Reaching Out

INTRO.- ILL.- A man once prayed like this:

Lord, bless me and my wife

My son John and his wife

Us four and no more.

A childless couple prayed:

Lord, bless us two,

And that will do.

An old bachelor prayed:

Lord, bless only me,

That’s as far as I can see.

Brethren, many people can only see as far as the end of their nose: me, me, and me. And me, me, me is all they think about and live for.

ILL.- A Sunday School teacher, after teaching the lesson of the Good Samaritan, asked the class what they had learned. One little boy piped up and said, "I learned that whenever I get into trouble somebody better help me out."

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, the biggest problem that most of us face in life is selfishness or self-centeredness! We may not want to admit that, but it’s the truth. We’re generally more concerned about our likes and dislikes and our wants more than anybody else’s. Even more than that of our mate and our family members and often, MORE THAN THE LORD!

Yes! We generally choose our will over the Lord’s will!

I’m not saying that we are totally selfish people. We will have our good days when we are think more of others than ourselves. But overall, we are pretty self-centered creatures!

ILL.- Oscar Wilde, the famous poet/playwright who died in 1900, said, "Come over here and sit next to me. I’m dying to tell you all about myself." And guess what? He died at the tender age of only 46! Wonder if he reaped what he sowed?!

ILL.- G. Gordon Liddy of the infamous Watergate Affair said, "I have found within myself all I need and all I ever shall need. I am a man of great faith, but my faith is in G. Gordon Liddy. I have never failed me."

Some day G. Gordon Liddy will fail himself, because no one who is totally self-centered is going to get in the door of heaven!

ILL.- I noticed an article on the internet the other day entitled, "9 WAYS TO GET YOUR WAY MORE OFTEN." What is that? It’s nothing but teaching people to be self-centered!

Brethren, 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, for himself! 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."

Today, I want us to think about others! 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 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

"He who goes out..." The "going" is the starting place for the work of sharing Christ with others.

Matt. 28:19 Jesus said, "Go ye therefore and make disciples..."