Father, I thank you that you are an amazingly good shepherd.
I thank you that you're a father who cares for us.
I thank you that you're a father who sees us and who knows us and who loves us
and who gave everything for us in your son.
Father, I thank you so much for yesterday with the Chinese New Year outreach in Sun Yat-sen Park, Lord,
where we're able to just experience your goodness and your grace
and just to connect with people out in the community,
so many people who are lost and hurting and broken and needing a savior, needing a shepherd.
Father, we just thank you that you have placed us here as a church, not for ourselves,
but for your name, your glory, and for the people in this city.
So, Father, I pray this morning that you would speak to us.
I pray that you would encourage us.
I pray that you would challenge us.
I pray, Lord, where we are wrapped up in many, many things, Lord,
I pray that you quieten our hearts to hear what you want to say.
And I pray you give us soft hearts to be willing to respond to what you're calling us to.
In Jesus' mighty name, amen.
I want to invite Echo to come and read the scripture reading to us.
This scripture reading comes from Matthew chapters 9 and 10.
Please follow along in your bulletins or on the screen.
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom
and healing every disease and every affliction.
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them
because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest
to send out laborers into his harvest.
And he called to him his twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits
to cast them out and to heal every disease and every affliction.
The names of the twelve apostles are these.
First Simon, who is called Peter,
and Andrew, his brother.
James, the son of Zebedee,
and John, his brother.
Philip, and Bartholomew.
Thomas, and Matthew, the tax collector.
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus.
Simon, the zealot.
And Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
These twelve Jesus sent out.
This is the word of God.
Thank you so much, Echo.
And can I just do a shout-out
for all the people who helped yesterday
at the Chinese New Year outreach.
Thank you, all your ICF students.
Let's give them a round of applause.
They were amazing.
We were in the park with lots of kids.
They did an amazing, amazing job.
Welcome.
If you don't know me, my name is Chris.
I'm one of the leaders here at Watermark.
Just very excited to welcome you this morning.
I spoke to someone just recently
who used to come to Watermark a long time ago,
and I hadn't seen them for a long while,
and I just bumped into them on the streets
and said, hey, how are you doing?
And he said to me, hey, doing great.
God's answered my prayers.
I've got amazing work.
Work's going really well.
And we had this kind of conversation
just saying how amazingly blessed
they were with their work.
And then I said, hey, are you involved in church?
How's things going?
And they said, no, I've not got any time
for all of that.
But me and God, we're doing great.
And I thought about the conversation afterwards,
and I thought, how often do we actually misunderstand
what it means for us to be doing great with God?
What it means for us to be a follower of Jesus,
living in a joy-filled, active relationship with Jesus,
because we come with our ideas
when what Jesus wants to do
and what we're doing in the series
of going through the book of Matthew
is to help us to see what does it mean for us as a church?
What does Jesus say about what it means
to be a follower of Christ?
And we want to go deeper into the gospel.
We want to learn Jesus afresh
because, and that's actually why we're doing,
if you're in a community group,
it's why we're doing the gospel-centered life,
because we want you to get not just the idea of Christianity,
we want you to meet Jesus
and have the gospel go deep in your life
because that's where you're going to flourish, in Christ.
But we don't just want to go deep
in understanding the gospel ourselves
because we also know
that when Jesus calls people to follow him,
when he called the first disciples in Matthew,
he said, follow me,
and then he says, there's a purpose to what I'm doing.
I will make you fishers of men.
I'm going somewhere
so that if you want to be a disciple of mine,
you're always going to be going where I'm going
and I'm always going out to reach people around
who don't know me
and who need to know the love of Christ.
And so, last week,
we began looking at the idea of salt and light.
We're looking through the Sermon on the Mount
and we saw how God has called us
to be this light in this city
and that actually that light is going to come
not as us trying to be the light
but actually as our love for Jesus
and how that's going to flow out of us.
But we want to camp out really
for the next three weeks or so
in looking at the,
unpacking this idea of
what does it mean for us to be a light?
What does it mean for us to be on mission?
What does evangelism mean
in the life of the church?
And we're going to look at some different scriptures
to do this
because this is what it means
for us to follow Christ,
to know Him more
and to make Him known to others.
So, we're going to be looking today
at this chapter in Matthew 9.
And this, Matthew 9 and 10,
this chapter is really a pivotal part
in the book of Matthew.
Jesus has basically been doing
a whole lot of ministry,
preaching and teaching and healing
and all kinds of stuff
and now He's going to shift the focus
to not just Him doing the work
but sending others out to do the work.
And so, what we're going to do,
we're going to look at three different parts.
We're going to look at
the compassion of the shepherd.
We're going to look at the invitation
to the harvest
and the commission to go.
Okay?
The compassion,
the invitation,
the commission.
So, if you've got your bulletin with you,
please follow along.
We'll be tracking through some of that.
So, first of all,
the compassion of the shepherd.
You know, Jesus,
Jesus has been going around,
it says,
all kinds of cities and villages
in Galilee
with His little gang of disciples with Him.
And there's about 200 villages and cities
at that time in that area
and it would have taken
a very, very long time
for Jesus to go around
all of them effectively.
And what we know about these villages
from chapters 5 to 9
is that Jesus has been teaching
how different the kingdom of God is
from the way the culture
of all these villages and cities were living.
Because in these places
were filled with messy,
broken people.
There were families torn apart by divorce.
There were greedy, obsessive bosses.
There were locals
who were angry at their taxes.
There were people wanting independence
from the political rule of Rome.
There were people worrying
about getting enough food
just to feed and supply their families.
There was bitterness.
There was unforgiveness.
There was anger.
There was hurt.
There was brokenness in relationships.
Everywhere,
it was messiness and brokenness.
And it says,
Jesus came
to these places
and a crowd,
a random bunch of these people
started coming out
to see Him.
And they had
100,000 different motives
for why they were coming.
Some just came out of curiosity.
Some came because
they wanted to hear
what the latest speaker was like.
Some came because
they were desperate
to get healing.
Some came
because they just wanted
to use Jesus for themselves
and then get on
with their lives afterwards.
And it says,
when Jesus
came to His crowd
and He saw the crowds,
He judged them instantly
for their lack
of purity of heart.
When Jesus came
to the crowds,
He thought,
why should I waste my time
on all these messed up people?
Is that what He thought?
It says,
chapter 9,
verse 36,
when He saw the crowds,
He had compassion for them.
Do you know what that word
compassion means?
It literally means
to be moved in your guts.
That's not because
you've got food poisoning.
That's because
it literally,
it's the strongest word
for pity in Greek.
Someone said,
compassion
is an emotional response
where you so identify
with the situation
of others
that you're prepared
to act
for their benefit.
Have you ever felt that?
it's the same word
that's used,
you know,
in the prodigal son story,
if you know that story,
where the youngest son
takes his father's money,
leaves the family,
squanders it all,
and he's in poverty,
and then decides to return
to his father.
And it says,
while he was a long way off,
the father saw him
and had compassion on him,
and he ran out to him.
It's the same
when a blind person
comes to Jesus
and he asks for healing
and he says,
it felt compassion
and he reached out
and touched him.
You see,
when Jesus sees
this messy bunch of people,
his reaction
isn't to run away from them
saying,
wow,
this is overwhelming.
His reaction
is to long
to run to them
with gut-wrenching compassion.
You see,
I heard a story
of a guy
who went out
to visit
on a mission trip
to an African country
which had desperate poverty
at the time.
Kids were malnourished.
It was a terrible situation.
He was just going to see
the relief work
that was going on there.
And just as he was about
to leave his little visit
and get on the plane,
a lady comes up to him
carrying a baby.
And she says to him,
she tries to hand him the baby
and says,
please take him.
Please take him
because if he stays here,
he's going to die.
And the guy
said he knows
he can't take him back.
And he says,
as he turned around
and he had to shut the door
behind him
with this woman
crying desperately for help,
he said he had this
gut-wrenching compassion
of a desire
to help
and to reach out.
That is what Jesus
is feeling
right here.
I don't know
what response
this morning
you think
Jesus,
you'll get from Jesus
if you come to him
this morning.
Do you think
he's a little annoyed
at you?
Do you think
he's kind of like,
oh,
I know what you've done
this week,
but hey,
I guess
I'll accept you.
Do you realize
that no matter
how far
away from Christ
you think you've gone,
no matter whether
you feel worthy
or unworthy,
no matter how pure
your motives are
or impure
your motives are,
whether you're here
this morning
out of joy
or here this morning
purely out of habit,
Jesus has gut-wrenching
compassion
for you.
He longs
to reach out
to you
right where
you are.
Why
does he have that?
Do you know
what the next part
says?
He had compassion
for them
because
they were harassed
and helpless
like sheep
without a shepherd.
Do you know,
literally,
that means
they were torn
and thrown away.
Do you know
like those wildlife
documentaries
when you see
the antelope
that's gone away
from the rest
of the herd
and then the lions
are coming
and they pounce
on its hind legs
and bring him down
and are tearing at him?
That's the idea here
because that's what
Jesus sees them as.
Why are they like that?
Because they are sheep
without a shepherd.
Do you know
the Bible's very deliberate
when it calls us sheep?
Do you know
that you're a sheep?
Say after me,
I'm a sheep.
Let's do it one more time
just to bring it in.
I'm a sheep.
Okay,
now that's not a compliment.
You may think
you're a wolf
but you're a sheep.
Here's a couple of things
about sheep
that you need to know.
Ezekiel 34
when God's talking
about Israel
it says this,
so they were scattered
because there was
no shepherd
and they became food
for all the wild beasts.
You see,
what you know about sheep
is sheep are vulnerable.
You know,
sheep don't have claws.
They don't have
razor sharp teeth.
They can't fly.
They can't run away fast.
They're a ball of wool
on four legs.
Which means this,
if you don't have
a shepherd
you will always
feel insecure
because you're a sheep.
Because sheep
by nature
always need a shepherd
to give them protection,
to give them security,
to provide for them.
Which is why
each one of us here
is always looking
for security
and protection
from something
because we're sheep.
But it's not just
that we're vulnerable.
Sheep also
always wander off.
Isaiah 53
you might know this.
We all like
sheep
have gone astray.
I don't know.
I grew up in England.
I went to Wales.
There's tons of sheep.
There's more sheep
than humans in Wales.
And I don't know
if you've ever seen
shepherds.
It's not kind of in Hong Kong
there's not sheep
wandering around.
But in Wales there are.
And if you've ever
seen a shepherd
trying to get sheep
to go anywhere
you know
there's a reason
that modern day
shepherds
have sheep dogs.
Because what you find is
even though the shepherd
is trying to lead them
to some beautiful
new pasture
one little sheep
goes and sees
something interesting
on the side
and starts wandering off
and then everybody else
is like
oh that's a great idea
and they all wander
and follow him.
Doesn't matter
if it's a cliff over there
they're all going to go.
We're like a bowling ball
you know
which has that natural curve
that it always
no matter which way
you throw it
always is going
towards the gutter.
That's you and me
because we're sheep.
But the thing is
what he's saying here
is every other shepherd
every other place
you look to
for security
is a shepherd
in wolf's clothing.
Sorry
no it's a wolf
in shepherd's clothing.
You find your approval
and your sense of worth
in anybody else's opinion
just one comment
just one look
from a colleague
from a spouse
and it will devastate you.
Find your security
in your finances
or your career
or your grades
and just see
how many people
in Hong Kong
are suffering
from stress
and insomnia
because we're enslaved
torn apart
harassed and helpless
because we fear
not getting enough
because we fear
what our bosses
are going to think about us
because we live in fear
and all around us
there are people
promoting
find your security
in this
find your security
in that
but we're sheep
and every other shepherd
is a wolf
in shepherd's clothing.
It will tear you
and eat you alive.
We are like the crowds
before Jesus
but Christ
is a shepherd
who is different
from every other shepherd
because when you hear
that word shepherd
in the Bible
you're not supposed
to be thinking
of those terrible pictures
that I see
in Christian hospitals
I think we may have one
of Jesus
kind of blonde haired
blue eyed Jesus
with a little lamby.
Do you have one
Christina picture of that?
That is not what
you're supposed to be thinking
oh lovely.
You see
a shepherd in the Bible
is an image
of a king
it's an image
of a ruler
it's an image
of a strong leader
but he's not
the kind of strong leader
who's just there
to use you
for his own agenda.
He's a shepherd
who has gut wrenching
compassion on you
because he knows
that you're vulnerable
and prone to wander.
You know Jesus
when he looked out
over Jerusalem
a couple of years later
he says
oh Jerusalem
Jerusalem
the city
that kills the prophets
and stones
those who are sent to it.
In other words
these guys
just don't respond well.
How often
would I
gather you?
How often
have I longed
to gather you
your children
together
as a hen
gathers her brood
gathers her chicks
under her wings
but you were not willing.
Do you see
what he's saying?
He knows
what we're like.
Do you know
that you're a sheep
like that?
And sometimes
people think
Jesus is nice
but God's kind of
angry with me
but so kind of
hide behind Jesus
and not get angry God
but actually
when Jesus says
if you've seen me
you've seen the Father
God so loved the world
God so loved you
that he sent Jesus
to you
to show his compassion
to you
because he wants
to draw you to himself
that's why he died
on a cross
for you
because he desperately
wants you for himself.
No matter how
messed up you are
no matter how good
you think you are
do you know
you're a sheep
but he's a compassionate
shepherd calling you today?
That's the first point.
second thing
the invitation
to the harvest
Jesus is in
kind of farming
territory
so he just
switches the metaphor
from sheep
to crop farming
so he then says this
the harvest is plentiful
but the laborers
are few
therefore pray
earnestly
to the Lord
of the harvest
to send out
laborers
into his harvest
harvest
any farmers here?
Yep
I didn't expect so
most of us
the farming analogies
kind of get a little
lost on us
but actually
harvest time
was the time
of the greatest joy
and opportunity
in a farming village
because it's what
the whole year's work
is all about
it's the time
where you're going
to get everything
that you've been
looking for
for the year
now in our context
just imagine
if a memo
is sent round
to employees
in a company
where basically
the whole of your bonus
is based on the yearly
profits
and it says this
it says
the rich clients
are plentiful
but the sales team
is few
therefore ask
your boss
urgently
to hire
more sales team
to send them out
to bring in the revenue
does that sound
like an opportunity
or a burden
because what he's saying
is often as Christians
when we come to the idea
of sharing our faith
and evangelism
we kind of know
it's a little bit
uncomfortable
it's a little bit
difficult
and so therefore
we feel it's like
something Christians
have to do
and we feel a little bit
guilty probably
because we haven't been
doing it as much
as we should
and so every time
you hear a sermon
on evangelism
you just go away
feeling a little deflated
and then you forget
about it
for the next few months
until the next sermon
but evangelism
as Jeremy shared
actually this week
with us
in the staff team
he says evangelism
it's not something
you have to do
it's something
you get to do
it's an opportunity
it's a privilege
that we have
because it's about
a harvest
of joy
and opportunity
but let me unpack
this for a minute
because if you think
about it
if a boss
is serious
about making
his company
profitable
unless he is
incompetent
why doesn't he
just hire
sales staff
anyway
why does the boss
need to ask
the employees
to ask him
to then hire
more staff
that's weird
right
Christians
don't need
to evangelize
because God
needs you to
he's quite capable
of doing the job
himself
you know
there's lots of
dreams
of people having
dreams
in Middle East
coming to faith
through
he could do
that
but he calls
us to share
the faith
of a compassionate
God
because he's
inviting you
to both share
in his work
and share
his heart
of compassion
so his
compassion
becomes your
compassion
so his joy
becomes your
joy
because I don't
know if you
know
in Genesis 1
it says
to be human
is to be
an image
bearer
somebody
who reflects
what God
is like
that's where
we flourish
when we're
living like
that
but the only
way you'll
ever be
fully human
the only way
you'll ever
fully flourish
if that is
true
is if you're
involved in
his mission
because it's
only when you're
on God's
mission to
save and
reach out to
people that
you'll ever
get his
heart
for people
his heart
for lost
sheep
around you
do you
notice
Jesus
doesn't
pray
doesn't
tell the
disciples
to actually
just pray
for lost
sheep
to come
to him
did you
see that
he doesn't
just pray
for people
who don't
know
Christ
he actually
says pray
for more
workers
you see
that
why do you
have to pray
for more
workers
anyone
huge
response
okay
I'll
assume
that you're
knowledgeable
but too
ashamed
to share
why do you
have to pray
for more
workers
because this
is not a
one person
job
even
Jesus
he's like
there's too
many people
for me
humanly
to reach
out to
people
here
this is a
whole community
thing
it's a whole
community
thing
I'm looking
out at
25 Nepalese
kids
on a
Thursday night
saying
are there
more people
who can reach
out
I can't reach
out to
these by
myself
you go
on the
MTR
and you
see
thousands
of harassed
and helpless
sheep
wandering
around
in your
office
in your
family
and no
pastor
can reach
them all
why are
there so
few
workers
you know
I was really
challenged
by this
but
St.
Augustine
he lived
he was a
guy
he's a
dead
guy
lived
a lot
of time
ago
he said
this
he said
this has
really impacted
me
cramped
is the
dwelling
of my
soul
expand
it
that you
may
enter
in
cramped
is the
dwelling
of my
soul
expand
it
that you
may
enter
in
what
is he
saying
everyone
in Hong
Kong
feels
cramped
that's
why we're
all looking
to buy
bigger
flats
and moving
to bigger
spaces
right
do you
know
the most
cramped
place
in Hong
Kong
is in
our
hearts
because
we only
get
concerned
with our
own
issues
our
own
things
we get
bitter
about
life
and about
others
we want
to hang
around
just with
people
who are
like us
just with
people
that we
like
and who
are going
to give
us
something
you know
that's
networking
right
but God
has a
heart
that is
spacious
a heart
that is
expansive
his heart
is not
cramped
it's
overflowing
to compassion
to the very
people
that I wish
he wouldn't
be compassionate
towards
to the people
that you and I
have issues
with
which cramps
our hearts
his heart
where we are
cramped
his heart
expands
you know
in John
Jesus
has just
been talking
to a
Samaritan
woman
and he's
been calling
her to
herself
and he's
showing her
that she
doesn't need
to look
to men
to fulfill
her
but he
is the
living
water
that she
needs
and then
after this
amazing
conversation
the disciples
come back
and see
Jesus
talking
to this
woman
and they
go
hey
Jesus
let's
grab
lunch
and
internally
they're
going
what
why are
you
talking
to
her
and
you
know
what
Jesus
replies
he
says
lift
up
your
eyes
and
see
that
the
fields
are
white
for
harvest
that's
challenging
when you
look out
at Hong
Kong
do you
go
I wish
there
were
fewer
people
here
because
it
made
my
life
so
much
easier
or
do
you
go
the
fields
are
white
for
harvest
oh
that
convicts
me
you
see
there
are
so
many
people
here
Jesus
says
we
should
be
praying
God
send
out
more
workers
there
are
so
many
people
that
you
have
brought
to
this
city
you
know
I
got
in
the
list
yesterday
a
rather
old
grumpy
man
got
into
the
lift
in
my
building
and
just
to
be
friendly
I
said
to
him
and
then I
noticed
he
had
a
Manchester
United
cap
on
and said
oh
do you
support
Man U
and
he
replied
I don't
want to
talk to
you
this is
literally
this was
yesterday
okay
I get
that all
the time
it's okay
I don't
have a
complex
and
then
he
said
and
I
was
just
about
to
get
out
of
the
lift
actually
then
he
said
you're
one
of
those
missionaries
aren't
you
and
I
didn't
know
how
to
respond
to
that
because
I
didn't
even
really
know
him
so
I
was
like
how
do
you
know
this
stuff
and
as
I
got
out
the
lift
normally
what
I
would
be
thinking
would
be
he's
got
issues
he's
a
grumpy
old
man
or
I'd
feel
offended
or
I'd
feel
like
I've
got
to
try
and
be
nicer
next
time
I
don't
know
what
I've
got
to
do
but
actually
because
I've
been
thinking
about
this
passage
I
walked
away
going
there's
a
sheep
who's
suspicious
and
hurting
and
broken
and
I
don't
know
whatever
shepherds
he's
running
to
but
you
can
tell
from
his
face
that
they're
not
bringing
him
joy
and
my
heart
broke
for
him
and
I
started
praying
father
would
you
send
people
into
his
life
who
are
going
to
show
him
that
you
are
a
good
God
a
good
compassionate
shepherd
just
think
if
every
one
of
us
in
watermark
started
praying
God
would
you
open
my
eyes
to
see
people
not
the
way
I
normally
see
people
but
to
really
see
the
people
you've
placed
around
me
to
see
even
my
boss
even
the
people
who
intimidate
me
or
annoy
me
or
anger
me
with
your
eyes
of
compassion
and
love
just
think
how
different
our
responses
would
be
isn't
that
what
Jesus
is
saying
to
be
about
a
light
in
the
city
as
you're
walking
along
the
streets
and
you're
seeing
the
broken
and
the
hurting
around
you
how
more
freely
would
we
be
loving
people
how
much
more
urgently
would
we
be
praying
God
there's
so
many
people
I
can't
reach
all
these
please
send
more
workers
because
when
you
start
praying
like
that
you
can
be
living
in
a
hundred
square
foot
flat
but
you'll
be
living
the
most
spacious
life
because
your
heart
would
have
been
expanded
to
be
more
and
more
like
Christ's
heart
but
it's
not
just
his
compassion
this
compassion
he wants
us to
have
it's
also
his
joy
he
wants
you
to
experience
I
don't
know
if
you
know
that
God
is
a
joy
filled
happy
God
not
a
miserable
grumpy
God
did
you
know
that
it
says
in
Timothy
he's
the
blessed
God
blessed
means
happy
and
what
brings
him
delight
is
to
bring
lost
people
like
you
and
me
broken
people
to
himself
Jesus
said
there is
more
joy
in
heaven
over
one
sinner
who
repents
than
over
99
who
don't
need
to
repent
heaven
gets
on
party
mode
when
someone
comes
to
faith
if
that
guy
in
that
lift
came
to
know
Jesus
heaven
would
explode
with
joy
it
would
be
better
than
LKF
so
how
is
our
response
when
someone
comes
to
Christ
like
someone
did
last
week
through
somebody
in
watermark
do
we
go
that's
nice
another
member
of the
club
or
do
we
go
with
unconcainable
joy
that
is
just
so
gracious
of
you
father
thank
you
cramped
is
often
the
dwelling
of
my
soul
but
we
have
a
compassionate
shepherd
who
shows
us
his
love
so
that
he
can
expand
our
hearts
so
that
we
can
have
compassion
on
others
to
involve
us
in
his
mission
so
that
we
might
experience
his
joy
and
we
need
to
be
praying
that's
the
first
place
we
start
to
pray
that
God
would
do
this
in
our
lives
and
God
would
send
out
more
workers
I'm
going
to
ask
Joanne
to
come
up
and
share
a little
bit of
her
story
Joanne
welcome
it's
okay
we're not
too
scary
up here
Joanne
would you
love to
just tell
us
who you
are
and
yeah
just
say
something
about
yourself
hello
I'm
Joanne
can
you
hear
me
yes
okay
and
I've
been to
watermark
for
like
five
years
now
I'm
from
Hong
Kong
and
I'm
a
part-time
artist
graphic
designer
and
I'm
doing
a
master
course
in
HKU
in
expressive
arts
therapy
great
so
if
you
feel
like
you
need
some
therapy
afterwards
just
come
and
talk
to
Joanne
I'd
love
you
to
tell
us
a
little
bit
about
what
you
were
like
before
you
met
Christ
in
your
life
I
was
a
professionistic
so
everything
I
wanted
to be
perfect
and
I
was
very
easy
to
get
nervous
and
really
want
to
take
control
of
things
and
plan
things
well
so
that's
why
it
really
makes
me
yeah
very
easy
to
get
nervous
and
like
oh
my
gosh
what
it
would
be
like
and
really
afraid
of
making
mistakes
great
and so
tell us a little bit about your story of how you actually came to
Christ
it was like seven years ago
I guess like I failed myself using my own effort it's like a really bad period
of time it's when I studied and I didn't really get what I want and I feel like I failed myself because like no matter how much that I paid for pay effort for like I couldn't get whatever things that I wanted
but then like God
but then like God showed me to be like I made to be like I gave up to you and started to show up and I had to show myself to me and I can see that God is gracious but then like that then my heart wasn't truly surrendered to him yet and through and other circumstances
so were you uh were you in a Christian family or what what was your family no no my family it's all non-believers I'm the yeah and um so three and other circumstances uh which is uh my like my first time that when I end um my first relationship and then like at that time I was really sad and heartbroken and it's kind of like really lost as well and that time um so there was one day
when I was um waiting my friend in MTR station which is in Cosway Bay and um it's really rare because my friend was late for half an hour but like she was usually very very on time
and suddenly there was a lady tapped on my shoulder and then like she said she asked me um are you a Christian and I'm like no and then like she said oh actually today when I prayed um
I had a calling from God to find a lost ship and you are one of the lost ship and I'm like all my goose boom is like going up because I didn't expect that you know there are there were a lot of people doing all these kind of outreach um and on the street as well usually but that lady it's really it's a little bit different because like she's like a very old lady it's like 70 years old and usually these kind of lady they wouldn't like
do these kind of do these kind of do these kind of do these kind of things like in my perspective and she showed a lot of sincerity and the first thing that she said it's not taking up um her bible and then showing me this verse blah blah blah blah blah but the thing she told me is I prayed and I had a calling from God and you are the lost ship and God wants you to come back and I'm like oh wow
and my heart was softened and I accepted Christ um in the MTR station which MTR?
Causeway Bay so just head to Causeway Bay guys at after lunch and then she disappeared um I
and I never saw her again never saw her again and so yeah what happened like what happened next?
and then I and then like I started go to Watermark
you see God works in amazing ways right?
that's amazing
and so that was seven years ago?
no that's five years ago
five years ago
what's God been doing in your life since that point?
um like I think well of course there are times that I still struggle
struggle because there are a lot of worldly pressure
and and you know like there are a lot of things to to perform as well
but especially when there are a lot of unknowns um and when I think of my future
but I think this time it's pretty different
it's because I know God and and he's faithful
that when in all these uncertainties happen that I know where I can anchor
that anchoring God
and knowing that he's faithful
and he knows way better than what I know
and um yeah because he created us and he did everything for us
and he even knows that I would accept a Christ in an empty aisle using a pot pot
and I think yeah he knows everything way better than I do
that's great
can I pray for you?
yes thank you
um father thank you so much uh for my dear sister Joanne
uh lord you are an amazing God
thank you so much that you care for lost sheep
uh thank you that you cared for Joanne
and to bring her to yourself
and I pray that you'd continue to help her uh see more and more of who you are
that you're a good shepherd
that you're a father
you're the one who wants to wrap your arms around her
and give her that sense of security and uh comfort and knowledge
that her life is in your hands
so lord I just praise you for what you're doing
thank you so much for her
and lord just bless her mightily
in Jesus name
amen
great thank you
please give a round of applause
isn't God good?
you see God works
see God's a compassionate God
who wants to reach out
and he'll even use a pawpaw who's available
to reach out
we've talked about the compassion of the shepherd
we've called it that the invitation to the harvest
I've got one more point
so don't worry we're not going to go forever
the last point is the commission to go
because you know when Jesus calls the disciples
to start praying for workers
to be sent out
into the harvest field
who does he send out?
he sends out the disciples
you see
when you start praying
send people
into the elderly homes
into the MTR stations
into
into the schools
into the hospitals
into HSBC
into wherever
when you start praying that
you've got to be prepared
to be the answer to your prayer
just like that pawpaw was
and Jesus says
as you start praying
who is willing to go?
and there's this passage in Isaiah
where Isaiah meets with God
he has this incredible encounter with him
and at the end of it
he's on his face
he's on the
in the kind of little corner
and God says to him
who's going to go
for me
to preach my message
and Isaiah kind of raises
his little hand
from the corner
and says
oh you can send me
are you willing
to be that person?
are you willing
to be that person?
send me
because you see
a few verses later
in the passage
it's not in our reading here
it's just in
verse 23
it says
Jesus says
I'm sending you out
like sheep
among wolves
he's sending us out
as sheep
not as marine commandos
not as those
who've got all our act together
not as those
whose heart is anywhere near
as expansive as his
he's sending us out
as vulnerable
insecure
prone to wander sheep
in a hostile
challenging
difficult world
what a ridiculous strategy
and we go
yeah but I can't
share anything
because I've lost
my temper at work
I'm not a good witness
I'm not a good
answering all those
questions people have
and Jesus says
I know
but do you realize
who the guys
that Jesus is sending
out are?
just look at them
Peter
Peter's got
serious pride issues
in fact he's so insecure
he's desperately
trying to prove himself
all the time
James and John
they're called
sons of thunder
not because of their
stomach issues
but because they had
serious anger issues
Thomas
doubting
always sees the glass
half empty
mind filled with questions
Matthew
a Jew
who'd compromise
his integrity
to get ahead
in his career
and just get more money
for himself
considered a traitor
by everyone else
Simon
who's called a zealot
meaning he was a
political activist
like a terrorist
willing to use violence
to get out the Romans
are you any of those?
do you have pride issues?
anger issues?
do you have doubts?
have you messed up
in integrity
and faithfulness?
are you a terrorist?
oh you
you may be okay
with that one
are you insecure?
do you stray?
well I know
the answer to it
yes you do
because you're a sheep
like me
you sound like
the kind of
harassed
helpless person
that Jesus today
with deep compassion
is calling to himself
to run to him
so that you might
experience his goodness
and his love
and his joy
and for him
to be your shepherd
where you find security
and provision
in him
not in anything else
you're chasing after
and as you come
and deeply understand
his great love
for you
it's you
he then wants
to send out
to be used by him
on his mission
for his glory
into your neighborhood
into Lockhart Road
into your office
into the elderly homes
in Hong Kong
so you can know
his joy
are you willing
to be the answer
to your prayer?
and you see
it's scary
because we feel inadequate
because we are inadequate
but God gets the glory
in taking weak things
in this world
like you and me
and showing his grace
and his power
through them
our confidence
is not in how eloquent
we are
it's not in how strong
we feel
it's not in having
all the answers
to every question
your confidence
isn't in how great
even your witness
has been as a Christian
because you may have been
Mr. Grumpy
for the last three weeks
I don't know
but that is not
our confidence
is in who our shepherd is
who our king is
who the one
who rules
over everything
sovereignly
and yet has compassion
on the very people
around us
I cannot change anyone
I cannot heal the sick
I don't have words
to change people's hearts
but Jesus is a sovereign ruler
he has authority
and he gives his disciples
authority
he is compassionate
but powerful
evil spirits tremble
at his name
he can take people
like Joanne
people like me
people like you
and he can work
in our lives
to change us
and he can work
if he can work
in your life
then he can work
in the people around you
their lives
to change him
do we see
that he is the power
to change
grumpy old men
grumpy young men
grumpy old women
grumpy young women
people who are stressed
people who are nervous
people who are from
every background
to bring them
security in him
and so we pray
God send me
it's not your power
my power
it's your power
you are my shepherd
the Lord is my shepherd
I will lack
nothing
give me patience
give me wisdom
this is the call
that God has for us
as a church
that our hearts
might be expanded
to be more and more
like him
maybe just like to
bow your heads
for a minute
what is Jesus
saying to you
right now
do you know
that he really
has deep
compassion for you
and is calling you
to come to himself
if you are not
a believer
if you don't
know this
this Jesus
of such
compassion
he's calling
you today
will you respond
like Joanne did
will you respond
to him
because he wants
to bring you
more security
than you've ever
had in your life
if you're a believer
and you're just
you know you've been
chasing after
other shepherds
other things
in your life
you just come
to him right now
and do business
with God
allow him
to speak
to your heart
maybe some
of us
we've been
Christians
a long time
and we
we know
this kind
of message
but we know
that our eyes
don't see
like Jesus
sees
just cry out
to him
cry out
to him
to open
your eyes
to expand
our hearts
to send
out more
workers
to send
you
and to send
me
this week
to the lost
the broken
and the hurting
zł
and I