WEBVTT 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:07.759 Well, we're continuing our series this morning on thinking, praying, and living a missional life. 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:12.560 Um, this call to follow Christ is a call to mission. 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:32.479 And so we're going to continue this morning from the great truths that Pastor Tom has been speaking on the last few weeks with another very important truth, and that is the consideration of prayer being the secret mission, the hidden mission of Christ and his kingdom. 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:38.960 And so we come now to the word in Matthew 9, 35 through 38. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:42.079 Matthew 9, 35 through 38. 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:55.840 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every affliction. 00:00:56.159 --> 00:01:05.280 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:11.359 And he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the labors are few. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:19.280 Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labors into his harvest. 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:21.359 Let's pray. 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:38.400 And Lord, we pray now that your spirit would continue to minister to our hearts as we have been continuing our worship of you this day. 00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:44.239 Lord, we pray that you would feed us and strengthen us in your presence, we pray in Jesus' name. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:45.120 Amen. 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:58.000 So our family, like many of you, uh have often uh ventured out to the apple orchards out uh west around this time of year. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:05.840 And as you may know, when you arrive at these orchards, you uh see rows and rows of of trees. 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:10.080 And uh these apples are ready to pick. 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:26.479 And uh you pick them and you you get bags and you bring them back, and maybe like us, you you make a pie and you think about how to use them, and you think then, well, how in the world am I going to use the rest of these apples that I have have uh picked? 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:49.280 Um but I want you to imagine with me for a moment uh being the orchard owner uh who, when harvest time comes like this, sees that the growth of these apples has come to fruition, and the time for waiting has come, the ripening has arrived, and they're ready to go. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:58.080 And yet a problem dawns when the owner looks around and sees that there is no one around to help. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:07.520 No labor has been lined up, perhaps that's been forgotten, but his livelihood is resting on this small window of time. 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:22.960 You can imagine there's the sense of urgency that begins to develop, even panic and needing to see that these things are picked off the trees, that they're put into containers, that they're shipped, they're sold, and an income is brought in. 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:33.039 Otherwise, they fall to the ground, they begin to rot, and are given over to insects and whatever else. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:47.120 And I and I share that because in considering this dilemma, uh, we can begin to gain just a small taste or glimpse of what Jesus was experiencing in this situation that we just read. 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:57.759 The people at that time would have known that the Messiah, when the Messiah came, there would be this great harvest and unleashing of power. 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:02.960 The Messiah would come and and usher in this new era. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:08.960 And that's what we see here in the days that lead up to this verse that we've just, these verses that we've just read. 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:14.479 We see this unleashing of power, this great unleashing of messianic kingdom power. 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:31.360 Jesus showing himself to be the one who has authority over nature, over the wind and the waves, over all things, all elements, authority over demons, authority over human suffering and need. 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:37.360 This messianic power is being unleashed. 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:47.600 And here he is, he's going through all of the cities and the towns, and he is going into their synagogues, and he is proclaiming the good news of the gospel and the kingdom. 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:56.160 He is the one in whom they had to place their hope and their trust and to anchor their very lives upon. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:05:02.319 It's a kingdom that people enter by repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:10.879 And it's a crossing over from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, into the kingdom of God's beloved Son. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:20.720 And although it isn't a visible kingdom, it does, as a spiritual kingdom, manifest itself in visible ways. 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:24.720 And so now is the time to repent. 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:26.240 That was the message. 00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:32.639 And so Jesus is in a position here where many are flocking to him. 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:43.279 And they want to know and ask for themselves: is this really the Messiah that was prophesied all these years ago that has come? 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:49.519 Is this really a reality as concrete as the ground that I stand on? 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:57.519 And why that's important for us today is because the mission hasn't stopped with Jesus' earthly ministry. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:01.199 The mission is still continuing. 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:09.680 Jesus is still carrying on his mission, no longer from earth by his physical presence, but in heaven. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:19.199 By his spirit and through his people, Jesus is still absolutely concerned for the mission that he began. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:21.279 And it hasn't stopped. 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:42.000 In fact, his mission is has only grown greater and more expansive and more plentiful, so that when it's fully revealed at the last day, when he comes again, the number of people, this kingdom uprising that has begun and has been taking place will be as plentiful as the stars are in the sky. 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:47.759 That is a very true, concrete reality that we must believe. 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:54.000 And so you and I are here this morning as a response to the power of that kingdom being unleashed. 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:56.480 We should never forget that. 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:06.079 And it's come to us. 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:17.920 And if you and I have ears to hear and eyes to see who Jesus is and what he has done, and you are trusting in his saving blood, then that is all owing to his kingdom power. 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:23.279 Jesus still has this power in his position. 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:24.720 We're reminded of that. 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:31.920 And he is still demonstrating this kingdom power over all things right now, even at this very moment. 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:39.120 And the reason I'm telling you that is because this message is vital to our mission. 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:47.600 This powerful gospel needs to be the fuel that we live by if we're to be used on mission. 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:55.519 In many respects, God is concerned less about the activity and more about the engine. 00:07:56.399 --> 00:08:08.000 For some of us, to think and pray and live a missional life may require that we spend less time thinking about activity and more about the engine. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:09.839 What do I mean? 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:15.600 Well, what I mean is the fuel of mission and gospel is the gospel and prayer. 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:22.959 And it's very important that we know of its power in our own lives, working in our own lives. 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:39.840 When I was living in New Zealand, we had a group of people from a campus ministry come over and and join us and spend the summer with us doing uh evangelism and um encouraging uh the saints there. 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:43.840 And and there was enough on the team that they had to take uh these minivans. 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:48.480 And on one occasion they stopped to get gas in the van. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:54.960 But what they didn't realize on this particular occasion was that it was a diesel pump. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:58.799 And so they ended up putting diesel into the van. 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:19.759 And and when it was realized that they had filled up the van with diesel, with this type of fuel, they they immediately stopped on the side of the roller and they they called roadside assistance to to come and to purge it all out, and so that no more damage could be caused and they could continue on their journey. 00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:23.759 The point is, though, that the right fuel matters. 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:34.240 The journey can be greatly hindered, our mission can be greatly hindered, if we aren't drinking in the fuel of the gospel. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:48.399 And so when we when through the gospel we drink in the love of God, when through the gospel we taste the love of God, and we are having our own thirsts met, we respond out of gratitude. 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:59.120 That is part of the fuel for the mission that we are on, and we commend it as something that has power and that that is at work within us. 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:07.440 Like birds that begin to sing when the morning sun comes down and beats upon their breasts and they start to sing. 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:14.000 The same thing happens with us when the love of God beats upon our breasts and warms our hearts. 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:16.720 We sing, we want to promote the gospel. 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:24.480 It's the motivation, as it were, to hit the sheer button with others. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:28.399 And so the harvest is plentiful. 00:10:29.200 --> 00:10:31.919 The the age of the harvest is now. 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:36.240 There is fruit being reaped today. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:39.120 The message is still going forth. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:41.279 That that is something we must believe today. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:43.039 The message is still going forth. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:54.240 Souls are still being saved, they're still being snatched from the grasp of evil and saved into green pastures by the blood of Christ. 00:10:54.960 --> 00:11:02.960 And you may be here this morning, you may think to yourself, I agree with that truth, but I struggle with a harvest mindset. 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.240 And I can understand that. 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:13.039 There are many things that try to rob us of this harvest reality. 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:16.000 And it's always been that way. 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:24.799 The harvest doesn't mean that there's no pushback or war going on, but that's why we need gospel promises. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:38.399 We need gospel promises to come back to again and again to strengthen us, promises that remind us of Jesus' withness with us, his power to help us, his provision, his favor. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:42.240 That ultimately it's his harvest. 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:45.840 Yes, we're gonna get pushback. 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:51.120 But don't let that color of your view. 00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:55.279 Don't let a few dark clouds color your view of the blue sky. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:03.759 Don't let a prayer that that you're waiting on the Lord for keep you from receiving many other more blessings from his hand. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:08.879 Lift up your eyes, Jesus says to his disciples. 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:10.799 See that it's white for harvest. 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:12.480 Lift up your eyes. 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:14.720 See, see what's taking place. 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:22.159 The corn is ready to pick, the assets are ready to cash in, the fish are in the net. 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:26.000 The shopping cart is is full and ready to go. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:31.200 Kingdom power is still being unleashed. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:38.720 And so don't let your circumstances dictate your view of the true reality of the kingdom. 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:44.320 Let's take great confidence in Jesus being the Lord of the harvest. 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:48.320 This is not the age of winter where rations are given out. 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:51.279 Jesus reminds his disciples of that. 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:52.720 It's not winter. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:13:00.480 It's true as a culture that we may face further decline, but but the kingdom of God is still growing. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:03.200 His kingdom is established. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:09.600 No one can topple it or prevent it from growing and adding plentifully to its ranks. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:14.559 That, my friends, is taking place right at this time. 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:18.320 We are evidence of that. 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:25.759 And so gospel fuel is essential to thinking, praying, and living a missional life. 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:27.440 We need to believe that. 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:30.480 But here's the rub. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:33.919 The rub here is not that there is no harvest. 00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:36.559 Jesus was clear that there is a harvest. 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:37.919 That wasn't the rub. 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:44.960 The rub here, the fact that there was a harvest was not what grieved Jesus, as we read in this passage. 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:52.080 What grieved Jesus was the fact that the harvest is more plentiful than the workers are ready. 00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:58.000 The harvest is ripe, but labor is hard to come by. 00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:05.360 And so there's a secret and hidden mission that Jesus tells his disciples that they're to be engaged in. 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:08.399 The secret mission is prayer. 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:20.720 You see, the most basic yet important gospel promoting task that you and I can be engaged in is not evangelism. 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:24.080 It's not some service on behalf of others. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:31.600 The most basic gospel promoting task that you and I can be involved in is prayer to the Lord of the harvest. 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:33.519 Why? 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:40.000 Because prayer reminds us that He alone is just that, the Lord of the harvest. 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:47.200 We can do nothing by ourselves, but we can do everything by the help of God. 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:53.759 The truth is, we're not going to be strengthened for mission if we're not first given to pray. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:56.240 Prayer is where mission begins. 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:57.679 I know that for myself. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:14:58.879 I know that in my own heart. 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:07.200 I know that as a pastor, uh, where I've seen too many heads, including my own, drop when prayer is neglected. 00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:11.679 Look at the book of Acts. 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:13.759 That would be a good exercise to do this week. 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:17.279 Look at the book of Acts and see how many prayer meetings there are. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:19.200 The mission goes forth. 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:22.799 As you read through the book of Acts, the mission is going forth. 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:27.759 But time and time again, prayer is what accompanies the mission. 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:32.320 And so with that harvest mindset, we are exhorted to pray. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:36.559 And Jesus here directs us how to pray. 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:39.759 Jesus would have you and I to pray in three ways. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:42.639 He would have you and I to pray with compassion. 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:46.720 He would have you and I to pray in community. 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:49.840 And he would have you and I to pray for laborers. 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:53.679 Pray with compassion. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:58.320 Jesus' heart at this very moment is one of compassion. 00:15:58.480 --> 00:15:59.759 How do I know that? 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:02.399 Because he doesn't change. 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:18.000 And we get a rear insight into Jesus' emotional stance in this passage where Matthew chooses the most evocative of words that can be translated as compassion to describe Jesus' reaction to what he sees. 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:24.480 The idea here is that he was moved deeply inwardly. 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:32.159 We might say it was heart-wrenching for him to see what was taking place. 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:33.519 Why? 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:41.679 Because he's seeing and looking over the harvest, and the people are harassed and they're helpless like sheep without a shepherd. 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:44.320 They're like sheep without a shepherd. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:49.600 They're wandering in confusion and need and darkness and frustration. 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:52.879 They're wandering in their griefs and in foolishness. 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:59.919 And Jesus looks at all that and is heart, it is heart-wrenching for him to see that they're without a shepherd. 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:03.759 And so he's saying, Lift up your eyes. 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:05.599 They're white for harvest. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:06.559 Lift up your eyes. 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:08.480 You need to see the need before you. 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:10.640 The harvest is here, but look. 00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:16.880 They're without someone to feed and to tend to them in my name. 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:25.920 You might remember that same concern that Jesus had after his resurrection when he comes to Peter and he says, Peter, do you love me? 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:29.519 He says, Feed my sheep, Peter. 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:34.079 Tend to my lambs, feed my feed my sheep, Peter. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:35.440 That's what I want you to do. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:49.839 Peter, these are the people I want you to feed and to see nourished and to see them made whole and walk in my ways and the ways of the kingdom in such a way that they will be presented mature when I return. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:55.599 That they would have grown, that they would have been graciously tended to. 00:17:55.759 --> 00:18:03.440 And when they stray, which they might, that they would be gently restored and brought back into the fold. 00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:09.519 You see, Jesus' heart is still deeply concerned for the harvest. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:15.039 In fact, his slowness and returning is owing to that compassion. 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:17.119 We read that to Peter 3:9. 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:30.640 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:41.440 The reason why it's important for us to know that Jesus' heart is compassionate is because it ought to fuel our prayers. 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:45.759 It ought to energize our prayers to know that he is compassionate. 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:56.960 Because if you think about it, since Jesus' heart is one of compassion, when we pray, we know that it's his leaning to answer our prayers. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:00.559 We know that it's his leaning to actively work. 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:09.519 We know that it's his heart of compassion that desires to see many come to a saving knowledge of himself. 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:15.599 If Jesus' heart is not compassionate towards sinners, then we may as well not ask. 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:25.119 But because his heart is one of compassion, then we must give ourselves to pray. 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:27.279 And we have every reason to do so. 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:31.759 So I'd ask you this morning, what is your attitude? 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:39.759 Do you share the same heartfelt attitude and compassion that Jesus exemplifies? 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:47.279 Yes, there are times when we might feel a sense of righteous anger about the hardness of people's hearts. 00:19:48.319 --> 00:20:05.359 We may find at times that there is no faith in people we desire to reach, but even then we need to ensure that we see as Jesus sees and remind ourselves that the over the overarching disposition of Jesus is one of compassion. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:19.279 And if you don't have this compassion, then we ought to examine ourselves and we ought to repent and consider our own response to the suffering of others. 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:31.039 The reality is, as John Piper said, well, we ought to have compassion on all human suffering, but particularly eternal suffering. 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:35.440 Otherwise, we have a defective heart or a flameless hell. 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:39.039 And those are those are hard words, I know. 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:45.440 But we can't skirt around the fact that God is just and must punish sin. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:48.720 The Bible makes that clear. 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:53.440 But that's the reason why Jesus came. 00:20:54.400 --> 00:21:02.319 To save sinners, to hold himself out as the all-sufficient one in the midst of our insufficiency. 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:10.079 To know that his blood cleanses our souls from every single sin. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:13.519 To make us white as snow. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:18.400 That is true grace because we don't deserve it. 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:28.799 And it's true peace, because there's nothing more profound or meaningful in all of life than to know that God has favor upon us, that we are in God's favor. 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:33.039 His life in exchange for ours. 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:34.720 You stand before God. 00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:36.720 This is the nutshell of the gospel. 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:39.599 You stand before God as if you were Christ. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:43.920 Because Christ stood before God as if he were you. 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:50.640 And that news is so wonderful that it never gets old. 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:54.960 The words of Romans 10 come to mind. 00:21:55.759 --> 00:21:59.359 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:04.160 And how are they to believe of him in whom they have not heard? 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:07.440 Or how are they to hear without someone preaching? 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:11.680 Or how are they to preach unless they are sent? 00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:17.920 As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news. 00:22:18.400 --> 00:22:22.880 The feet on which the good news is carried a beautiful feet. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:26.319 And so we pray with compassion. 00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:30.240 But we also pray with in community. 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:36.559 You'll notice here in this passage that Jesus' words are given to the disciples collectively. 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:47.839 These are personal words to each of them, and yet, and yet don't mistake personal words to mean that he wishes you and I to be isolated on mission. 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:54.079 There is wisdom in praying and living on mission together. 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:57.599 We're reminded of that wisdom in Ecclesiastes. 00:22:57.920 --> 00:23:06.400 Two are better than one, because they have good reward for the labor, for if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:12.079 But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up. 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:18.640 Although a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him. 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:22.480 A threefold cord is not quickly broken. 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:33.440 I think the reason why we experience fits and starts, as it were, when it comes to our zeal for the harvest, is because all too often we attempt to go it alone. 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:38.319 That's not the wisdom that we get from the scriptures. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:41.359 These are, yes, personal words. 00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:43.359 But find your team. 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:52.480 Find your team that you can promote the gospel with prayerfully, humbly, collaboratively. 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:59.599 Cultivate a sense of withness as you pray and minister in Christ's name. 00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:03.119 Moses had his Aaron and Miriam. 00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:05.200 Timothy his elders. 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:11.440 Elijah had Elisha, Mary had Martha, Paul had his companions, and he prized them. 00:24:11.920 --> 00:24:26.720 In fact, Paul prizes so much that on one occasion he says, he says, and he shares that a door was opened for him to share the gospel, but his spirit wasn't able to rest because his brother Titus wasn't there. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:32.640 There was this deep desire for withness in Paul's ministry. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:38.640 You know, we're going to have times when our heads drop on mission. 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:44.559 But in community, we have others there to lift us up. 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:50.720 And that's the precious nature of what Christ does when he gives us to each other. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:25:04.480 And as one point of invitation, I'll ask you that to join us on our Saturday morning prayer meetings with the elders or praying for this worship service Sunday morning. 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:10.559 In the time on Saturdays, the elders are writing down prayers. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:15.039 And they're writing them down and they're watching when they're answered. 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:24.160 And so no one will tell you or debate with me when I say this that kingdom power is being unleashed by the Lord of the harvest in our midst. 00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:30.960 And I encourage you to see and have a front row seat to that as you come and you pray together. 00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:32.640 Spurgeon said it well. 00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:37.200 He said, We cannot all argue, but we can't all pray. 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:41.599 We cannot all be leaders, but we can't all be pleaders. 00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:47.759 We cannot all be mighty in rhetoric, but we can all be prevalent in prayer. 00:25:49.680 --> 00:26:07.279 And so pray, pray for the gospel to be promoted, and for the kingdom power to be unleashed in your own heart, in the heart of us as a body, and into the city and the world in which Christ would have us to be engaged in. 00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:09.039 Pray in community. 00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:12.960 But finally, pray for laborers. 00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:22.640 If you pay close attention here, you'll see that Jesus doesn't go in for a direct ask when confronted with a lack of workers. 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:32.720 Jesus doesn't tell the disciples, go master the technique of influencing people, of arm twisting. 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:34.000 He doesn't do that. 00:26:34.400 --> 00:26:35.759 He tells them to pray. 00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:42.720 To pray to the Lord of the harvest so that he will send out labors into his harvest. 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:46.240 You see whose harvest it is, and he's the one who's sending them. 00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:48.880 But we are what what responsibility are we given? 00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:51.440 We're given the responsibility to ask. 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:53.039 Simple as that. 00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:58.960 You know, there's something mysterious about asking and receiving. 00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:11.519 We don't always know how it's going to come about, but but God is able to work by his spirit to move in people's hearts, to put a burden on them in a way that does the impossible. 00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:16.000 How will needy people enter the kingdom? 00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:17.599 How will laborers go out? 00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:19.359 Only when we ask. 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:21.839 Only when we pray. 00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:25.680 How will needy people be shepherded? 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:28.319 How will they be tended to and cared for? 00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:30.319 Only as we pray. 00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:43.440 At the last congregational meeting, we discussed the sense of the session that the Lord is leading us to plant a church in the Mount Vernon area. 00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:51.119 Ultimately, the timing's up to him, but uh as we talked about it, we have a view to around two years' time. 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:54.799 And as you know, this is no small thing. 00:27:56.559 --> 00:28:02.319 And the reality that we're faced with, I think, is the same reality that I can imagine confronted the disciples. 00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:05.920 That is, where the labor is going to come from. 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:08.480 What are we to do? 00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:15.359 And it would be quite natural for us to rush and try to find conclusions. 00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:22.480 All too often we want to try to control what can't be controlled. 00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:31.440 There is something mysterious about God's call for us to pray and his response and provision. 00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:35.279 We don't always know how it's going to come about. 00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:42.240 But God is able to work by his spirit and move in people's hearts and do the impossible. 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:45.039 And so the call for us is to pray. 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:48.880 That the Lord would send out laborers into the harvest. 00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:54.559 Lord, who is that man that you would have come and appoint as pastor? 00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:59.599 Who are those people who will labor alongside? 00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:05.759 That's something that we need to be coming to the Lord of the harvest about. 00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:11.119 We wouldn't be doing this if we didn't believe there was a harvest. 00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:17.599 We wouldn't be doing it if we even thought that this was something we could do in our own strength. 00:29:18.079 --> 00:29:20.319 This requires kingdom power. 00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:25.920 And so it requires that we lift up our eyes together. 00:29:27.119 --> 00:29:30.000 And to pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest. 00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:34.400 We come together and we say, Lord, this is your mission. 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:37.680 Lord, this is your power to unleash. 00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:42.640 This is your ability to work within hearts and minds and wills. 00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:44.480 Please send. 00:29:45.359 --> 00:29:46.960 Please raise up. 00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:49.839 And so I invite you to pray for this. 00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:54.640 Pray for other laborers to be sent into the harvest. 00:29:56.160 --> 00:30:02.640 That the kingdom ranks would be added to and would be matured and nurtured in the gospel. 00:30:02.880 --> 00:30:05.279 That God alone would be glorified. 00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:08.319 Pray with compassion. 00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:12.400 Pray in community and pray for laborers. 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:16.480 We trust that He will send and do what only He can do. 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:17.440 Amen. 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:19.200 Let us pray. 00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:24.079 Oh gracious Father, we thank you for the harvest. 00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:29.519 Father, we praise you and thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit. 00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:34.880 Lord, we thank you for the gift of Jesus Christ and all that you have accomplished. 00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:40.720 So, Lord, we may testify and be used of you to speak to the wonders that you have done. 00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:44.000 Lord, not of us, but only of you. 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:48.240 And yet, Lord, we desire to be used of you in the harvest. 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:53.519 And so, Lord, we ask and pray that your Spirit's kingdom power would be unleashed. 00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:59.359 Lord Jesus, please continue to grant to us rivers of living water. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:09.680 That we might testify to that water in our own lives, but Lord, that we would also promote the gospel and the talents, the gifts, the abilities that you have given to us. 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:14.240 And so, Lord, we pray and we ask this day. 00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:16.400 May we see it. 00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:18.799 May you demonstrate it. 00:31:19.039 --> 00:31:20.400 May you go before us. 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:22.880 Use us, Lord, we pray in Jesus' name. 00:31:23.119 --> 00:31:23.680 Amen.