INTRO.- ILL.- The preacher was called to hear the reading of the will of a wealthy member of his church who had died. The preacher and the man’s family members were all very disappointed to hear the will which read, "BEING OF SOUND MIND AND BODY, I SPENT ALL MY MONEY ON MYSELF."
ILL.- A man and his wife went to a fair. The man was fascinated by the airplane rides, but he balked at the price of the tickets, which were $20 each.
"Let’s make a deal," said the pilot, "If you and your wife can ride without making a single sound, I won’t charge you anything. Otherwise, you pay the full price."
"Good deal," said the man. So they went for a plane ride. And when they got back the pilot said, "If I hadn’t been there I never would have believed it. YOU NEVER MADE A SOUND."
"It wasn’t easy either," said the man, "I ALMOST YELLED WHEN MY WIFE FELL OUT OF THE PLANE."
That man was more concerned about saving his money than saving his wife.
Brethren, one of the biggest problems that most of us face in life is selfishness or self-centeredness!
We’re generally more concerned about our likes and dislikes and our wants than anybody else’s. Even more than those of our mate and our family members and often, MORE THAN THE LORD!
The world constantly pushes self, saying things like, “It’s a dog eat dog world. Watch out for yourself. Take care of yourself, no one else will.”
ILL.- I noticed an article on the Internet some time ago entitled, "9 WAYS TO GET YOUR WAY MORE OFTEN." What is that? It’s nothing but teaching people to be self-centered!
ILL.- I saw a book advertised for sale: “THE VIRTUE OF SELFISHNESS.”
Brothers and sisters, there is no virtue in selfishness! Not from the Christian perspective, there isn’t!
While selfishness is the way of the world and the way most people think and live, IT SHOULD NOT BE FOR THE CHRISTIAN!
Jesus didn’t live for self! He lived for others! His whole life revolved around ministering to others!
Peter characterized Jesus in Acts 10:38 as one who "went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil."
Matt. 20:28 Jesus said of himself, "The son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
We need to think more like Jesus! We need to think more of others and less of self! I want us to think about reaching out to others and ministering to them. What is the greatest thing we can do for others?
I believe it is to give them the gospel of Jesus Christ, because if they come to believe in Jesus as the Christ and trust in Him and surrender to Him they will someday go to heaven.
AND THAT’S THE GREATEST GIFT WE COULD GIVE TO ANYBODY! Or the greatest thing we could do for anybody.
PROP.- Our text in Ps. 126:6 tells the story about what it takes to share Christ with others.
1- The going of the servant
2- The flowing of the tears
3- The sowing of the seed
4- The mowing of the harvest
I. THE GOING OF THE SERVANT
ILL.- Let’s talk fishing. I have two largemouth bass hanging on the wall in my office. NO, I DIDN’T BUY THEM SOMEWHERE. I caught one of them in the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri. The other one, 8 lbs. 6 oz., I caught in a small lake in southern Illinois called Cedar Lake. I WENT fishing. I WENT after them. They didn’t come to me.
And so it is with people who have not claimed Christ as their Savior. They often don’t come to us, but we certainly have to go to them.
"He who goes out..." The "going" is the starting place for the work of sharing Christ with others.
Mark 16:15 "Go into all the world..."
Luke 19:10 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save the lost." The "seeking" has to come before the "saving."
ILL.- Preacher John Wesley once said, "The church must go to the lost or go to oblivion."
ILL.- Someone else put it this way: "Any church which is satisfied to hold her own is on the way to the cemetery."
ILL.- I worked as the Asst. Manager for the Silk Tree Factory (Trees ‘n Trends now) in Cape G., MO, for about 3 years. The last year I was there the manager said to me, "I’m not looking forward to next year because we have some big sales to beat." AND GUESS WHAT? They didn’t beat those sales that next year.
That young manager was worried. Why? Because stores that don’t continue to increase in business generally go out of business. AND THE SAME IS TRUE OF CHURCHES. Many churches across the US are dying because they are not reaching out to anyone!
ILL.- P. H. Welshimer preached at the First Christian Church of Canton, Ohio, for about 56 years. And at one time (early 1900’s), they had one of the largest Sunday Schools in the world, with 5,000 attending. Brother Welshimer said, "If we don’t go, we’re goners. If we want them coming down the aisle, we’ve got to go down the street. They will not seek. They must be sought."
Brother Welshimer was right! We’ve got to go in some form if we’re going to reach people for Christ!
I am personally not convinced, however, that just knocking on doors will get the job done. We must use different approaches. Most people don’t pay much attention to doorknockers. We must go in other ways. This is one reason why we made TV spots/commercials. We are going to the people through the means of TV. Of course, going in any form is better than not going at all.
ILL.- It’s like what D.L. Moody said one time, “I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it.”
ILL.- Dr. Kermit Long said, "With all our education, our fine buildings, our image of the church, we are doing less to win people to Christ than our unschooled forefathers did. We’re no longer fishers of men, but keepers of the aquarium, and we spend most of our time swiping fish or swapping fish from each other’s bowl."
I’m not against someone coming to our church from another church, but we must never be in the business of stealing sheep from other churches!
That’s not why God put us here. He put us here to seek the lost and present Christ to them in some form or another!
ILL.- A certain preacher called his leaders together and said he was about to resign his ministry at that church because he hadn’t seen anybody won to Christ for a considerable period of time. They begged him to stay, saying that they were greatly edified by his preaching. He said, "Edified for what purpose?" Turning to one leader, he asked him if he had ever won a soul to Christ. "No," was the answer.
And the question was put to the next leader and the next and the next. And they all answered that they had led no one to Christ.
Finally, the preacher got all the leaders to promise that they also would resign with him, if within a short period of time they personally led no one to Christ. By Monday morning one leader had led a fellow worker to Christ and to be baptized. And by the next Sunday a total of 11 people had been led to Christ and to the baptistery!
Brethren, if we want to see the church grow then we must "go" in some form or another! That "going" could be door-to-door calling or it could be witnessing at work, or it could be inviting a neighbor or a good friend to come to church. BUT SOME KIND OF "GOING" MUST TAKE PLACE IF WE TRULY CARE ABOUT OTHERS LIKE OUR LORD DID!
Sinners are not commanded to go to church on Sunday, BUT THE CHURCH IS COMMANDED TO GO TO SINNERS!
II. THE FLOWING OF THE TEARS
"He who goes out weeping...."
ILL.- A husband said to his wife, "Why do you sniffle and cry over a TV program and the imaginary woes of people you have never met?" She replied, "For the same reason you scream and yell when a man you don’t know makes a touchdown."
Brethren, most of us have cried over something or somebody, real or not, and whether we’ve known them or not.
ILL.- When I was just 18 years old I lost my job at the Foodtown grocery store in Webb City, MO. I went outside to my car and cried my heart out. And less than two weeks later I had another job at Safeway. I felt that my tears were justified at that time. They were, but they were also not lasting nor devastating!
We have cried over the loss of money, the loss of material things, the loss of a job, etc. BUT HAVE WE EVER CRIED OVER PEOPLE?
ILL.- It has been said, "The reason we have so many dry baptisteries is because we have so many dry eyes!"
Matt. 9:35-36 "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them...."
Whenever Jesus saw hurting, helpless people he had compassion on them! WHAT ABOUT US?
Have you seen any hurting, helpless people lately? Did you really look at them? And if so, how did you feel about them? Did you look with compassion? Did you pray for them? Did you speak to them? Did you offer to help in any way?
ILL.- Several years ago in Mattoon, IL, a young mother of 8-year-old twins was killed at the bagel factory. She somehow got sucked into a machine that killed her. NOW THERE’S SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT! Twin 8-year-old girls lost their mother in death! How could we not feel compassion for them? How could we not hurt for them?
There are people all around who are hurting for one reason or another. Have we noticed them? Have we perceived their hurt? Have we felt with them?
ILL.- When a couple of struggling Salvation Army officers wrote to William Booth, telling him they had tried everything to get people to come to Christ and failed, he sent back this reply, "TRY TEARS!" They did and they had a revival.
Of course, our tears must be natural. They must come forth naturally out of a heart of compassion for hurting, lost people.
ILL.- It was said of John Welch, a famous Scottish preacher that he kept a blanket to wrap himself when he got up at night to pray. His wife would complain when she found lying on the floor weeping he would reply, "Woman, I have the souls of three thousand to answer for and I know not how it is with many of them."
Brethren, what it’s going to take to get us to weeping over the souls of men and women and boys and girls? Will it take the death of another loved one? Or perhaps another lost loved one?
Somehow, we need to get the compassion of Jesus. We need the heart of Jesus for people that will cause us to go and perhaps cause the tears to flow.
1- The going of the servant
2- The flowing of the tears
III. THE SOWING OF THE SEED
"He who goes out weeping, CARRYING SEED TO SOW..."
Farmers who don’t sow any seed don’t get any crop! And we won’t get a crop of souls without sowing some gospel seed!
ILL.- In New England, the long-standing custom is for a visiting preacher to stay with a family in the church. One Sunday, the lady of the house who was hosting the preacher prepared a great breakfast of bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast and even some delicious waffles. The preacher apologized, saying, "I’m sorry, but I never eat the morning I preach."
The mother and her 8-year-old son went to church that morning and after the service was over his mother asked him, "How did you like the preacher’s sermon?" The little boy said, "He should have et."
Brethren, good or bad, we must sow some gospel seeds if we expect to reap a harvest of souls! And surprisingly, God can sometimes use the worst of sermons or the worst of witnessing to lead people to Christ.
Acts 8:4 "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went."
As the people went, they preached the Word! Wherever they went, they preached the Word!
They sowed gospel seed everywhere they went: at work, at Wal-Mart, K-mart, the grocery store, the pizza place, the catfish place, the buffet, at the ball park, on the golf course, at the lake, while shopping, etc.
ILL.- Preacher Bob Russell of the Southeast Christian Church wrote an article for the Christian Standard one time entitled, "When you share your faith." He said, "Some people say, ’I’m not very vocal about my faith. I just let my light shine before men. I win them by my life-style which speaks for itself.’"
Russell said, "That sounds good and never offends anyone, but the problem is it seldom works. When was the last time someone came to you and said, ’I’ve been observing your life and I’m so impressed. Can you tell me how to become a Christian?’"
Brethren, Bob Russell was not putting down the idea of living a good, faithful and honest Christian life. He is just saying that people become Christians by hearing the gospel message!
Rom. 10:17 "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ." Faith comes by hearing the message, by hearing the Bible, the Word, the gospel!
We need to live the faith but at the same time we need to witness whenever we are given the opportunity. And if we’re serious about witnessing God will give us the opportunity.
Here’s an example of what I’m talking about.
ILL.- A man said to a friend of his, "Come and have a round of golf with me on Sunday morning." "Oh, I couldn’t do that, I have to go to church." "Well," replied the friend, "I don’t know what kind of church you attend, but you can keep it to yourself. I have asked you to play golf with me a dozen times but you have never invited me to your church."
Could it be that some people are just waiting for an invitation? Here’s another example of sowing gospel seed.
ILL.- A businessman landed in the Dallas airport and realized that he had an hour and 20 minutes before his next flight. He thought, "How can I be used for the Lord during this time?" He had a supply of gospel tracts with him. So he inserted one of his business cards inside each gospel tract. Then he gave them to the people who were waiting for their flights.
But he didn’t just pass them out and say nothing. Instead, he said to each person, "Pardon me. I have a little booklet here that explains how a person can become a Christian. Inside is my business card. I would like for you to read this tract and if you have any questions, I will be sitting over there waiting for my flight. I have some time and I’d be glad to talk to you. Or if you would like to write me, my address is on the card."
At the end of that hour and 20 minutes people were standing in line to ask questions about how to become a Christian. And for weeks afterward, that Christian businessman received letters from interested people.
COULD IT BE THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE STARVED FOR THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST THAN WE REALIZE? I believe that many people are. They are just waiting for some compassionate, caring Christian to offer a witness to them.
We need to look for ways to witness to people. Be bold. Be like Paul who said in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes...."
The gospel is both dynamic and dynamite! It has the power to penetrate people’s hearts and mind, and blow sin right out of their lives! But it won’t work unless we spread it around! If the gospel of Jesus Christ is true we must give it away!
1- The going of the servant
2- The flowing of the tears
3- The sowing of the seed
IV. THE MOWING OF THE HARVEST
"He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, CARRYING HIS SHEAVES WITH HIM." That’s the mowing of the harvest.
If we have gone and gone with compassionate hearts, and if we have sown the gospel seed, there will be a harvest of souls! There will be a mowing of the harvest!
ILL.- One church sent in its annual statistics to its denominational headquarters. Here is what they reported.
Number of members added by baptism - 0
Number of members added by letter - 0
Number of members dismissed by letter - 5
Number of members who have died - 3
Amount of money raised for home missions - 0
Amount of money raised for foreign missions - 0
At the bottom of the report they wrote, "PRAY FOR US, BRETHREN, THAT WE CONTINUE FAITHFUL TO THE END." Faithful to the end?
They experienced no growth in any shape or form and that’s because they hadn’t done their homework! BUT GROWTH IS POSSIBLE! A HARVEST IS POSSIBLE!
Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." The harvest is plentiful! And everywhere!
ILL.- Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, KY. Bob Russell went there to be their preacher in 1966 and at that time they had an average attendance of 130 some people. The church has relocated several times and they now worship in a building that seats 9,000 people. They have 20,000 members now. Since 1987 they’ve had over a 1,000 additions every year!
How’s that for a plentiful harvest? But it’s not just happening in large cities or bigger communities. It’s happening in many places, both large and small.
ILL.- Tyro, Kansas, is a small town of only about 250 people but the Tyro Christian Church has grown from 40 to 800 in the last 31 years.
The harvest is plentiful! But we have to be faithful in living the life and sowing the seed!
ILL.- Preacher Bob Russell tells the story about a women who attended their church. He said, "Following a women’s Bible study group a woman asked to see me. She told of a past of four marriages and sinful complications although she was only in her early 30’s.
“She asked, ’Can I come forward and be baptized this Sunday? I’m so thankful for what I’m learning from studying the Bible here. If only I’d known about these principles earlier in life. They could have saved me from a lot of hurt. But thank you for teaching me the Bible. This is changing my whole life!"
Brethren, she was a thirsty woman! THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL! I believe there are many people in our world and community who are just like woman. And they will respond to Christ if we do our part in reaching them with the gospel message.
CONCLUSION-----------------------------------------
Brothers and sisters, as we get older, our vision should improve. Not our eye vision, but our faith vision. As we all know, our eye vision dims, but our faith vision should get stronger with the passing of time.
ILL.- It was said that after Michelangelo died, someone found in his studio a piece of paper on which he had written a note to his apprentice. In the handwriting of his old age the great artist wrote: "Draw, Antonio, draw, and do not waste time."
Time slips. Days pass. Years fade. And life ends. And what we came to do must be done while there is time.
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. He didn’t mess around and neither should we. Make it a matter of commitment and priority to reach out to lost people.
