israel.

What tasks should Christian do in this world?

Incomplete Sentence: Christians should:

Body

I. We Should Go Find People Who Want to Hear v. 35

Matthew 9:35 NKJV

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.

A. People just don’t naturally come to hear the Gospel.

Note: In today’s world, people normally don’t go to church because of many reasons. Some of the reason can be from what they experienced in the past.

Illustration: One day at work, I was stocking the cooler with a co-worker and he was a new guy, so I tried to get to know him by seeing what was going on in his life by just making small talks. For some reason, we started to talk about church, and I mentioned that I go to church nearby. Then I asked him to see whether he went to church or not. He told me this, “I used to go to church, but the church I used to attend, the pastor talks about money and tithing a lot. I understand that tithing is important, but He was talking about money like every other week.”

Therefore, we must go out in the world to find people who want to listen to God’s word.

B. Jesus went to find people to teach, v. 35a

1. Where did he search? v. 35b

a. He searched in all cities

b. He searched in all villages.

2. Why did he search for the people? v. 35c

a. So that He can teach the gospel in their synagogues

b. So that He can heal the sick

Illustration: Sometime, you don’t have to go anywhere to find people who want to listen to what you have to say about the Bible.

Sometime when my dad looking for his keys and was asking everyone in the house, “where is my keys?” To a point that he thought someone moved them, and he thought that he left it somewhere on the property. Sometimes he can get angry and frustrated, but the whole time, he has his keys in his hand or in his pockets.

There are a lot of people around us, yet we thought that we need to go find people elsewhere, but they were there around us all the time. We just need to get out of our comfort zone and make relationships and talk about Christ.

II. We Should Recognize People Who Want to Hear vv. 36-37

A. Jesus has compassion on the multitude v. 36a.

Matthew 9:36 NKJV

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

Note: Here the humanity of Christ allowed expression of His attitude toward sinners in terms of human passion. He was moved with compassion. Whereas God, who is immutable, is not subject to the rise and fall and change of emotions. Christ, who was fully human with all the faculties of humanity, was on occasion moved to literal tears over the plight of sinners (MacArthur, John. NIV Study Bible. Print, 1390-91. 2013).

1. He has compassion because they are fainted v. 36b.

2. He has compassion because they are helpless v. 36b.

Illustration: Jesus compared the multitude as sheep without a shepherd.

Sheep are clueless and just dumb in general. I saw a video clip of a sheep that got its head stuck in the fence because the other side of the fence was green grass. Only if it walks down fifteen yards, the gate to that side of the fence is wide open.

Just like these sheep without a shepherd, we too do things that we ought not to do.

B. Jesus used this opportunity to teaches the disciples v. 37.

Matthew 9:37 NKJV

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

Note: Jesus’ figure of speech in addressing to His disciples, however, was an agricultural one. He wanted to infuse His compassion for the multitudes into them. Jesus viewed Israel as a field composed of many stalks of grain. They needed gathering for placement in the barns of the kingdom. They would die where they were, and the nation would suffer ruin if workers did not bring them in soon.

Jesus used the opportunity of compassion for the soul of the multitudes, he taught his disciples how great the harvest for the soul is, but there are few workers who want to do the collecting.

1. The harvest is plenteous v.37a.

2. The workers are few v.37b.

Note: When we realize that the field for harvest is enormous, we can get overwhelmed. Sometimes people get shut down and become discouraged. Therefore, we must teach others to tell others about Christ. The need for Salvation is enormous, we just need to pray to the God of it all. He is the one in control and the one who know it all. Just trust in Him.

III. We Should Pray v. 38

Matthew 9:38 NKJV

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

A. Pray to God for opportunities continue to open its door v.38a.

B. Pray for people to take those opportunities as it come v.38b.

Note: Unfortunately, there were not enough workers to do this massive task. Jesus commanded His disciples to beseech God, the Lord of the harvest, to provide additional laborers for His harvest.

Conclusion

Question: What should Christians do in the world?

Incomplete Sentence: Christians should:

I. We Should Go Find People Who Want to Hear.

II. We Should Recognize People Who Want to Hear.

III. We Should Pray.

Closing Application: Jesus went through towns and villages to find people who willing to listen to His teaching, the teaching of salvation. The time of people came to listen to the message of God has passed, we as Christians should go out and search for those who willing to listen like Jesus did in v.35. We should recognize that there are a lot of souls are ripe for the harvest. Therefore, we must pray to God to help send the laborers to help teaching His word to the lost. Christians, will you being willing to go out to the world and be a laborer? It doesn’t meant to go across the ocean, but just around you. Whether in your workplace, school, or in the community, will you be willing to recognized that the harvest is vast and help reach the lost?