Heartbroken for Humanity
Introduction: Keith Green once said: "This generation of believers is responsible for this generation of souls." Think about that for a moment. To say it even better, you as a believer will one day be responsible for the lost souls that stray into your daily path. I hate to use the word stray because I do not believe anything happens by accident in God’s perfect plan and time. You remember well the meeting Jesus had with the Samaritan woman. This meeting was conceived in the mind of God before time began. That is why Jesus had to go through Samaria. He was acting in direct obedience to God’s plan.
Have you ever been at that place in your life where you didn’t know why you were where you were but you knew you were right where you ought to be? That is because you acted in obedience to the direction of God. He led you there for that special encounter. We must learn to sense God, hear God, follow God.
When Jesus told Peter come on to me, Peter responded by jumping out of the boat. He could have held tight and waited for Jesus to get to him but he was eager for that special encounter. I believe everything changed for Peter on that night. We need that same out of boat experience with the Lord. As we do, we will develop His heart, His passion, His crazy love for all humanity. And out of this intense passion for humanity will come a heartbreak for the hurt of humanity.
As we look at our text passage, we are going to see, acted out before our very eyes, what it means to be broken and moved with compassion. As we look at this text, think about the general condition of our nation right now compared to Israel at the time.
Text: Numbers 16:42-48
Introduction: The Scripture indicates that the people had come together in opposition to or against Moses. Moses was God’s representative. Moses represented God’s law, God’s ways and God’s purposes. As we observe our world, we see so many people gathered in opposition to or against us, against God’s plan, His law and His purposes.
The result of this opposition was a plague that began to sweep the land. As Moses and Aaron stood there looking out at the crowd of people gathered against them, people began falling dead in multitudes. Moses and Aaron had a choice to make. They could step back and allow God’s judgment to continue to fall and wipe out all the people or do something about it. Because of their crazy love for this people, their heart’s broke and Moses sent Aaron out into the crowds to seek atonement before God.
Aaron had to break out - he could have stepped back into the tent and just let the judgment fall but he couldn’t do it. His heart was motivated by love for this people and he ran right into their midst. By lighting the censer and running into the midst, Aaron became an intercesser before God for this people. The heart of the true believer will cry out: "I will either live with the living or die with the dying but I must do something!" This is a radical way of thinking - this radical living! It is this explosive compassion bursting forth out of God’s people that is going to make the difference in this indifferent world we live in.
Ezekiel prophsied these words from above:
"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." (KJV)
Moses and Aaron responded by standing in the gap and the judgment halted. God couldn’t find any gap-men in Ezekiel’s day. No one cared about anyone else. There was no compassion, no concern, no heartbreak over the lostness of humanity; thus, judgment fell and the Babylonians invaded and conquered Israel.
What about today? We are standing on the threshhold of God’s judgment. What will it take for you and I to halt this judgment falling on our fellow man? Are we willing to sacrifice what is necessary? Are we willing to pay the price that this is going to cost us? It’s not cheap. In fact, it is very costly. It cost Jesus His life. It may cost you your life. It will definitely cost you a total commitment of your life. With that in mind, how far are you willing to go? Are you willing to take the plunge? For those of you considering such a commitment, let’s take a look for a few moments at what it takes to turn a nominal believer into a phenominal gap-person.
To effectively stand in the gap, one must begin to:
1. Recognize the Infection
A. The first part of verse 42 says: "the assembly gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron..."
B. An infection began to fill the hearts of the people - they began to rise up against God’s chosen leaders - rather than repent, they prepared to attack.
C. Sin invades and infects - infection kills & destroys - knowing this, we must learn to respond.
D. Our response should not be to rise up in opposition but rather to be overcome by compssion - to be heartbroken for humanity - to understand the hurts and pains of others.
C. Consider what Matthew had to say about the reponse of Jesus in a similar situation:
"Jesus went to every town and village. He taught in their meeting places and preached the good news about God’s kingdom. Jesus also healed every kind of disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them (had compassion on them). They were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." (Mt 9:35-36 CEV)
D. Jesus observed the hearts of people rather than judging the actions of people.
Application: Sin is an infection. An infection left untreated eventually kills. We need to refocus and begin to recognize the infection and its ultimate outcome if left untreated.
To effectively stand in the gap, one must:
2. Seek to be Covered
A. Notice our text verse 42: "Moses and Aaron turned toward the Tent of Meeting...the cloud covered it...the glory of the Lord appeared."
B. They recognized their personal inability to wage the war that was building against them - they turned towards God’s house & God’s presence - they knew they needed a covering.
C. As we prepare to wage war for the souls of men, we must be certain we are tightly connected to a local bodyand covered by God’s presence.
D. The local body provides:
1. a blanket of prayer protection
2. physical, emotional & spiritual support
3. strength to endure.
E. God’s presence provides:
1. spiritual strength to overcome the enemy
2. the words to speak.
Application: As Moses & Aaron recognized the infection, they turned to the tabernacle. They recognized their inability to overcome on their own. They needed the the strength of God’s people and the power of God’s presence. You and I need to be covered if we are to invade Satan’s turf and take back God’s precious treasures from him.
To effectively stand in the gap, one must:
3. Get Lit Up
A. Look what Moses tells Aaron to do in verse 46: "Take your censer and put incense in it, along with fire from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them."
B. In the OT, the priests were instructed to keep the fire burning.
C. Too many preachers have let the fire go out - the effects are devastating when it comes to battling the enemy - if there is no fire, there will be no effect.
Application: The fire of God’s Spirit must fill the place and people if we are to become what God has ordained us to become. We cannot win the battle for the souls of men without God’s power - the fire of God. We must get lit up before we can go out.
To effectively stand in the gap, we must:
4. Enter into Intercession
A. Notice what Aaron did after he had filled the censer with fire: "So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly....Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them" (v. 47)
B. This speaks of getting into the gap, making direct intercession for those in desperation.
C. Such action occured because Moses had compassion for the people - he was heartbroken over their condition.
Application: Our world is in desperate need of intercessors, gap-standers, people of passion. Jesus stood in the gap for you and I - He continues to intercede on our behalf before the Father. We must fill the role of intercession for others here where we are.
To effectively standing the gap, we must:
5. Stand in the Battlefield
A. Verse 47 says that Aaron: "ran into the midst of the assembly."
B. Verse 48 says: "He stood between the living and the dead..."
C. He didn’t coach from the safety of the tabernacle rather he ran straight to the battlefront.
D. Standing in the gap for people takes a great deal of stamina and perseverance.
1. It means moving out of the confines and protection of the building and onto the place of battle.
2. It means going into unknown territory, facing unknown peril.
3. It means placing your complete trust in God.
Application: Churches are filled with armchair quarterbacks. We have plenty of people including preachers, working the sidelines. What this world needs right now is people willing to go out fight head-on.
Conclusion: It’s time we begin to understand that: "This generation of believers is responsible for this generation of souls." We have an awesome responsibility staring us in the face. When we leave here, this world that is, we can go away empty-handed or we can depart this planet with our coffers full of eternal rewards. The choice is yours and mine.
Jesus looked out on the crowds and was moved with compassion. But, He didn’t stop there, He responded. Are you willing to respond? Place yourself in the shoes of that hurting person overcome with the effects of the infection of sin. Would you want to just be left to yourself so you can slowly have the life drained from you or would you want someone to reach out and touch your life, give you some hope?
Being heartbroken for humanity involves a response beyond a simple yes, I understand. It involves a commitment to stand in the gap, to get fired up and to go into the place where the battle is raging. Are you willing and ready?
Disclaimer: Portions of this message or some of the ideas contained here may have been gleaned from other sources. Please feel free to use this message as the Lord leads for His glory.
