The Harvest

Introduction:

· This account is repeated in Mark 4, Luke 10 and John 4.

· Jesus is trying to impress upon the hearts of His Disciples the importance of world-wide missions

· Missions is the nearest and dearest thing to God’s heart

· He had been preaching, teaching and healing all day

· He shared His burden with the men there

· “Foreign” versus “Home” Missions--- is there a difference?

· Notice with me today some things about the harvest of which Christ spoke:

1. THE LOST OF THE HARVEST—V. 36

A. Everywhere Christ went there was a multitude

1. “There followed Him great multitudes” Mt. 4:25

2. “Great multitudes were gathered” Mt. 13:2

3. “Great multitudes came unto Him” Mt. 15:30

4. “Great multitudes followed Him” Mt. 19:2

B. “He was moved with compassion!”

1. “Being struck with empathy to the point of tears.”

2. When was the last time we wept over souls?

3. ILL] “The Letter”

C. 140 souls die lost every minute!

2. THE LATENESS OF THE HARVEST—V. 37

A. “The harvest is great” Lk 10:2

B. “The fields are white already to harvest” Jn 4:35

C. We are 24 hours closer to the coming of the Lord than yesterday at this time.

D. We must be busy about the King’s business!

3. THE LORD OF THE HARVEST—V. 38a

A. We’ll not always please man--man will fail us

B. Our motivation should be to please God.

C. God must have first place or no place

1. “Take no thought” Mt. 6:24-33

2. “He might have the preeminence” Col 1:18

D. He has all authority!

1. “All power is given unto me” Mt 28:18

2. “Even the winds and waves obey Him” Lk 8:25

3. “Power to lay down His life & take it up” Jn 10:18

4. “Power over all flesh” Jn 17:2

E. He is the focus of the entire Word of God

1. ILL] “The Person of the Book”

2. Throughout the Bible he commands us to go into the world and preach the Gospel

4. THE LABORERS OF THE HARVEST—V. 38b

A. Christ could have let the rocks and hills cry out!

B. He chose and left us here after He saved us to be witnesses

C. “How shall they…” Rom 10:13-15

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ILLUSTRATIONS:

The Letter

My friend I stand in judgment now and feel that you’re to blame somehow. While on this earth I walked with you day by day and never did you point the way. You knew the Lord in truth and glory but never did you tell the story. My knowledge then was very dim; you could have led me safe to Him. Though we lived together here on earth, you never told me of your second birth. And now I stand this day condemned because you failed to mention Him. You taught me many things, that’s true. I called you “friend” and trusted you. But I’ve learned now that it’s too late. You could have kept me from this fate. We walked by day and talked by night and yet you showed me not the light. You let me live, and love and die, and all the while you knew I’d never live on High. I called you “friend” in life and I trusted you in joy and strife. And yet in coming to this end I see you really weren’t my friend.

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THE PERSON OF THE BOOK

GENESIS: Promised Seed EXODUS: Passover Lamb LEVITICUS: Scapegoat NUMBERS: Brazen Serpent DEUTERONOMY: Great Lawgiver JOSHUA: Prophet, Priest and King JUDGES: Judge of All the Universe RUTH: Kinsman Redeemer SAMUEL: Anointer of Kings KINGS: King of Kings & Lord of Lords CHRONICLES: Great Historian EZRA: Rebuilder of the Temple NEHEMIAH: Rebuilder of the Wall ESTHER: Saviour of the Jews JOB: Friend that Sticketh Closer than a Brother PSALMS: Song of the Ages PROVERBS: Truth ECCLESIASTES: Great Preacher SONG OF SOLOMON: Wonderful Lover ISAIAH: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and The Prince of Peace JEREMIAH: Weeping Prophet LAMENTATIONS: Street Preacher EZEKIEL: Rebuilder of the Kingdom Temple DANIEL: Stone Cut Out Without Hands That Will Someday Come Back to Earth and Establish a Kingdom as Supreme Ruler and King HOSEA: Forgiving Lover JOEL-MALACHI: One Coming in Bethlehem Judea

MATTHEW: King of Kings MARK: Suffering Servant LUKE: Son of Man JOHN: Son of God ACTS: Power of the Church ROMANS: Dynamite of the Gospel CORINTHIANS: Restorer of the Carnal Nature GALATIANS: Rent Veil and Overcomer of the Schoolmaster EPHESIANS: Heavenly One PHILIPPIANS: Our Sufficiency COLOSSIANS: The Shadow THESSALONIANS: The Great Coming Christ TIMOTHY: Our Great Appearing God TITUS: Blessed Hope PHILEMON: Great Master HEBREWS: Best of All JAMES: Fulfiller of the Law PETER: Rock of Ages Cleft For Me, Let Me Hide Myself in Thee JOHN: Assurance of our Salvation JUDE: One Able to Keep Us From Falling and Present Us Faultless Before Christ in Glory REVELATION: One Saddled on a White Horse Coming Back to Set Up His Kingdom

HE’S THE PERSON OF THE BOOK!!