GOD CAN USE YOU

TEXT: Matthew 9:36-10:7

I.          GOD CAN USE YOU WHEN YOU SEE OTHERS COMPASSIONATELY (Matthew 9:36a)

A.        Because of the power of Christian love

1.      This is a reason from within

a)      God is the author of live

b)      If we have Christ in our lives we should have love

2.      Because we love Christ for what He has done

3.      Christian love has the power to accept and love people who are different from us

a)      It reaches out in compassionate tenderness to people in need

b)      Story of serviceman in San Diego returning from Korean war

B.        Because of the desperate condition of the lost

1.      This is a reason from without

2.      The Christian should be moved to compassion

a)      Because of where the lost will spend eternity

(1)  Description of Hell

b)      The lost have no answer to their problems

(1)  Apart from Christ's answer to life's problems, we would all be as a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat which isn't there

3.      Nothing is so tragic as a soul who has no purpose in life

II.       GOD CAN USE YOU WHEN YOU RESPOND TO A CHALLENGE ENTHUSIASTICALLY (9:37)

A.        Christ faced squarely the difficulty of the challenge of evangelizing His people

1.      The task was overwhelming and so few were willing to become involved

2.      Christ responded to the challenge not with despair or defeatism but with enthusiasm

3.      As long as your response to a difficult or a big undertaking is that of doubt, fear and despair you will never be anything but a do nothing

B.        Because of the tremendous job to be done

1.      To turn to Christ men who are trying to escape the boredom of life is a tremen­dous job

2.      We are living in an age of escapism

C.        Because there are few willing to become involved

1.      If so few are willing to respond there ­is no time to waste

III.    GOD CAN USE YOU WHEN YOU COME TO HIM PRAYERFULLY

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

1.      Instead of this Christ says we should come to God prayerfully

B.        Come to Him prayerfully acknowledging that this is His harvest

1.      We are only His reapers, but we must enter the fields if the harvest is to be gathers

C.        Come to Him prayerfully believing that more people will get involved

1.      Sometimes we feel that we can’t do the job alone

2.      We must not wait until others get involved before we enter the field

IV.    GOD CAN USE YOU WHEN YOU ACCEPT HIS POWER TRUSTINGLY (Matthew 10:1)

A.        Because of the source of the power

1.      Christ was power

2.      Holy Spirit is power (Acts 1:8)

B.        Because of the purpose of the power

1.      Win the lost to Christ

V.       GOD CAN USE YOU WHEN YOU SHARE THE GOSPEL JOYFULLY (Matthew 10:7)

A.        You can share the Gospel joyfully because of the power of the Gospel

1.      It saves people

B.        You can share the Gospel joyfully because of the availability of salvation (Matthew 10:7)

1.      Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved