Dedicated To The Men of God
Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are
"Preach The Word"
Harvest Time
Text: Matt. 9:35-39
Introduction:
The ministry of Jesus was short but the Son of God touched many lives. Although Christ could have done many other things, He spent much of His time teaching and preaching. "Teaching" primarily has the idea of instruction, while "preaching" or heralding puts stress upon exhortation and rebuke. All true preaching centers around "the gospel"(v.35). We need to be more like Jesus and "see the multitudes"(v.36).
A rekatively short time ago, Russia opened u he gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I said when that happened, that we have better go through the open door and do what we can, because our opportunity will not last forever. I read recently that the door may be closing in Russia to open preaching of the Word and distribution of the Bible.
Men and women, boys and girls are dying without Jesus all of the time, so we need to be about the Master’s business. It is not difficult to find our what the Lord’s plan for our lives is today. Jesus said this in John 20:21, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."
The harvest must be gleaned for it will perish if it is not gathered.
Illustration:
One of my church members owns a nice farm near Old Fort. There was a church several years ago that asked him if they could use his rich fertile fields to plants watermelons to raise and sell to raise money. He allowed they to do it, but they only gathered the melons for so long. After a while the fields lay full of melons, good, delicious watermelons, that lay in the fields, ready to gather, but they lay perishing, because no one would harvest them. That is about where we are in the church age.
There is a harvest to gather but several attitudes that often stand in the way to :
1. Some do not understand
Need for evangelizing has not been stressed.
2. Some will not hear
There are those who are fatalists.
They seem to believe that God has marked out certain people for heaven and hell, thus, those who ar elected to go to heaven will get in and those who are no have no opportunity to be saved.
If I believed like that, I would tend to think that the offer of Jesus to the lost of "whosoever will may come," would not be a genuine offer. When Christ made that offer it was genuine. He really meant what He said.
3. Sone do not care
There are those who understand, who listen to the challenge to reach out and seek souls, and yet do not seem to care that people are dying without the Lord Jesus Christ, and are headed for a Christ-less eternity, and suffering worlds without end.
I. PRECEPTS AND THE HARVEST
(V.35) ‘teaching" "preaching"
We must give out truth to bring in the harvest.
In Jn. 8:32 , Jesus says, " And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Sin has a binding power. Not just anything can correct sin’s power, it takes the Word of God proclaimed to set men free. That is why the preacher should, "Preach, preacher preach." That is why the Sunday School teacher, should, "Teach, teacher teach." Giving out the Word of God is an essential element of reaching the losts for the Lord Jesus.
Illustration:
If we hope to lead people to Christ, it is vital that we learn to rely upon the "Sword of the Spirit."
Dr. Broadus, a Southern Baptist professor and preacher, was asked on one occasion by a fine student, not a Christian however, to write in his autograph book. Dr. Broadus wrote in it three Greek words which mean: "One thing thou lackest."
Years later Dr. Broadus received a letter from a distinguished medical doctor in Texas. In the letter the doctor stated that he had never been able to forget that one sentence in his album and trusted that now he had the one thing that formerly he lacked.
PRECEPTS AND THE HARVEST
II. PASSION AND THE HARVEST
(V.36) "moved with compassion"
This happened when he took time to "see."
The word "compassion" is found 41 times in the Bible in 39 different verses. It means to "to enter sympathetically into someone else’s sorrow and pain." God in the Bible is seen to be full of compassion. Thus, if we are like Jesus then we will be full of compassion or we will enter sympathetically into others’ sorrows, distresses, hurts and pain.
If we are like Jesus, when others are hurting, we cannot but help to feel with them in their need.
Jude says, "And some have compassion making a difference."
Your will reach more people by feeling with them than you will
going into their house and immediately condemning them.
PRECEPTS AND THE HARVEST--PASSION AND THE HARVEST
III. PERSERVERANCE AND THE HARVEST
(V.36)"they fainted" - they should have gotten busy in gathering in the harvest and kept busy at bringing in the lost.
It is so easy to get tired when you are bring in the harvest.
Illustration:
Every year outside the parsonage, I always grow what I call cherry tomatoes. My wife doesn’t want them in the landscape of the front yard, but they somehow wind up there every year. I put the miracle grow to them every couple of weeks and have tomatoes up until frost. Well, I looked out the other day and saw some beautiful small tomatoes handing on the vine. I said to myself, "They are calling for cold weather to come. I had better get those tomatoes off before they are ruin. After picking cherry tomatoes all summer long, I fainted. I was tired of picking those things. I wanted one this morning, and I realized, you know they are hanging on the vine ruined, because I fainted in my responsibility to keep them pulled off the vine as they ripened. Now, no one will eat any more of them.
They are ruined.
So many are perishing.
We often fail to throw out the life-line to those drowning in the sea of sin.
IV. PURPOSE AND THE HARVEST
(V.36) "scattered abroad" "sheep having no shepherd"
The lost wander aimlessly without spiritual direction.
God will give them purpose and direction for living.
The lost are somewhat like a weather-vane. It blows whatever direction the wind is going.
The saved have a real reason for living- that God might be glorified in our lives.
1. I want others to speak well of Him through my life.
2. I want to lead others to Him by speaking to them.
3. I want to leave a legacy of faith and trust in God.
V. PLENTY AND THE HARVEST
(V.37) "the harvest is truly plenteous"
Note:
As of 10-29-97 there are some
5,872,869,998 people in the world
15,196 babies are born per hour
253 babies are born every minute
4 are born every second
We will never run out of people to win.
Ill
Love yogert milkshakes. It is good but after a short while is gone and there is no more to drink. Not so with lost souls. They will always be around.
VI. POVERTY AND THE HARVEST
(V.37) "the labourers are few" A shortage of truly, diligent laborers exists.
Note:
Too many in the church are like the man who was invited to a great supper. He began to give excuse:
1. Bought oxen and had to prove them.
2. Bought a piece of land.
3. Married a wife.
Sometimes we forget we are to work and not just pray and read our Bibles. Prayer without works is dead.
Illustration:
Martin Luther had a friend that was also a monk. They came to an agreement. Luther would go down into the dust and heat of the battle for the Reformation of the world, and the friend would stay in the monastary and uphold Luther’s hands in prayer. So they began that way. Then, one night, the friend had a dream. He saw a vast field of corn as big as the world, and one solitary man was seeking to reap it. It was an impossible heartbreaking task. Then he caught a glimpse of Martin Luther and in a second Luther’s friend saw the truth in a flash. He said, "I must leave my prayers and get to work." So, he left his pious solitude and went down to the world to labor in the harvest.
Prayer is important but it does not take the place of work.
As we as God to do things, we are to at the same time work.
We must work for the night is coming, when our work will be done.
God has someone that you must bring to God. It might be a family member, a neighbor, a co-worker, a person you meet on the street or you visit their home, but their is someone.
VI. PRAYER AND THE HARVEST
(V. 38 "pray ye"
A Command to pray(Imperative)
B.Content of the prayer- "that He will send forth labourers into His harvest" (v.38)
We pray about back aches, corns on feet, sick dogs and cats, but what about God sending labourers into the harvest? Are you praying for God to send people from your church into his harvest?
CONCLUSION:
1. Have you considered the harvest lately?
2. Have you made yourself available to work?
3. Are you asking God to thrust others into the harvest?
Bible says, "He that winneth souls is wise."
SERMON BY DR. TOM WALKER- PASTOR ZION
HILL BAPTIST CHURCH--MARION, NC--USA
