Title: Harvest Workers/Matthew 9:35-4:1
Description There was a patient who lived in a dark room in a slum in Calcutta, India. Laying in a dark, gloomy room with little light coming in, a room that smelled terribly from never being cleaned, he ate if someone threw him some bread, otherwise he starved. He never turned on the light even though there was a lamp in the room. His life was so abandoned in the dark and musty smell.
Mother Teresa, who went there, bought a new lamp, turned it on, painted the wallpaper and cleaned the room. Then the man in the darkness said, "I prefer a dark and dirty place," and threw the lamp away. Teresa showed warm love to the poor brother. This person, of course, had been suffering from a physical disease for a long time, but the more terrifying disease was a disease of the mind. He came to the point of giving up on life because of poverty, disease, and the contempt and scorn of his neighbors. But, moved by Teresa's love, little by little things began to change.
As Teresa left and was working elsewhere, the good news came about him. He was still living in a poor ghetto, but he was working hard with a decent job in a clean room. He said this. "Tell that little nun. Your light is still burning in my life" ("Your light is still burning in my life").
He had become accustomed to darkness and was more comfortable with darkness than light. He was a poor human being who had become accustomed to a state of stagnation, not only of his body, but also of his mind and spirit, as it was a natural thing to do in everyday life. But he came into contact with the active love of Christ through Mother Teresa, and a bright lamp lit up the lamp of his soul.
In our country, due to the IMF economic crisis, many people have lost their will to live and are wandering, and the phenomenon of some families being dismantled due to economic difficulties and strife is notable. The derailment of youth and the ferocity of social crimes are getting more serious day by day, so I can't help but lament where this country is going. We can intuit that the crisis of this age is not only an economic problem, but also a problem of the people's spirit, reaching a serious point. In times like these, the leadership needs to have the power to unite the spirit of the people, but even they have lost the leadership to lead the people. Therefore, we desperately need a man of God who can lead all the people of this country today. We need someone to light the lamp in the hearts of our people.
Today's message is the message that Jesus sent the Lord's workers. Jesus describes his disciples as harvest workers. He said that those who are spiritually wandering, that is, those who will share the gospel of God with those who have left God, are the harvest workers. Even in this world we live in, there are many people who are mentally and spiritually wandering. That is why we need workers to guide them.
We are all here called to be laborers of the Lord's harvest at this time. I hope that today will be a time to receive great power in front of our Lord's calling.
1. We must open the eyes of love.
If you look at the history of mankind, heroes manipulated public opinion to misrepresent their will as the will of the masses, and created their popularity and power, and it is said that great iron men such as Socrates and Plato were also chosen, but only the children of noblemen. But when Jesus saw the people, his heart ached. As they experienced the corruption of their shepherds and priesthood groups and the exploitation of political leaders, they felt heartbreaking and mourned at the multitude without a shepherd. However, Jesus did not choose to fight such false shepherds as politicians and religious leaders at the time, such as strikes, as did the labor unions these days. A strike is a democratic way to find rights through struggle, but it is a political struggle that inflicts great scars on both sides through hatred and struggle. Jesus did not choose that way.
He gave up his heavenly authority, came down to a sinful world, and gave himself all through the sufferings of the cross. Through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, He became the life and hope of all mankind. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross came from the Lord who had the pain of cutting off the liver as he saw the people being exploited by the rulers for his sheep without a shepherd.
We need to see people living without God around us. You need to be able to see the modern man who is drowning in atheistic pride who thinks that he can only live with money. The father, who received a portion to return to him from his father, went to a distant country and went to a faraway country, waiting for a prostitute and a prodigal son who had eaten. The eldest son has never been heartbroken because of his younger brother. My father had no heart.
How heartbroken are we today because of those who have not been saved? Those who do not have a heart that aches because of their neighbors who are going to eternal punishment cannot be disciples of the Lord. You must have a father's heart. You must have pity, but how can you live your daily life with a husband who still does not believe in you and your pride? This is not a common problem.
Trotskii (Lev. Trotskii), who founded the Soviet Union, was a journalist in New York for four years, and said that no one had met anyone who preached to him. That's why he said, "It's proof that people don't believe in the Christian heaven or don't have confidence."
How are we? You believe in the Lord's salvation, but are you not confident in the gospel witness? Jesus died on the cross by sprinkling blood and water to save mankind. There are still too many people on this planet who do not believe in Jesus. You must have compassion for them. We must possess this mind.
2. He gives power to the harvest workers.
Jesus said that while preaching the gospel, he healed every disease and every evil. Of course, it was possible because the Lord is the Son of God, who has "all authority in heaven and on earth." However, in today's text, Jesus said to the twelve, "He gave them power to cast out unclean spirits and to heal all diseases and all kinds of evil" (verse 1). According to these verses, it is said that Jesus also gave the disciples the power to cast out demons and heal diseases that he possessed.
In other words, if we become evangelists, he has given us such power as well. It can't be surprising. Because he has given us the power to cast out demons and the power to heal. However, you can see that this was given to preach the gospel and not just given. It means that we are given to preach the gospel. Also, before Jesus ascended into heaven, He said, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will go and be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). He said that the power that the Lord gives is only received when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. Therefore, it would be impossible for those who embark on evangelism without the Holy Spirit. Of course, you cannot have the heart to love the soul of your neighbor without receiving the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we have a heart to love people today. A feeling of pity for the soul arises. He has the power to cast out demons and heal diseases.
A deacon of our church suffered from a cold and became dehydrated all over his body. He was treated at the hospital, but there was no treatment. My whole body ached and I couldn't stand it for three days. He tried not to call me if the hospital could fix it. You can call us anytime. However, he did not contact me because he was sorry, so I had no choice but to contact him, but he asked for prayer in a calm voice, so I prayed with all my heart. But, strangely, it seems to have healed after washing. This is a God-given power. This power is manifested to reveal the glory of the Lord and to spread the gospel. God can do even greater things than that. Believe and pray. The power of God will be revealed. However, where the gospel is preached, the devil leaves because they are afraid of the gospel of God. The kingdom of heaven will come upon that person only after the devil leaves. Nowadays, cures can be cured in hospitals. Therefore, the power works to spread the gospel rather than to heal. As the kingdom of heaven comes from where the gospel is preached, all problems will be solved.
Dear all! Let us be filled with the Holy Spirit. I hope that the work of preaching the gospel of God will take place and this place will become the kingdom of heaven by receiving the power the Lord gives.
3. We need workers to harvest.
Dear all! We are harvest workers called by the Lord. Let's go out as evangelists saying to the Lord, "Here I am, send me!" We must become those who preach the gospel to everyone. Just like former U.S. President Carter, who preached the gospel while still in office, let us use all our fame, power, and position to preach the gospel. To that end, let the Holy Spirit come upon us at this time and look at people with a human heart. Let's tell them Jesus Christ. That is the way for our people and the world to live.