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Breaking Hearts and Building Faith: The Power of Compassionate Outreach
The episode presents a compelling exploration of the biblical narrative in which Jesus commissions both the twelve disciples and the seventy, highlighting the theme of divine empowerment for mission work. The speaker articulates the profound implications of the number twelve as a representation of Israel, and the choice of seventy to signify the nations, echoing the original intent of God's plan for all of humanity. A significant focus is placed on the urgent call for laborers in the harvest, as Jesus identifies a great need amidst a world filled with lost souls. The discussion weaves in the emotional depth of Jesus’ compassion, noting that his mission was driven not by obligation, but by a heartfelt desire to see people saved. This theme is mirrored in the apostle Paul's profound sorrow for his kinsmen, underscoring the necessity of cultivating a similar heart for the lost. Ultimately, the podcast challenges listeners to reflect on their own roles in this mission, encouraging passionate prayer, financial support for ministry efforts, and personal engagement in sharing the Gospel.
Takeaways:
- Jesus commissioned his disciples with the authority to preach and heal, emphasizing the urgency of the harvest.
- The differing numbers of disciples sent out reflect God's expanding outreach to all nations.
- Paul's heartfelt sorrow for Israel exemplifies a deep, supernatural love for the lost.
- Effective prayer is passionate and fervent, transcending mere ritualistic practices in the church.
- Supporting missionaries financially is a vital way to partner with God in his mission.
- Every believer has a role in sharing the Gospel, regardless of their circumstances.
Transcript
Foreign.
Speaker A:Let's start here.
Speaker A:In Luke chapter nine, we're going to just read the first two verses.
Speaker A:Then we're going to flip over to Luke chapter 10, also the first two verses.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:So Luke 9, verse 1 and verse 2.
Speaker A:Then he, Jesus, called his 12 disciples together, and he gave them power and.
Speaker A:And authority over all demons.
Speaker A:And to cure diseases, he sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Speaker A:Notice that.
Speaker A:All right, and then Luke 10, this is a new King James version, talks about 70.
Speaker A:If you have a different translation, may say 72.
Speaker A:Basically, there's different manuscripts.
Speaker A:And the argument is that the older manuscripts actually refer.
Speaker A:Say there are 72.
Speaker A:So 70, 72, what?
Speaker A:You know, it doesn't matter.
Speaker A:You know, the number 12 represents Israel, right?
Speaker A:And interestingly, in the context of.
Speaker A:Of God sending the 12, they were only sent out to Israel, but the 70, going back to Genesis 10, Noah's three sons, the 70 nations.
Speaker A:So 70 represents all the nations of the earth.
Speaker A:And so it's interesting that when you follow this and there's many other examples we could give, it's actually expanding the outreach.
Speaker A:So watch this starting verse one of Luke 10.
Speaker A:And these things.
Speaker A:I'm sorry, after these things.
Speaker A:After what thing?
Speaker A:The appointing of the 12.
Speaker A:The Lord appointed 70 others also and sent them two by two before his face into every city and place where he himself was about to go.
Speaker A:Then this is what we want to focus on this morning, verse two.
Speaker A:Then he said to them, the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are what few.
Speaker A:Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
Speaker A:All right, there's a lot here, but I want you to just picture this moment.
Speaker A:Can you imagine being there in that time?
Speaker A:All right, so here.
Speaker A:Here you are, and Jesus is about to change the course of history.
Speaker A:And there are 12 ordinary men standing before him, the Master.
Speaker A:And what happens is they receive an extraordinary commission.
Speaker A:But what is driving this?
Speaker A:The sending out is not just human need.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:The harvest is great.
Speaker A:That's human need.
Speaker A:But if you look at Matthew's account in particular in chapter nine, you'll see that Jesus saw them.
Speaker A:They're like sheep without a shepherd.
Speaker A:And he was moved with compassion.
Speaker A:So he was moved with compassion.
Speaker A:It wasn't just like, well, you know, what if there's a person who's lost?
Speaker A:We need to reach them.
Speaker A:We need to share the Gospel with them.
Speaker A:And sometimes we can do that more out of, you know, obtaining a quota or fulfilling a quota.
Speaker A:We can even have a focus on ticking boxes where We've shared the gospel here and done, but Jesus, it came from his heart.
Speaker A:It wasn't just executing on a task or a mission.
Speaker A:It was motivated by heart that literally was broken over humanity's lostness.
Speaker A:Very important that we get this.
Speaker A:And when you study the apostle Paul, there's this one passage that I'd love us to just flip over and look at it.
Speaker A:It's found in Romans, chapter 9, verses 1 through 3.
Speaker A:Paul is speaking about his heart for Israel.
Speaker A:Now these are the one, his brothers after the flesh, persecuting him, giving him a hard time.
Speaker A:But listen to what he says.
Speaker A:Romans chapter nine, the first three verses.
Speaker A:I tell the truth in Christ.
Speaker A:I am not lying.
Speaker A:My conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:Then listen to this.
Speaker A:I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were cursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen, according to the flesh.
Speaker A:So what he's saying here is that he has this undying, profound passion that literally brings grief to his heart.
Speaker A:Great sorrow to see his kinsmen after the flesh Israel saved, even though they hated him for the most part, even though they persecuted him.
Speaker A:So this is something supernatural.
Speaker A:Do you know the Bible actually tells us that Paul said this in Romans 5.
Speaker A:He says, the love of God is shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:In other words, the love of God is poured into our heart is what he's saying.
Speaker A:By whom?
Speaker A:Holy Spirit?
Speaker A:What does that mean?
Speaker A:It means that this love of God.
Speaker A:So just a quick summary.
Speaker A:There's four different words in the Greek language for love.
Speaker A:Storge.
Speaker A:There's philio, there's eros, and then there's agape.
Speaker A:Agape, or some say agape is actually the word that speaks of God's perfect love.
Speaker A:It's not a covenant love like in the sense of, well, if you love me, I'll love you.
Speaker A:It's not that it's a love that says, I love you.
Speaker A:I expect nothing back.
Speaker A:I would be good if you love me too.
Speaker A:But I love you because I'm love.
Speaker A:I love you because I'm God and perfect.
Speaker A:And I love.
Speaker A:God is love.
Speaker A:So it's based on just his unconditional love.
Speaker A:And so Paul is actually speaking of that kind of love here.
Speaker A:He's saying this has nothing to do with whether they like me, whether they're my type of people or anything.
Speaker A:He said this is God's love, agape, love that's poured into my heart by the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:And it changes me so that I Love people that I could never love on my own.
Speaker A:And it's a powerful thing because it's the love of God.
Speaker A:Remember, the Bible says, for the fruit of the Spirit is what love is the first thing.
Speaker A:And so love, joy, peace, etc.
Speaker A:Now, it's not the fruit of Glen.
Speaker A:It's not the fruit of you.
Speaker A:It's the fruit of the Spirit.
Speaker A:So when Holy Spirit is in us, then he manifests his fruit.
Speaker A:And it's something that when we lean in, and we talked about this last week, when we lean in, we live out of our identity.
Speaker A:When we live out of the vitality of our connection with him as a branch that's connected to the vine, the life that is in the vine just naturally flows into that branch and it effortlessly bears fruit.
Speaker A:So the Bible says Jesus said this in John 15, verse 5.
Speaker A:He said that every branch that abides in me will bear good fruit.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:But understand this.
Speaker A:Bearing fruit is the promise.
Speaker A:Abiding is the process.
Speaker A:Whoa.
Speaker A:Bearing fruit is the promise.
Speaker A:Every branch that abides in me will bear good fruit.
Speaker A:So who fulfills the promise?
Speaker A:The Father God.
Speaker A:Who is required to abide the process?
Speaker A:We are.
Speaker A:So we have a responsibility to.
Speaker A:To abide in him, to stay connected, to remain attached, to live in constant communion and perpetual fellowship with Him.
Speaker A:As we do that, his life flows into us and we begin.
Speaker A:The more we allow the life of God to flow into us, the more we become transformed.
Speaker A:And we become like the Apostle Paul who literally would look at lost humanity and would weep, they're lost.
Speaker A:They're going to hell.
Speaker A:We don't even talk about that anymore in the church.
Speaker A:Come on.
Speaker A:And people don't know who God is.
Speaker A:They don't know Jesus.
Speaker A:And we see brokenness and we see all of the things before us.
Speaker A:And sometimes we just get annoyed with people like that and we even want to steer clear of them.
Speaker A:But the heart of the Father is love.
Speaker A:He wants to save them.
Speaker A:For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save.
Speaker A:He was on a reconnaissance and rescue mission to seek and save the lost.
Speaker A:Searching, searching, searching.
Speaker A: Acts: Speaker A:How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth.
Speaker A:How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit power.
Speaker A:For what purpose?
Speaker A:And he went around doing good and healing all who are oppressed of the devil.
Speaker A:For God was with him.
Speaker A:For this purpose.
Speaker A:The Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Speaker A:1 John 3:8.
Speaker A:He came and he was manifested to destroy the works of Satan that had people captive that were destroying people's lives.
Speaker A:God weeps over our brokenness.
Speaker A:If we feel the Father is aloof and he's unconcerned about our plight, we don't understand who he is.
Speaker A:If we could for a moment, even just tap into his perspective, his heart, we'd be shocked at how compassionate and caring he is.
Speaker A:I had a time years ago where I was on an extensive fast and I was seeking God and the Lord.
Speaker A:During this time, you know, I was wanting to see incredible things happen, miracles, more miracles and different things.
Speaker A:And what ended up happening one night was I literally had a visitation from Jesus and I couldn't stand in his presence.
Speaker A:And I was on the floor, literally on a carpet.
Speaker A:And when I finished, he came and he spoke to me, said three things.
Speaker A:I'm not going to tell you what he said.
Speaker A:Come back next week, I'll share one.
Speaker A:Come the following week, I'll share point to you.
Speaker A:And then if you stick around for six months, I might share verse three.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Just kidding.
Speaker A:But the point is, he spoke to me.
Speaker A:And what happened when.
Speaker A:When he finished speaking to me was essentially this.
Speaker A:He said, how broken are you for my lost children?
Speaker A:I was like, God, speak to me.
Speaker A:Empower me.
Speaker A:Let me leave with a greater anointing.
Speaker A:And he challenged me about brokenness.
Speaker A:And when he spoke that.
Speaker A:Sorry, still when he spoke that, everything within me just.
Speaker A:And literally the carpet was drenched.
Speaker A:I wept till there was nothing in me to weep.
Speaker A:And it was just about how lost people were and how much he loves them.
Speaker A:It's affected me throughout the years, and I've always tried to be sensitive, to not lose that, to have that compassion for people.
Speaker A:And that doesn't mean to say, you know, we just don't deal with things we do.
Speaker A:What I'm saying, though, is we actually have a heart.
Speaker A:That is his heart.
Speaker A:And when we look at this story, when Jesus sends 12, then he goes, okay, so we've commissioned 12.
Speaker A:Go, let's do 70.
Speaker A:Why?
Speaker A:Because 12 wasn't enough.
Speaker A:Let's do 70.
Speaker A:But then look at this.
Speaker A:He intentionally dispatches 70.
Speaker A:And the comment here is this.
Speaker A:There's actually three words in this commissioning.
Speaker A:In Luke, chapter 10, firstly, Jesus actually appoints.
Speaker A:You'll see the word appoints.
Speaker A:70, the Greek word that's used there.
Speaker A:It's not just merely selection, but it's a formal appointment and appointment, public declaration of an appointment to an office, like a king declaring his chosen representative.
Speaker A:That's what the word means in Greek.
Speaker A:Okay, so we see the gravity of public appointment in Acts, chapter 1, verse 24.
Speaker A:The same word is used.
Speaker A:Listen to this.
Speaker A:And they prayed and said, you, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two you've chosen.
Speaker A:Remember when they were finding a replacement for Judah, for Judas?
Speaker A:And the word show is the same Greek word.
Speaker A:It's anadechome.
Speaker A:And it speaks of a.
Speaker A:An appointment that comes from, like, an official, like a king.
Speaker A:So they were chosen.
Speaker A:So he chose.
Speaker A:And then it says that he sent them.
Speaker A:That's the Greek word apostolo or apostolo.
Speaker A:We get our English word apostle from this word.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:And it literally means that they were sent out, but it's more like being sent out on a mission.
Speaker A:It's not just like, hey, go run an error, or, you know, go look around.
Speaker A:No, there's a mission.
Speaker A:There's an assignment connected to it.
Speaker A:Okay, makes sense.
Speaker A:All right, then thirdly, he says this.
Speaker A:12.
Speaker A:That's good.
Speaker A:70 or 72.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker A:Great.
Speaker A:But I want you to do something.
Speaker A:The harvest is great.
Speaker A:The laborers are few.
Speaker A:I want you, the 12, and the 70 to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send out or send forth more workers into his harvest.
Speaker A:So 12 representing Israel, 70 representing the nations at that time.
Speaker A:But then he's saying, but that's still not enough.
Speaker A:It has to be ever expanding, ever multiplying.
Speaker A:And I want you to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send forth.
Speaker A:The word pray means beg, to plead.
Speaker A:And then the word that's translated send here in this context is the Greek word ekvalo.
Speaker A:Modern Greek, it's ekvalo, like a v.
Speaker A:And in Koine Greek, in biblical times, the V was pronounced with the b, ekvalo.
Speaker A:For those who care, for the rest of you who don't care, it's important.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:So the word ekballo is speaking of future laborers.
Speaker A:This isn't a gentle suggestion.
Speaker A:It's a forceful thrust into service.
Speaker A:Do you know the word ekballo is used in Luke 11, 14, and 15, where Jesus was casting out a demon?
Speaker A:Do you know that it can be translated literally, kick out.
Speaker A:So pray that the Lord of the harvest would kick out.
Speaker A:Sometimes we need a push from God.
Speaker A:We're comfortable, right?
Speaker A:Acts, chapter one, verse eight.
Speaker A:Go into all the world, preach the gospel.
Speaker A:Start in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth.
Speaker A:They did a good job in Jerusalem and Judea, but then they stopped.
Speaker A:So, interestingly, and we know when the Bible is written, there weren't chapters and verses.
Speaker A:Interestingly, when the time comes.
Speaker A:Acts, chapter 8, verse 1, invert Acts 1:8 There's a persecution that breaks out, and that persecution results in all of the believers being scattered.
Speaker A:The apostles stay in Jerusalem, but the believers are scattered.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:They're ebolowed.
Speaker A:Do you know why?
Speaker A:It looks like they're being pushed out, they're being chased, they're being kicked out.
Speaker A:It looks even like it's the enemy is prevailing, but it's actually God is using force to bring, to move his people toward his ultimate calling.
Speaker A:So sometimes it has the idea of this.
Speaker A:Have you ever felt, you know the story about the.
Speaker A:The eaglet and it's in its nest and you know, how does the eaglet learn to fly?
Speaker A:Do you remember the.
Speaker A:The mama eagle starts taking all of the nice, comfortable padding and out of the nest first, though, and that's making it uncomfortable.
Speaker A:And then it's like you lay back and there's no longer any comfort.
Speaker A:There's a stick in your back.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:It's an intentional thing.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And then finally, let's see if you can fly.
Speaker A:Picks it up, goes up, drops it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Can you fly?
Speaker A:Ah, I've never done this before.
Speaker A:And like, and then comes in, swoops, picks up the baby, rescues it.
Speaker A:But eventually that eagle learns to fly.
Speaker A:So the idea is God removes comfort from our lives at times, and he forces us.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Now he can never look.
Speaker A:Some people say, does God force people?
Speaker A:Well, he makes it easier to obey him than to refuse him.
Speaker A:By the way, that's a powerful prayer.
Speaker A:Lord, when you're praying for someone that needs Jesus.
Speaker A:When you're praying for someone that's being stubborn and resistant to God's will, Lord, make it easier for them to obey you than to continue in their disobedience.
Speaker A:Start praying that prayer.
Speaker A:I guarantee it works.
Speaker A:It works.
Speaker A:And all of a sudden I lost my job.
Speaker A:All of a sudden, like, oh, and things begin to change, right?
Speaker A:And God moves.
Speaker A:I wrote a little book on that called three ways to know.
Speaker A:God is moving you in a new direction, and it's powerful.
Speaker A:He has his way, and so he will acmolo.
Speaker A:So we're praying God, you said, Jesus said, actually pray that the Lord of the harvest would push more people out of the nice comfortable nests so that we would engage in harvest and we would become more and more workers.
Speaker A:So the word in Luke 11, 14 and 15, casting out a demon.
Speaker A:Acts 16, verse 37.
Speaker A:Now they want to put us out secretly.
Speaker A:Paul says they were arrested, put in prison.
Speaker A:It's the word ekballo.
Speaker A:Acts 7:58.
Speaker A:And they cast him out of the city.
Speaker A:Stephen and they stoned him, right?
Speaker A:That's the word.
Speaker A:Ekballo.
Speaker A:John 2:15.
Speaker A:Are you ready?
Speaker A:Ekballo.
Speaker A:And when he made a whip of cords, he bollowed them all out of the temple.
Speaker A:He bollowed them all out of the temple.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:So it's not a nice, comfortable.
Speaker A:Hey, please.
Speaker A:Would you guys.
Speaker A:You know, this little pot.
Speaker A:Would you please.
Speaker A:Sometimes it's like, now, let's go.
Speaker A:Let's get on with it.
Speaker A:A persecution as a catalyst.
Speaker A:It actually worked.
Speaker A:So this progression reveals God's calling isn't meant to be a comfortable option to consider, but rather it carries an increasing intensity from public appointment to purposeful sending, to being powerfully thrust forth into his harvest.
Speaker A:Let me say that actually the last word, Ekbala carries more of the idea of even going to warfare.
Speaker A:So now we're going on a nice little trip.
Speaker A:We're going to share the gospel and tell all those pagan people that don't know Jesus how much he loves them to being sent out in warfare.
Speaker A:Because you're dealing with things even in the spirit realm, principalities and powers, right?
Speaker A:That's Acts 19 for biblical precedent.
Speaker A:So the idea here is that God calls us.
Speaker A:All right, one more verse here.
Speaker A:John 4, 35.
Speaker A:Why did I say one more verse?
Speaker A:It's not my last verse.
Speaker A:Do you know in Philippians chapter three, Paul said, finally brethren.
Speaker A:And then in Philippians four, he said, finally brethren.
Speaker A:So Paul said it.
Speaker A:I think I can do it.
Speaker A:Okay, John 4:35.
Speaker A:Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest.
Speaker A:Now, Jesus words are more than a simple command.
Speaker A:They're called to action.
Speaker A:A shift in perspective, an invitation to partner with God in mission.
Speaker A:It's very, very powerful word.
Speaker A:Actually, the idea here is I want you to be intentional.
Speaker A:I want you to be aware.
Speaker A:So you're walking through life.
Speaker A:And you know the saying, you can't see the forest because of the trees, and you're walking through life.
Speaker A:And he's going, do you see?
Speaker A:And like, what?
Speaker A:What?
Speaker A:Lift up your eyes.
Speaker A:He's saying, focus, tune in.
Speaker A:Listen, look, look, there's opportunities.
Speaker A:See through my eyes.
Speaker A:Be aware.
Speaker A:Make sure that you're being intentional.
Speaker A:Very powerful.
Speaker A:So it has three ideas here.
Speaker A:Recognizing opportunities, seeing beyond the natural, viewing people as souls in need of salvation, understanding the urgency of the harvest.
Speaker A:And then thirdly, tuning into God's voice.
Speaker A:Okay, so if you're on our email list, you'll get all of this, the notes.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:All right, now let's stop right there for a moment.
Speaker A:Every one of us can partner in the harvest.
Speaker A:You may not be in a season in your life where you can physically go to a nation, plant a church, be a missionary, or even go on a short term mission trip that may not be your season.
Speaker A:Now I say may not because sometimes we have to just be open, right?
Speaker A:Because we know I don't do that.
Speaker A:Like Linda was like, no, I don't do that, Cain.
Speaker A:We don't do evangelism.
Speaker A:So we have to be open ultimately.
Speaker A:But here's the reality.
Speaker A:You may not be the person who literally goes, but there's something you can do.
Speaker A:I said last week when we had our catch up and lunch that every person is significant and valuable in God's kingdom because we're all members of the body of Christ.
Speaker A:Paul uses the brilliant analogy of the human anatomy, right?
Speaker A:Can we turn around and say, yeah, I don't need my thumb, I don't need my ear.
Speaker A:No, we need every part of the body.
Speaker A:And so that reality is true for each one of us.
Speaker A:Say, well, there's not much I can do, you know, I'm busy or I'm too young or I'm too old or whatever it may be.
Speaker A:There's something you can do now.
Speaker A:Let me show you.
Speaker A:Because Jesus is eliminating every excuse.
Speaker A:He's literally removing every excuse.
Speaker A:I believe when we stand before God we will give account.
Speaker A:We will.
Speaker A:We don't preach this anymore, right?
Speaker A:Just be a good person, get your victory, fulfill your calling and purpose in life.
Speaker A:But what about his mission?
Speaker A:What about those children, those lost sheep?
Speaker A:He loves them.
Speaker A:Do you know that the early church lived on mission and they lived for the.
Speaker A:They believed Jesus was going to come back.
Speaker A:But why did they believe he was going to come back?
Speaker A:And when did they believe he was going to come back?
Speaker A:When everyone heard the gospel.
Speaker A: So Matthew: Speaker A:Says this, this gospel of the kingdom Jesus is preaching.
Speaker A:And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations.
Speaker A:And then the end will come.
Speaker A:If you go back to verse three, they asked him, what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?
Speaker A:When will these things be?
Speaker A:He was talking about the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple.
Speaker A:And what will be the sign of your coming in the end of the age?
Speaker A:You're going to see false Christs, false prophecies.
Speaker A:There will be wars, there will be rumors of wars.
Speaker A:Verse six, he says, but the end is not yet.
Speaker A:Don't Let this trouble you.
Speaker A:The end is not yet.
Speaker A:Verse 8.
Speaker A:He says, look, these things are going to happen.
Speaker A:So in other words, you see all of that.
Speaker A:Don't say, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, there's wars, there's fires, there's earthquakes, whatever it may be the end.
Speaker A:No, no, no.
Speaker A:He answers them unequivocally.
Speaker A:He's not being evasive.
Speaker A:He's not trying to avoid the question or skirt the issue.
Speaker A:He answers them unequivocally in verse 14.
Speaker A:What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?
Speaker A:When this Gospel of the Kingdom is preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, then the end will come.
Speaker A:It's in the word.
Speaker A:It's Bible.
Speaker A:2 Peter 3:12 says this.
Speaker A:What type of people should we be in view of the end times?
Speaker A:And?
Speaker A:And he talks about this and he says, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.
Speaker A:Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.
Speaker A:What does that mean?
Speaker A:Another translation says, you're anticipating, but you're also hurrying it along.
Speaker A:You're speeding it up.
Speaker A:How can we hurry along or speed up the coming of the day of God?
Speaker A:Come on guys, I'm preaching the word.
Speaker A:Second Peter 3:12.
Speaker A:Look it up.
Speaker A:See, we believe.
Speaker A:We believed a lot of lies.
Speaker A:We believed.
Speaker A:Just put your rapture shoes on.
Speaker A:Jesus is coming and we have no responsibility.
Speaker A:There's nothing that we can do.
Speaker A:No, we live on mission.
Speaker A:We realize that yes, Jesus is coming back, but ultimately there's a task.
Speaker A:So how can we hurry along the coming of the day of God when the gospel.
Speaker A:Sure, we pray.
Speaker A:His kingdom would come and his will would be done.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:But ultimately this Gospel of the kingdom, which is what Jesus preached, not necessarily modern day Christianity, it's the gospel of the kingdom, king's dominion.
Speaker A:That's another message for another time.
Speaker A:What happens when that's preached to all the whole world?
Speaker A:To all the nations?
Speaker A:Nations means ethnic groups.
Speaker A:Okay, so what's that mean?
Speaker A:Everyone hears the gospel and everyone has an opportunity to hear the gospel.
Speaker A:Guess what?
Speaker A:It's time for Jesus to come back.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:There's still 3 billion people that haven't heard the gospel.
Speaker A:About 3 billion people and over 8 billion people on the earth.
Speaker A:It's amazing.
Speaker A:So what is it that we're called to do?
Speaker A:There's three things.
Speaker A:You ready?
Speaker A:Number one, Prayer.
Speaker A:Pray passionately.
Speaker A:Not just pray, pray passionately.
Speaker A:The Bible says that Elijah was a man just like us.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:In James 5, a man just like us, it says a man of, like, passions.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:And it says that he prayed earnestly.
Speaker A:He prayed once that it wouldn't rain, then he prayed again that it would rain.
Speaker A:In the New Testament language, it literally says this English says he prayed earnestly or he prayed fervently.
Speaker A:In the New Testament language, it says he prayed prayer.
Speaker A:He prayed his prayers.
Speaker A:He prayed his prayers.
Speaker A:Some of us say our prayers, but we need to pray our prayers.
Speaker A:The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man.
Speaker A:Effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man.
Speaker A:Fervent means to glow with zeal.
Speaker A:White hot.
Speaker A:It's not, oh, Lord, you know, it's this passionate engagement that comes from a heart that's on fire, that's lit, that we're, like, praying with conviction.
Speaker A:We're praying with zeal.
Speaker A:We're praying with passion.
Speaker A:We're not just like, oh, yeah, like, I get it.
Speaker A:Some days we feel like that.
Speaker A:Sometimes we don't feel like praying, but tap into your spirit, man.
Speaker A:Don't pray from your emotions.
Speaker A:Don't pray from your soul.
Speaker A:Don't pray from your intellect.
Speaker A:Tap into your spirit, man.
Speaker A:Guess what happens.
Speaker A:And the spirit who will pray through us, he prays through us.
Speaker A:And he does it with groanings, even at times.
Speaker A:So it's a powerful thing that we pray.
Speaker A:So we pray fervently, okay?
Speaker A:Prayer is the foundation of kingdom.
Speaker A:Work is demonstrated.
Speaker A:Look at this.
Speaker A:Epaphras.
Speaker A:Colossians 4, verse 12.
Speaker A:Paul says, Epaphras, he's one of you.
Speaker A:He.
Speaker A:He pray.
Speaker A:He labors fervently for you in prayer.
Speaker A:Now, paphras is laboring fervently for you in prayer.
Speaker A:We're talking about laborers.
Speaker A:Do you see that?
Speaker A:So we can labor fervently in prayer.
Speaker A:Real prayer is labor.
Speaker A:Do you know actually what it says in the New Testament language?
Speaker A:It says, he's agonizing for you in prayer.
Speaker A:It's a Greek word from which we get our English term, agonize.
Speaker A:He's agonizing in prayer for you.
Speaker A:Agonizing, right.
Speaker A:Remember what Jesus said.
Speaker A:I'm sorry.
Speaker A:Paul said in Galatians 4, 9, he said, my little children says, I travail for you.
Speaker A:I travail for you until Christ is formed in you, he said, like a woman in birth pangs is what he actually says.
Speaker A:I'm travailing for you.
Speaker A:So praying passionately, powerful prayer thwarts Satan's strategies, releases captives, and opens doors for the gospel.
Speaker A:May I recommend to us, if you've not read E.M.
Speaker A:bounds books on prayer, I recommend you start reading it.
Speaker A:We're talking old school.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:E.M.
Speaker A:bounds, read his books on prayer.
Speaker A:It will mess you up in a good way.
Speaker A:It will sort you out.
Speaker A:It will help you to understand what prayer is supposed to be all about.
Speaker A:Okay, so we're going to have prayer times.
Speaker A:We're going to pray, we're going to intercede, we're going to weep, we're going to cry out to God.
Speaker A:We're going to seek him for his presence and glory.
Speaker A:We're going to pray for the lost.
Speaker A:We want to pray for nations.
Speaker A:We want to travail, we want to agonize.
Speaker A:We want to come to that place until we see what he wants to birth come to pass.
Speaker A:What he wants to birth.
Speaker A:Not just our personal problems, what he wants.
Speaker A:Your kingdom come, your will be done.
Speaker A:He takes care of us, right, when we seek first his kingdom.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:So commit to daily intercession for others, not just for yourself, your own personal need for others.
Speaker A:Start praying for the lost.
Speaker A:Start praying now.
Speaker A:We talked about when we get together in small groups and one of the things that we do is we say, hey, who can I pray for in your family?
Speaker A:And we begin to pray for one another, family members that are lost, whatever it might be.
Speaker A:How can I pray with you?
Speaker A:What's something that you really need a breakthrough for?
Speaker A:And we begin to do this.
Speaker A:Wow, God is going to answer our prayers.
Speaker A:It's going to be powerful.
Speaker A:Pray for God to prepare hearts, orchestrate divine appointments every day.
Speaker A:When you get alone with the Lord, one of the things we do is like, all right, Lord, this day, you know, I pray that you would set up a divine appointment, send someone across my pathway that I can share the gospel with, the divine appointment.
Speaker A:Do this, Lord, and help me to be attentive, okay?
Speaker A:Secondly, not only can we pray passionately, which every one of us can do, that we can partner provisionally.
Speaker A:3 John, 3 John, verse 8.
Speaker A:Let's look at 3 John verse 8 for a moment.
Speaker A:This is a powerful verse where he's talking about how when we actually give of our finance of our resources, we're actually partnering with God.
Speaker A:So in the New King James, 3 John, verse 8 says this, we therefore ought to receive such.
Speaker A:And he's talking about, if you read it earlier in other translations, very clear, we're talking about missionaries.
Speaker A:Basically, he's saying we receive them, and then he says basically we support them.
Speaker A:And what happens is we become co laborers for the truth or fellow workers for the truth.
Speaker A:So we're talking about by giving of our finances towards seeing the gospel preached Whether it's of the local church, not just, but even beyond the local church.
Speaker A:Guess what happens?
Speaker A:Even though we may not be going, we're partnering and we become co laborers.
Speaker A:It's like the story in 1 Samuel 30, some of David's mighty men were too tired to actually go into battle and they stayed with the belongings and they guarded it.
Speaker A:I bet you they were praying.
Speaker A:I reckon they were.
Speaker A:And guess what happens when they come back with the plunder.
Speaker A:Some of, some of them are like, well, we, you know, distribute, share the plunder with us.
Speaker A:And, and, and David's warriors.
Speaker A:Like, no way.
Speaker A:Like we went into the heat of the battle, we, we fought, we did all of that.
Speaker A:You guys just stayed back here and, you know, rested.
Speaker A:And then David rebuked them and he actually made it a statue in Israel that when you go into battle, for some reason, those who go and those who stay behind and even guard the camp and the provision actually share in equally.
Speaker A:It's a principle in God's kingdom.
Speaker A:So good, isn't it?
Speaker A:So good.
Speaker A:So I want to encourage you, if, say I can't go, can you pray?
Speaker A:Can you give your co laborer, your fellow worker, what you're doing is just as important as the missionary that goes.
Speaker A:It's powerful.
Speaker A:God says this.
Speaker A:His economy is a little different than ours.
Speaker A:All right?
Speaker A:So give support financially, I mean, tithe, yes, but even dedicate a portion of your income over and above toward missionary work, church planting, helping someone, etc.
Speaker A:And then lastly, participate personally.
Speaker A:Every one of us can share the gospel, whether it's with our family, it's, it's locally.
Speaker A:We all have received the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:You receive power.
Speaker A:Acts 1:8.
Speaker A:To be witnesses, right?
Speaker A:Power to be witnesses.
Speaker A:And, and so we all need that.
Speaker A:So lifestyle evangelists is critical.
Speaker A:Lord, help me to be aware.
Speaker A:I lift up my eyes.
Speaker A:Help me to be aware.
Speaker A:Set up divine opportunities.
Speaker A:Give me an opportunity.
Speaker A:Tee it up, Lord.
Speaker A:Just tee it up.
Speaker A:And help me to be sensitive.
Speaker A:Help me to see it, not to walk by.
Speaker A:Be sensitive.
Speaker A:Oh, I need to talk to that person.
Speaker A:Sometimes we're like, I'm afraid.
Speaker A:I don't know if this is God or not.
Speaker A:So what if you're wrong?
Speaker A:The worst thing they can tell you to do is to go somewhere, say, sorry, I can't go there.
Speaker A:You might if you don't accept Jesus, truth, facts.
Speaker A:Okay, so what we're saying here is that we have to be bold, guys, be attentive.
Speaker A:Yeah, get in that place, that secret place.
Speaker A:Shut yourself in with God, pray, seek his face, get in the word.
Speaker A:Ask him to break your heart.
Speaker A:Ask him to open your eyes and cause you to have sensitivity to that.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:So participate personally.
Speaker A:Share the gospel with your local community.
Speaker A:Maybe you want to go on a long, a short term mission trip or whatever it may be.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:In conclusion, there's several things that we could say.
Speaker A:We always want to wrap it up with a challenge because we don't want to be hearers only in the Word.
Speaker A:Because James says, if we're like just someone who hears the Word, we're like a person that looks in the mirror and then we walk away and we forget.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:So we want to be doers.
Speaker A:Doers, right?
Speaker A:Now that you know these things, Jesus said in John 13, you will be blessed if you do them.
Speaker A:Ah, information, information, more knowledge, more knowledge.
Speaker A:Plethora of theology, doctrine means nothing if you don't apply it to your life if it doesn't transform you.
Speaker A:Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
Speaker A:Okay, so here's a few things.
Speaker A:Begin each day asking God to reveal spiritual needs around you.
Speaker A:We'll send this out in the email if you sign up.
Speaker A:Stay attentive to the Holy Spirit's prompting and be ready to respond with kindness, encouragement, gospel conversations.
Speaker A:Secondly, here's a couple of questions.
Speaker A:Who can I invite to church?
Speaker A:All right, who can I invite?
Speaker A:Start praying into that place.
Speaker A:Who can I start a conversation with about Jesus?
Speaker A:Pray and ask the Lord to put it in your heart.
Speaker A:Is there someone that I need to reach out to?
Speaker A:Okay, then personal preparation.
Speaker A:Practice sharing your testimony.
Speaker A:Make a list of two to three people that you can pray for and reach out to.
Speaker A:Learn simple gospel sharing methods.
Speaker A:Like just Romans Road.
Speaker A:So easy.
Speaker A:Why the four points, right?
Speaker A:Just.
Speaker A:Okay, just get it.
Speaker A:Understand there's different ways, there's different ways, but just learn like, we have no excuse.
Speaker A:Today we have Google, right?
Speaker A:Just Google, like easy ways to share the gospel.
Speaker A:Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
Speaker A:You're going to have so many things there, but ultimately it's being led by the Holy Spirit, right?
Speaker A:You can know that in terms of theology, understand what is the gospel?
Speaker A:We had a Bible school, a Bible college in Perth.
Speaker A:When we were pastoring in Perth, we had a Bible college.
Speaker A:And we literally one day asked all of the students in the Bible school, so what's the gospel?
Speaker A:Share the gospel.
Speaker A:And we got them to stand up in front of the class and say, share the gospel.
Speaker A:I was shocked.
Speaker A:90% of them didn't understand the gospel.
Speaker A:Well, actually Paul tells us like 1 Corinthians 15, he shares.
Speaker A:This is the gospel.
Speaker A:There's so much.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Powerful.
Speaker A:So as a ministry that's developing, that's expanding and growing in the Lord building, we want to create pathways for everyone to engage in reaching the harvest.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Through passionate prayer, provisional partnership or personal participation, we can work together to fulfill the Great Commission.
Speaker A:No one is excluded.
Speaker A:Isn't that good?
Speaker A:No one is excluded, regardless of age, experience or availability.
