WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.879 We're going to be looking at just a few verses at the end of Matthew chapter 9. 00:00:04.580 --> 00:00:06.799 ! And the Lord is speaking here. 00:00:07.799 --> 00:00:11.320 And we're going to start reading in verse number 36. 00:00:11.320 --> 00:00:14.140 Matthew chapter 9. 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:18.420 And we'll begin reading in verse 36 to the end of the chapter. 00:00:19.380 --> 00:00:21.039 And again, Jesus is speaking. 00:00:21.300 --> 00:00:26.859 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them. 00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:32.439 Because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep, having no shepherd. 00:00:33.659 --> 00:00:40.140 Then saith he unto his disciples, the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labors are few. 00:00:40.140 --> 00:00:46.939 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labors into the harvest. 00:00:47.359 --> 00:00:47.840 Let's pray. 00:00:48.859 --> 00:00:55.620 Our Heavenly Father, this morning we come to you and we ask, dear God, that you would speak to each and every heart. 00:00:56.579 --> 00:01:05.879 Father, we are sometimes guilty of when we come to church, we just kind of go through the motions of clocking in. 00:01:05.879 --> 00:01:14.479 And we sometimes leave our brain at the door and we're not really paying attention as we should. 00:01:15.579 --> 00:01:18.939 Dear God, would you awaken us and alert us to this message? 00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:28.259 May we hang on every word that you would have us to hear and speak to our hearts in a special way today. 00:01:28.260 --> 00:01:36.300 God, I ask that you use me as your instrument, as your voice to us today. 00:01:37.060 --> 00:01:41.540 I pray, Lord, that we would not just be hearers, but doers of the word. 00:01:41.800 --> 00:01:43.160 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:01:43.980 --> 00:01:44.280 Amen. 00:01:44.280 --> 00:01:44.460 Amen. 00:01:45.659 --> 00:01:52.500 And so when Jesus is looking and he sees the multitudes, it affects his heart. 00:01:53.599 --> 00:02:03.439 And sometimes we have to ask ourselves this question, when was the last time that it affected our heart when we saw the masses and realized they're lost? 00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:08.300 I mean, sometimes when I, I don't watch a lot of sports. 00:02:08.500 --> 00:02:12.479 I, a little back story. 00:02:12.620 --> 00:02:14.439 When I was younger, I was into sports. 00:02:14.579 --> 00:02:15.579 Sports was my life. 00:02:15.699 --> 00:02:22.419 I did everything that you could, if you could be on the team at school, except for the girls' sports. 00:02:22.780 --> 00:02:30.139 If there was a, you know, now I grew up in England too, so you need to understand. 00:02:30.139 --> 00:02:37.019 I grew up playing cricket, rugby, and football, the real kind. 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:45.639 Not the stuff that you call soccer, you know, but football where we use our feet. 00:02:46.299 --> 00:02:50.219 What you call football and use your hands with, we call rugby, okay? 00:02:50.679 --> 00:02:52.239 So I grew up with that stuff there. 00:02:52.419 --> 00:02:55.060 And if I, you know, I was on just about every team. 00:02:55.060 --> 00:03:00.140 In fact, my folks had to limit me at times because I was just, that was just my life. 00:03:01.340 --> 00:03:09.960 And growing up playing football in England, I came to the States when I was 16 for, we had a furlough that year. 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:13.080 And I was 16 and we were in Indianapolis there. 00:03:13.080 --> 00:03:16.980 And we had a soccer team there and I played there. 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:24.040 And I was being picked for the Indiana under 19 squad. 00:03:24.740 --> 00:03:27.720 But I had to make a decision. 00:03:29.020 --> 00:03:33.320 Because it was my dream to be a professional footballer. 00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:34.540 That was my goal in life. 00:03:34.539 --> 00:03:44.219 But I had to decide then, am I going to play football and miss church on Sunday? 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:47.239 Or am I going to go to church? 00:03:48.519 --> 00:03:54.039 Now, I'd like to say as a Christian being born in a Christian home with parents. 00:03:54.099 --> 00:03:58.000 Now, I knew that if my parents had anything to do with it, there'd be no chance for that. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:01.000 But I had to make that decision. 00:04:01.900 --> 00:04:05.180 And I had to say, no, I know that's wrong. 00:04:05.340 --> 00:04:06.400 I have to be in church. 00:04:07.139 --> 00:04:12.439 But I asked God then, I said, God, this is too much of a passion for me. 00:04:12.580 --> 00:04:14.580 You've got to take that passion away. 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:15.479 And he did. 00:04:16.300 --> 00:04:17.959 I don't care for any sports these days. 00:04:19.420 --> 00:04:25.540 Now, when the World Cup comes up every four years, then I kind of give myself a little bit to that there. 00:04:25.540 --> 00:04:26.900 But I hardly watch. 00:04:26.960 --> 00:04:28.920 How many of you like watching your sports there? 00:04:29.220 --> 00:04:29.500 Okay. 00:04:29.640 --> 00:04:30.260 I understand. 00:04:30.379 --> 00:04:31.379 Those who do. 00:04:32.220 --> 00:04:34.340 And, you know, some of us can balance it. 00:04:34.460 --> 00:04:35.640 For me, I couldn't, you know. 00:04:35.840 --> 00:04:37.660 So I had a big, it came to a big decision. 00:04:37.980 --> 00:04:39.879 By the way, I need to backtrack a little bit. 00:04:39.939 --> 00:04:41.080 Can I tell you my story? 00:04:42.140 --> 00:04:42.280 There. 00:04:42.680 --> 00:04:44.720 My story begins with my grandmother. 00:04:46.080 --> 00:04:47.100 Her goal in life. 00:04:47.220 --> 00:04:48.400 Now, I know you know me. 00:04:48.500 --> 00:04:50.180 I might even told this story to you here. 00:04:50.259 --> 00:04:51.780 But some of you don't know me. 00:04:52.840 --> 00:04:54.700 My story begins with my grandmother. 00:04:54.699 --> 00:04:59.399 Her goal in life was to raise her three sons to be bartenders. 00:05:00.620 --> 00:05:01.939 She failed miserably. 00:05:02.039 --> 00:05:03.639 All three of them became Baptist preachers. 00:05:03.800 --> 00:05:08.480 Now, what really messed up her plans was actually something that happened to her. 00:05:09.699 --> 00:05:12.199 At her business, a preacher showed up one day. 00:05:12.339 --> 00:05:16.459 And for the first time in her life, she let someone open the Bible and explain it. 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:20.480 And she realized, oh, my goodness, I'm going to hell. 00:05:21.219 --> 00:05:22.519 And I deserve it. 00:05:22.519 --> 00:05:24.639 I deserve hell. 00:05:25.500 --> 00:05:28.120 But that preacher didn't stop with the bad news. 00:05:28.199 --> 00:05:31.819 He also explained that God had a rescue plan for her. 00:05:32.579 --> 00:05:34.839 And she got gloriously saved that evening. 00:05:34.839 --> 00:05:42.719 Now, when you get truly saved, you cannot help but realize I've got friends that need to know this, too. 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:47.659 I mean, as of yesterday, I was heading to hell. 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:49.399 Today, I'm heading to heaven. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:52.719 But I've got family and friends that need to know this, too. 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:56.040 So she began writing letters and sending tracts. 00:05:56.360 --> 00:06:00.200 And now, my dad was in the Navy at the time. 00:06:00.340 --> 00:06:02.920 Two of her sons were in the Navy, dad and Uncle Jim. 00:06:03.400 --> 00:06:09.700 So she began writing letters and sending tracts and also sending cassette tapes of the sermons of the preacher. 00:06:09.820 --> 00:06:13.540 Now, some of you of the generation that don't know what a cassette tape is, 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:17.100 talk to some of us that have lost our hair or has turned gray. 00:06:17.100 --> 00:06:19.300 We'll be glad to explain what that is. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:22.660 And we'll also tell you why we needed a pencil sometimes with a cassette tape. 00:06:23.460 --> 00:06:27.280 But so she began sending all this stuff to them. 00:06:27.980 --> 00:06:30.080 Dad called her up one day and told her. 00:06:30.140 --> 00:06:32.900 I'm sure he had different words there than what I'm going to tell you. 00:06:33.220 --> 00:06:35.200 But he told her, knock it off. 00:06:35.280 --> 00:06:36.840 Stop sending me all this junk. 00:06:37.580 --> 00:06:43.220 And I promise if you stop sending me all this, when I come home on leave, I'll go to your church. 00:06:43.900 --> 00:06:46.020 Now, he'd never been to church before in his life. 00:06:46.019 --> 00:06:49.879 And the first weekend he was there, he was drunk. 00:06:50.039 --> 00:06:51.639 And so he got, you know, got out of it. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:53.120 The second weekend, she cornered him. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:55.180 She got him into church. 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:59.740 There at the Indianapolis Baptist Temple, Dr. Dixon was preaching. 00:07:00.699 --> 00:07:07.139 And he said, I just felt like he was dangling me over hell all Sunday morning. 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:11.579 Well, praise God, they had church Sunday night because he was under conviction. 00:07:11.699 --> 00:07:13.979 He went back Sunday night and got saved. 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:17.500 Not long after that, he got out of the Navy and was in Bible college. 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:21.200 So when I came along, my daddy was already a preacher. 00:07:22.420 --> 00:07:29.300 Now, being born in a preacher's home doesn't save you any more than being born at McDonald's makes you a Big Mac. 00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:31.520 But it does expose you to the gospel. 00:07:33.060 --> 00:07:38.180 Now, I remember I had a Sunday school teacher who used to dangle little Tommy over hell every Sunday morning. 00:07:38.180 --> 00:07:44.220 And even though as a five-year-old boy, I hadn't done many sins, but I knew I was a sinner. 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:47.459 Now, I knew I was going to get a spanking with God. 00:07:48.280 --> 00:07:51.980 But praise the Lord, Jesus took my spanking for me so I wouldn't have to. 00:07:52.960 --> 00:07:57.079 I trusted in Jesus, what he did on the cross to pay the debt of my sins. 00:07:57.720 --> 00:07:58.759 He got saved. 00:07:58.759 --> 00:08:02.420 Not long after that, we went to the mission field. 00:08:02.539 --> 00:08:09.039 So I grew up overseas and spent 29 years of my life overseas. 00:08:09.219 --> 00:08:13.139 Of course, I came back for college and met my wife, Natalie. 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:16.699 By the way, she was this close to coming this time. 00:08:17.219 --> 00:08:18.120 This close. 00:08:18.980 --> 00:08:21.539 And not long after we were getting ready to come, 00:08:22.099 --> 00:08:26.079 we got some news that she'd have to stay behind there. 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:28.959 I have a sister who's mentally handicapped there. 00:08:29.099 --> 00:08:30.879 And so she's giving aid there. 00:08:30.939 --> 00:08:33.799 And she's also going into dementia now and other things. 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:41.620 And so, but, so anyhow, we, so I met my wife, Natalie, and we got married. 00:08:42.460 --> 00:08:44.539 Well, we fell in love and then got married. 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:48.860 And then went to England as missionaries. 00:08:48.860 --> 00:08:50.360 And we're over there for a number of years. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:53.460 And there's where we got acquainted with Islam. 00:08:53.460 --> 00:08:56.940 A lot of Muslims are living in England today. 00:08:57.139 --> 00:08:59.720 You think they're all coming here to Lincoln, Nebraska, too. 00:08:59.879 --> 00:09:03.740 But all these immigrants are pouring in. 00:09:04.920 --> 00:09:10.100 And so I tell you that story because I want you to know, 00:09:10.860 --> 00:09:13.800 God can transform lives. 00:09:14.980 --> 00:09:15.860 He can take lives. 00:09:16.100 --> 00:09:18.320 My uncle said, he said, before we got saved, 00:09:18.400 --> 00:09:21.820 the things our family did, you go to jail for. 00:09:21.820 --> 00:09:25.420 He said, it wasn't a pretty, you know, 00:09:25.480 --> 00:09:29.840 there's only one word to define our family, dysfunctional. 00:09:30.740 --> 00:09:35.340 My dad's real dad was murdered in a bar fight in Chicago. 00:09:36.780 --> 00:09:39.740 Apparently it wasn't a pretty thing to see. 00:09:40.860 --> 00:09:42.760 But God can transform lives. 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:44.340 He can change them. 00:09:44.400 --> 00:09:46.000 And this book is powerful. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:52.980 And Jesus sees the multitude and he sees them as sheep having no shepherd and they need guidance. 00:09:53.539 --> 00:09:58.919 And unless they hear about the message of salvation, they're heading for hell. 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:08.059 When was the last time that you and I looked at the masses and it affected our hearts? 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:13.720 We realize unless these people turn to Christ, they're heading for damnation. 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:17.680 When we look at the nations of the world, when we look at flags, 00:10:17.779 --> 00:10:20.180 when we put up flags in our missions conferences, 00:10:20.560 --> 00:10:24.800 those flags represent nations and those nations represent people. 00:10:25.160 --> 00:10:29.980 And those people all have souls that are bound for an eternal place. 00:10:31.100 --> 00:10:34.019 And unless we get the gospel to their address, 00:10:35.320 --> 00:10:37.360 unless the good news reaches them, 00:10:38.060 --> 00:10:41.920 they're going to slip off into eternity and slip into hell. 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:42.899 Let me ask you a question. 00:10:43.379 --> 00:10:46.279 Aren't you glad the gospel came to your address? 00:10:47.479 --> 00:10:49.659 That someone brought the gospel to your address? 00:10:50.620 --> 00:10:52.779 Maybe if someone brought it to your parents. 00:10:53.860 --> 00:10:55.939 Maybe if someone who brought it to your grandparents. 00:10:56.099 --> 00:10:58.779 Or maybe if someone who brought the gospel to a neighbor. 00:10:59.079 --> 00:11:01.500 Or to a colleague at work. 00:11:01.719 --> 00:11:03.659 And they brought the gospel to you. 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:05.699 Or maybe a preacher knocked on your door. 00:11:05.700 --> 00:11:08.060 Or maybe someone came to your place and said, 00:11:08.160 --> 00:11:09.120 Hey, come to VBS. 00:11:09.560 --> 00:11:10.940 Or whatever it was. 00:11:11.400 --> 00:11:14.220 Somehow the gospel came to your address. 00:11:14.280 --> 00:11:14.500 Amen? 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:16.180 Praise God for that. 00:11:17.040 --> 00:11:18.020 But let's be honest. 00:11:19.020 --> 00:11:22.460 That that was kind of likely because you live in America. 00:11:22.460 --> 00:11:24.900 Is that true? 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:29.639 I mean, because we have churches and the word of God here. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:35.720 And the preaching of the gospel on the radio and on TV and in other ways there. 00:11:35.720 --> 00:11:41.360 We have the gospel rich and flowing here. 00:11:42.160 --> 00:11:48.820 And the chances of it reaching your address is much higher than it would to be someone, say, in Saudi Arabia. 00:11:48.820 --> 00:11:53.720 And you see, the gospel reached my address because I was fortunate to be born in Indiana. 00:11:55.340 --> 00:11:57.580 But what if I was born in India? 00:11:58.980 --> 00:12:01.900 And instead into a Christian home, into a preacher's home, 00:12:02.420 --> 00:12:04.520 what if I was born into an imam's home? 00:12:05.680 --> 00:12:11.280 Where they taught me the Koran rather than the blessed word of God. 00:12:12.260 --> 00:12:13.560 You know what the Koran teaches? 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:19.559 The Koran teaches people that Jesus is a prophet of God. 00:12:20.179 --> 00:12:21.459 You know how the devil is? 00:12:21.659 --> 00:12:25.299 The devil is so sneaky, he knows how to tell lies real well. 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:28.059 And you know how to tell a good lie. 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:31.739 Believe it or not, you're going to hear from a preacher how to tell the best lie. 00:12:32.619 --> 00:12:33.419 Are you ready for it? 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:34.459 I'm going to tell you. 00:12:35.239 --> 00:12:35.919 Write it down. 00:12:36.039 --> 00:12:36.899 No, don't write this down. 00:12:36.899 --> 00:12:40.100 The best way to tell a lie is to cover it with truth. 00:12:41.899 --> 00:12:45.259 That the deception is hidden amongst the truth. 00:12:45.459 --> 00:12:48.480 That it looks believable, sounds believable, 00:12:48.899 --> 00:12:52.519 but the lie and the deception is hidden within. 00:12:53.819 --> 00:12:55.120 And it will snare you. 00:12:55.319 --> 00:12:56.220 How many of you are fishermen? 00:12:56.679 --> 00:12:57.299 What do you do? 00:12:57.340 --> 00:12:58.259 What do you do with your hook? 00:13:00.139 --> 00:13:02.559 You put a snare on it. 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:11.359 You cover it to look like something enticing and good and desirable and yummy. 00:13:12.319 --> 00:13:13.559 To a fish, that is. 00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:17.299 But deceive, deception is weaved therein. 00:13:18.099 --> 00:13:19.079 You get my gist? 00:13:20.519 --> 00:13:24.439 So the devil has created one of the greatest deceptions in the world, 00:13:24.539 --> 00:13:26.839 and it's the doctrines of Islam. 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:31.440 And in the Koran, it tells Muslims that Jesus, 00:13:32.379 --> 00:13:35.060 well, first of all, it tells them that there's only one God, 00:13:36.180 --> 00:13:38.660 and God created heaven and earth. 00:13:39.420 --> 00:13:43.320 God created Adam and Eve, and all of us would say, we agree. 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:46.000 A lot of truth there. 00:13:47.680 --> 00:13:50.300 But then the deception is weaved therein. 00:13:50.299 --> 00:13:55.439 And in it, it teaches that Jesus, although a prophet of God, 00:13:56.139 --> 00:13:57.359 Jesus is not God. 00:13:57.740 --> 00:14:00.959 So, lie number one, Jesus is not God. 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:04.379 Lie number two, Jesus did not die on the cross. 00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:07.659 Let me quote out of the Koran to you today. 00:14:08.539 --> 00:14:10.839 For Allah could see that Isa was in trouble. 00:14:10.979 --> 00:14:12.759 Isa is the Arabic name for Jesus. 00:14:13.599 --> 00:14:15.659 Allah saw that Isa was in trouble. 00:14:16.379 --> 00:14:18.479 So he rescued him into heaven. 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:21.940 Not before lifting his image and putting it on another. 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:26.840 And he went to the cross to fool everyone to think that Isa died, 00:14:26.940 --> 00:14:27.580 but he did not. 00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:31.259 So the Koran teaches Jesus didn't die. 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:32.340 He was taken into heaven. 00:14:32.659 --> 00:14:34.779 But his image was put on someone else. 00:14:35.340 --> 00:14:39.960 Maybe Judas, because he's the disciple that died around that time. 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:43.899 And so he was wearing the image of Jesus, pretending to be Jesus. 00:14:44.139 --> 00:14:47.620 And he died in the place of Jesus, so it wasn't Jesus. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:52.440 And so if Jesus didn't die on the cross, then you don't have his resurrection. 00:14:53.560 --> 00:15:02.500 They teach that the disciples stole the body to create the hoax that Jesus rose from the grave. 00:15:03.019 --> 00:15:07.659 Folks, if Jesus isn't God, and if he didn't die on the cross, 00:15:07.940 --> 00:15:11.060 there's no remission of sins because there's no shedding of his blood. 00:15:11.059 --> 00:15:17.339 And if there's no resurrection, if you don't have those three things, you do not have the gospel. 00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:23.139 Those are the three things to believe in to be saved. 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:28.839 And if you believe in them and confess them, you can be saved today. 00:15:29.579 --> 00:15:30.159 Amen? 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:38.799 But the devil has sold those lies to keep people from the truth, to keep people from heaven, 00:15:39.439 --> 00:15:41.719 because he hates God's creation. 00:15:42.439 --> 00:15:44.439 You know, we were created in the image of God. 00:15:45.159 --> 00:15:48.339 Every time the devil sees us, he sees God. 00:15:48.340 --> 00:15:51.259 And he knows God loves us. 00:15:51.660 --> 00:15:53.080 And he hates God. 00:15:53.180 --> 00:15:54.540 He hates what God loves. 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:56.780 And he wants to destroy it. 00:15:57.060 --> 00:15:57.820 So this deception. 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:03.019 So if the gospel came to your address, it's likely because you were born in America. 00:16:03.160 --> 00:16:06.600 But what if you were born somewhere else? 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:07.920 What if? 00:16:09.019 --> 00:16:10.080 Here, look at our passage. 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:22.040 Now, growing up in England, we have sheep. 00:16:23.259 --> 00:16:29.980 In fact, I am told that this is not true, but I'm not sure about it. 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:32.660 I believe in England there's more sheep than people. 00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:35.480 Now, they tell me that's not true. 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:38.060 But I have a hard time believing that. 00:16:38.560 --> 00:16:39.860 There's just sheep everywhere. 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:43.060 And one thing about those stupid... 00:16:43.060 --> 00:16:44.160 Can I say stupid in church? 00:16:45.300 --> 00:16:46.379 I hope I can. 00:16:47.160 --> 00:16:55.020 One thing about those stupid creatures is that you have a field full of lush green grass. 00:16:55.780 --> 00:16:56.800 Plenty of it. 00:16:57.480 --> 00:16:58.120 Abundance. 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:00.320 But no, are they there? 00:17:00.420 --> 00:17:01.139 Nay, nay, nay. 00:17:02.540 --> 00:17:03.780 Where are they? 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:08.420 They've hipped over, jumped over the hedge, squeezed through somehow. 00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:14.259 And they're down by the roadside, nibbling on pieces of grass and junk there, 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:18.560 where cars are whizzing by at 60 miles an hour. 00:17:19.700 --> 00:17:21.360 Stupid creatures. 00:17:22.039 --> 00:17:22.680 And he says, 00:17:22.680 --> 00:17:26.180 They are like sheep having no shepherd. 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:27.380 No one to care for them. 00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:30.480 No one to keep them from danger, from harm. 00:17:31.940 --> 00:17:39.500 Now he goes to his disciples and he gives them kind of a picture to have in their mind. 00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:39.759 He says, 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:41.619 Then saith he unto his disciples, 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:47.200 The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labors are few. 00:17:48.099 --> 00:17:48.660 I don't know. 00:17:48.700 --> 00:17:50.759 Do we have any farmers here? 00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:53.819 Do we have anyone who's driven by a farm? 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:57.319 Anyone ever sung Old MacDonald had a farm? 00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:57.720 Okay. 00:17:59.059 --> 00:18:00.579 You know what I mean by a farm, right? 00:18:02.339 --> 00:18:08.220 If you're a farmer and you get the news that the harvest is truly plenteous, 00:18:08.639 --> 00:18:09.939 that's good news. 00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:14.099 Now I'm not a farmer, but we've got a little bit of land now, 00:18:14.259 --> 00:18:17.759 and we've done some gardening and that kind of stuff there. 00:18:18.399 --> 00:18:22.759 And I'm here to tell you, it's hard work. 00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:30.000 And just because you put in a lot of hard work there to break up the ground 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:34.180 and put the seed in there and get it watered and all that kind of stuff, 00:18:34.420 --> 00:18:36.940 it doesn't guarantee a harvest. 00:18:37.079 --> 00:18:38.339 I can guarantee you that. 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:40.640 I mean, everything. 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:42.779 I think we were born with black thumbs. 00:18:44.059 --> 00:18:46.460 I tell you, everything we do is a disaster. 00:18:46.460 --> 00:18:52.599 You know, I've had more success out of my compost pile than I have out of my garden. 00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:59.420 We threw stuff in the compost pile and some beautiful tomatoes and peppers were growing and stuff there. 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:03.640 And it's like, man, I just got to throw stuff in the trash and we'll do better. 00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:08.200 But the harvest truly is plenteous. 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:09.839 So, man, we've got great news. 00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:13.640 So the Lord's saying, hey, the harvest truly is plenteous. 00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:15.400 And, man, that might drive some excitement. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:16.559 What is he saying? 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:22.879 He's saying, hey, there's an abundance of souls that need Christ. 00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:26.480 There's a harvest out there. 00:19:27.500 --> 00:19:29.279 But then he gives them the bad news. 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:31.700 The harvest truly is plenteous. 00:19:31.879 --> 00:19:32.359 But what? 00:19:32.579 --> 00:19:32.720 What? 00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:36.539 The laborers are few. 00:19:36.539 --> 00:19:39.379 See, one thing about the harvest. 00:19:40.259 --> 00:19:42.420 Now, you know, we lived in Washington State. 00:19:42.519 --> 00:19:44.639 We got apple trees everywhere. 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:49.099 Well, not everywhere, but in the valleys and stuff there. 00:19:49.159 --> 00:19:51.440 And beautiful abundance of orchards and apples. 00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:57.180 And one thing you can't say to the apples, hang on. 00:19:59.139 --> 00:20:00.440 We'll get to you next year. 00:20:00.700 --> 00:20:01.839 Doesn't work that way, does it? 00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:03.279 What's the rule? 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:06.740 If you don't get it in, what happens? 00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:08.559 You lose it. 00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:11.619 If you don't get it, you lose it. 00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:14.279 The harvest is plenched, but the labors are few. 00:20:14.879 --> 00:20:17.539 So now he instructs them with what to do. 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:20.119 What's the instruction, verse number 38? 00:20:20.859 --> 00:20:23.220 First word, pray. 00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:25.319 Pray what? 00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:28.379 Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, 00:20:28.859 --> 00:20:32.680 that he'll send forth laborers into the harvest. 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:36.279 Now, when I was in Bible college, 00:20:36.420 --> 00:20:41.120 the world population was 5 billion. 00:20:43.140 --> 00:20:47.799 We are, that was 30, almost 40, 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:49.840 about 40 years ago. 00:20:50.220 --> 00:20:53.039 In 40, I mean, it took from the beginning of, 00:20:53.779 --> 00:20:54.940 well, not the beginning of the world, 00:20:55.019 --> 00:20:56.640 at least we know when there was eight people, 00:20:57.299 --> 00:20:57.740 the flood, 00:20:57.740 --> 00:21:01.480 to get to 5 billion. 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:04.160 That was 40 years ago. 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:05.620 40 years later, 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:08.120 we're almost up to 8 billion. 00:21:09.059 --> 00:21:11.059 World is just exploding 00:21:11.059 --> 00:21:14.140 with masses of people. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:15.420 I mean, it'd be one thing 00:21:15.420 --> 00:21:17.240 if we could have pulled the brakes 00:21:17.240 --> 00:21:20.519 and said, okay, no more babies 00:21:20.519 --> 00:21:22.379 back when it was 5 billion. 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:24.480 No more! 00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:27.259 If you're pregnant, don't sneeze. 00:21:28.619 --> 00:21:29.859 It's a, just hold on. 00:21:30.879 --> 00:21:32.400 Let's just deal with what we've got. 00:21:33.259 --> 00:21:34.579 But we can't do that, can we? 00:21:35.579 --> 00:21:37.079 It's gonna continue to go 00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:38.259 and continue to grow. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:41.619 And as the numbers grow, 00:21:41.859 --> 00:21:43.059 the need grows. 00:21:43.059 --> 00:21:45.879 And the need is greater today 00:21:45.879 --> 00:21:47.039 than it ever was before. 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:49.659 Pray you there for the Lord of the harvest. 00:21:50.359 --> 00:21:51.440 Now, wouldn't it go to reason 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:53.659 that God would be calling more 00:21:53.659 --> 00:21:56.859 people to missions, 00:21:57.339 --> 00:21:58.619 to taking the gospel to the world 00:21:58.619 --> 00:22:01.500 than what we had 30, 40 years ago 00:22:01.500 --> 00:22:02.339 when I was in college? 00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:03.960 Wouldn't it go to reason 00:22:03.960 --> 00:22:04.740 if our number, 00:22:04.859 --> 00:22:06.059 if our populations are growing, 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:08.299 we'd be seeing more and more missionaries going? 00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:10.519 You know what the fact is? 00:22:10.519 --> 00:22:13.019 Because we have less today 00:22:13.019 --> 00:22:15.240 going to the mission field 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:17.900 at over 7 billion people 00:22:17.900 --> 00:22:19.259 than what we had 00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:20.660 when there was only 5 billion people 00:22:20.660 --> 00:22:21.079 in the world. 00:22:21.379 --> 00:22:21.660 Less. 00:22:23.500 --> 00:22:24.599 There's something wrong here. 00:22:25.799 --> 00:22:26.799 Why is that? 00:22:27.259 --> 00:22:28.759 Is it that God doesn't care? 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:32.119 That God is getting tired? 00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:35.480 God's concern is waning? 00:22:36.619 --> 00:22:37.200 No. 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:39.200 The need is still great today 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:40.299 and God's salvation 00:22:40.299 --> 00:22:42.960 is still as abundant today 00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:44.359 as it was then. 00:22:45.460 --> 00:22:47.639 The need is great. 00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:50.059 Salvation is still there. 00:22:50.859 --> 00:22:52.519 But fewer are going. 00:22:54.159 --> 00:22:56.319 Could it be that we're not listening? 00:22:57.599 --> 00:22:58.720 Could it be that we're not listening? 00:22:59.659 --> 00:23:00.639 So what's the solution? 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:02.139 Pray ye there for the Lord of the harvest. 00:23:03.139 --> 00:23:04.220 Now, I believe this. 00:23:05.220 --> 00:23:06.920 I believe, in principle, 00:23:07.059 --> 00:23:08.980 that sounds like an easy solution. 00:23:09.380 --> 00:23:10.120 How many think that's something 00:23:10.120 --> 00:23:10.660 that we could do? 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:12.460 Pray. 00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:13.880 I mean, that's all we've got to do. 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:15.360 It didn't say give. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:17.240 It said pray. 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:19.200 Pray the Lord of the harvest 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:21.079 and that's the solution. 00:23:21.180 --> 00:23:22.279 The harvest is plentious, 00:23:22.380 --> 00:23:23.259 but the labors are few. 00:23:23.660 --> 00:23:24.799 These people need Christ. 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:26.600 They need salvation. 00:23:26.599 --> 00:23:28.619 They need people to go 00:23:28.619 --> 00:23:30.339 and to take the word of God 00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:31.379 into the world 00:23:31.379 --> 00:23:33.119 and to take it to these creatures. 00:23:33.539 --> 00:23:35.099 And we need more people to go, 00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:38.419 but we don't have them. 00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:39.599 Here's the solution. 00:23:40.059 --> 00:23:41.259 Pray ye the Lord of the harvest 00:23:41.259 --> 00:23:42.459 that he'll send forth labors. 00:23:43.380 --> 00:23:45.380 If we will start praying, 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:47.980 God will start calling more. 00:23:49.340 --> 00:23:51.220 That sounds like a pretty easy solution. 00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:52.920 How many think we need to be doing this? 00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:54.980 I mean, really? 00:23:55.819 --> 00:23:57.120 How many think we need to be doing this? 00:23:57.559 --> 00:23:59.680 So we all think we need to be doing it, 00:24:00.460 --> 00:24:02.279 but there's a reason why we're not, 00:24:02.340 --> 00:24:03.079 and let me tell you why. 00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:04.100 And let me warn you. 00:24:04.420 --> 00:24:06.539 I'm going to pull the layers away 00:24:06.539 --> 00:24:08.420 because this looks easy, 00:24:08.600 --> 00:24:09.600 but it's not easy. 00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:11.200 And let me explain why. 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:12.600 Do it. 00:24:13.380 --> 00:24:14.819 Do it for a week, 00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:16.799 but do it passionately. 00:24:18.019 --> 00:24:19.980 Pray as if it were you 00:24:19.980 --> 00:24:21.420 that needed someone to come. 00:24:22.360 --> 00:24:23.460 Pray as if it was you 00:24:23.460 --> 00:24:25.039 in some distant nation 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:27.259 that we could get missionaries there. 00:24:27.319 --> 00:24:28.259 By the way, did you know 00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:29.940 we can get missionaries into Turkey? 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:32.980 We can get missionaries into Lebanon. 00:24:33.299 --> 00:24:37.279 We can get missionaries into Egypt. 00:24:37.660 --> 00:24:38.720 We can get missionaries 00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:40.420 into many Muslim countries 00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:43.480 that allow churches already. 00:24:44.200 --> 00:24:44.860 People say, 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:46.640 well, we can't go into these countries. 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:48.580 There's only a very few of them 00:24:48.580 --> 00:24:51.400 that are closed to Christians and missionaries. 00:24:51.539 --> 00:24:52.200 Many of them, 00:24:52.519 --> 00:24:53.720 even Muslim countries, 00:24:53.880 --> 00:24:55.560 are open for missionaries, 00:24:55.640 --> 00:24:57.120 but a lot of people aren't aware of that. 00:24:57.940 --> 00:25:00.039 But let's say it's not even a Muslim country. 00:25:00.300 --> 00:25:02.420 There's still many masses of people 00:25:02.420 --> 00:25:03.279 that need Christ. 00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:06.480 Europe has become a post-Christian nation, 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:07.279 continent. 00:25:08.619 --> 00:25:10.099 And so the need for missions 00:25:10.099 --> 00:25:11.680 is growing and growing and growing. 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:14.980 But pray as if it were you over there 00:25:14.980 --> 00:25:17.000 that needed someone to come. 00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:18.779 Pray it with passion 00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:19.539 and pray like, 00:25:19.639 --> 00:25:19.740 you know, 00:25:19.740 --> 00:25:20.160 oh God, 00:25:20.539 --> 00:25:20.779 Lord, 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:23.660 these people need someone to go. 00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:25.960 They need a church. 00:25:26.059 --> 00:25:26.799 They need a preacher. 00:25:26.940 --> 00:25:27.720 They need a missionary 00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:29.559 to go into their community 00:25:29.559 --> 00:25:31.000 and to open the word of God. 00:25:31.339 --> 00:25:32.000 Send someone 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:33.420 and start praying for God 00:25:33.420 --> 00:25:36.039 to call people into the harvest. 00:25:36.420 --> 00:25:37.380 And here's what's going to happen. 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:38.799 When you start doing that 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:40.279 and you pray it passionately for a week, 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:44.599 you're going to start imagining people 00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:45.299 in your church 00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:46.279 that would be good to go. 00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:48.019 You'll start praying, 00:25:48.099 --> 00:25:48.639 oh God, 00:25:49.579 --> 00:25:51.359 Pete would be a great missionary. 00:25:51.619 --> 00:25:51.799 Lord, 00:25:51.879 --> 00:25:52.519 he loves you 00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:53.879 and he knows the word 00:25:53.879 --> 00:25:56.019 and he's desiring to get that. 00:25:56.240 --> 00:25:56.759 Oh God, 00:25:56.819 --> 00:25:57.660 he would be a great missionary. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:58.619 Would you call him? 00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:00.440 And then you think of someone else 00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:00.799 and then, 00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:01.180 you know, 00:26:01.420 --> 00:26:02.279 John, 00:26:02.420 --> 00:26:04.180 John would be a good missionary too, 00:26:04.279 --> 00:26:04.460 Lord. 00:26:04.539 --> 00:26:06.099 He's just got a good family 00:26:06.099 --> 00:26:06.960 and loves the Lord 00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:07.139 and, 00:26:07.139 --> 00:26:07.639 you know, 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:09.319 and then Joe, 00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:10.440 Joe too, 00:26:10.579 --> 00:26:10.960 in fact, 00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:12.000 actually things would be better 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:13.079 if Joe would go somewhere. 00:26:13.379 --> 00:26:13.660 I don't know. 00:26:13.700 --> 00:26:14.440 Do we have a Joe here? 00:26:16.279 --> 00:26:16.839 Uh-oh. 00:26:18.220 --> 00:26:18.660 Uh-oh. 00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:20.859 My bad. 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:22.399 But you start praying that 00:26:22.399 --> 00:26:24.359 and then you're going to start imagining 00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:25.960 people will come to your mind 00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:26.879 that you'll say, 00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:27.079 you know, 00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:28.899 this person would be a wonderful person. 00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:29.200 Lord, 00:26:29.420 --> 00:26:30.879 would you work in their heart? 00:26:31.420 --> 00:26:31.720 Now, 00:26:31.819 --> 00:26:32.680 here's the thing. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.160 When something like, 00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:34.920 and by the way, 00:26:35.059 --> 00:26:35.319 I, 00:26:35.559 --> 00:26:35.799 you know, 00:26:35.879 --> 00:26:37.420 I know this is a mission church 00:26:37.420 --> 00:26:39.259 and I, 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:41.220 I imagine somewhere in the history 00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:41.879 of this church, 00:26:41.960 --> 00:26:43.180 maybe someone has already called 00:26:43.180 --> 00:26:44.600 someone amongst you 00:26:44.600 --> 00:26:46.720 to go and be a missionary. 00:26:46.920 --> 00:26:47.460 I don't know. 00:26:47.460 --> 00:26:50.460 If you've not had that privilege, 00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:53.060 every church should pray 00:26:53.060 --> 00:26:54.680 that they have that privilege. 00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:57.039 Maybe one of their own 00:26:57.039 --> 00:26:58.640 would be called 00:26:58.640 --> 00:26:59.620 to go, 00:26:59.900 --> 00:27:00.080 oh, 00:27:00.140 --> 00:27:00.259 well, 00:27:00.259 --> 00:27:01.180 we're not a big, 00:27:01.360 --> 00:27:02.220 mighty church. 00:27:02.340 --> 00:27:02.500 You know, 00:27:02.560 --> 00:27:03.380 let me tell you the truth. 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:05.180 God often calls 00:27:05.180 --> 00:27:06.500 from the smaller churches. 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:08.039 They're the ones 00:27:08.039 --> 00:27:08.600 that are feeding 00:27:08.600 --> 00:27:09.519 the mission field. 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:11.320 Really are. 00:27:11.319 --> 00:27:13.779 But you start praying that way 00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:15.299 and you start imagining 00:27:15.299 --> 00:27:16.960 how others could be used 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:17.220 of, 00:27:17.319 --> 00:27:18.319 of the Lord 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:19.659 in missionary work 00:27:19.659 --> 00:27:21.839 and then you start praying 00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:24.159 and then something dawns on you. 00:27:25.399 --> 00:27:25.960 Lord, 00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:26.779 send them, 00:27:27.139 --> 00:27:27.299 but, 00:27:28.159 --> 00:27:28.980 but, 00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:29.659 but not me. 00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:31.619 Send them, 00:27:33.159 --> 00:27:33.359 but, 00:27:33.439 --> 00:27:33.579 but, 00:27:33.579 --> 00:27:33.799 but, 00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:34.799 but not my kids. 00:27:35.960 --> 00:27:36.980 Send them, 00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:37.359 but, 00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:39.579 not my grandkids. 00:27:39.879 --> 00:27:40.619 And then you realize 00:27:40.619 --> 00:27:41.819 you're quick to volunteer 00:27:41.819 --> 00:27:43.119 everyone else, 00:27:43.799 --> 00:27:45.439 but not you. 00:27:47.219 --> 00:27:48.679 And then that kind of 00:27:48.679 --> 00:27:49.679 makes you feel bad 00:27:49.679 --> 00:27:51.179 because that kind of 00:27:51.179 --> 00:27:52.519 makes you look like 00:27:52.519 --> 00:27:53.199 a hypocrite. 00:27:54.419 --> 00:27:55.639 Nobody likes that. 00:27:55.939 --> 00:27:56.719 So we step back 00:27:56.719 --> 00:27:57.699 and we stop praying 00:27:57.699 --> 00:27:59.159 because we ourselves 00:27:59.159 --> 00:28:00.579 are not willing 00:28:00.579 --> 00:28:02.279 to go. 00:28:03.239 --> 00:28:04.439 And we don't want to volunteer 00:28:04.439 --> 00:28:05.519 someone to do something 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:06.239 that we're not 00:28:06.239 --> 00:28:07.399 willing to do. 00:28:07.400 --> 00:28:09.420 so we stop praying. 00:28:11.420 --> 00:28:12.180 We've got 00:28:12.180 --> 00:28:13.200 to start 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:14.080 praying. 00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:17.380 Souls are dying 00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:19.519 and we're not 00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:20.060 praying. 00:28:21.380 --> 00:28:22.220 And it's not that, 00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:24.320 listen, 00:28:24.480 --> 00:28:24.700 you know, 00:28:24.860 --> 00:28:26.420 God might move 00:28:26.420 --> 00:28:26.740 and work. 00:28:26.820 --> 00:28:27.680 He may be even moving 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:28.580 and working in this service. 00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:29.640 My prayer is 00:28:29.640 --> 00:28:30.840 every church I go to 00:28:30.840 --> 00:28:31.960 that's going on 00:28:31.960 --> 00:28:32.640 in Saudi Arabia, 00:28:32.900 --> 00:28:33.259 I pray, 00:28:33.600 --> 00:28:33.820 God, 00:28:33.880 --> 00:28:34.759 would you call someone 00:28:34.759 --> 00:28:35.640 out of that church? 00:28:36.600 --> 00:28:37.180 I've been praying 00:28:37.180 --> 00:28:37.700 that this morning 00:28:37.700 --> 00:28:38.180 for here. 00:28:38.500 --> 00:28:39.440 And God may one day 00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:40.120 call someone 00:28:40.120 --> 00:28:40.900 to be a missionary, 00:28:41.220 --> 00:28:42.860 to leave their home 00:28:42.860 --> 00:28:44.180 and to leave their family 00:28:44.180 --> 00:28:45.320 and to pick up 00:28:45.320 --> 00:28:46.460 everything that they've got 00:28:46.460 --> 00:28:47.580 and everything that they know 00:28:47.580 --> 00:28:48.180 and love 00:28:48.180 --> 00:28:49.880 and depart from it there 00:28:49.880 --> 00:28:51.200 and to go to a people 00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:52.420 that they don't know 00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:54.180 in hopes 00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:56.680 that God might use them 00:28:56.680 --> 00:28:58.020 to take the gospel 00:28:58.020 --> 00:29:00.320 to people who are still 00:29:00.320 --> 00:29:00.940 yet to hear. 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:04.280 And we might have 00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:04.759 a service 00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:05.599 where God 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:07.119 begins to move 00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:08.920 and to minister 00:29:08.920 --> 00:29:09.779 and speak 00:29:09.779 --> 00:29:11.339 to someone here. 00:29:12.539 --> 00:29:13.980 Maybe during the invitation 00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:17.359 they have the courage 00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:18.440 to obey. 00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:20.200 Say, 00:29:20.299 --> 00:29:20.759 oh God, 00:29:21.420 --> 00:29:22.839 I don't know 00:29:22.839 --> 00:29:23.399 how my wife's 00:29:23.399 --> 00:29:24.079 going to like this. 00:29:24.299 --> 00:29:24.500 Lord, 00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:25.579 I believe you're calling me. 00:29:26.180 --> 00:29:26.519 Now first, 00:29:26.660 --> 00:29:27.839 can I say something there? 00:29:28.339 --> 00:29:29.399 There's a difference 00:29:29.399 --> 00:29:30.960 between being surrendered 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:32.860 and being called. 00:29:33.940 --> 00:29:35.200 Let's make that clear. 00:29:36.840 --> 00:29:38.400 Being surrendered 00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:40.299 is, 00:29:41.100 --> 00:29:42.019 I believe, 00:29:42.360 --> 00:29:42.819 honestly, 00:29:43.059 --> 00:29:44.380 you probably 00:29:44.380 --> 00:29:46.440 will want to disagree with me, 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:47.180 but trust me, 00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:48.519 I'm right and you're wrong. 00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:49.559 I believe 00:29:49.559 --> 00:29:51.700 every Christian 00:29:51.700 --> 00:29:53.539 ought to get 00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:54.620 to the point 00:29:54.620 --> 00:29:56.740 where they say to God 00:29:56.740 --> 00:29:57.700 and say it seriously, 00:29:57.700 --> 00:29:58.180 God, 00:29:58.500 --> 00:30:00.120 I don't know 00:30:00.120 --> 00:30:01.400 if you'd want me 00:30:01.400 --> 00:30:02.080 to be a missionary, 00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:04.500 but if you do, 00:30:04.680 --> 00:30:05.519 if you do, 00:30:06.120 --> 00:30:08.259 I want you to know 00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:09.200 the answer 00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:09.960 will be yes. 00:30:10.819 --> 00:30:12.059 I'm just putting it out there 00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:12.799 in advance, Lord. 00:30:13.319 --> 00:30:14.240 I'm just saying, 00:30:14.360 --> 00:30:14.480 God, 00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:15.080 in other words, 00:30:15.120 --> 00:30:15.480 I'm saying, 00:30:15.640 --> 00:30:17.019 here's a blank check 00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:19.000 to do whatever 00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:20.059 you want 00:30:20.059 --> 00:30:21.380 with my life. 00:30:22.440 --> 00:30:23.840 I'm surrendering 00:30:23.840 --> 00:30:24.299 it 00:30:24.299 --> 00:30:25.799 to you. 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:26.900 That's being surrendered. 00:30:27.700 --> 00:30:28.779 Now you say, 00:30:28.960 --> 00:30:28.960 00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:31.700 hold on a minute. 00:30:31.960 --> 00:30:33.279 If I surrender my life, 00:30:33.860 --> 00:30:35.440 he might take me up on that. 00:30:37.559 --> 00:30:39.299 What if he does? 00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:40.380 Now that moves us 00:30:40.380 --> 00:30:41.240 to the next part, 00:30:42.019 --> 00:30:42.660 being called. 00:30:43.819 --> 00:30:45.019 Being called 00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:47.160 is saying, 00:30:48.019 --> 00:30:48.660 now God has, 00:30:48.860 --> 00:30:49.460 and by the way, 00:30:49.660 --> 00:30:51.299 he's going to work 00:30:51.299 --> 00:30:52.039 with those 00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:53.380 who will be surrendered. 00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:53.960 Now, 00:30:54.080 --> 00:30:54.840 he may be 00:30:54.840 --> 00:30:56.160 working on you, 00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:57.680 preparing to call you, 00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:59.440 but you're not yet surrendered. 00:31:00.660 --> 00:31:01.779 You're not yet surrendered. 00:31:02.940 --> 00:31:04.220 And he's working with you. 00:31:04.259 --> 00:31:04.900 And by the way, 00:31:05.400 --> 00:31:06.680 I pray 00:31:06.680 --> 00:31:07.940 you'll be miserable. 00:31:08.440 --> 00:31:08.960 I'm sorry, 00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:09.500 but I'm doing it 00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:10.140 for your own good. 00:31:11.660 --> 00:31:12.019 Amen? 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:13.460 I mean, 00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:14.080 how many of you parents 00:31:14.080 --> 00:31:14.299 are there, 00:31:14.360 --> 00:31:14.940 you had your kids 00:31:14.940 --> 00:31:15.779 and you're praying for them, 00:31:15.840 --> 00:31:16.980 you know they're not doing right, 00:31:17.160 --> 00:31:17.980 they're not working, 00:31:18.080 --> 00:31:18.799 they're not surrendering 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:19.460 and stuff like that, 00:31:19.539 --> 00:31:20.120 and you're praying, 00:31:20.220 --> 00:31:20.360 Lord, 00:31:20.420 --> 00:31:20.980 make them miserable 00:31:20.980 --> 00:31:22.140 because you love them 00:31:22.140 --> 00:31:23.860 and you want them 00:31:23.860 --> 00:31:24.519 to do what's right. 00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:26.819 Keep them safe, 00:31:26.940 --> 00:31:27.660 but make them miserable. 00:31:28.039 --> 00:31:29.140 But once you're surrendered, 00:31:30.819 --> 00:31:32.240 then God will one day 00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:33.880 come and visit you 00:31:33.880 --> 00:31:34.860 in a special way, 00:31:35.920 --> 00:31:36.660 saying, 00:31:36.819 --> 00:31:36.940 hey, 00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:39.960 I now have something for you. 00:31:40.900 --> 00:31:41.480 Here's your call. 00:31:41.640 --> 00:31:41.860 Now, 00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:42.559 how do you know 00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:43.160 you've been called? 00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:44.420 I get this question a lot. 00:31:44.420 --> 00:31:46.000 How do you know 00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:47.519 God has called you? 00:31:48.320 --> 00:31:49.440 And here's my answer. 00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:49.640 Now, 00:31:49.720 --> 00:31:50.140 get ready. 00:31:51.140 --> 00:31:52.900 This might be 00:31:52.900 --> 00:31:54.259 a deflating answer, 00:31:55.039 --> 00:31:56.580 but here it is. 00:31:57.180 --> 00:31:58.039 You'll know. 00:31:58.259 --> 00:31:58.880 You'll know. 00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:01.900 And it will scare you to death. 00:32:03.400 --> 00:32:05.060 I don't have to explain 00:32:05.060 --> 00:32:06.039 how you'll know. 00:32:06.279 --> 00:32:07.420 You'll know. 00:32:08.220 --> 00:32:09.380 When that happens, 00:32:09.420 --> 00:32:09.779 you'll know. 00:32:11.100 --> 00:32:13.400 And now you have to decide, 00:32:13.400 --> 00:32:14.400 will you be obedient? 00:32:14.420 --> 00:32:16.980 To what you told God. 00:32:17.779 --> 00:32:18.759 I'll be surrendered. 00:32:19.100 --> 00:32:20.360 Have you reached surrendered yet? 00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:21.940 Have you? 00:32:22.080 --> 00:32:23.539 Because if you reach surrender, 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:24.820 then you can pray this prayer 00:32:24.820 --> 00:32:27.720 without any problem. 00:32:28.779 --> 00:32:29.259 Lord, 00:32:29.360 --> 00:32:29.640 send. 00:32:31.100 --> 00:32:32.259 Even if it means me. 00:32:33.320 --> 00:32:34.340 Even if it means me 00:32:34.340 --> 00:32:35.320 being in your ministry. 00:32:35.539 --> 00:32:36.120 Send someone. 00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:38.960 Then you can pray that prayer 00:32:38.960 --> 00:32:41.019 without any hardship. 00:32:42.060 --> 00:32:42.200 Say, 00:32:42.259 --> 00:32:42.360 oh, 00:32:42.380 --> 00:32:43.380 but I've got my careers 00:32:43.380 --> 00:32:44.300 and we've got our plans 00:32:44.299 --> 00:32:44.819 and we've got our, 00:32:45.180 --> 00:32:46.659 we've got all these things. 00:32:46.759 --> 00:32:47.639 I don't know how God's 00:32:47.639 --> 00:32:48.119 going to supply. 00:32:50.019 --> 00:32:50.559 Trust me, 00:32:50.659 --> 00:32:51.759 if God calls, 00:32:51.839 --> 00:32:52.379 he'll provide. 00:32:53.419 --> 00:32:54.460 If he's got a mission for you, 00:32:54.639 --> 00:32:56.339 he's got a way of providing for you. 00:32:57.619 --> 00:32:57.980 And, 00:32:58.059 --> 00:32:58.279 and, 00:32:58.279 --> 00:33:00.079 and he's got a path for you. 00:33:00.859 --> 00:33:02.099 You may not know what it is, 00:33:02.159 --> 00:33:02.480 but I, 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:03.139 I can tell you, 00:33:03.240 --> 00:33:04.339 I've been on that journey 00:33:04.339 --> 00:33:05.440 for over 40 years. 00:33:05.440 --> 00:33:08.539 And I have no regrets. 00:33:09.500 --> 00:33:11.799 Not one regret. 00:33:13.240 --> 00:33:14.220 If I could say, 00:33:14.360 --> 00:33:16.039 I wished I could have started sooner, 00:33:16.539 --> 00:33:18.160 I would say that. 00:33:18.279 --> 00:33:18.960 But man, 00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:20.100 I went straight from high school 00:33:20.100 --> 00:33:20.920 into Bible college 00:33:20.920 --> 00:33:22.140 and I was pastoring at 22. 00:33:23.620 --> 00:33:24.880 I don't think I could have gotten in there 00:33:24.880 --> 00:33:25.420 any earlier, 00:33:25.840 --> 00:33:26.519 any faster. 00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:28.440 I have no regrets. 00:33:29.220 --> 00:33:29.840 No regrets. 00:33:30.460 --> 00:33:31.700 Pray you there for the Lord of the harvest 00:33:31.700 --> 00:33:33.120 that he'll send forth laborers 00:33:33.120 --> 00:33:35.180 into his harvest. 00:33:35.840 --> 00:33:38.080 What a missed opportunity it would be 00:33:38.080 --> 00:33:40.080 if we didn't 00:33:40.080 --> 00:33:41.620 take this opportunity. 00:33:42.440 --> 00:33:43.840 I'll close with this one story. 00:33:44.279 --> 00:33:45.460 The year was 1269. 00:33:47.620 --> 00:33:47.900 The, 00:33:48.059 --> 00:33:51.340 Genghis Khan was on the throne 00:33:51.340 --> 00:33:53.160 in what we now call China, 00:33:53.360 --> 00:33:54.400 the empire over there. 00:33:55.380 --> 00:33:57.220 This was back in the day of Marco Polo. 00:33:57.360 --> 00:33:58.620 Some of you only thought that was a game. 00:33:59.980 --> 00:34:00.700 Marco Polo 00:34:00.700 --> 00:34:02.100 had traveled from Europe 00:34:02.100 --> 00:34:04.340 and he introduced to the Khan 00:34:04.340 --> 00:34:05.740 Christianity. 00:34:06.920 --> 00:34:08.340 And the king there, 00:34:08.440 --> 00:34:09.320 the emperor said, 00:34:10.260 --> 00:34:10.599 wow, 00:34:11.119 --> 00:34:13.539 my people need to know about this God. 00:34:14.599 --> 00:34:16.519 Send word back to Europe, 00:34:17.059 --> 00:34:18.400 to your churches there 00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:20.420 that preach this wonderful news 00:34:20.420 --> 00:34:21.320 about this God 00:34:21.320 --> 00:34:24.400 to send 100 of their preachers 00:34:24.400 --> 00:34:27.079 at my expense to come 00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:29.380 and to teach my people 00:34:29.380 --> 00:34:31.039 about this wonderful God 00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:33.259 and his son Jesus. 00:34:34.779 --> 00:34:35.219 Wow, 00:34:35.279 --> 00:34:36.000 what an opportunity. 00:34:36.699 --> 00:34:38.219 Word began to get back to Europe 00:34:38.219 --> 00:34:39.440 and began to get around 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:40.480 into the different churches 00:34:40.480 --> 00:34:42.639 of the Christians there in Europe. 00:34:42.639 --> 00:34:43.719 100. 00:34:44.379 --> 00:34:45.679 He's asking for 100. 00:34:45.879 --> 00:34:46.799 Who will go? 00:34:47.719 --> 00:34:48.559 Do you know how many went? 00:34:49.359 --> 00:34:50.079 Do you know how many 00:34:50.079 --> 00:34:51.299 took the gospel 00:34:51.299 --> 00:34:53.659 that was rich in Europe 00:34:53.659 --> 00:34:55.179 and took it over 00:34:55.179 --> 00:34:56.839 to what we call China today? 00:34:56.900 --> 00:34:57.420 Do you know how many? 00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:58.940 Only two. 00:35:00.780 --> 00:35:01.599 Only two. 00:35:03.039 --> 00:35:04.539 Only two were willing 00:35:04.539 --> 00:35:05.960 to get up 00:35:05.960 --> 00:35:08.099 and to take the message. 00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:09.340 But you know, 00:35:09.480 --> 00:35:11.019 the story gets worse 00:35:11.019 --> 00:35:12.539 because they got to Armenia 00:35:12.539 --> 00:35:13.760 and had difficulty 00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:15.340 and turned back. 00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:17.680 No one arrived. 00:35:18.980 --> 00:35:19.960 No one arrived. 00:35:21.099 --> 00:35:22.180 We might look back 00:35:22.180 --> 00:35:22.539 and say, 00:35:22.980 --> 00:35:24.460 what a mistake. 00:35:24.460 --> 00:35:24.860 What a mistake. 00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:26.820 What a missed opportunity. 00:35:27.380 --> 00:35:28.579 How foolish was that 00:35:28.579 --> 00:35:29.940 of the Christians of Europe. 00:35:30.940 --> 00:35:32.480 Why did they not go? 00:35:32.780 --> 00:35:33.720 They asked for 100 00:35:33.720 --> 00:35:34.780 and only two went 00:35:34.780 --> 00:35:35.960 but they never arrived. 00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:37.559 Can you imagine 00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:38.599 what China might be today 00:35:38.599 --> 00:35:39.639 had the gospel reach 00:35:39.639 --> 00:35:41.860 that country in 1269? 00:35:42.240 --> 00:35:43.280 You know they say that. 00:35:43.659 --> 00:35:44.619 We look there and say, 00:35:44.740 --> 00:35:45.320 that's terrible. 00:35:46.240 --> 00:35:47.159 How terrible. 00:35:48.280 --> 00:35:49.440 Why didn't they go? 00:35:50.260 --> 00:35:51.760 I wonder what they'll say 00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:52.639 of America 00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:54.960 when the door's like this 00:35:54.960 --> 00:35:55.400 is opening 00:35:55.400 --> 00:35:57.759 and we didn't go. 00:35:58.319 --> 00:35:58.759 Father, 00:36:00.199 --> 00:36:00.440 Lord, 00:36:00.500 --> 00:36:00.879 I pray 00:36:00.879 --> 00:36:02.079 that we don't make 00:36:02.079 --> 00:36:02.799 a mistake. 00:36:03.639 --> 00:36:04.619 That we don't miss 00:36:04.619 --> 00:36:05.519 these opportunities 00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:06.440 that are about to open. 00:36:07.759 --> 00:36:08.039 And Lord, 00:36:08.119 --> 00:36:09.099 I'm asking churches 00:36:09.099 --> 00:36:10.000 to pray, 00:36:10.339 --> 00:36:11.219 to unite with me 00:36:11.219 --> 00:36:11.819 to pray the Lord 00:36:11.819 --> 00:36:12.279 of the harvest 00:36:12.279 --> 00:36:13.379 to send forth laborers. 00:36:14.259 --> 00:36:15.579 Maybe there's a laborer here 00:36:15.579 --> 00:36:16.379 that will go. 00:36:18.059 --> 00:36:18.920 Wherever they are, 00:36:19.019 --> 00:36:19.119 Lord, 00:36:19.179 --> 00:36:19.599 they're going to come 00:36:19.599 --> 00:36:20.319 out of your churches. 00:36:20.320 --> 00:36:22.140 And I pray, 00:36:22.380 --> 00:36:22.480 Father, 00:36:22.539 --> 00:36:23.280 that you would 00:36:23.280 --> 00:36:24.780 work amongst us. 00:36:25.660 --> 00:36:26.320 Maybe there's someone 00:36:26.320 --> 00:36:26.960 here today 00:36:26.960 --> 00:36:28.880 that's been so filled 00:36:28.880 --> 00:36:29.740 with themselves 00:36:29.740 --> 00:36:31.960 and their lives. 00:36:32.059 --> 00:36:32.600 They love you, 00:36:33.519 --> 00:36:34.980 but they haven't yet surrendered. 00:36:36.380 --> 00:36:36.960 Oh God, 00:36:37.820 --> 00:36:38.400 would you speak 00:36:38.400 --> 00:36:39.000 to them today? 00:36:40.539 --> 00:36:41.340 May they come here 00:36:41.340 --> 00:36:42.019 to an altar. 00:36:43.320 --> 00:36:44.280 May they make 00:36:44.280 --> 00:36:45.000 the chair 00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:45.580 that they're at 00:36:45.580 --> 00:36:46.960 make that an altar. 00:36:46.960 --> 00:36:49.039 May they lay 00:36:49.039 --> 00:36:50.019 their life down there 00:36:50.019 --> 00:36:50.840 as a sacrifice, 00:36:50.940 --> 00:36:51.860 a living sacrifice 00:36:51.860 --> 00:36:52.559 to you 00:36:52.559 --> 00:36:54.059 to say here, 00:36:54.159 --> 00:36:54.820 my Lord, 00:36:55.079 --> 00:36:55.639 send me. 00:36:57.039 --> 00:36:57.679 I don't know 00:36:57.679 --> 00:36:58.280 what it would be. 00:36:58.880 --> 00:36:59.280 I don't know 00:36:59.280 --> 00:37:00.220 what you'd have me to do. 00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:02.519 But I want to say, 00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:02.820 Lord, 00:37:02.900 --> 00:37:04.179 if that's what you want, 00:37:04.740 --> 00:37:05.800 the answer is yes. 00:37:07.539 --> 00:37:08.679 Maybe there's someone here 00:37:08.679 --> 00:37:10.420 who is being called 00:37:10.420 --> 00:37:11.099 and they know it. 00:37:12.059 --> 00:37:13.340 May they not be like Jonah. 00:37:14.539 --> 00:37:16.099 May they run to you. 00:37:16.099 --> 00:37:17.619 And be faithful. 00:37:18.900 --> 00:37:19.860 We pray you have your will 00:37:19.860 --> 00:37:21.199 and way in this service 00:37:21.199 --> 00:37:22.000 in Jesus' name. 00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:22.860 Amen. 00:37:23.099 --> 00:37:23.360 Pastor, 00:37:23.480 --> 00:37:23.819 would you come?