LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL
- Read Psalm 126:1-6
This Psalm begins with God’s people remembering when God did a great work. Some believe it was when the Israelites returned from being captives in Babylon. Others believe it was when an invasion and siege of Jerusalem was stopped by the miraculous intervention of God. We may never know exactly what the situation was, this side of heaven, but in any event, God did a great work in His people’s lives and they remembered the joy they experienced in the past.
Today we remember as well. It was 6 years ago today that we held our first public worship service. In the past 6 years we have seen God work in many ways and we have experienced the joy of His blessings many times.
We have known the joy of having friends and loved ones come to know the Lord. Some of you have developed a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in the past 6 years. You have known the joy the psalmist speaks of. Some of you have experienced the dream-like state the psalmist writes of.
I can remember many times that I have stood in awe and joy, as I have seen God work miraculously in some of your lives. Some of you, like me, have known great joy as we have seen God miraculously provide for and bless this church. I spoke in length about God’s blessings to our church last week, so I will not dwell long here.
After remembering God’s faithfulness, the psalmist stopped and looked around. In verse 4 he says, “God, we remember what you’ve done, but now we ask you to do something miraculous again. God you’ve blessed us, but not all of our nation is blessed. God, something is missing. God, restore our fortunes like watercourses in the Negev.”
The Negev was the dry portion of Israel. It was the part that seldom saw rainfall. It was largely a dry, rocky, and unfruitful part of the nation. From time to time a rare rainfall in the area would transform the normally dry streambeds in the area, into raging torrents. When the water came, flowers and such would bloom and life would return to the area. The Psalmist says, “God, we remember what you’ve done in the past and we rejoice. But God, the work is not finished, the land is not healed, God, do something special again.”
Last year, “a rare burst of color softened the stark landscape of Death Valley, with clusters of purple. Pink, and white wildflowers dotting the black basalt mountainsides and great swaths of golden blooms bordering the blinding white salt flats on the valley floor.
Winter storms dropped 6 inches of rain on that thirsty desert – three times more than usual – encouraging wildflower seeds to sprout. Experts say this kind of show comes once in a lifetime. … Death Valley hasn’t seen such a wild array of flowers in about 50 years” (Orlando Sentinel, “Rains bring color, life to Death Valley”, A8, March 15, 2005. Juliana Barbassa).
A normally dry and foreboding place, 292 feet below sea level, saw life, color, and beauty rarely seen in that place. A once in a lifetime occurrence, all because the area was blessed with something rare, rainfall.
In response to their prayer, God gave them a vision. He showed them the part they are to play in the great transformation. He showed them a sower.
My friends, God has blessed. He is blessing now, but our communities are still largely unreached. There are more unsaved, unbelieving people in Deltona and in our surrounding communities than there was 6 years ago when we began. Our population continues to grow, and our churches aren’t nearly keeping up with that growth, and I believe part of the problem is that we have forgotten our primary calling.
As we celebrate the anniversary of ROL, I think it’s time we remember our primary calling.
My Dad and my brothers as served in the Marine Corps. I always wanted to, but the Lord, in His wisdom, saw fit to keep me from passing the physical. Even though I was never able to get into the military, I was impressed about one important focus the Marines had. They always kept in mind what was most important.
The Marines have many different positions, they have many different specialties. If you join the Marines, you can work with computers, fly planes, work as a cook, or many other things. But, when you join the Marines, you are first and foremost a rifleman. Before you go on to specialized training, before you can work in any other field, you must first qualify on the rifle range with a weapon. You are first of all a rifleman.
The same is true in the church. You and I are all parts of One Body, the Body of Christ. We all have different gifts. Some of us are called to preach. Some are gifted to teach, some to sing, some to clean up, some to serve, some to visit, some are called to a specific prayer ministry. Many different tasks the Lord has given us, but first and foremost in our calling is soul-winning. You and I are to be busy leading other people to Christ.
Fortunately, the Lord has seen fit to show us the way to return to our roots. He reminds us that our primary calling is to be sowers. Look there again at verse 5.
- Read verse 5
As we examine the sower, as we think of our primary mission, I would like you to notice God’s formula for Harvest.
I. WE ARE CALLED TO GO
In verse 5 we are told, “the sower went forth to sow.” We must not keep the precious seed of God’s Word, in the storehouse, waiting for someone to come and ask for it. We can’t sit in our church and in our services waiting for someone to come and visit, we must go.
You may remember the beginning phrase of the Great Commission. Jesus says, “Go ye therefore into all the world.” Go. The sower does not waste his precious time in berating other sowers, talking about what they aren’t doing. He doesn’t waste his time talking about the great things he’s going to do in the future. He doesn’t allow his energy to evaporate in sentiment or song. He goes forth!
Let me ask you my friend, “Are you going forth? Are you a witness for Jesus in the community? Are you telling other people about the hope you have, about what Jesus has done in your life?” Jesus says, “GO!” “Go into the highways and hedges. Go along the byways and back roads. Go, and compel them to come in. Go!”
The first ingredient in God’s formula for harvest is going. The second element in God’s formula for harvest is weeping.
II. WE ARE CALLED TO CARE
Years ago a young minister visited Dundee, Scotland, deeply concerned that his ministry was producing such meager results. He decided to visit the scene where years before Robert Murray McCheyne had ministered in such evident power of the Spirit of God. McCheyne died at the age of 30, but not before God used him to turn Scotland upside down. The visitor asked the old sexton at St. Peter’s if he could tell him the secret of the amazing influence of Robert McCheyne. The old man led the young minister into the vestry. “Sit down there,” he said. “Now put your elbows on the table.” He did so. “Yes, that was the way McCheyne used to do it,” said the old man. “Now put your face in your hand.” The visitor obeyed. “Now let the tears flow! That was the way McCheyne used to do!” said the sexton. (Explore the Psalms Vol. 2, John Phillips, 1988. 478-9)
He that goeth forth weeping. The trouble is, our ministry is not watered with tears.
Jesus cried. The Bile records 3 times Jesus cried.
1. He cried once for a man. He cried for a dead man, his friend Lazarus, when he saw the sorrow and anguish that sin and death had brought.
2. He cried once for a nation. He stood on the outskirts of Jerusalem on a hill overlooking the city. There He cried at their lost condition.
3. He cried once for the world. In the Garden of Gethsemane the tears rolled down, mingled with blood, as He though of the lost world.
I believe one of the reasons many churches see so little fruit from their outreach is that it means so little to them. How often do churches reach out only because it is expected of them, or primarily so their church can grow or survive?
Let me ask you, are there tears in your prayers? Are there tears in your going? God says, “Go! Go caring! And third, go sharing!”
III. WE ARE CALLED TO SHARE
- verse 6 “Carrying the bag of seed” It is not enough for us to go, or to care, but we must also share. Verse 6 says, “Carrying a bag a seed. Other translations refer to it as “precious seed.”
What are we to do as we go? It is not our job to share our political beliefs. It is not our task to share our economic philosophy. It is not our primary task to boycott and lobby. Our primary task is to carry precious seed, to share the Word and love of God.
Now it’s mighty easy to sit in our churches and talk about what needs to be done. It’s mighty easy to talk about how the Gospel needs to be shared, but who will do it if not you and I, and who better than you?
Ask Carl Froling. Several years ago, shortly after she started attending the church, Erika invited Gladys, Drew & I over to her house. Ask Karl what his response was when he heard I, a Baptist preacher, was coming to his house. He thought, “O Great! He’ll corner me and try to check me out. Then he’ll preach to me.” When we got there, if I remember correctly, Karl wouldn’t even come in the house the majority of the time I was there. He tried to avoid me. Why? Because he knew it was “my job” to tell people about Jesus.
There are people all over the place just like that. Many won’t accept my testimony because they think of me as a hired gun. Preachers rank in popularity somewhere between politicians and attorneys. People don’t want to hear from preachers. They want to hear from satisfied customers.
It amazes me, the number of people who will tell their friends about a good mechanic, but who won’t talk about a great God. It amazes me, the number of people who will tell their friends about a sale, but not about their Savior.
God’s formula for harvest. Go, Care, Share, and lastly, Harvest.
IV. HARVEST
Verse 6 promises a glorious harvest. A joyous harvest. God says, “If you go, if you care, if you share, you will harvest.” You will see fruit.
V. CONCLUSION
THE IMPORTANCE OF SOWING GOSPEL SEEDS
