Grosey's Messages

Matthew 9:35-10:15  Messianic Miracles: How Do We Live In Our World?

I love the story of St Patrick of Ireland.  Mainly because he was Cornish.  And not a Catholic. Lol

Somewhere around the year 401, a great fleet of black Irish sailboats swept up the western coast of Britain, probably into the Severn estuary, seized many thousands of captives, and returned with them to the slave markets of Ireland. One of those seized was a 16-year-old boy named Patricus, the man we know today as St. Patrick." Enslaved there as a shepherd for 6 years, Patrick met the Lord Jesus while tending sheep in brutally harsh conditions. Alone, naked, and starved, he devoted himself to prayer and worship, beholding the glory of Jesus Christ. This suffering transformed Patrick into God's chosen servant to bring the gospel to Ireland. After a miraculous escape, Patrick returned to England. Back home, Patrick hears God's call to get biblical training and share the gospel with his former captors. Astonishingly, he does, forsaking wealth, ease, and comfort to finish school and return to Ireland at 40 years old. Patrick's life paints a powerful picture of the supernatural love of God in his willingness to go back and share the love of Christ with the very people who had kidnapped and enslaved him. It's possible that in his fruitful life as an evangelist he led as many as 100,000 Irish people to saving faith in Christ.     He is a great example of what the Lord Jesus taught His disciples to be.

Lets fast forward a few centuries… and a few hundred kms.. to Paris France in 1512 a twenty year old has started reading  his Bible.  Bibles were just then being printed.. and he got one.. and became a Christian in Roman Catholic France. As did a Bishop.  William Farel became head of a theological college where he gave himself to reading his Greek New Testament and gave away his Roman Catholicism to trust in the Lord Jesus.  And he started teaching and preaching the gospel. People would come to Christ.. Sometimes priests.. sometimes Bishops.. The motto of the Theological college was "Sufficient is the Word of God."  He went from town to town preaching the gospel. Often he was persecuted from the towns. Even the sister of the King Francis 1 became a Christian. Sometimes he would move to a town as a school teacher, and there preach the gospel, particularly in the towns of Switzerland.  In 1536 William Farel persuaded John Calvin to join him in evangelizing and teaching in Geneva.  Farel recognized God had gifted him to be a fearless evangelist, taking the gospel to the lost.    

The question that is often before us is, what is God calling you and I to do and be? Is everyone called to be an evangelist like Patrick or Farel?  If so, why aren't we?

Who are we? What are we called to do?

I remember talking with one pastor friend in the USA. There was a substantial belief at the time that Christians are called to be fruitful and multiply: by natural means! Having between 6 and ten kids! And by this we as Christians can fulfill a cultural mandate to rule over God's world.  Just have kids!

We are called to be compassionate!  

How that compassion works out in your life will differ from person to person. 

Farel was called to be a compassionate passionate evangelist.  Calvin was called to be a compassionate teacher of the theology.  Others a re called to be compassionate in how they reach the unreachable people. 

COMPASSION  People Matter more than Programs

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

God's Has A Call Every Believer

No Super Christians:  Martyrs :  Monks :  Mystics:  Missionaries:  Mega-church pastors

Show  People  Love  And  Share  Him

The Compassion of Jesus Motivates Us Over The State of the Hordes

SPLASH     Show People Love And Share Him

Because of the value of the soul. 

Mark 8:36-37       It is the Expensive you  It is the Eternal you    It is the Essential you

The Compassion of Jesus Motivates Us Over The Slow Of Heart

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them

PEOPLE  Evangelism is not about prospects, or programs, it is about people!

See People first! The question is not "what can they do for us?" but rather, "what Christ can do for them!"

JESUS SEES THE NEED AND POTENTIAL OF EVERYONE.

THE LEFT OUTS                THE DROP OUTS

THE LOCKED OUTS              THE OPT OUTS

DO YOU SEE PEOPLE AS JESUS SEES PEOPLE?  LEFT OUTS  DROP OUTS  LOCKED OUTS   OPT OUTS

John and I were talking about the Lord's sense of humour.  I am scared of some Bikie gangs. Sitting in church, I also don't like the front seats too, but a bikie gang came in and sat right in front of me.

Oh no.. don't let them turn around and talk to me. What if they start something at my friend's church.. all I have is a Bible, can I knock one out with it?  Well service over they all left to go out to the hall for a free multicultural meal!  Phew!  SO I spoke to the pastor "What did you think when you saw them come in?" "I was scared…"  Just then a girl walked up.. "Hi Pastor, I was a muslim a month ago, I became a Christian last week. I wonder if you could baptize me by immersion soon. I want to profess my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ publicly.  So I brought my sister and her friends from the bikie gang to hear you tonight." So my pastor friend introduced me to each one and we shook hands!!  God has a sense of humour and will stretch you on your fears.  Do you love as He loves, do you trust Him to change hearts?

PEOPLE Matt. 9:36 is a summary of Jesus' ministry.  "When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them."

Do you think people without Jesus are helpless and hopeless?

Do you think Jesus can bring real hope? Real salvation, a new birth?

You can bring that hope!

The Compassion of Jesus Motivates Us Over The Situation of the Harvest

The workers are few!    We think  "I don't want to be a harvest worker!"

The concerns expressed are:

I'm afraid!       I won't be able to answer objections! I can't memorize a presentation!      

I never have the opportunity to share!  I'm just not a confrontational person!     

I don't have the gift of evangelism!          I don't know how to start the conversation!

MULTIPLY WORKERS

JESUS WOULD HAVE US PRAY FOR DILIGENT WORKERS.

Matthew 10:5-10   These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.7 And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.9 Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts,10 no bag for your journey, nor two tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.

JESUS WOULD HAVE US PRAY FOR COURAGEOUS WORKERS.

Matthew 10:16-23, 27-39  Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

26 "So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

 

The Compassion of Jesus Motivates Us Over The Solution for the Harvest

The Foundational Principle

Prayer is the key to seeing God at work and showing people love.

The harvest is abundant. Mat 9:38  "therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

See, Feel, Pray and Go

See What Jesus Sees.

Feel What Jesus Feels.

Do What Jesus Did. 

Multiply the workers… 2 Tim 2:2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

 

Keep The Main Thing The Main Thing

People Matter More Than Programs

Multiply Ministry By Multiplying Ministers