1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 The Lord be with you. 2 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,000 Ah, some of you did. 3 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,000 The response, and with your spirit. 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,000 The Lord be with you. 5 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,000 Amen. 6 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:25,000 Thank you for making the effort to make the Lord's Day special by being here on time. 7 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:31,000 Tonight at 6 o'clock our evening service will include some very fine music, as you can see in your worship folder. 8 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:39,000 And also we'll conclude this evening the series in the book of 2 Timothy, dealing with serving the Lord expectantly. 9 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:44,000 I hope you'll be back tonight as we conclude the Lord's Day in fellowship together. 10 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:52,000 The rose on the organ today is in honor of Samuel Elliott Dennis, born to Mr. and Mrs. Steve Dennis this last week. 11 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:56,000 We congratulate them and share in their joy. 12 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,000 We'd like to welcome any who are visiting in our service. 13 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:04,000 If you do not normally come to Grace Roseville, we're pleased that you're here today to worship with us. 14 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:08,000 Would you be kind enough to let us know that you're a guest by lifting your hand? 15 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:14,000 Our ushers have some material we'd like to give to you, including a visitor's card we would appreciate your filling out 16 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,000 and putting in the offering plate when it's passed. 17 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:22,000 As they work their way up the aisles, and they're coming right now, just lift your hand so they can see you. 18 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:27,000 Thank you very much for doing that and for sharing in our worship service this morning. 19 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:41,000 As we conclude that process, let me go ahead and remind you that our 1987 Missions Festival begins next Saturday 20 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,000 with the Men's and Boys' Breakfast at 8.30. 21 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,000 Tickets for that are available in the lobby today. 22 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,000 You need to buy them today, of course. This will be the last opportunity. 23 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:57,000 We're looking forward to the ministry of Joseph Ton as our speaker on that morning. 24 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,000 He is an exiled Romanian pastor. 25 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:05,000 He is heading now a mission work to the Romanian people. 26 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,000 He has been here before. I don't need to say a whole lot about him if you've heard him. 27 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:15,000 He's very challenging as a man who knows what it is to suffer in serving the Lord Jesus Christ. 28 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,000 So men, be here to hear him next Saturday morning. 29 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,000 Then Sunday our festival begins. 30 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,000 As you leave this morning, you're going to receive the Missions booklet, 31 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,000 which will explain the details of the conference. 32 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:31,000 There is a full schedule printed there for you for, in fact, all three of the churches, 33 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,000 Edina, Roseville, and Richfield. 34 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:39,000 We're right there in the middle, and you can see what's happening each day during the conference, 35 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:44,000 November, up through November the 2nd, our faith promise Sunday. 36 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:49,000 There's also, by the way, in there a Missions gram from our Missions Committee, 37 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:56,000 which tells you about all the people who will be here as our guests during the Missions Festival. 38 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,000 Some of these are our own missionaries. 39 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:02,000 Others of them are coming simply to represent certain missions. 40 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,000 So please take time to look through this material, 41 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:10,000 prepare yourself for what is going to be, as always, a dynamic and exciting week. 42 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:15,000 And I hope that you will plan, along with your family, to be a part of every part of it. 43 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:22,000 And then may I remind you that tickets for the banquet and also for the women's luncheon on November 2nd 44 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,000 are available in the lobby. 45 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:32,000 Their banquet tickets, in particular, go quickly, so be sure to get yours today. 46 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:37,000 All of us were saddened and shocked this last week with the death of one of the college students 47 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,000 who attends here at Grace. 48 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:44,000 Lynn Hummel was a student at Bethel College and was killed last Wednesday 49 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,000 in an automobile accident north of the cities. 50 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,000 Her family and some friends are with us this morning, 51 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:57,000 and we extend to you our love and our prayers during this time of your loss. 52 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:01,000 And we want you to know that we will miss Lynn. 53 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:06,000 She was a faithful part of our college ministry, and just yesterday I was calling some visitors 54 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:10,000 to our church over the last two or three weeks, 55 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:16,000 and one of the families had marked down on their card that Lynn had invited them to our church. 56 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:23,000 So be praying for this dear family. The service for Lynn will be tomorrow at 10.30 at the Bethel Gym, 57 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:28,000 if you'd like to be a part of that, and I know that you will uphold the family in prayer. 58 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,000 It is always a very sobering thing when this happens, 59 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:36,000 and a time for all of us to evaluate our lives. 60 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:41,000 As we prepare to worship this morning, may I call your attention to what Nahum wrote, 61 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:52,000 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knows those who take refuge in him. 62 00:04:52,000 --> 00:05:02,000 Let's bow together in silent prayer as we wait on the Lord. 63 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:07,000 Thank you, choir, for that reminder of what we have read in Luke chapter 10. 64 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:12,000 In just a few moments our elders are going to come and share with you some words, 65 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:20,000 each one of them personally, regarding our ministry plan for 1987. 66 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:28,000 Sometimes we call this a budget. Usher, you can come on ahead. I can see you're confused. Come on ahead. 67 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:36,000 Sometimes we call that a budget, but when we do that, it seems to communicate dollars and cents. 68 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:42,000 What we're talking about is people, the lives of people. 69 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:46,000 Of course, that involves money, and that's part of it. 70 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:56,000 But we must always look beyond the dollar signs to see the lives of people who can be touched through our ministry. 71 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,000 I hope that you'll give heed to the elders as they come. 72 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:04,000 Listen to their hearts as well as to their words, and then join us in prayer 73 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:10,000 as we anticipate our missions festival and the response on the part of all of us 74 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:17,000 to the challenge of ministry for 1987 on November 2nd and 9th in our Faith Promise Sundays. 75 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:23,000 Would you bow with me, please, in prayer? 76 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:33,000 Father, I pray that today you would remind all of us that ministry revolves around people 77 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:39,000 and that we minister when we invest our resources in the work of your kingdom 78 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:52,000 so that your work can be expanded in our lives and extended to other parts of our globe. 79 00:06:52,000 --> 00:07:01,000 I pray that as we think in terms of next year and what you would have us accomplish as a church 80 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:07,000 and what that will cost in terms of money and the part each of us will have in debt 81 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:14,000 and what it will mean in terms of our personal involvement in ministry. 82 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:20,000 As we pray and consider and ponder these things, I pray the Holy Spirit will do a work in our lives 83 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:29,000 so that our faith will not be small, that we will step out in faith and obey you. 84 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:37,000 Father, we have been reminded this last week in terms that none of us can escape the brevity of life 85 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:43,000 and how important it is that we invest our resources while we can, 86 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:49,000 not knowing when we will hear your voice and be called into your presence. 87 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:53,000 Make us good stewards. 88 00:07:53,000 --> 00:08:00,000 I want to pray for this dear family, the Hummel family and their friends who have come with them this morning 89 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:10,000 and others of their friends who are here because of our mutual love for Lynn. 90 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:16,000 I ask you to comfort and minister to their hearts by your grace 91 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:22,000 in a way that is beyond their ability to explain or understand. 92 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:31,000 May they sense your presence and even your hand in the circumstances of the last few days 93 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:37,000 and know that you do all things well and rest in that. 94 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:42,000 I pray that you will use the service tomorrow morning. 95 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:46,000 Bless those who will be leading it. 96 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:59,000 Grant that through the words spoken, hundreds of student lives will be touched and changed 97 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:05,000 and dedicated anew to Jesus Christ. 98 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:10,000 These things we pray in Jesus' name. 99 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:16,000 We'd like to share with you this morning just a few minutes of what the Lord has impressed on our hearts 100 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:23,000 pertaining to ministry opportunities in the budget for 1987. 101 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:28,000 The staff and the ministry leaders gave input to the elders for the budget. 102 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:34,000 We've reviewed it and made some adjustments, and in some cases we've asked ministry leaders to go back 103 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:39,000 and make the appropriate adjustments. 104 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:44,000 One of the things is John Benham has requested that he be relieved of the responsibility 105 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:49,000 of the church administrator starting January of 1987. 106 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:54,000 The elders have not reached a decision on that particular matter at this time, 107 00:09:54,000 --> 00:10:04,000 but as soon as we are able to we'll bring you additional or more information about that. 108 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:12,000 But for Grace Church to continue with the vision of reaching out to our community and to the world, 109 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:21,000 we're going to have to step out on faith because we're looking at a challenge of a million dollar budget for 1987. 110 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:26,000 To put that in proper perspective for some of you that don't know what the 1986 budget is, 111 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:32,000 that's a little over $150,000 more than our 1986 budget. 112 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:37,000 Now this morning we're only going to share that one number with you, 113 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:46,000 but in the next few weeks and in the near future we'll be giving you the detail of that budget. 114 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:55,000 The important thing for us to pass on this advanced information to all of you 115 00:10:55,000 --> 00:11:03,000 and for us to consider it ourselves is so that we can seek the Lord's guidance in what we will be doing 116 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:09,000 in our upcoming faith promise commitments. 117 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:17,000 I might add though that the opportunities that the Lord will be presenting to us 118 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:22,000 will even be far greater than that included in a million dollar budget. 119 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:28,000 In the name of a few other things that would be above and beyond the million dollar budget 120 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:35,000 would be financial support for the many young adults that have committed themselves from our church, 121 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,000 that have committed themselves to missions. 122 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:46,000 Many of these people are already in training with the intent of being ready to go in the next 12 to 24 months. 123 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:52,000 And the question is will we be prepared to stand behind them financially as we should? 124 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:59,000 Other opportunities that we need to consider are emergency and contingency funds 125 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:05,000 for the repairs and maintenance of this facility and equipment that we have. 126 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:10,000 Extra debt retirement so that we can look forward to future expansions. 127 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:16,000 Extra debt retirement above what's actually required, the minimum required. 128 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:25,000 Additional secretarial help to work in addition to the volunteers that we're now using. 129 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:30,000 Many of these kinds of opportunities are going to require us to step out on faith 130 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:39,000 and will and should challenge us far beyond a million dollar budget even that's being proposed for 1987. 131 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:46,000 I want to ask each one of us to take on a special assignment for the next couple of weeks. 132 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:56,000 I'd like for us to search our scriptures for the great men of faith like Moses or Joshua, Caleb, Nehemiah. 133 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:01,000 There are many others that we could name. 134 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:10,000 What I'd like for you to do is refresh your memory of the opportunities that the Lord provided for them 135 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:18,000 and then study how they prepared themselves for those opportunities and how they responded. 136 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:29,000 It's also going to require us to spend some real time in prayer to determine what our response will be and what our commitment will be. 137 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:41,000 I'd like to leave you with the verse Ephesians 3.20 which points out God's complete sufficiency and his desire to work through us. 138 00:13:41,000 --> 00:14:02,000 It says, Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works within us. 139 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:15,000 When you serve as an elder it's a real joy to get a total picture of the ministry and all the opportunities that we have as a body of believers to serve our world and our community. 140 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:27,000 One of the most difficult things about the job of being an elder is when you have to get around this time of year and start looking at budgets and then budget cuts. 141 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:37,000 Because of the vision you have for our community, reaching our community and the world, when we think of budget cuts it's people that we're thinking about 142 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:44,000 and it's things like a Sunday school teacher who doesn't have a place to store supplies they need. 143 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:48,000 It's a teacher that's teaching without the training they ought to have. 144 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:57,000 It's a youth leader that has to leave a new Christian young person home on a retreat because they don't have the funds to attend that retreat. 145 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,000 It's an adult leader that doesn't have the supplies they need. 146 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:06,000 It's a cut in the materials for the evangelism team of the church. 147 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:11,000 It's things like no new music for the choir. 148 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:23,000 It's saying no to missionaries who are waiting and eager to get to their mission field and it's saying no to the millions of people out there who are waiting for them to come. 149 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:33,000 It's not paying off our principal on our mortgage so we have the money we're spending on interest to spend on ministry. 150 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:39,000 These are the things that get to you when you're an elder and you're cutting a budget. 151 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:49,000 There's great opportunities out there and we feel the Lord has many things for us to do as a people in reaching our world for Christ. 152 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,000 We're talking about a million dollar budget. 153 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:57,000 I believe we should be talking personally about at least a million three hundred thousand or a million and a half 154 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:07,000 and I don't think we'd really have to stretch our faith too far to accomplish that. 155 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:12,000 When I think of ministry, I think of opportunity. 156 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:17,000 That opportunity comes in the theme that we have, stepping out in faith. 157 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:25,000 If we understand what the word faith means, it means trusting and it means obeying. 158 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:31,000 Trusting the promises of God's word and obeying the principles and commands of it. 159 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:42,000 I am finding more each day in my personal walk that the way I do that, the way I step out in faith, is to understand the reality and many realities around me. 160 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:49,000 First of all, the reality of who God is and what he has done for me. 161 00:16:49,000 --> 00:17:02,000 Then to allow the Holy Spirit through his word and through wise counsel to understand the needs, the reality of the needs of you, the body. 162 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:10,000 Also to understand that with those needs we need to train leaders, we need to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, 163 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:15,000 we need to nurture the baby Christians who come in. 164 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:29,000 Then for God's Spirit to illuminate and to show me the reality of a lost world, of neighbors who are heading for hell right now. 165 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:39,000 For lost tribes, as we have heard reports of people who have yet to hear the gospel in their language. 166 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:52,000 The reality of that, for God's word through his Spirit to burn in my heart, to burn in your heart, the reality of these needs, the reality of who God is that he will provide. 167 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:58,000 My God will provide, your God will provide all these needs. 168 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:09,000 It's my prayer for you, as it is for myself and my own luck with the Lord, that I will allow his Spirit to illuminate those areas that are dull, 169 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:17,000 to perceive the realities of life, the needs of this body as we will hear in just a moment, 170 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:29,000 the needs of a lost world going to hell, and the reality of who my God is. 171 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:34,000 The one thing being last is that everybody has said everything before me, so I don't need to worry. 172 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:40,000 But I think we've got to look back in 86 and see the challenge that this church provided for the world. 173 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:47,000 When you look at your bulletin this morning, we looked as if we touched 10 countries in the world, and I know that that's wrong. 174 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:53,000 Because I talked to the Montgomery's, and I think they touched about five or six themselves when they were in Europe. 175 00:18:53,000 --> 00:19:00,000 So we've got to take a bow in that, that we supplied the funds for these young people to go and touch the world for Christ. 176 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:09,000 And our challenge this year in 87 is, yes, step out and face and trust the Lord, because that's the only way we're going to do it. 177 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,000 We're not going to do it by ourselves. 178 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:15,000 If we don't trust God to help us when our faith promise comes along, 179 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:24,000 because we've got to sit down as families, individuals, and say, Lord, am I doing what I think I can in this faith promise? 180 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:29,000 And that's the only way that we're going to reach our goals, because budgets change. 181 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:33,000 As we go through the year, the budget change is unbelievable. 182 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:40,000 We plan, but I think the Lord has other ideas sometimes, and he makes a complete, make us do an about turn. 183 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:44,000 And we have to change in the middle of the year or near the end of the year. 184 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:48,000 And though sometimes we read in the bulletin there, our budget's this, 185 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:55,000 but if you really sat down in some of our elders' meetings and listened to what we have to do and the changes we have to make, 186 00:19:55,000 --> 00:20:01,000 it's just like when we watch television, we can become the great quarterback when we see the play went wrong. 187 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:05,000 Sometimes we look at things and we say, well, why didn't they do this? 188 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:10,000 But we don't. We have a decision to make, and we make the decisions the best we can. 189 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:14,000 And my prayer is to you people to look at our faith promise this year, 190 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:21,000 and I challenge you to challenge the elders this year with the faith promise when it comes in. 191 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:25,000 Thank you. 192 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:28,000 Two of our men are out of town today and cannot be here to speak, 193 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:36,000 but I thought it was important that you hear the heart of each of these men as they share their perspective on the ministry plan for 87. 194 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:43,000 We have a great theme for our missions festival, and it's one that applies to our look ahead to 1987, 195 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:47,000 that we might step out in faith as a church and as individuals and families as well. 196 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:57,000 From the youngest to the oldest, that we take a step of faith and obedience to Jesus Christ in all areas of our stewardship, our giving to him. 197 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:02,000 We want to praise him now with our singing. We're going to turn to 63. 198 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:09,000 And I just feel that John's going to announce we'll sing the first verse only, so I'll just go ahead and say that for him. 199 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:13,000 Number 63. Would you stand please as we sing together? 200 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:31,000 Praise him, praise him, Jesus our blessed Redeemer. 201 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:36,000 Sing our worthiest wonderful love, broken heart. 202 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:42,000 Hail him, hail him, highest arcades involving 203 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:48,000 strength and honor, gift to his holy name. 204 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:54,000 Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard his children. 205 00:21:54,000 --> 00:22:00,000 In his arms he carries them all day long. 206 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:05,000 Praise him, praise him, tell of his excellent greatness. 207 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:14,000 Praise him, praise him, ever in joyful song. 208 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:23,000 Please be seated. 209 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:33,000 Imagine the chaos in your home if someone world famous were to come to stay with you for a period of weeks. 210 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:38,000 You might respond by saying, well it couldn't be more chaotic than it is already. 211 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:41,000 Well I can identify with that response. 212 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:47,000 But consider if you will for a moment the extra arrangements that would be necessary. 213 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,000 The media demands placed upon you. 214 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:54,000 The communication equipment perhaps that would have to be installed. 215 00:22:54,000 --> 00:23:03,000 And then the effect of that world famous person being with you upon your own public recognition. 216 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:10,000 If in fact a world famous person were coming to stay with you, you might think twice about it. 217 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:18,000 But then on the other hand, consider how exciting it would be to become personally acquainted with that individual. 218 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:26,000 And to have the privilege to invite friends over for coffee or for a meal to meet that one. 219 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:33,000 Indeed it would be an honor to share such a guest with others, wouldn't it? 220 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:37,000 Jesus stayed for two days in Samaria. 221 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:44,000 And all because a woman was so impressed by a noon time encounter at the village well, 222 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:51,000 that she invited Jesus to come and meet her friends. 223 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:54,000 And they to come to meet him. 224 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,000 And Jesus consented and stayed two days in that place. 225 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:06,000 That brings us to our text in John chapter 4 and verse 27. 226 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:14,000 And at this point Jesus' disciples came and they marveled that he had been speaking with a woman. 227 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:19,000 Yet no one said, what do you seek or why do you speak with her? 228 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:24,000 So the woman left her water pot and went into the city and said to the men, 229 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:28,000 Come see a man who told me all the things that I have done. 230 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:31,000 This is not the Christ, is it? 231 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,000 They went out of the city and were coming to him. 232 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:36,000 So you get the scene. She's gone back to the city. 233 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:43,000 She has spoken to tell others about this one who has told her all the things that she had done. 234 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:49,000 They came out of the city toward the well, a distance of perhaps several hundred yards. 235 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,000 And as they were in the process of coming out, 236 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:58,000 it says in the meantime the disciples were requesting him saying, Rabbi, eat. 237 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:03,000 But he said to them, I have food to eat that you do not know about. 238 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:08,000 The disciples therefore were saying to one another, no one brought him anything to eat, did he? 239 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:15,000 Jesus said to them, my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 240 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:20,000 Do not say there are yet four months and then comes the harvest. 241 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:27,000 Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields that they are white for harvest. 242 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:33,000 Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, 243 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:37,000 that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 244 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:43,000 For in this case the saying is true, one sows and another reaps. 245 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:48,000 I sent you to reap for that for which you have not labored. 246 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:52,000 Others have labored and you have entered into their labor. 247 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:59,000 And from the city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman who testified, 248 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,000 he told me all things that I have done. 249 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:09,000 So when the Samaritans came to him they were asking him to stay with them and he stayed there two days. 250 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:14,000 And many more believed because of his word and they were saying to the woman, 251 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:19,000 it is no longer because of what you said that we believe for we have heard for ourselves 252 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:26,000 and know that this one is indeed the Savior of the world. 253 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:34,000 You have a heavenly visitor who is staying in your home, abiding in your life. 254 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:40,000 Has it ever occurred to you that others might be eager to be introduced to him? 255 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:46,000 Our theme during this fall spiritual adventure is opening our homes to Jesus. 256 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:50,000 We have been talking about the various results when we do that. 257 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:55,000 Today we talk about bringing others to meet the King. 258 00:26:55,000 --> 00:27:01,000 When we open our homes to Jesus we are concerned to do just that. 259 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:07,000 I would like for you to look closer with me at the private instructions which Jesus gave to his disciples 260 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,000 as recorded in our text. 261 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:14,000 These instructions were quickly given as the people from that city in Samaria 262 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:17,000 were on their way to the well. 263 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:24,000 What Jesus says gives us a basis for an invitation to others to meet our King. 264 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:29,000 I am speaking particularly of verses 34 through 38. 265 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:34,000 Notice in the first place Jesus' priority. 266 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:37,000 Jesus says to his disciples privately, 267 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:44,000 There is something that is more important than even the necessities of life, like food, 268 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:48,000 and that is the will of God. 269 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:52,000 You see, Jesus knew that life is given with a purpose. 270 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:57,000 That it is not an accident. It is not given by chance. 271 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:01,000 In fact, he was aware of this even at the age of 12, 272 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,000 that he had an assignment from his father to fulfill. 273 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:10,000 Must I not be about my father's business? He said to Mary and Joseph. 274 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:17,000 Later he summarized it to the crowds around Zacchaeus' house 275 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:25,000 when he said, The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. 276 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:29,000 That was the will of God in Jesus' life. 277 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,000 That was his priority. 278 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:37,000 He was willing to forego even the eating of food 279 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:41,000 so that he might fulfill what he knew his assignment was. 280 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:45,000 That is to seek and to save that which was lost. 281 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:50,000 Now of course you and I today cannot save the lost. 282 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:54,000 Only the Lord Jesus Christ could do that. 283 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:58,000 He paid the price by his death on the cross of Calvary. 284 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:03,000 He rose again from the dead that he might be the Savior of the world. 285 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:07,000 Only he can save the lost. 286 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:10,000 But you and I can seek them. 287 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:19,000 You and I can search them out and seek to introduce them to this King and Savior. 288 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:23,000 Should that not be our priority? 289 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:29,000 Can we not say that the will of God for you and for me in summation 290 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:35,000 is that we might seek to introduce others to the King? 291 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:40,000 And then look if you will at Jesus prodding of his disciples. 292 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:47,000 He says to them, Do you not say there are yet four months and then comes the harvest? 293 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:51,000 That may have been the agricultural situation at that point 294 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:57,000 or it may have been simply a saying from that day that Jesus was quoting to them. 295 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:00,000 But the point is given in the last part of the verse. 296 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:04,000 Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes. 297 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:09,000 Look on the fields that they are white for harvest. 298 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:16,000 Jesus is saying, not four months from now men, right now, right now. 299 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,000 And he prods them. 300 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:21,000 He says, lift up your eyes. 301 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:23,000 Look at the fields. 302 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:27,000 They are white, ready for harvest. 303 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:33,000 Such would be the look of the barley fields in that area at the harvest time. 304 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:41,000 Jesus undoubtedly, however, had in mind the Samaritans as they were coming out of the city to the well. 305 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:47,000 As they marched along, undoubtedly dressed in white, 306 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:52,000 they looked like a harvest of barley coming to him. 307 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:55,000 And he says, men, look. 308 00:30:55,000 --> 00:31:01,000 Lift up your eyes from your present circumstances, talking to me, and look over there. 309 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:06,000 Do you see those people? 310 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:12,000 The harvest is ready to be reaped, not four months from now. 311 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:16,000 Not when you finish your training. 312 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:20,000 Not when you saved enough. 313 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:23,000 Not when you've gotten past the next goal in your life. 314 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:25,000 Not then. 315 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:31,000 Now, men, now is the time of harvest. 316 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:35,000 And then his promise is given to them beginning in verse 36. 317 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:41,000 He who reaps is receiving wages. 318 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:44,000 He's talking there about the honor of being a reaper. 319 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,000 A reaper is rewarded for his work. 320 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:50,000 And he says he is gathering fruit for life eternal. 321 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:54,000 That doesn't mean that by reaping a man gains eternal life himself. 322 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:56,000 That's not the meaning here. 323 00:31:56,000 --> 00:32:00,000 Jesus is saying he is reaping others, and because of his work in the field, 324 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:04,000 they receive eternal life. 325 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:10,000 That he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 326 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:15,000 The promise of Jesus is this, that reapers will receive wages. 327 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:19,000 Or to put it in another biblical language, reapers receive rewards. 328 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:22,000 We're going to talk about that somewhat tonight as we look at the close of the 329 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:26,000 Apostle Paul's life in 2 Timothy chapter 4. 330 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:29,000 Reapers receive rewards. 331 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:36,000 If we're involved in the harvest, God will repay us for that work. 332 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,000 And he says sowers will share in it too. 333 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:45,000 Notice that Jesus says, in this case the saying is true, that one sows and 334 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:46,000 another reaps. 335 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:50,000 He says, I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored. 336 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:53,000 Others have labored and you have entered into their labor. 337 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:55,000 What is Jesus saying here? 338 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:57,000 Well, he may have been talking about Moses. 339 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:03,000 Moses who sowed the truth of God's word among the people of his day. 340 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:08,000 Perhaps he had a more contemporary figure in mind in John the Baptist, 341 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:11,000 who preached repentance to the nation of Israel. 342 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:14,000 It may be that he had the woman in mind. 343 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:20,000 For she went back to the city, you see, and sowed in the sense that she said 344 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:23,000 to them, come and see a man who told me all the things that ever I did. 345 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:26,000 This is not the Christ, is it? 346 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:32,000 Jesus may have had in mind himself sowing as he sowed to the woman and 347 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:34,000 through her to the people. 348 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:38,000 But whatever Jesus says to the disciples, others have sowed before you. 349 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:42,000 Now I'm going to allow you to reap the harvest. 350 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:47,000 His point is this, that those who sow and those who reap rejoice together 351 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:50,000 in what is done. 352 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:55,000 The facts are that some of us are sowers and others of us are reapers, 353 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:58,000 primarily. 354 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:01,000 Not that we all shouldn't sow, we should. 355 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:05,000 Not that we all don't have the privilege of reaping, we do. 356 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:10,000 But by the spiritual gifts, the personalities that God has given to us, 357 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:15,000 some of us tend to be sowers and others of us tend to be reapers. 358 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:21,000 The one should not compete with the other, for both are essential if a 359 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:24,000 harvest is to be reaped. 360 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,000 We work together. 361 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:29,000 We sow. 362 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:31,000 We reap. 363 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:36,000 And together we rejoice in what God does and we receive from him a reward 364 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:38,000 for our faithful service. 365 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,000 That is Jesus' promise. 366 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:43,000 His priority, the will of God. 367 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:46,000 His prodding, men look at the harvest. 368 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:49,000 Now is the time to be involved. 369 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:54,000 His promise, those who sow, those who reap, together rejoice and will be 370 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:56,000 rewarded. 371 00:34:56,000 --> 00:35:01,000 He exhorts his followers to become involved in the spiritual harvest of the 372 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:03,000 world. 373 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:08,000 Now you and I today are not untaught as were his disciples as they returned 374 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:10,000 from that city. 375 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:14,000 For we have heard Jesus' instructions to them. 376 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:18,000 Now we have to respond. 377 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:25,000 Dare we to stand idly by as the harvest in the world proceeds? 378 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:32,000 Some of us need to carefully think about our priorities as compared to the 379 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:35,000 priority of the Lord Jesus Christ. 380 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:40,000 Can you, can I honestly say today that the will of God is the number one 381 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:42,000 priority? 382 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:48,000 Whatever God wants in my life, that is the thing I am after. 383 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:52,000 That's what I want to be achieved. 384 00:35:52,000 --> 00:36:02,000 Whatever the price, whatever the cost to me, my food is through the will of my 385 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:05,000 Father in heaven. 386 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:11,000 Some of us need to hear his prodding words when he says, lift up your eyes and 387 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:13,000 look. 388 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:17,000 We need to become aware of the harvest around us. 389 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:24,000 One of my favorite cartoons was in a yearbook a number of years ago of Snoopy. 390 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:29,000 Snoopy was out in the middle of a field of grain that was ripened. 391 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:32,000 The heads of the grain were bent over and heavy. 392 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:36,000 And he had his head about that far above all the grain and it was turning 393 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:38,000 around in circles. 394 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:42,000 And the caption was, where's the harvest? 395 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:46,000 And you know, doesn't that describe us so often? 396 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:49,000 We get excited when we hear about the harvest fields of Asia. 397 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:52,000 And let me tell you, they're ripe. 398 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:56,000 My heart was challenged as I saw the ready response of people on this 399 00:36:56,000 --> 00:37:00,000 missions trip a couple of weeks ago. 400 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:05,000 When I was able to perceive that one can stand up before a crowd of 10,000 and 401 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:12,000 a thousand will easily respond to trust Christ. 402 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:16,000 The harvest fields of Asia are ripe and they're ripe in other parts of the 403 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:20,000 world, but let's not forget that there's a harvest here as well. 404 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:24,000 Now it may be true that there is not the ready response of people in our 405 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:27,000 society that there once was. 406 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:29,000 We can't say there won't be again. 407 00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:33,000 We pray, God, there will be a response again, a spiritual waking in our 408 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:35,000 nation. 409 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:41,000 But even if there is not, the harvest is still here and there are people who 410 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:44,000 need to be reached for our King. 411 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:48,000 Some of us need to hear the prodding words of Jesus to open our eyes and 412 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:53,000 look, to look beyond the present reality of things, to see the spiritual 413 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:56,000 needs of people. 414 00:37:56,000 --> 00:38:00,000 It's easy for us, isn't it, to work with people, to play with people, to 415 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:05,000 live with people who don't know our Savior. 416 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:11,000 And most all we see about them are their circumstances. 417 00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:17,000 We see them only in one dimension and we forget that they are human beings 418 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:23,000 like we are and behind that dimension that they project there are real needs 419 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:30,000 in their lives and they are, they can be made responsive. 420 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:35,000 God wants us to look, to lift up our eyes, to see the harvest. 421 00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:40,000 Some of us may need encouragement as did they. 422 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:44,000 Encouragement to be involved as reapers or as sowers knowing that we will 423 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:50,000 rejoice together, but encouragement to be involved in the Lord's harvest. 424 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:55,000 We live in a world that is like a ripened harvest field and it is our 425 00:38:55,000 --> 00:39:01,000 privilege to follow the example of this woman ourselves and thus become 426 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:04,000 active workers in the harvest. 427 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:06,000 You say, how can we do that? 428 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:10,000 How is it that we can really bring others to meet the King? 429 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:12,000 Let me suggest several things. 430 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:16,000 First of all, and I think this fits together with our full spiritual 431 00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:21,000 adventure, we can use our homes to do that. 432 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:29,000 We can use our homes as a means to bring others to the Lord Jesus Christ. 433 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:36,000 For you see, He is a world famous person who lives in our homes. 434 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:41,000 We can invite others to come in for coffee or for a meal and in the course 435 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:50,000 of the conversation have the privilege of introducing them to the King. 436 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:55,000 It is a natural and comfortable setting in order to do that work. 437 00:39:55,000 --> 00:40:00,000 The Lord wants us to use our homes, I believe, for loving hospitality, 438 00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:05,000 resulting in others seeing Christ in us. 439 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:09,000 I know you had a message a couple of weeks ago on the difference between 440 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:13,000 hospitality and entertainment, so I won't go into that, but I do call it 441 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:15,000 back to your memory. 442 00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:19,000 I would like you to turn with me though to Luke chapter 14 and to look at 443 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:24,000 some words of Jesus that are especially stimulating. 444 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:29,000 For here we have some instructions of Jesus to those who would invite 445 00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:35,000 others into their homes. 446 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:40,000 Luke 14 verse 12, and He also went on to say, to the one who had invited 447 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:47,000 Him, you have to understand that Luke 14 is largely table talk. 448 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:52,000 It's an occasion when Jesus was reclining at a table with some other people. 449 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:55,000 He has already spoken to the invited guests. 450 00:40:55,000 --> 00:41:00,000 Now He turns to the one who invited Him, and He says, when you give a luncheon 451 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:06,000 or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or 452 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:13,000 rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and repayment come to you. 453 00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:19,000 When you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 454 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:25,000 and you will be blessed since they do not have the means to repay you, for you 455 00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:30,000 will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. 456 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:35,000 The Lord Jesus says here to you and to me that when we think in terms of using 457 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:42,000 our home for hospitality, that we go beyond the usual limitations that we set. 458 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:49,000 That we look at those who have genuine need and we invite them. 459 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:54,000 His point is that they may not be able to return the favor. 460 00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:59,000 Therefore, God will at the judgment. 461 00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:07,000 When we invite those who are in need to enjoy the hospitality of our homes, 462 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:10,000 it is a test of our motives. 463 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:17,000 Our motives then must truly be selfless, for we will not be asking them that we 464 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:23,000 might receive something in return, but only that they might be introduced to the 465 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:25,000 King. 466 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:32,000 And it is those who are in need who are most aware and most sensitive to their 467 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:36,000 need for Him. 468 00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:39,000 We may ask the question, who are those in need? 469 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:42,000 Who should I invite into my home? 470 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:48,000 Well, let me consider some categories, some possibilities for you to consider. 471 00:42:48,000 --> 00:42:50,000 And I want to urge you to do that. 472 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:53,000 I am not saying don't invite others. 473 00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:59,000 What I am saying to you, consider using your home as a means to help others to 474 00:42:59,000 --> 00:43:05,000 come to know Christ, particularly those who have need. 475 00:43:05,000 --> 00:43:12,000 For example, what about those who are elderly? 476 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:24,000 Some of the most lonely and needy people in our society are the elderly. 477 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:30,000 When I visit in some of the homes for the elderly in our area, in addition to 478 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:35,000 being impressed with some who take good care, I am impressed that there are 479 00:43:35,000 --> 00:43:44,000 others where people are basically warehoused until the time that they die. 480 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:49,000 I realize that that's a rather harsh way of looking at it, but that's really how 481 00:43:49,000 --> 00:43:53,000 it seems. 482 00:43:53,000 --> 00:44:00,000 And when you walk down the corridors of these homes and elderly people look up 483 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:06,000 at you with eyes wondering who you are, wondering if you are going to smile at 484 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:13,000 them or have a word of greeting even, let alone a personal word of love or 485 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:20,000 kindness, you cannot help but have a heart that goes away burdened. 486 00:44:20,000 --> 00:44:27,000 Have you thought about calling one of the homes in this area and saying to the 487 00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:34,000 administrator or to the nurse that you may talk to, I or our family would like 488 00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:39,000 to adopt one of your residents. 489 00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:43,000 Can you give me the name of one who doesn't have a family and is lonely and 490 00:44:43,000 --> 00:44:46,000 in need? 491 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:51,000 And once you have that name begin ministering to that person, what about that 492 00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:54,000 as a possibility? 493 00:44:54,000 --> 00:44:58,000 Or you may want to consider another avenue. 494 00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:04,000 All the time there are families in our community who are bereaved because of 495 00:45:04,000 --> 00:45:08,000 the loss of a loved one. 496 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:17,000 These are moments when families are often most open to spiritual truth, 497 00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:22,000 especially those who don't know the Lord Jesus Christ. 498 00:45:22,000 --> 00:45:29,000 In that moment they are filled with all kinds of questions and they don't know 499 00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:31,000 where to ask them. 500 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:38,000 And so often even their religious leaders don't know the answers. 501 00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:43,000 Have you ever thought about writing a note to that family you hear about that 502 00:45:43,000 --> 00:45:49,000 has suffered a tragedy, just expressing your love and concern, the fact you're 503 00:45:49,000 --> 00:45:56,000 praying for them, just say if I can be of any help to you, would you please feel 504 00:45:56,000 --> 00:45:59,000 free to call me? 505 00:45:59,000 --> 00:46:02,000 Maybe you would even want to bake something and take it to them. 506 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:07,000 Or in some other way show tangibly your love and compassion. 507 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:14,000 But is that not a way that we can minister to people who are in need? 508 00:46:14,000 --> 00:46:21,000 May I suggest the poor? 509 00:46:21,000 --> 00:46:27,000 I must confess to you that after being in Manila and seeing the poverty that 510 00:46:27,000 --> 00:46:35,000 exists there, my response is we hardly have poor in this nation in comparison. 511 00:46:35,000 --> 00:46:41,000 On the other hand, in terms of our own society, there are those who have great 512 00:46:41,000 --> 00:46:44,000 poverty. 513 00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:50,000 There are children in the city of St. Paul who don't have enough nutritional 514 00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:57,000 food to eat or good warm clothing to wear. 515 00:46:57,000 --> 00:47:01,000 Have you thought about going down to the inner city and getting involved in some 516 00:47:01,000 --> 00:47:06,000 ministry there, finding out a family that you could minister to, that you could 517 00:47:06,000 --> 00:47:13,000 invite to your home in the suburbs or wherever you live, so that you might make 518 00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:20,000 them feel loved and at home and be able to introduce them to the one who is 519 00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:23,000 visiting in your home this fall? 520 00:47:23,000 --> 00:47:26,000 Did I talk about those who are punks? 521 00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:29,000 I know how that word has often been used, but you know today it does have 522 00:47:29,000 --> 00:47:31,000 particular meaning. 523 00:47:31,000 --> 00:47:36,000 It's these rather strange looking people that you see here and there around with 524 00:47:36,000 --> 00:47:44,000 clothing on that is unusual and hair to match. 525 00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:48,000 We look at them and often it's with despite, isn't it? 526 00:47:48,000 --> 00:47:51,000 You know that's exactly what they want us to do. 527 00:47:51,000 --> 00:47:58,000 They're trying to get attention and for some reason want that kind of response. 528 00:47:58,000 --> 00:48:01,000 What about loving them? 529 00:48:01,000 --> 00:48:08,000 What about walking up to a punk if you dare and saying, how about coming over to 530 00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:14,000 my place for lunch? 531 00:48:14,000 --> 00:48:17,000 Can you imagine how that person might respond? 532 00:48:17,000 --> 00:48:22,000 The initial response will probably be rejection of you, but that only comes out 533 00:48:22,000 --> 00:48:26,000 of a super, out of deep hurt, but it's a superficial response. 534 00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:28,000 Keep after that person. 535 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:32,000 What about those who are suffering from AIDS? 536 00:48:32,000 --> 00:48:34,000 You see a person like that? 537 00:48:34,000 --> 00:48:38,000 Yeah. 538 00:48:38,000 --> 00:48:43,000 You see there are people all around us who are truly in need and who are reaching 539 00:48:43,000 --> 00:48:47,000 out saying, where is someone who cares? 540 00:48:47,000 --> 00:48:51,000 Where is an answer to my dilemma? 541 00:48:51,000 --> 00:48:55,000 You and I have an answer in Jesus Christ. 542 00:48:55,000 --> 00:48:59,000 Let's use our homes as a setting to do that work. 543 00:48:59,000 --> 00:49:04,000 By the way, on page 27 of your journal, if you have one of those, there's a box 544 00:49:04,000 --> 00:49:07,000 to record the use of your home this way. 545 00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:11,000 It's one of the bonus disciplines of our fall spiritual adventure. 546 00:49:11,000 --> 00:49:16,000 Maybe you hadn't thought about doing it, but I would encourage you to do it. 547 00:49:16,000 --> 00:49:20,000 As we think about how to become active workers in the harvest, let me suggest that 548 00:49:20,000 --> 00:49:26,000 we look for those who are experiencing crisis in their lives. 549 00:49:26,000 --> 00:49:30,000 Beyond just those who are in need, let's talk about those for a moment who are 550 00:49:30,000 --> 00:49:35,000 in crisis in their lives, like the man in Luke 10, for example, of which we read 551 00:49:35,000 --> 00:49:39,000 earlier in the service, and of whom the choir sang. 552 00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:46,000 This man in the parable of the good Samaritan who was mugged and left for dead. 553 00:49:46,000 --> 00:49:52,000 Jesus tells us there that compassion is not measured by how much trouble that one 554 00:49:52,000 --> 00:50:00,000 sees, but rather by how much trouble one will go to in order to assist one who is 555 00:50:00,000 --> 00:50:03,000 in a crisis. 556 00:50:03,000 --> 00:50:12,000 So we talk about abused children, abused wives, who are in a moment of crisis 557 00:50:12,000 --> 00:50:16,000 needing somewhere to go. 558 00:50:16,000 --> 00:50:20,000 So we talk about the one who is experiencing the desperate loneliness of an 559 00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:27,000 unwanted divorce, and who is in crisis because of it. 560 00:50:27,000 --> 00:50:33,000 What about the victim of a rape, or the family that has lost a child from sudden 561 00:50:33,000 --> 00:50:39,000 infant death syndrome, or perhaps the family that has lost all of its worldly 562 00:50:39,000 --> 00:50:45,000 goods in a fire, or maybe it's that one that you know who is disappointed 563 00:50:45,000 --> 00:50:47,000 because of a failed romance. 564 00:50:47,000 --> 00:50:52,000 All of these are crises, and there are people all around us today in this room 565 00:50:52,000 --> 00:50:56,000 who are in some of these crises. 566 00:50:56,000 --> 00:51:02,000 Can you look for someone who is experiencing a crisis? 567 00:51:02,000 --> 00:51:07,000 And then will you do more than just look and pass by? 568 00:51:07,000 --> 00:51:12,000 Will you minister to that one in crisis and show some real tangible caring and 569 00:51:12,000 --> 00:51:13,000 love? 570 00:51:13,000 --> 00:51:18,000 It's too easy for us all to respond as did that man that Jesus spoke to in 571 00:51:18,000 --> 00:51:24,000 verse 29 of Luke 10, who said, well, who is my neighbor? 572 00:51:24,000 --> 00:51:27,000 I mean, where do I get started? 573 00:51:27,000 --> 00:51:32,000 And Jesus' response to him basically was, don't worry about who your neighbor is, 574 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:38,000 answer this question, whose neighbor are you? 575 00:51:38,000 --> 00:51:42,000 Find someone. 576 00:51:42,000 --> 00:51:46,000 Finally, I want to say that as we talk about being workers in the harvest, it's 577 00:51:46,000 --> 00:51:52,000 particularly appropriate for us to look upon the wider opportunities. 578 00:51:52,000 --> 00:51:57,000 For just a week from today, we begin our missions festival. 579 00:51:57,000 --> 00:52:00,000 You know, there are those that we can never invite into our homes. 580 00:52:00,000 --> 00:52:05,000 There are those that we can never touch with compassion by a personal act because 581 00:52:05,000 --> 00:52:10,000 they live in a country far from here with a different language and different 582 00:52:10,000 --> 00:52:11,000 customs. 583 00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:15,000 How can we be involved in their meeting Jesus? 584 00:52:15,000 --> 00:52:19,000 Well, of course, the first way is by prayer. 585 00:52:19,000 --> 00:52:26,000 Not prayer in general, but an intelligent, understanding prayer for the support of 586 00:52:26,000 --> 00:52:31,000 a missionary on a particular field. 587 00:52:31,000 --> 00:52:37,000 In our conference, you will have an opportunity to become a prayer soldier for 588 00:52:37,000 --> 00:52:42,000 at least one of our missionaries so that you can write to that person. 589 00:52:42,000 --> 00:52:45,000 That person can write to you, share specific needs. 590 00:52:45,000 --> 00:52:49,000 You can study about that field, go to the library, check out books, get your 591 00:52:49,000 --> 00:52:55,000 encyclopedia out, find out something about that country, and begin to pray 592 00:52:55,000 --> 00:52:57,000 intelligently. 593 00:52:57,000 --> 00:53:00,000 That's one thing you can do. 594 00:53:00,000 --> 00:53:03,000 You can also talk about money. 595 00:53:03,000 --> 00:53:08,000 We've been praying the prayer that God would show us how to make our resources 596 00:53:08,000 --> 00:53:13,000 available to him for the work of his kingdom. 597 00:53:13,000 --> 00:53:20,000 We'll be responding with our faith promise in a few weeks. 598 00:53:20,000 --> 00:53:22,000 Our children is another way that we can respond. 599 00:53:22,000 --> 00:53:25,000 For many of us here have children. 600 00:53:25,000 --> 00:53:29,000 We can be involved in encouraging them in the direction of international 601 00:53:29,000 --> 00:53:32,000 ministry. 602 00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:37,000 There is a price to pay in doing that because they may go. 603 00:53:37,000 --> 00:53:41,000 And there may be a separation of several thousand miles, like some in our 604 00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:44,000 church know, from their children who are serving the Lord on some mission 605 00:53:44,000 --> 00:53:46,000 field. 606 00:53:46,000 --> 00:53:52,000 But, oh, my friend, the joy of sharing in the reward of that individual that 607 00:53:52,000 --> 00:53:57,000 you encourage to go and you're willing to give up to go, we can give of our 608 00:53:57,000 --> 00:54:01,000 children to speed them on their way. 609 00:54:01,000 --> 00:54:08,000 We can give ourselves for full-time work. 610 00:54:08,000 --> 00:54:13,000 Perhaps it's in the pastric or in the mission field or in some other area of 611 00:54:13,000 --> 00:54:20,000 ministry as we flew into the station where the Linettes and the Palmers are 612 00:54:20,000 --> 00:54:26,000 serving on the island of Taliabu, who were flown there by a man who 20 years 613 00:54:26,000 --> 00:54:30,000 ago was a pig farmer down in Indiana. 614 00:54:30,000 --> 00:54:36,000 He owned a large swine farm and was a pilot. 615 00:54:36,000 --> 00:54:40,000 And God called him to be a missionary. 616 00:54:40,000 --> 00:54:46,000 So he sold all of his animals, intended to sell his plane but crashed it a week 617 00:54:46,000 --> 00:54:51,000 before he sold it, and went to learn how to translate the Bible. 618 00:54:51,000 --> 00:54:56,000 But once he got there and they discovered his abilities, they said, we need 619 00:54:56,000 --> 00:54:59,000 someone to head up our aviation ministry in this part of the world. 620 00:54:59,000 --> 00:55:01,000 Will you do that? 621 00:55:01,000 --> 00:55:03,000 He went and got extra training in aviation. 622 00:55:03,000 --> 00:55:07,000 And for the last 15 or 20 years, he's been a pilot in various parts of the 623 00:55:07,000 --> 00:55:13,000 world, the last several years in Indonesia. 624 00:55:13,000 --> 00:55:21,000 A heart for God, a man who was called in his mid-30s to give up his vocation 625 00:55:21,000 --> 00:55:23,000 and go to the mission field he obeyed. 626 00:55:23,000 --> 00:55:26,000 What about short-term? 627 00:55:26,000 --> 00:55:32,000 Giving us several months or a year or two years to some part of the world, we 628 00:55:32,000 --> 00:55:37,000 can give of ourselves as we talk about how to be involved in helping these 629 00:55:37,000 --> 00:55:39,000 other people meet Jesus. 630 00:55:39,000 --> 00:55:43,000 Let's think in terms of international students who are here in this country. 631 00:55:43,000 --> 00:55:47,000 But we don't have to even get a visa to minister to them. 632 00:55:47,000 --> 00:55:52,000 And they're here looking for someone who will teach them the common things from 633 00:55:52,000 --> 00:55:56,000 our culture and teach them some of the English language. 634 00:55:56,000 --> 00:56:01,000 By the way, there's a training session next Saturday for those who want to be 635 00:56:01,000 --> 00:56:07,000 involved in international student ministry. 636 00:56:07,000 --> 00:56:09,000 Hey, here's the point. 637 00:56:09,000 --> 00:56:14,000 When we open our homes to Jesus, one of the responses is that we want others to 638 00:56:14,000 --> 00:56:16,000 meet the King. 639 00:56:16,000 --> 00:56:21,000 Do you feel that privilege to help others to meet him, to make him known, 640 00:56:21,000 --> 00:56:27,000 using your home, employing your resources to make it possible? 641 00:56:27,000 --> 00:56:32,000 Some of us are very good at analyzing the scene around us, but how good are we 642 00:56:32,000 --> 00:56:35,000 at seeing the spiritual realities? 643 00:56:35,000 --> 00:56:41,000 As Jesus said to his disciples, we need to lift up our eyes and look and see the 644 00:56:41,000 --> 00:56:44,000 harvest right here. 645 00:56:44,000 --> 00:56:48,000 But we are in a harvest field. 646 00:56:48,000 --> 00:56:55,000 What is your present involvement in sowing and in reaping? 647 00:56:55,000 --> 00:57:05,000 In 1877, Charles Luther heard a certain Reverend A.G. Upham tell of a young man 648 00:57:05,000 --> 00:57:13,000 who was about to die after living only one month as a Christian. 649 00:57:13,000 --> 00:57:20,000 Regretting his fruitless life, this young man said on his deathbed, 650 00:57:20,000 --> 00:57:31,000 I am not afraid to die, Jesus saves me now, but must I go empty handed? 651 00:57:31,000 --> 00:57:35,000 Having heard that story, Charles Luther wrote the hymn. 652 00:57:35,000 --> 00:57:39,000 It's not in our hymnal, unfortunately, but sometimes we have sung it in the 653 00:57:39,000 --> 00:57:40,000 past. 654 00:57:40,000 --> 00:57:44,000 Must I go and empty handed? 655 00:57:44,000 --> 00:57:51,000 Thus, my dear Redeemer, meet, not one day of service give him, lay no trophy at 656 00:57:51,000 --> 00:57:54,000 his feet. 657 00:57:54,000 --> 00:58:02,000 Not at death I shrink or falter, for my Savior saves me now, but to meet him 658 00:58:02,000 --> 00:58:08,000 empty handed, thought of that now clouds my brow. 659 00:58:08,000 --> 00:58:14,000 Oh, the years in sinning wasted, could I but recall them now? 660 00:58:14,000 --> 00:58:20,000 I would give them to my Savior, to his will I'd gladly bow. 661 00:58:20,000 --> 00:58:28,000 And then he writes in the last verse, oh, ye saints, arouse, be earnest, up and 662 00:58:28,000 --> 00:58:36,000 work while yet is day, ere the night of death, or take thee, strive for souls 663 00:58:36,000 --> 00:58:41,000 while still you may. 664 00:58:41,000 --> 00:58:49,000 Let's pray. 665 00:58:49,000 --> 00:59:04,000 Our Lord, forgive our carelessness, our lack of enthusiasm for inviting others 666 00:59:04,000 --> 00:59:09,000 to come to know you. 667 00:59:09,000 --> 00:59:13,000 Forgive us for living in the harvest field and not being involved either in 668 00:59:13,000 --> 00:59:21,000 sowing or reaping. 669 00:59:21,000 --> 00:59:25,000 We would not go into your presence and be empty handed. 670 00:59:25,000 --> 00:59:30,000 Our hearts are smitten with conviction. 671 00:59:30,000 --> 00:59:37,000 I pray that today you will lay in our hearts specific ways in which we can be 672 00:59:37,000 --> 00:59:44,000 involved in the harvest by using our homes, ministering to those who are in 673 00:59:44,000 --> 00:59:54,000 crisis, being personally involved in this harvest field and those around the 674 00:59:54,000 --> 00:59:57,000 world. 675 00:59:57,000 --> 01:00:07,000 Lord Jesus, cause us to be aroused, to be up and at work while the day of 676 01:00:07,000 --> 01:00:10,000 opportunity is ours. 677 01:00:10,000 --> 01:00:12,000 Our heads are bowed, our eyes are closed. 678 01:00:12,000 --> 01:00:17,000 I wonder if by the uplifted hand you would say God has spoken to me and I have 679 01:00:17,000 --> 01:00:21,000 in mind a specific response to this message. 680 01:00:21,000 --> 01:00:28,000 I know what God wants me to do and I might invite others to meet the King. 681 01:00:28,000 --> 01:00:34,000 By His grace I intend to do it and here is my hand to say so. 682 01:00:34,000 --> 01:00:37,000 Yes, God bless you. 683 01:00:37,000 --> 01:00:39,000 Oh, there are so many. 684 01:00:39,000 --> 01:00:40,000 Yes. 685 01:00:40,000 --> 01:00:41,000 Any more? 686 01:00:41,000 --> 01:00:43,000 I know what God wants me to do. 687 01:00:43,000 --> 01:00:45,000 Pray for me and I'll do it. 688 01:00:45,000 --> 01:00:48,000 I have a plan in mind. 689 01:00:48,000 --> 01:00:53,000 Oh, God, thank you for these who have lifted the hand and I pray specifically for 690 01:00:53,000 --> 01:01:02,000 them, use them and multiply them so that we might be effective harvesters in the 691 01:01:02,000 --> 01:01:06,000 world for Jesus' sake. 692 01:01:06,000 --> 01:01:08,000 And in His name I pray. 693 01:01:08,000 --> 01:01:25,000 Amen.