In Matthew 9:35-38, we are given a picture of the heart of Christ. Jesus was busily traveling throughout Judea, teaching, preaching, and healing. But in verse 36 we are told that He paused for a moment and just looked at the condition of the multitude around Him. They had come to the end of their own resources, they wandered around in confusion, and they didn't know what to do or who to turn to, and it touched the heart of Christ. He had compassion on them. It was this poignant moment of need that led to His famous challenge to His disicples, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest." It is from this narrative that we get the theme for our Missions Conference that begins tomorrow night. We are asking God to give us "A Heart For The Harvest." Sometimes we get so caught up in the necessary busyness of life and service that we fail to take note of the multitudes around us. As a result, we lose compassion for their needs. I would like to challenge you to pray for three things as a result of the services this week: 1. That God would make it very clear in your own heart how He wants you to be involved in the Harvest. 2. That God would stir up in our church a new passion for missions and for reaching our community and our world for Christ. 3. That God would provide the vision, the resources, and the manpower to make our church a base of operations to turn the world upside down.
Let's begin by committing ourselves to be in every service of the Missions Conference and to listen for His voice through the sermons and presentations. Let's welcome God to speak to our hearts and then be prepared to put into action the things that He leads us to do.
The only thing that has changed in the 2000 years since Christ made this statement is that the harvest is now even more plenteous. Let's get busy reaping.
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