WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.580 Scripture reading comes from Matthew chapters 9 and 10. Please follow along on the screen 00:00:07.580 --> 00:00:13.880 in your bulletin or your own Bible. In Matthew 9 verses 35 we read, 00:00:16.100 --> 00:00:21.219 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and 00:00:21.219 --> 00:00:26.140 proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every affliction. 00:00:26.140 --> 00:00:32.399 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, 00:00:32.939 --> 00:00:36.399 like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:44.760 The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the 00:00:44.760 --> 00:00:52.579 harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave 00:00:52.579 --> 00:00:59.019 them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 00:00:59.799 --> 00:01:06.900 The names of the twelve apostles are these. First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, 00:01:07.859 --> 00:01:16.060 James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax 00:01:16.060 --> 00:01:25.340 collector, James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, Simon the zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 00:01:25.900 --> 00:01:28.879 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:37.020 Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep 00:01:37.019 --> 00:01:43.920 of the house of Israel, and proclaim as you go, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:53.679 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You receive without paying, 00:01:54.340 --> 00:02:02.539 give without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, 00:02:02.540 --> 00:02:11.219 or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for the labourer deserves his food. And whatever town 00:02:11.219 --> 00:02:18.040 or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay there until you depart. As you enter the 00:02:18.040 --> 00:02:25.400 house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, 00:02:25.400 --> 00:02:32.159 let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you, or listen to your words, 00:02:32.539 --> 00:02:39.419 shake off the dust from your feet, when you leave that house or town. Truly I say to you, 00:02:39.780 --> 00:02:45.939 it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. 00:02:47.859 --> 00:02:53.479 Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. So be wise as serpents, 00:02:53.479 --> 00:02:58.899 and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts, 00:02:58.900 --> 00:03:04.879 and flog you in their synagogues. And you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, 00:03:05.260 --> 00:03:11.500 to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you 00:03:11.500 --> 00:03:17.780 are to speak, or what you are to say. For what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 00:03:17.780 --> 00:03:25.120 For it is not you who speak, but the spirit of your father speaking through you. Brother will deliver 00:03:28.900 --> 00:03:34.939 and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all 00:03:34.939 --> 00:03:42.000 for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:49.240 town, flee to the next. For truly I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel 00:03:49.240 --> 00:03:57.620 before the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 00:03:57.620 --> 00:04:06.060 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they 00:04:06.060 --> 00:04:13.520 have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household? 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:15.920 This is the Word of God. 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:25.560 Great. Well, once again, good morning, Watermark. Great to see you and great to be with you again. 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:32.139 If you are new, welcome. My name is Kevin, one of the elder pastors here, and it's great to have 00:04:32.139 --> 00:04:36.219 you with us this morning. We're so glad you've joined us. Please make yourself feel right at home 00:04:36.219 --> 00:04:41.019 and join us after the service on the breakout room. I would love to meet you and get to know 00:04:41.019 --> 00:04:46.479 you a little bit better. Now, as a church, we are working through Matthew's gospel. And 00:04:46.479 --> 00:04:53.399 one of the things that we've seen is Matthew's gospel is deeply challenging and encouraging, 00:04:53.659 --> 00:04:58.259 all at the same time. And that's one of the ways that you know that you're meeting the real Jesus. 00:04:58.620 --> 00:05:04.680 Jesus has this incredible ability to both comfort us and challenge us together at the same time. And 00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:10.000 it's certainly been like that over the last couple of weeks. Now, today we're going to get to a very, 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:17.040 very important and significant juncture in Matthew's gospel. It's an incredibly important passage for 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:22.519 Christians in general, but especially for us at Watermark Church, given our values and who we are 00:05:22.519 --> 00:05:29.579 as a church and how important we take gospel community and mission. Matthew, at this point that 00:05:29.579 --> 00:05:37.720 we're reading today, is going to make a significant change in direction or a pivot as he pivots the focus 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:43.580 from who Jesus is and the life and ministry of Jesus to the life and ministry of Jesus' followers. 00:05:44.440 --> 00:05:49.440 And so if you're a Christian here today, if you've ever asked the question, what does Jesus expect from 00:05:49.440 --> 00:05:55.360 me? What is Jesus calling me to do? What is my calling in life? I want you to listen up. Today's 00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:02.660 passage is going to help us to answer that question. And so let's dive straight in. Look at Matthew 00:06:02.660 --> 00:06:08.640 chapter 9, verse 35 with me. It's the first verse in the passage that we read today. Matthew 00:06:08.640 --> 00:06:14.060 describes Jesus' ministry like this. He says, Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, 00:06:14.880 --> 00:06:20.020 teaching their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease 00:06:20.020 --> 00:06:27.500 and affliction. Now, that verse should be familiar to most of us at Watermark. And the reason is 00:06:27.500 --> 00:06:32.939 because a couple of weeks ago, we spent three weeks in Matthew chapter 4, where Jesus calls 00:06:32.939 --> 00:06:38.180 his first disciples. Remember, he calls Simon Peter and his brother Andrew and James and John, 00:06:38.300 --> 00:06:43.360 these two brothers, two groups of brothers that are both fishermen. And he says, follow me. And 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:47.959 they leave their father's nest and they follow him. And then in Matthew chapter 4, verse 23, 00:06:48.220 --> 00:06:53.620 it says this, let me get the slider. And Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching their 00:06:53.620 --> 00:06:58.560 synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, healing every disease and affliction among the 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:07.180 people. You see what's happening here? In Matthew chapter 4, Matthew describes the life and the 00:07:07.180 --> 00:07:11.139 ministry of Jesus. And there are two main things that Jesus does. He goes around preaching and teaching 00:07:11.139 --> 00:07:18.220 and healing the physical needs of the people around him. In Matthew chapter 9, our passage today, 00:07:18.220 --> 00:07:24.240 Matthew gives almost the identical sentence. It's almost identical, word for word. Jesus went 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:30.400 throughout all their cities and villages, preaching and teaching and healing every disease and affliction. 00:07:31.180 --> 00:07:36.160 And Matthew gives us these two identical sentences, which describe the life and the ministry of Jesus, 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:45.680 because he wants to show us that Jesus's life was full of power and authority, both in word and in deed. 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:51.340 Jesus went about proclaiming the gospel and then also healing the sick and the afflicted. 00:07:51.800 --> 00:07:58.420 You could say that Jesus, everywhere he went, went around announcing the gospel and then demonstrating 00:07:58.420 --> 00:08:05.180 the gospel with his lifestyle. Jesus went throughout the cities and the villages, teaching their synagogues, 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:11.220 proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing everyone with every disease and affliction. 00:08:11.220 --> 00:08:18.100 Now, Matthew has arranged his gospel very, very carefully. As you read through Matthew's gospel, 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:22.420 you see there's nothing that's just left to chance. He's arranged it extremely carefully. 00:08:23.300 --> 00:08:28.320 And one of the things that we see in Matthew's gospel, the way that he's done this is he's 00:08:28.320 --> 00:08:33.200 sent these two sentences almost like a book ends. You know, when you've got a book, a shelf, 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:36.820 and you've got all these books, and you put these two book ends to keep everything in order. 00:08:36.820 --> 00:08:43.240 Matthew's put these two sentences, chapter 4 verse 23 and chapter 9 verse 35, almost as two book ends, 00:08:43.420 --> 00:08:50.280 these identical sentences, in this section of his gospel. And in between these two book ends is 00:08:50.280 --> 00:08:54.340 everything that we've looked at the last four weeks and what we looked at two years ago. 00:08:55.180 --> 00:09:01.060 In Matthew chapter 5, 6, and 7 is the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus' famous authoritative teaching on 00:09:01.060 --> 00:09:05.960 what life in the kingdom looks like. And then chapters 8 and 9 is everything we've looked at the last four 00:09:05.960 --> 00:09:11.200 weeks. Those ten miracles accounts where Jesus casting out demons, healing the sick, raising the 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:17.440 dead, healing the paralytics, healing Jairus' daughter, the centurion's servant, Jesus healing 00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:24.180 every disease and affliction. And so in chapter 4, Matthew announces Jesus' life and ministry, 00:09:24.340 --> 00:09:30.600 what it's going to consist of. In chapter 9, he summarizes, and in between, he's got what Jesus' 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:36.540 life and ministry looks like. Proclaiming and teaching the gospel and going about and doing 00:09:36.540 --> 00:09:44.360 good. Jesus' life full of authority in word and deed. Jesus announcing and demonstrating the arrival 00:09:44.360 --> 00:09:52.620 of God's kingdom on earth. Jesus went out throughout the villages and towns, teaching the synagogues, 00:09:52.860 --> 00:09:57.300 proclaiming the gospel of God's kingdom, and healing every disease and affliction. 00:09:57.299 --> 00:10:06.719 But then look at what Jesus does, or what Matthew does, in chapter 10, verse 1. This is what we read. 00:10:07.699 --> 00:10:13.819 Jesus called to him his ten disciples, and he gave them authority over every unclean spirit 00:10:13.819 --> 00:10:20.839 to cast them out and to heal every disease and every affliction. Look at chapter 10, verse 5 and 8. 00:10:21.539 --> 00:10:26.500 He says, then Jesus sent the twelve out and instructed them, saying, as you go, 00:10:26.500 --> 00:10:32.259 say this, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, announcing the kingdom. And what should you do? 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:40.340 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Jesus commissioned his disciples to 00:10:40.340 --> 00:10:47.080 go and do the exact thing that Matthew's just been telling us for five chapters Jesus did, 00:10:47.659 --> 00:10:52.279 announcing the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and affliction. 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:58.199 And so what's Matthew trying to show us here? This is the big idea of the passage. This is what we 00:10:58.199 --> 00:11:03.919 have to understand if we're going to make sense of what's going on here. If you're going to understand 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:09.740 anything about today, you've got to know this. To be a follower of Jesus, maybe we can get the next 00:11:09.740 --> 00:11:16.879 slider, doesn't just mean having your sins forgiven so that you can one day go to heaven. Rather, it means 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:24.000 being so infused with his kingdom that his life and mission becomes our own life and mission. 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:29.120 Okay, let me say that again. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't just mean having your sins forgiven 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:35.379 so that one day you can go to heaven. It means being so infused with the kingdom and the power and the 00:11:35.379 --> 00:11:41.559 life of God that his life and mission starts to become our own life and mission. And we see that 00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:47.559 exact thing here. Jesus, for five chapters, has been announced in the kingdom and healing all those 00:11:47.559 --> 00:11:53.559 that are afflicted. And then he says to his disciples, go and announce the kingdom and heal all those that 00:11:53.559 --> 00:12:03.359 are afflicted and with disease. And sometimes we can think of Christianity as merely this amnesty or this 00:12:03.359 --> 00:12:10.079 forgiveness of sins so that one day we can get to heaven. We kind of think of it as a vaccination drive, 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:15.360 right? Everyone's talking about vaccinations at the moment. This vaccine against the virus of sin. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:22.160 And we can sometimes think that churches are all part of this vaccination drive to try and get as 00:12:22.160 --> 00:12:27.060 many people vaccinated as possible. And there's a bit of debate, right? Which vaccine should we take? 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:31.520 Should we take the Baptist vaccine? Should we take the charismatic vaccine? Should we take the mega 00:12:31.520 --> 00:12:38.480 church vaccine or the house church vaccine? And it's all about just trying to get vaccinated so that we can 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:43.700 get the certificate so that when we get to heaven, we can say, look, God, I got vaccinated against sin. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:50.480 You should let me in. And so we tend to think of it as some, as Christianity, some divine vaccination 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:56.080 to obtain in order to get the certificate and hopefully get back to our normal lives. 00:12:57.759 --> 00:13:03.379 But when Jesus come and announces the kingdom, he's not announcing a sin vaccination. 00:13:03.379 --> 00:13:10.360 Of course, the forgiveness of sin is probably the most important aspect of the kingdom of God. It's the entrance 00:13:10.360 --> 00:13:15.059 into the kingdom of God. It's the way we get to know God. It's the way we have relationship with God. 00:13:15.460 --> 00:13:20.600 Without forgiveness of sin, there is no entrance into God's kingdom. Without the forgiveness of sin, 00:13:20.659 --> 00:13:26.340 we are under condemnation. We are under God's wrath and his judgment. We will for all eternity be 00:13:26.340 --> 00:13:32.639 separated with God. We will bear the own consequences of our sin. Jesus came to die on the cross to 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:39.199 pave a way for us to be removed from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's son by having 00:13:39.199 --> 00:13:44.840 our sins forgiven. Of course, forgiveness of sins is vitally, vitally important. If you're still 00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:50.879 holding on to your own self-righteousness, friends, you're in bad, bad way. I've got bad news for you. 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:57.700 You cannot save yourself unless you come to Jesus and ask him to take away your sin. But Christianity is 00:13:57.700 --> 00:14:03.379 not merely about the forgiveness of sins. It's about being transferred from one kingdom, 00:14:03.379 --> 00:14:09.960 the kingdom of self, the kingdom of me, the kingdom of this world, which is all about me and my world 00:14:09.960 --> 00:14:18.040 and my selfishness, the kingdom that always leads to death and destruction and joining his kingdom, 00:14:18.660 --> 00:14:27.060 his kingdom of light and life, his kingdom of grace and mercy, his kingdom that always leads 00:14:27.059 --> 00:14:34.379 to life. Friends, when Jesus said, follow me, he was calling us to forsake our own kingdoms 00:14:34.379 --> 00:14:42.619 and to orientate our lives around his kingdom and himself, the kingdom that leads to life. 00:14:43.500 --> 00:14:49.139 And so that's what Matthew wants us to see here. Having seen and experienced Jesus' life and ministry, 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:55.839 he then sends his disciples out to go and do the exact same things that Jesus has been doing, 00:14:55.840 --> 00:15:03.220 which is to bring hope in the gospel and healing, demonstrating the gospel, to wherever they went, 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:08.800 announcing the good news of God's kingdom and healing the needs of those around them. 00:15:09.820 --> 00:15:15.639 And that's incredibly important. What does it mean to be a Christian? It means to so orientate our 00:15:15.639 --> 00:15:21.259 lives and be so infused with his kingdom that Jesus' life and mission becomes our life and mission. 00:15:21.259 --> 00:15:27.819 Jesus sends us out as his followers to say, as you have received, so now give. 00:15:28.460 --> 00:15:36.100 Join me on my kingdom adventure, gospel announcing, proclamation adventure into the cities in which you live. 00:15:37.139 --> 00:15:42.960 And so let's look at this passage some more. And what we're going to see here is four essential 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:48.620 ingredients that we all need in order to live out the mission and the calling of God. 00:15:48.620 --> 00:15:55.679 Friends, if you don't want to waste your life, we have to see these four essential ingredients in this passage 00:15:55.679 --> 00:16:00.480 that we need in order to live out the mission that God is calling us on. 00:16:00.899 --> 00:16:07.820 Okay, so let's dive in and look. And the first one is this. We see the great ingredient of compassion. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:15.539 Compassion. Look at chapter 9, verse 36 with me. Matthew here tells us about Jesus. 00:16:15.539 --> 00:16:45.519 It says, 00:16:45.539 --> 00:16:49.519 like Hong Kong, one of the most unequal cities in the world. 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:54.459 Time magazine just ran this article a few years ago on South Africa. You might not be able to see the cover, 00:16:54.559 --> 00:17:01.419 but the cover picture of Time magazine is all these houses with swimming pools and big gardens and driveways. 00:17:02.019 --> 00:17:09.539 And across the road are thousands and thousands of tin shacks where families of five, six people will live 00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:21.519 without any running water or electricity. And when you first get to Cape Town, one of the things that strikes you is every single traffic light you arrive at, 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:25.940 someone will knock on your window asking for $2 or $5 to buy a meal. 00:17:25.940 --> 00:17:30.420 But after a couple of years of living there, you just get numb to it. 00:17:30.860 --> 00:17:36.559 After saying no so many times and being asked so many times, your heart just gets hard and numb to it. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:45.139 And when you first arrive, you think, how on earth can people live like, can ordinary citizens live and be so numb to the poverty here? 00:17:45.859 --> 00:17:49.000 But it's the same reason that we are like that in Hong Kong. 00:17:49.139 --> 00:17:57.619 Here in Hong Kong, we have people living in cage homes, people living in stairwells, people living in illegal dwellings on rooftops. 00:17:57.619 --> 00:18:00.739 We have whole families living in subdivided apartments. 00:18:00.879 --> 00:18:05.579 And just across the road, we will have very expensive luxury apartments. 00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:08.159 How is this possible? 00:18:09.379 --> 00:18:15.859 Friends, familiarity numbs our hearts to what's going on right before our very eyes. 00:18:16.159 --> 00:18:18.959 And we lose a sense of compassion. 00:18:20.099 --> 00:18:22.759 But Jesus has incredible compassion. 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:26.819 Jesus never got familiar with the brokenness he saw around him. 00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:31.399 Jesus looks around him and his heart breaks with compassion. 00:18:31.779 --> 00:18:34.059 Matthew tells us that Jesus saw. 00:18:35.079 --> 00:18:37.559 He saw the crowds around him. 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:40.659 And he had compassion on them because he saw their condition. 00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:44.079 Their state was like sheep that had no leader. 00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:49.339 I don't know if you've ever seen one of those BBC series with David Attenborough when he narrates them. 00:18:49.379 --> 00:18:52.159 And you see those animals maybe on the plains of Africa. 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:59.500 And one of the maybe fragile animals, a limp one or one that was born prematurely, is separated from the herd. 00:18:59.620 --> 00:19:03.980 And you see the lions coming around them just waiting to tear it apart. 00:19:03.980 --> 00:19:06.700 Jesus saw the people of his day. 00:19:06.700 --> 00:19:13.920 And he saw what sin and the brokenness of this world and the religious systems of this world, apart from the gospel, had done to them. 00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:17.700 And he saw that they were harassed, which means they're being torn apart. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:19.339 They're helpless. 00:19:19.460 --> 00:19:22.440 They're being left there with nobody to come to their rescue. 00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:28.799 And his heart is broken and moved within him because of what he sees, the people around him. 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:34.660 The word compassion is compassio, which literally means to suffer with him. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:39.820 Jesus saw their suffering and he took it on himself as if he was suffering as well. 00:19:39.900 --> 00:19:45.519 His heart was broken and grieved as if he himself were experiencing that same suffering. 00:19:46.380 --> 00:19:48.039 I think Chris has explained this to us before. 00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:52.920 The Greek word for compassion literally means your gut is wrenched within you. 00:19:53.859 --> 00:19:55.559 I don't know if you've ever had that feeling. 00:19:55.839 --> 00:20:00.539 Maybe it's nervousness or fear where you feel like your stomach is being tied into a knot. 00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:03.579 And you literally feel the agony in your gut. 00:20:04.639 --> 00:20:07.059 Jesus is saying this is what he felt. 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:15.480 That his stomach was tight within him as he saw the pain and the brokenness of people around him. 00:20:18.039 --> 00:20:23.599 Four times in Matthew's gospel, Matthew describes Jesus having compassion, 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:27.639 either on the crowds or on individuals around him. 00:20:28.200 --> 00:20:32.720 As he saw the consequences of being citizens of the kingdom of this world. 00:20:33.399 --> 00:20:36.379 A kingdom that, as we said, always leads to death. 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:41.759 Death of relationships, death of self-respect, death of identity. 00:20:44.399 --> 00:20:46.099 Always leads to suffering. 00:20:46.099 --> 00:20:49.839 Remember two weeks ago we looked at Matthew chapter 9. 00:20:50.339 --> 00:20:52.259 Jesus is in Matthew's house. 00:20:53.339 --> 00:20:55.199 He's surrounded by tax collectors and sinners. 00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:58.419 He's surrounded by some of the most hated and despised people of his day. 00:20:59.219 --> 00:21:00.740 And he's loving it. 00:21:00.859 --> 00:21:01.879 He loves to be there. 00:21:02.639 --> 00:21:02.879 Why? 00:21:02.980 --> 00:21:05.059 Because he loves the outcasts of society. 00:21:05.199 --> 00:21:07.299 He loves the very people that no one else loves. 00:21:07.859 --> 00:21:10.599 He loves those that are hurting and he loves to be with them. 00:21:11.500 --> 00:21:14.179 Jesus says it's not the well that need a doctor. 00:21:14.180 --> 00:21:15.640 It's those that are sick. 00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:21.140 And I, the great physician, have come to bring healing to those that are sick. 00:21:22.100 --> 00:21:24.600 Jesus' heart of compassion breaks for people. 00:21:26.180 --> 00:21:31.180 Friends, do our hearts break for the harassed and the helpless in our city? 00:21:32.180 --> 00:21:35.519 Are our hearts moved by what we see around us? 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:40.079 I often wonder if Jesus were to come to Hong Kong, where in Hong Kong would he be? 00:21:40.619 --> 00:21:41.940 Which streets would he go to? 00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:46.240 Where would we find him as Jesus came to Hong Kong? 00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:49.139 Friends, Jesus was moved with compassion. 00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:53.720 And if we're going to be kind of the kind of people that God sends out on his mission, 00:21:53.819 --> 00:21:55.180 our hearts need a break as well. 00:21:55.180 --> 00:21:57.759 Second thing is this. 00:21:58.920 --> 00:22:06.299 As Jesus sends his people out, one of the things that is startling is Jesus sends people. 00:22:06.920 --> 00:22:07.660 He sends people. 00:22:08.860 --> 00:22:12.460 Strange as it may seem, Jesus says that his mission needs people. 00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:19.460 And in verse 37, Jesus changes the analogies a little bit from sheep farming to crop harvesting. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:21.200 And look at what he says here in verse 37. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:22.259 He says, 00:22:22.360 --> 00:22:25.340 The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:32.380 Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest that he may send out laborers into the harvest. 00:22:32.380 --> 00:22:39.300 It's quite remarkable that the sovereign God of all the universe, 00:22:39.780 --> 00:22:42.580 the one who spoke the universe into being, 00:22:43.120 --> 00:22:47.280 the one who with a simple word could calm the raging seas, 00:22:47.800 --> 00:22:52.020 the one who with a simple word could bring life and revive the paralytic, 00:22:52.140 --> 00:22:54.560 could bring to life Jairus' daughter, 00:22:55.040 --> 00:22:57.680 could heal the centurion's servant, 00:22:57.780 --> 00:23:02.320 the one who with a word, one simple word, could cast out demons that they flee. 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:11.640 It's remarkable that this sovereign, majestic God has chosen to get his work done through people. 00:23:12.840 --> 00:23:16.000 I personally think it would be much easier just to avoid people altogether. 00:23:16.560 --> 00:23:20.320 But for some reason, God has chosen to use people. 00:23:21.300 --> 00:23:25.120 God's unsearchable wisdom has chosen that his ministry in this world, 00:23:25.120 --> 00:23:28.620 into cities like Hong Kong, into nations like mainland China, 00:23:28.619 --> 00:23:33.519 into places like Taiwan and Japan and Sri Lanka and Cambodia and Laos, 00:23:33.579 --> 00:23:36.959 into North Korea, into all the great countries of Asia, 00:23:37.399 --> 00:23:41.519 that for some reason God has chosen that this ministry is not to be done through angels, 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:43.319 but through people. 00:23:44.039 --> 00:23:48.319 And through ordinary people, sometimes insecure people, sometimes immature people, 00:23:48.879 --> 00:23:51.299 people like me, people like you. 00:23:51.299 --> 00:23:55.099 I think that's the point of chapter 10 verse 2 to 4, 00:23:55.220 --> 00:23:59.139 where Jesus names his disciples, his apostles. 00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:05.399 Jesus isn't merely giving us these names here so that we can name our children and our hospitals or schools or churches. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:09.819 Jesus is telling us what kind of people he called when he sent them out. 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:12.200 And when we look at the list of names, 00:24:12.519 --> 00:24:14.940 look at the descriptions that follow the names. 00:24:14.940 --> 00:24:19.360 And to some of these names, there are descriptions attached so we can know who they are. 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:23.240 There's like Simon Peter as opposed to Simon the Zealot. 00:24:24.140 --> 00:24:26.880 But look at Judas' description. 00:24:27.700 --> 00:24:31.920 Judas, the last one, quite intentionally gets the dishonorable addition of Judas, 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:33.680 Judas the one who betrayed him. 00:24:35.980 --> 00:24:39.799 Some of them, one man in particular, gets his occupation attached. 00:24:39.799 --> 00:24:45.779 It's not Andrew the fisherman or Thomas the lawyer or Philip the high school teacher. 00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:47.940 It's Matthew the tax collector. 00:24:49.180 --> 00:24:52.799 As one preacher said, God chooses outcasts to reach outcasts. 00:24:54.019 --> 00:24:59.919 Here, friends, we find not Peter the Great or John, son of thunder, the dean of the theology school, 00:25:00.379 --> 00:25:03.000 or some Thaddeus right reverend bishop of Hong Kong. 00:25:03.819 --> 00:25:09.180 No, friends, here on this list, we find common people, ordinary people, fishermen. 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:16.039 Zealots, tax collectors, even sinful men like Judas who would betray Jesus. 00:25:17.399 --> 00:25:18.399 Friends, you know what this means? 00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:23.539 It means that Jesus is not half as bothered by our shortcomings as we are. 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:25.919 But it also means this. 00:25:26.059 --> 00:25:30.779 It means no matter who you are, if you'll simply come to Jesus and say, 00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:32.500 Here I am, use me for your kingdom. 00:25:33.299 --> 00:25:34.480 Jesus will use you. 00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:36.720 Friends, you don't need to be wealthy. 00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:41.339 You don't need to have gone to an elite school or got an elite education. 00:25:41.860 --> 00:25:46.460 You don't need to have worldly power or prestige or positions of influence. 00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:53.740 Friends, you don't need a great reputation to be an effective minister or faithful witness for Jesus. 00:25:54.460 --> 00:25:56.039 Friends, all you need to do is be available. 00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:58.900 You need to come to him and say, Christ, have your way in my life. 00:25:58.900 --> 00:26:02.860 One of the early church leaders, Jerome, said this. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:03.160 He said, 00:26:03.240 --> 00:26:08.700 The church was built upon the faithful testimony of a bunch of rustics. 00:26:09.220 --> 00:26:12.320 Rustics means somebody who's not very polished or refined. 00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:21.799 And God somehow delights to build his church using seemingly insufficient, sometimes even contorted building materials. 00:26:22.299 --> 00:26:23.619 And that's the amazing thing. 00:26:23.700 --> 00:26:34.200 One of the greatest privileges about being used by God is that God and his majestic, glorious, uncreated God would choose to use such fallible and imperfect materials. 00:26:34.679 --> 00:26:37.159 People like you and people like me. 00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:39.160 The apostle says the same thing. 00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:46.420 The apostle Paul, throughout the letters, he's always saying, God uses us, but it's not because of our strength or our brilliance. 00:26:46.860 --> 00:26:48.600 Somehow God chooses to use us. 00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:55.220 Incredible as it is, God has chosen to entrust his ministry into ordinary people like you and I. 00:26:57.279 --> 00:26:59.460 Friends, maybe I can ask you, what about you? 00:26:59.460 --> 00:27:09.819 You know, many of us in Watermark are more qualified, more naturally gifted, more resourced, more educated. 00:27:10.380 --> 00:27:12.259 We have more Bibles in our homes. 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:17.100 We have more opportunities than probably most of the pastors and church planters across Asia. 00:27:19.180 --> 00:27:25.120 Friends, if Jesus can call somebody as fallible and as full and as imperfect as Matthew the tax collector, 00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:35.739 Simon the zealot, Peter the big mouth, even somebody as flawed and as fallible as someone like me from the bottom tip of Africa, 00:27:36.899 --> 00:27:38.679 friends, can I ask you, what's your excuse? 00:27:41.579 --> 00:27:43.699 Jesus wants to call people like you and me. 00:27:44.859 --> 00:27:53.619 Friends, our great continent of Asia has 60% of the world's population, 4.5 billion people, 00:27:53.619 --> 00:27:57.439 95% of them do not know the wonder of Jesus. 00:27:58.259 --> 00:28:05.839 95% of our continent, 4.3 billion people are enslaved and trapped in sin. 00:28:06.619 --> 00:28:11.739 4.3 billion people are on a one-way ticket to an eternity without Christ. 00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:14.119 They do not know the hope of the gospel. 00:28:14.259 --> 00:28:18.099 They do not know the indescribable one that we sang about this morning. 00:28:18.439 --> 00:28:20.239 How great is our God? 00:28:20.939 --> 00:28:22.919 And Jesus, what is he doing about it? 00:28:22.920 --> 00:28:25.640 Well, he's sending out people like you and I. 00:28:26.060 --> 00:28:34.980 He's calling us and commissioning us who may not be particularly gifted or particularly wealthy or educated or powerful or sophisticated. 00:28:35.880 --> 00:28:37.800 And friends, what are his instructions? 00:28:38.360 --> 00:28:40.320 Well, he says here in chapter 10 verse 7, 00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:54.839 Friends, what about you? 00:28:54.839 --> 00:29:13.799 We've said it a number of times, but I, for one, am not in the least bit interested in trying to grow Watermark to be a big and successful and oppressive and a mighty church in the world's eyes. 00:29:13.899 --> 00:29:14.759 Not one bit. 00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:24.299 But, oh, friends, may we be a church that is sent out and joins Jesus on his mission into our city and into our continent. 00:29:25.140 --> 00:29:38.079 May it be that we as a small and simple church send out tens and tens and even hundreds of people into Asia to go and plant churches or as missionaries or to go into the marketplace. 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:44.619 May it be that God, through this very ordinary church, does extraordinary, incredible things. 00:29:45.539 --> 00:29:53.559 Friends, I've been praying this week that God will somehow call some of us today to say yes to the call of God in our lives. 00:29:53.639 --> 00:29:54.720 Maybe into the marketplace. 00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:56.600 Maybe into ministry. 00:29:57.180 --> 00:29:58.579 Maybe to be a missionary somewhere. 00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:00.400 Maybe to serve here in Hong Kong. 00:30:00.940 --> 00:30:08.140 Maybe as you go into your business place, but you go with such a sense of calling and conviction that Jesus is sending us out into this place. 00:30:08.660 --> 00:30:14.839 Then we as a church will send hundreds of people to do extraordinary things because we have seen the wonder of who God is. 00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:17.860 We've been blown away by the majesty of God. 00:30:17.859 --> 00:30:24.199 And we trust Him and we're obeying Him and we're going into this world proclaiming the gospel in word and in deed. 00:30:24.779 --> 00:30:28.659 Announcing and demonstrating that God's kingdom has arrived. 00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:31.919 That the good news of God is here for our city. 00:30:32.639 --> 00:30:38.699 Friends, that our neighbors whose lives are in tatters, that are harassed and helpless, will come to know the hope of Jesus. 00:30:39.879 --> 00:30:40.439 May it be. 00:30:41.919 --> 00:30:42.799 Friends, may it be. 00:30:42.899 --> 00:30:43.599 What about us? 00:30:43.659 --> 00:30:44.979 What about you, friends? 00:30:44.979 --> 00:30:45.679 What about me? 00:30:45.799 --> 00:30:47.679 What about us as a church? 00:30:47.859 --> 00:30:50.579 Christ is calling us out. 00:30:52.219 --> 00:30:54.919 But no, there's a cost involved. 00:30:56.099 --> 00:30:57.779 And that leads us to the third thing. 00:30:58.779 --> 00:31:01.299 Which is people who are willing to suffer. 00:31:04.099 --> 00:31:05.819 People who are prepared to suffer. 00:31:06.839 --> 00:31:13.240 A couple of years ago, a man by the name of Victor Kooligan wrote a book called 10 Things I Wish Jesus Had Never Said. 00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:17.099 In his preface, Kooligan writes this. 00:31:17.859 --> 00:31:24.219 He says, in our modern world, with the rise of health and wealth, gospel and prosperity preaching. 00:31:24.339 --> 00:31:31.279 So in other words, churches that are just saying, Jesus wants you to just be happy and healthy and wealthy and, you know, that kind of Christianity. 00:31:31.819 --> 00:31:36.139 He says, we've become accustomed to a comfortable, what a friend I have in Jesus, Messiah. 00:31:36.140 --> 00:31:38.820 It's a picture of Jesus' light. 00:31:38.820 --> 00:31:40.880 Great taste, less demanding. 00:31:41.620 --> 00:31:47.400 But this version of Jesus is just interested in my happiness and nothing more. 00:31:48.300 --> 00:31:54.620 This version of Jesus wants me to be financially comfortable, physically fit, mentally and emotionally stable. 00:31:54.619 --> 00:32:01.639 This version of Jesus would never demand of me anything that would cause any of these basic goods to be missed or challenged. 00:32:02.779 --> 00:32:13.659 Difficulties, trials, hardships in my life seem to only be there because of my lack of faith on my part to believe that Jesus truly wants me to be happy. 00:32:13.660 --> 00:32:26.620 Friends, there's a version of Christianity, I dare say, often promulgated more in the West than in Asia, that thinks that the goal of Christianity is God wants me to be happy and moral. 00:32:27.519 --> 00:32:31.160 And other than that, I don't need to bother with him and he doesn't need to bother with me. 00:32:31.160 --> 00:32:35.500 Kuligan goes on to write in his book, he says, 00:32:35.740 --> 00:32:39.000 Yet the truth is, the teaching of Jesus was often harsh. 00:32:39.880 --> 00:32:42.580 He was not a preacher of convenience, but hardship. 00:32:42.940 --> 00:32:45.600 Not a preacher of comfort, but of suffering. 00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:48.820 Remember, we looked at it a few weeks ago. 00:32:48.920 --> 00:32:50.920 A man comes and says, Jesus, I'll follow you wherever you go. 00:32:51.840 --> 00:32:53.980 And Jesus says, just be prepared. 00:32:54.100 --> 00:32:57.200 Remember, foxes of holes, the birds of the air have a place to lay their head. 00:32:57.279 --> 00:32:59.100 The Son of Man has nowhere to rest. 00:32:59.600 --> 00:33:00.400 You're going to follow me? 00:33:00.400 --> 00:33:02.340 Your life is going to look like me. 00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:05.920 And Jesus actually says the same thing in our passage in verse 24. 00:33:06.080 --> 00:33:13.160 He says, if they accuse me, the Son of Man, of being filled with demons and they're disparaging about me, 00:33:13.840 --> 00:33:16.000 you've got to know that they're going to do the same to you. 00:33:16.759 --> 00:33:19.100 A disciple is not above his teacher, says Jesus. 00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:21.120 A servant is not above his master. 00:33:22.060 --> 00:33:27.700 Jesus being faithful ended up on a cross and he says that so will that happen to his followers. 00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:35.560 One of the most important and yet most underrated scriptures in the whole Bible, 00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:38.440 and I would encourage you to learn this scripture off by heart, 00:33:38.519 --> 00:33:40.740 is 1 Timothy chapter 3. 00:33:40.840 --> 00:33:42.820 Sorry, 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 12. 00:33:43.780 --> 00:33:44.300 Paul writes this. 00:33:44.340 --> 00:33:50.400 He says, indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted. 00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:56.019 In the New Testament, normal Christianity is one that involves suffering and opposition. 00:33:56.759 --> 00:34:00.380 For Christians to be persecuted for following Jesus is not abnormal. 00:34:00.940 --> 00:34:02.820 Remember how the Apostle Peter writes it. 00:34:02.860 --> 00:34:03.480 He says this. 00:34:03.820 --> 00:34:08.700 Beloved, do you not be surprised when fiery trials come upon you to test you, 00:34:08.980 --> 00:34:11.160 as though something strange were happening to you? 00:34:12.019 --> 00:34:17.139 Jesus says that, friends, this is what normal Christianity is. 00:34:17.139 --> 00:34:21.099 And there's so much in our passage, we're not unfortunately going to get to all of it. 00:34:21.159 --> 00:34:26.299 But I want to encourage you to read through Matthew chapter 10, our passage today, slowly and carefully. 00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:31.099 And read especially from verse 16 to maybe the end of the chapter. 00:34:31.779 --> 00:34:35.379 Jesus says here, I'm sending you out like sheep amongst wolves. 00:34:36.199 --> 00:34:39.739 That's automatically a sign that this is going to be dangerous. 00:34:40.359 --> 00:34:42.659 Jesus says as you go out, you're going to be mistreated. 00:34:42.779 --> 00:34:43.559 You're going to be misunderstood. 00:34:44.279 --> 00:34:46.059 People are going to accuse you of things. 00:34:46.059 --> 00:34:49.860 You go with a good motive to go and bring healing and help to our city. 00:34:50.059 --> 00:34:53.059 You're going to try and demonstrate the gospel with the best of motives. 00:34:53.179 --> 00:34:55.659 And people will twist your motives and accuse you of things. 00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:57.980 You're going to try and love and serve people. 00:34:58.079 --> 00:35:00.699 And people tell you that you've been self-centered and self-seeking. 00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:04.299 You're going to try and bring goodness to people. 00:35:04.500 --> 00:35:07.840 And they'll twist what you do and spin some story about it. 00:35:08.400 --> 00:35:10.840 Jesus says that you'll be accused of things. 00:35:10.860 --> 00:35:12.960 You'll be punished for crimes that you haven't done. 00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:17.820 Jesus says that sometimes such opposition will come from those that are closest to us. 00:35:18.280 --> 00:35:20.280 Our own family members won't understand us. 00:35:20.659 --> 00:35:22.659 Our dear friends will misunderstand us. 00:35:22.659 --> 00:35:28.079 The amazing thing is this. 00:35:29.079 --> 00:35:30.099 It's counterintuitive. 00:35:31.299 --> 00:35:32.500 But Jesus says this. 00:35:32.559 --> 00:35:36.519 That if you do everything in your power to try and get the perfect life. 00:35:36.940 --> 00:35:38.039 The perfect job. 00:35:38.199 --> 00:35:39.279 The perfect spouse. 00:35:39.500 --> 00:35:40.699 The biggest house. 00:35:40.819 --> 00:35:41.699 All the right connections. 00:35:41.980 --> 00:35:42.460 Guess what? 00:35:43.099 --> 00:35:44.159 He says you lose. 00:35:44.159 --> 00:35:46.879 But if you come to him. 00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:49.239 And you say Jesus here's my life. 00:35:49.339 --> 00:35:50.299 I hand it over to you. 00:35:50.940 --> 00:35:51.739 Have your way. 00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:53.000 Do what you want with my life. 00:35:53.099 --> 00:35:54.379 I'll suffer how you want me to suffer. 00:35:54.519 --> 00:35:55.619 I'll go where you want me to go. 00:35:55.719 --> 00:35:56.940 I'll say what you want me to say. 00:35:57.519 --> 00:35:58.119 You know what? 00:35:58.759 --> 00:35:59.759 Jesus says you win. 00:36:00.619 --> 00:36:03.399 You'll find abundant life. 00:36:03.399 --> 00:36:06.379 Both in this life and in the life to come. 00:36:08.379 --> 00:36:09.779 Three things we need so far. 00:36:09.879 --> 00:36:11.219 We need to have hearts of compassion. 00:36:11.219 --> 00:36:13.779 Jesus' mission needs people. 00:36:13.919 --> 00:36:14.779 People that are willing to go. 00:36:14.879 --> 00:36:16.299 People that are prepared to suffer. 00:36:17.179 --> 00:36:17.980 Fourthly and finally. 00:36:18.079 --> 00:36:19.639 And this is probably the most important. 00:36:20.299 --> 00:36:21.779 Is we need prayer. 00:36:22.879 --> 00:36:23.959 We skipped over this earlier. 00:36:24.019 --> 00:36:25.179 Because I wanted to land with this. 00:36:25.219 --> 00:36:26.379 It's probably the most important one. 00:36:26.439 --> 00:36:29.079 Which is why I've got a nice little box around it. 00:36:29.079 --> 00:36:34.599 Look back at chapter 9 verses 37 and verse 38. 00:36:36.039 --> 00:36:37.699 Jesus says to his disciples. 00:36:38.439 --> 00:36:40.079 The harvest is plentiful. 00:36:40.079 --> 00:36:41.239 The need is great. 00:36:41.340 --> 00:36:42.679 There are so many people. 00:36:43.159 --> 00:36:45.860 4.3 billion people in Asia alone. 00:36:46.739 --> 00:36:47.900 The laborers are few. 00:36:49.059 --> 00:36:50.940 Therefore, pray. 00:36:52.480 --> 00:36:53.900 Therefore, pray. 00:36:54.559 --> 00:36:55.460 That's astounding. 00:36:56.360 --> 00:37:01.139 The first thing Jesus calls us to do is not plans, programs, strategies. 00:37:01.980 --> 00:37:03.019 But to pray. 00:37:03.739 --> 00:37:05.619 Therefore, pray earnestly, says Jesus. 00:37:05.719 --> 00:37:06.779 To the Lord of the harvest. 00:37:06.900 --> 00:37:09.259 That he will send out laborers into his harvest. 00:37:09.260 --> 00:37:10.760 The need is great. 00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:12.200 Therefore, pray. 00:37:13.080 --> 00:37:16.680 People are lost and in danger of an eternity apart from Christ. 00:37:17.540 --> 00:37:18.640 Therefore, pray. 00:37:19.520 --> 00:37:21.180 People are slaves to sin. 00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:23.060 They're being destroyed by their sin. 00:37:23.900 --> 00:37:24.960 Therefore, pray. 00:37:26.000 --> 00:37:28.640 Families and marriages are being ripped apart. 00:37:29.840 --> 00:37:30.800 Friends, pray. 00:37:31.660 --> 00:37:33.600 Our city is reeling of pain. 00:37:33.599 --> 00:37:35.980 Young people are feeling hopeless. 00:37:37.119 --> 00:37:38.739 Friends, pray. 00:37:39.819 --> 00:37:42.239 Pray, pray, pray. 00:37:42.900 --> 00:37:47.299 To most Christians, prayer seems like a rather soft answer to the problems before us. 00:37:48.019 --> 00:37:51.559 People tell us they're going through a difficult time and we often say, I'll pray for you. 00:37:52.019 --> 00:37:55.460 Which a euphemism is for, I don't really want to get involved. 00:37:55.819 --> 00:37:57.139 I don't really know how to deal with it. 00:37:57.139 --> 00:38:00.119 So, let's just end the conversation. 00:38:01.019 --> 00:38:03.039 But that's not the kind of prayer Jesus is calling us to. 00:38:03.400 --> 00:38:12.259 The kind of prayer Jesus is calling us to is kingdom come, whole life orientated, laboring, struggling, wrestling with God in prayer. 00:38:12.900 --> 00:38:15.980 The Apostle Paul describes Epaphras in Colossians chapter 4. 00:38:15.980 --> 00:38:24.740 He says, here is a man, a servant of Christ, one who is always laboring fervently, struggling in prayer on your behalf. 00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:26.780 Prayer is a battle. 00:38:26.940 --> 00:38:28.119 It's spiritual warfare. 00:38:28.380 --> 00:38:29.599 Prayer is a fight. 00:38:29.960 --> 00:38:35.420 Because when we pray, when we labor in prayer, we are engaging in the spiritual warfare. 00:38:35.539 --> 00:38:37.360 We are calling down heaven, as it were. 00:38:37.360 --> 00:38:46.460 Jesus says that his mission is dependent upon prayer, upon men and women getting on their knees and agonizing in prayer. 00:38:47.180 --> 00:38:50.920 Leonard Ravenhill said, no church is greater than its prayer life. 00:38:51.340 --> 00:38:53.000 You want to measure the health of a church? 00:38:53.140 --> 00:38:54.240 Measure its prayer life. 00:38:55.720 --> 00:38:58.640 There's a famous story I've shared many times. 00:38:58.900 --> 00:39:05.000 But in the 16th century, there was a terrible queen on the throne of Scotland. 00:39:05.180 --> 00:39:07.000 Her name was Queen Mary, Queen of Scots. 00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:09.180 She was a terrible lady. 00:39:10.860 --> 00:39:12.360 Killed all sorts of people. 00:39:13.380 --> 00:39:15.680 And she reportedly said this. 00:39:15.720 --> 00:39:21.960 She said, I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of England. 00:39:23.059 --> 00:39:24.380 Friends, imagine that. 00:39:24.539 --> 00:39:27.120 Imagine the drug dealers of our city. 00:39:27.559 --> 00:39:30.680 Imagine the corrupt people of our city. 00:39:30.880 --> 00:39:34.280 Imagine the forces of evil in our city saying, 00:39:34.539 --> 00:39:36.160 I'm not worried about the police force. 00:39:36.159 --> 00:39:37.519 I'm not worried about the government. 00:39:37.940 --> 00:39:39.179 I'm not worried about those things. 00:39:39.299 --> 00:39:40.339 We can get around them. 00:39:41.059 --> 00:39:44.139 But oh, when Christians pray, they mess up all our plans. 00:39:45.219 --> 00:39:52.039 I fear the prayers of the followers of Jesus more than all the assembled armies of England. 00:39:53.099 --> 00:39:55.119 Friends, do you know the power of prayer? 00:39:55.119 --> 00:40:00.859 Douglas O'Donnell writes this incredible commentary on Matthew's gospel. 00:40:00.860 --> 00:40:02.680 He writes in his book here. 00:40:02.680 --> 00:40:08.420 He says, when we look at the book of Acts, we see the equation for church growth. 00:40:09.280 --> 00:40:11.019 The equation is simply this. 00:40:11.300 --> 00:40:16.480 Prayer plus preaching plus persecution equals growth. 00:40:16.480 --> 00:40:18.480 That's what we see in Acts. 00:40:18.480 --> 00:40:21.599 And that's what we see in the first three centuries of the church. 00:40:22.059 --> 00:40:23.860 That's what we see throughout church history. 00:40:24.099 --> 00:40:28.679 Whenever the church is genuinely growing, that's what we see in Asia even today. 00:40:29.079 --> 00:40:34.260 The kingdom of God advances through persecution, preaching, and prayer. 00:40:35.260 --> 00:40:36.260 Friends, I mentioned it earlier. 00:40:36.260 --> 00:40:40.240 I'm not the least bit interested in what we are growing just for the sake of numbers. 00:40:40.420 --> 00:40:42.580 Growing for growth's sake or numbers' sake. 00:40:43.240 --> 00:40:46.460 But oh, may we grow as a church that are rooted in the gospel. 00:40:46.620 --> 00:40:48.600 May we grow in our dependence of God. 00:40:48.960 --> 00:40:51.520 May we grow in the power of God. 00:40:51.600 --> 00:40:53.600 May we grow and see revival breaking out. 00:40:54.040 --> 00:40:56.960 Friends, may we grow and see God turning lives around. 00:40:58.160 --> 00:40:59.140 What's it going to take? 00:40:59.960 --> 00:41:01.880 It's going to take people that are prepared for suffering. 00:41:02.460 --> 00:41:05.020 It's going to take people that are prepared to share the gospel. 00:41:05.019 --> 00:41:07.099 But oh, friends, it's going to take prayer. 00:41:07.860 --> 00:41:08.800 It's going to take prayer. 00:41:08.920 --> 00:41:10.259 Getting us on our knees. 00:41:10.659 --> 00:41:11.900 Staying up all night. 00:41:12.739 --> 00:41:13.820 It's going to take fasting. 00:41:14.320 --> 00:41:15.380 Saying no to food. 00:41:16.239 --> 00:41:17.820 No to the comforts of this world. 00:41:17.940 --> 00:41:18.860 Yes to discomfort. 00:41:20.360 --> 00:41:22.639 It's going to take people that pray. 00:41:24.659 --> 00:41:25.519 Why is this? 00:41:25.619 --> 00:41:27.940 Why is it that Jesus says we need to pray? 00:41:28.199 --> 00:41:29.619 Well, there's many reasons for this. 00:41:29.679 --> 00:41:31.360 And we should probably talk about this a lot more. 00:41:31.440 --> 00:41:33.400 But I want to give just one reason today. 00:41:35.019 --> 00:41:38.159 The reason is Jesus wants us to know where the power lies. 00:41:39.759 --> 00:41:41.199 Look at what Jesus says here. 00:41:41.300 --> 00:41:45.059 He says, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest. 00:41:46.780 --> 00:41:49.599 Jesus wants us to know who the Lord of the harvest is. 00:41:49.679 --> 00:41:50.559 That it's not us. 00:41:51.179 --> 00:41:52.219 It's not Watermark. 00:41:52.920 --> 00:41:54.119 It's not any pastor. 00:41:54.119 --> 00:41:57.259 It's not Tim Keller or John Piper. 00:41:57.980 --> 00:41:59.279 It's not any great preacher. 00:42:00.559 --> 00:42:02.420 Jesus himself is the hope of the world. 00:42:03.400 --> 00:42:05.039 Jesus himself is the hope of the city. 00:42:06.239 --> 00:42:08.179 Jesus wants us to know where the power lies. 00:42:08.259 --> 00:42:09.819 It lies with him and not with us. 00:42:11.099 --> 00:42:14.400 Friends, none of us have the power to convert a single person to Christ. 00:42:14.400 --> 00:42:19.539 None of us can sweet talk or persuade a single person into repentance. 00:42:20.360 --> 00:42:25.360 None of us can manufacture faith in someone's heart. 00:42:25.980 --> 00:42:31.460 None of us can manufacture or persuade someone to turn from their foolish idols to the hope of Jesus. 00:42:31.460 --> 00:42:33.320 But Jesus can. 00:42:34.079 --> 00:42:35.340 Jesus is the Lord of the harvest. 00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:36.940 And so we cry out to him. 00:42:37.760 --> 00:42:43.400 Jesus wants us to know that it is as impossible for us to convert someone or save someone 00:42:43.400 --> 00:42:46.860 as it is impossible for us to raise the dead and cast out demons. 00:42:47.619 --> 00:42:50.280 No demon is going to be cast out in the name of Kevin. 00:42:50.720 --> 00:42:54.500 No dead person is going to come alive by the authority of Kevin. 00:42:55.019 --> 00:42:57.019 It's the authority of Jesus that does those things. 00:42:57.019 --> 00:43:00.599 Friends, it's the authority of Jesus that gives faith to the dead 00:43:00.599 --> 00:43:04.960 and causes life in the souls of unbelievers. 00:43:05.139 --> 00:43:09.679 The Apostle Paul says that God is entrusting the message of the gospel to us. 00:43:09.699 --> 00:43:12.500 And he says we are like clay pots that are holding this treasure 00:43:12.500 --> 00:43:17.940 that we may know that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 00:43:18.559 --> 00:43:22.199 One of the things Jesus wants us to see here is that the need is great. 00:43:22.420 --> 00:43:23.699 The harvest is great. 00:43:23.699 --> 00:43:25.359 The opportunity is awesome. 00:43:25.559 --> 00:43:26.899 The calling is there. 00:43:27.319 --> 00:43:31.000 But friends, what our city needs and what our world so desperately needs 00:43:31.000 --> 00:43:33.239 is not just a fired up watermark, 00:43:33.439 --> 00:43:36.539 not just a self-confident, self-assured church, 00:43:36.719 --> 00:43:39.139 not just a church that says we can go and do it. 00:43:39.500 --> 00:43:42.299 What our city needs and what our world desperately needs 00:43:42.299 --> 00:43:48.559 is ordinary, humble, compassionate men and women 00:43:48.559 --> 00:43:50.960 that have seen the great need of our city, 00:43:50.960 --> 00:43:55.000 whose hearts have been moved by the brokenness of our world, 00:43:55.380 --> 00:43:59.599 whose gut is stirred with compassion for our city. 00:43:59.599 --> 00:44:03.139 that men and women who have seen the glory of God 00:44:03.139 --> 00:44:05.079 and the wonder of Jesus 00:44:05.079 --> 00:44:08.259 and are filled with confidence because of who He is, 00:44:08.299 --> 00:44:09.460 not because of who we are, 00:44:10.079 --> 00:44:12.679 and who have got on their knees and who cry out to God 00:44:12.679 --> 00:44:12.960 and say, 00:44:13.099 --> 00:44:15.039 Oh God, come and move in our city. 00:44:17.039 --> 00:44:17.440 Friends, 00:44:17.940 --> 00:44:19.500 what our world needs is men and women 00:44:19.500 --> 00:44:20.900 who will pray. 00:44:20.900 --> 00:44:23.360 In this passage, 00:44:23.519 --> 00:44:25.760 Jesus gives us two instructions, really. 00:44:26.420 --> 00:44:26.800 He says, 00:44:27.200 --> 00:44:28.860 Pray and go. 00:44:30.280 --> 00:44:31.800 Some Christians want to pray, 00:44:31.920 --> 00:44:32.880 but never really go. 00:44:34.200 --> 00:44:36.619 Some Christians are happy to go, 00:44:37.000 --> 00:44:39.220 but don't want the hard work of prayer. 00:44:40.240 --> 00:44:41.860 Some people who think they're Christians, 00:44:42.019 --> 00:44:44.340 but don't really care about either praying or going. 00:44:46.360 --> 00:44:47.320 Matthew tells us, 00:44:47.320 --> 00:45:09.920 Friends, 00:45:09.920 --> 00:45:10.720 let's pray together. 00:45:13.160 --> 00:45:13.920 Lord Jesus, 00:45:14.320 --> 00:45:15.900 we hear your words. 00:45:17.320 --> 00:45:18.300 We hear you. 00:45:20.720 --> 00:45:21.840 This morning, God, 00:45:21.920 --> 00:45:24.660 we come empty-handed. 00:45:27.280 --> 00:45:28.980 God, we confess that 00:45:28.980 --> 00:45:32.559 there's so many things in our lives that stop us. 00:45:33.700 --> 00:45:35.059 It's our fear of man. 00:45:35.960 --> 00:45:37.200 It's the fear of insecurity. 00:45:37.480 --> 00:45:39.019 It's the fear of letting go 00:45:39.019 --> 00:45:40.720 of our idols. 00:45:44.400 --> 00:45:46.059 Jesus, we hear you this morning. 00:45:47.320 --> 00:45:49.140 We want to go. 00:45:50.480 --> 00:45:51.660 We want to respond. 00:45:52.860 --> 00:45:53.860 We want to say, 00:45:54.000 --> 00:45:54.820 Here am I, Lord. 00:45:54.940 --> 00:45:56.380 Send me. 00:45:58.720 --> 00:46:00.120 Father, here are we. 00:46:00.640 --> 00:46:01.280 Send us 00:46:01.280 --> 00:46:04.039 into this great city of Hong Kong. 00:46:06.240 --> 00:46:07.860 God, I pray that over the coming 00:46:07.860 --> 00:46:09.760 days and weeks, 00:46:09.920 --> 00:46:10.400 you will 00:46:10.400 --> 00:46:12.500 break our hearts 00:46:12.500 --> 00:46:14.160 for the brokenness of the city. 00:46:14.159 --> 00:46:15.440 God, 00:46:15.480 --> 00:46:17.379 when we read the newspaper reports 00:46:17.379 --> 00:46:18.599 and when we read online 00:46:18.599 --> 00:46:19.239 what's happening 00:46:19.239 --> 00:46:20.899 and may we not just 00:46:20.899 --> 00:46:23.579 with a sense of hardness of heart 00:46:23.579 --> 00:46:23.779 say, 00:46:23.819 --> 00:46:24.759 there we go again. 00:46:25.879 --> 00:46:26.480 But God, 00:46:26.559 --> 00:46:27.480 may our hearts 00:46:27.480 --> 00:46:28.399 burn within us. 00:46:28.480 --> 00:46:29.980 May our guts be wrenched. 00:46:30.039 --> 00:46:31.879 May we get a knot in our stomach 00:46:31.879 --> 00:46:32.659 when we see 00:46:32.659 --> 00:46:34.420 the hurt in our city. 00:46:37.619 --> 00:46:37.980 God, 00:46:38.039 --> 00:46:39.019 won't you send us out? 00:46:39.019 --> 00:46:43.039 God, 00:46:43.119 --> 00:46:44.679 where we don't want to suffer, 00:46:44.840 --> 00:46:45.599 we confess, 00:46:45.780 --> 00:46:45.980 God, 00:46:46.039 --> 00:46:46.480 that we 00:46:46.480 --> 00:46:48.480 very often have an idol 00:46:48.480 --> 00:46:49.179 of comfort 00:46:49.179 --> 00:46:49.900 and convenience 00:46:49.900 --> 00:46:50.880 and security. 00:46:52.519 --> 00:46:53.000 God, 00:46:53.039 --> 00:46:54.980 won't you dismantle 00:46:54.980 --> 00:46:55.519 that idol, 00:46:56.480 --> 00:46:57.239 smash that idol 00:46:57.239 --> 00:46:57.880 in our hearts. 00:46:58.880 --> 00:47:00.079 Help us to love you 00:47:00.079 --> 00:47:00.659 and trust you 00:47:00.659 --> 00:47:01.519 above those things. 00:47:01.519 --> 00:47:04.119 And God, 00:47:04.199 --> 00:47:04.599 I pray, 00:47:04.739 --> 00:47:05.579 won't you teach us 00:47:05.579 --> 00:47:06.139 to pray. 00:47:07.860 --> 00:47:08.840 Won't you teach us 00:47:08.840 --> 00:47:09.340 as a church 00:47:09.340 --> 00:47:09.880 how to pray, 00:47:10.019 --> 00:47:10.219 God. 00:47:11.099 --> 00:47:12.280 Teach us how to fast. 00:47:16.159 --> 00:47:16.519 Jesus, 00:47:16.619 --> 00:47:17.259 won't you make us 00:47:17.259 --> 00:47:17.960 more like you. 00:47:19.559 --> 00:47:20.519 Won't your kingdom 00:47:20.519 --> 00:47:22.199 so infuse our lives 00:47:22.199 --> 00:47:22.960 that our life 00:47:22.960 --> 00:47:23.519 and our mission 00:47:23.519 --> 00:47:24.480 starts to look like 00:47:24.480 --> 00:47:25.019 your life 00:47:25.019 --> 00:47:25.599 and your mission. 00:47:27.539 --> 00:47:28.199 We pray, 00:47:28.320 --> 00:47:28.440 God, 00:47:28.519 --> 00:47:29.300 come and do this. 00:47:29.300 --> 00:47:32.519 in your name we pray. 00:47:34.260 --> 00:47:34.640 Amen.