Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro;

In his poem, "The Second Coming," William Butler Yeats wrote, "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity."

What a summary of the times in which we are living today: the worst have their passionate intensity, while the best lack all conviction.

The simple fact of the matter is this, while a world full of people that are searching for answers, looking for something to fill the void in their lives....we, THE CHURCH, sit idly by sidelined by indifference, infighting, ineffectiveness, unwilling to address the internal issues within the church and within our own lives.

We have the answer to every question, the solution to every problem, the remedy for every disease, hope for the hopeless, peace for those beaten down by the storms of life, and forgiveness for the sins of the World, all found in the person of Jesus Christ.

The church is more concerned with politics than we are our purpose!

The church has become more obsessed with who currently sits in office and we fill our time debating amongst ourselves the political rumblings of the day instead of focusing on our purpose in this World!

How about the church become more concerned with our Father's business than we our currently concerned with Washington's business?!?!?!

But yet, we must confess, the church has become nothing more than a slight resemblance to what Christ left when he ascended into the heavens and commanded his disciples to tarry in Jerusalem and wait for the Promise of the Holy Spirit for the Purpose of fulfilling THE GREAT COMMISSION and reaching the World with the message that Jesus Saves!!

We have the form of Godliness but deny the power thereof, due to the many things that consumer our time and focus other than the reason as to why we exist!

God didn't save you to sit on a pew!

We must confess that we have become more like the pharisees and sadducees in that we are more content to teach the vanity of men's traditions and more concerned with the way things appear instead of coming to grips with the reality of the way things are.

We are as is so accurately told in

- When you think of harvest you think of farmers.

- Everything rises & falls on the harvest.

- Will they keep the farm another year?.... Depends on the harvest.

* A farm can only last so long without a harvest.

· It can become a "hobby farm"

· A hobby Farm does not need a harvest to exist.

Afraid many of our churches have become ... "hobby churches".

You see everything depends upon the harvest at harvest time!!

- Other things become secondary.

The harvest waits for no man.

Matthew 9: 36-38 & Luke 10:1-4 ...... Talks about the harvest!

Harvest time was the happiest time of the year in Palestine

It was marked by many religious festivals & feasts.

SHOW ME A CHURCH WITHOUT HARVEST AND

I’LL SHOW YOU A CHURCH WITHOUT JOY!

Jesus is not pleased with:

1. Fishing without catching (Luke 5:4-11)

- Ever fish like that? ... boring!! .. Rest? ..

You can rest in heaven!

2.

An empty banquet table (Luke 14:16-24)

- go into the highways & by ways .. compel: "Grab & pull them in"

3. Sowing without reaping (Matt.13:

3-9)

4. Fig tree with no fruit (Luke 13: 6-9)

- green leaves & shade were not good enough.

5. Lost sheep not brought into the fold (Luke 15)

6. Lost coin not sought & found (Luke 15)

7. A good harvest that is not reaped (Matt.

9: 36-38)

8. Proclamation with no response (Matt.

10: 14)

– Not just hearers but doers ... shake dust off & move on!

THE URGENCY OF THE HARVEST (Matthew 9: 36-38)

1.

We Have a Tendency To Postpone The Harvest.

- Sneak this in from John 4:35

- You say in four months!!

Jesus says: OPEN YOUR EYES!! LOOK AND SEE!! NOW!!!

"Lift up your eyes" ..... WHY? ... They are on yourself!

- Nothing will distract you more from the harvest than your eyes on yourself!!

Not later!!! ..... NOW!! "ALREADY TO HARVEST!!"

"Lift up your eyes" ... YOU HAVE A PURPOSE!!!

First principle of URGENCY: IT IS READY NOW ... WE JUST HAVE TO SEE IT.

* Eyes off ourselves ... eyes off the ground ... Look to the fields!

SEE FOR YOURSELF!

• Jesus WENT - SAW - FELT – COMPASSION

2. The Harvest Is Plentiful (Matt.

9:36-37)

A conservative estimate of 25-30,000 people in our three county area that are LOST

The shortage is not found in the harvest!

Open your eyes ... lift up your eyes ... look on the fields ... white ...

Wherever there is darkness .... there is harvest!!

Try and count the kernels of Corn!

Try and count the grains of Wheat!

The "hobby church" doesn’t see nor need the Harvest!!

3. The Harvest Is Valuable

- Not likened to sand, pebbles ... grass .. BUT FIELDS.

- Importance , significance, worth.

- Again the existence of the farm depends upon the harvest!

Not just numbers .... people!!!

Not just multitudes of numbers ... multitudes of people!!

4. The Harvest Is Ready

- The people of this world are more ready to receive the Good News than the church is ready to give it.

- If we don’t believe that we will not share the Gospel.

*** Attitude: Nobody wants to hear it.

Gallop Poll : Over 6 million people "What would it take to get you to church?"

#1 Answer: Someone to ask me to attend.

5.

The Danger Of The Harvest

- Lies in the last few principles : Readiness ... Value ... Plenty ...

- Reap now or never.

WHY?

Time of harvest will end ... what’s missed is lost!!

You cannot harvest when YOU have the time.

- You don’t say in July ... I’m not going to wait for Sept/Oct.

.. I have time Now!

Jesus recognized this issue and points to another principle of the harvest!

6.

The Workers Are Few (Matt.

9: 37)

- Some are reaping all they can ... But it is not enough!

- Jesus believed that results are proportionate to means used.

You can use a combine on the corn.

It’s people that harvest people.

How did you come to know the Lord?

.0001%

.........TV or Crusade

1-2% ............. Cold turkey evangelism

2-4% ............. Church program

3-6% ............. Sunday School

4-6% ............. "Walk-in"

6-8% ............. Minister

74% ............. Friends and relatives

A survey among evangelical Christians revealed that 95 percent of those polled had never led another person to Christ.

7. The Workers Are Special (Matt.

9:37)

- Labourers .....