“While you were sleeping”
Introduction:
Perhaps you have seen the movie with this title? The disciples of Christ were "out" when Christ was leading the woman at the well to himself.
The context of this message is an "after dinner" talk that Christ had with his disciples.
1. Why were they sleeping?
Why is it that our Churches do not seem to be "awake" when it comes to the harvest that we ought to be apart of? Let me suggest three reasons:
First, Tradition.
The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. Tradition had caused the disciples to spiritually fall asleep. Afterall, why should they break with tradition and talk to a Samaritan.
Tradition in and of itself is not a bad thing. But many of our Church members have lost themselves into a form of tradition when they ought to be seeking for the lost!
Secondly, fleshly appetites.
They were hungry. What was so wrong with going into town and getting some food? Nothing. But Christ had something more important to do. He denied his fleshly desire to do the will of his Father. He said, " My meat is do the will of the one who sent me..."
May we be more concerned about the souls of men than we are for our own personal fleshly appetites. Remember the example set by Epaphroditus?
(Phil 2:25 KJV) Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
(Phil 2:26 KJV) For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
(Phil 2:25 KJV) Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
(Phil 2:26 KJV) For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
The truth is it is easier to get people to come and attend a Church potluck then it is to get people to come to a revival meeting!
And thirdly: Failure to set the alarm clock.
I am asking the question, why is it that our Churches are asleep?
Jesus said, "I have meat that you know not of. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work."
Jesus not only knew of the importance of his life’s mission, but also the limited amount of time in which he had to do it.
The disciple went along on the journey to "pass through" Samaria. They saw themselves as just "passing through."
That is our problem. When we ought to be seeking and saving that which is lost, instead, we think of ourselves as being on some grand vacation. God desires for us to bear a cross, not "take a cruise." And if you should be taking a cruise, remember to "bear a cross" as you are passing through!
What does God expect of us?
Again, three things:
Break up the fallow ground... that is launch our on a new ministry.
Take care of the ministries that you do have... it may be time to weed the garden.
Reap the harvest. Enjoy the ministry that you do have.
Conclusion:
For the first time when I read over this text about Jesus telling his disciples to "lift up their eyes unto the harvest..." it occurred to me that at that very moment, thousands of Samaritans were coming over the hillside. The lost and lonely Samaritan woman had invited her entire community to come to Christ!
Someday the trumpet is going to sound, and the rapture of the Church will take place. When we are all sitting around the marriage supper of the lamb, someone is going to ask, " How did all of these people get here?"
The answer is, "Everybody whoever came to Christ, came to Christ because somebody took the time to invite them to come to Christ."
Many of us in the Church will be wiping the remains of our last night’s potluck dish from the corners of our mouths, when the rapture takes place. And likened unto the disciples in our text, we are going to realize that we should have been "inviting" others to Christ instead of feasting and feeding ourselves from the menu of life.
ARE YOU SLEEPING?
