Praying For Missions
Matthew 9:36-38
January 11, 2015
As you know we are now in our mission’s month.
We like to take the month of January
And sort of focus in on the high calling of missions.
As we said last week, this is the purpose of the church.
We are to take the light of Jesus Christ and shine Him into a dark and hopeless world.
• We are not primarily philanthropists
• We are not primarily social workers
• We are not primarily medics
• We are not primarily construction workers
We may in fact use all of those avenues to gain the opportunity
To fulfill our purpose, but those are not what we are.
We are preachers of the gospel
We are missionaries
We are here to publish the work of Christ to the nations.
We are left here for missions.
And as we talked about that last week,
I gave you three ways in which you can be involved in that purpose.
They weren’t new – in fact you’ve heard them over and over.
PRAY – GIVE – GO
What I want to do this morning is begin to dive into those a little bit more.
And this morning I want to talk a little bit about praying for missions.
And I don’t mind telling you that this is a way bigger topic
Than we have time to handle in one sermon.
Because mission work is spiritual work,
It is absolutely essential that every aspect of it be prayed about,
For we cannot accomplish this task on our own.
We must pray for open doors
We must pray for open hearts
But this morning we are going to take the prayer concept
In a bit of a different direction.
We actually touched on it last week,
As we read the text we are focusing on this morning.
“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
As we said last week we have here a verse with two tragedies.
1) We have “distressed and dispirited sheep without a shepherd”
That is another way of saying we have lost sheep.
They are not saved and their lives are in shambles because of it.
2) We have a field that workers have not entered.
There is a plentiful harvest
And yet no one seems to be at work to bring that harvest in.
And so the response of Jesus is that His disciples should pray.
“Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
• He didn’t ask for prayer that God would bring the harvest in by Himself
• He didn’t ask for prayer that the harvest would come in on its own
• He asked for prayer that God would send workers to get it.
In fact Jesus said to “beseech the Lord”
There is a hint of urgency there
There is a hint of intensity there
Beg God to do this
Implore God to do this
Plead with God to send out workers
I pondered that statement this week, and it brought a question to my mind
WHY WOULD A FARMER WITH A RIPE HARVEST NOT BE SENDING WORKERS INTO IT?
You’d assume that with a ripe field you wouldn’t have to ask God to send out workers…you’d assume He’d already be doing that.
This is a field that God obviously planted
This is a field that God watered
This is a field that God made to grow
So we know God is well invested in this field.
Why would you have to ask Him to send out workers?
Certainly isn’t because God doesn’t want to.
He cares about this harvest.
But the question is:
WHY IS NO ONE BEING SENT?
And I think it is beneficial to take that question and internalize it.
If you aren’t being sent, maybe you should ask why.
If I’m not being sent, maybe I should ask why.
Why is God not sending workers?
(Especially when you know that He desires to)
Well this morning we are going to examine a multitude of passages
To answer that question.
You already know that I’m not a real fan of topical preaching,
But that is what you are going to get this morning.
I want to give you 5 reasons why God isn’t sending workers,
And hopefully that will also answer the question of
Exactly how to pray so that God will send them.
So put yourself in the seat of a farmer.
• You’ve got a field that is ripe for harvest.
• You’ve plowed, you’ve planted, you’ve irrigated, you’ve fertilized and now the crop is ready.
Why now are you sluggish in sending out workers?
5 reasons (may be more, but this is my list)
#1 THE WORKERS ARE DANGEROUS
Turn To: Matthew 23:15
You are familiar with the passage.
Jesus is condemning the Pharisees for their hypocritical religion.
Now certainly Jesus nails them in a number of areas,
But one of those areas is in their mission involvement.
And you recognize from this verse that
Jesus is not upset with the Pharisees for not doing missions.
He is upset with them because they do.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”
They travel around the globe and they are making proselytes.
The problem is that their converts
Are “twice as much a son of hell” as they are.
They are getting people to believe a message that doesn’t save.
It is similar to the false prophets in Jeremiah’s day.
Jeremiah 23:21 “I did not send these prophets, But they ran. I did not speak to them, But they prophesied.”
And then later
Jeremiah 23:32 “Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares the LORD, “and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit,” declares the LORD.”
That passage clearly answers the question as to at least one reason
Why God isn’t sending these people into the harvest.
They are dangerous.
They do not “furnish this people the slightest benefit”
It is obvious that the Lord of the harvest realizes that
If He sends these people into the field,
He will not get the harvest into the barn.
These people will ruin the harvest
These are false brethren with a false gospel who make false converts.
Matthew 15:12-14 “Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
These are the blind men.
And if you send a blind man to guide a blind man, both of them are in trouble.
In short
You don’t send lost people on mission to reach other lost people.
And that is one of the problems even in the church.
The church has a lot of lost people in it.
• They may be religious
• They may have Bible knowledge
• But they are not saved and they cannot help in the harvest
God doesn’t send them because they are dangerous.
WHAT WOULD THE PRAYER THEN BE?
Well obviously that they be saved and that they receive God’s Holy Spirit, and they finally believe the true gospel so that they are ready to go in God’s strength and preach God’s gospel.
So you understand the prayer request.
When you beseech the Lord of the harvest,
Pray that the lost in His church would be saved so that He can send them.
The Workers are Dangerous
#2 THE WORKERS ARE DEFICIENT
Turn To: 2 Peter 1:5-9
What I mean by deficient is that they are NOT USABLE.
They are lacking something that makes them usable in the field.
Let me go ahead and remind you that everyone starts there.
Romans 3:12 “ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”
When we talk about being useless,
Then we must understand that we were all there.
The goal is obviously to move from being useless to being useful.
HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
Well obviously salvation must occur, but also spiritual growth.
Look at what Peter says in his passage.
“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.”
Peter is talking about being useful to God.
And Peter is very clear that those who lack “love”, “brotherly kindness”, “godliness”, “perseverance”, “self-control”, “knowledge”, and “moral excellence” are NOT useful to God.
If you lack those qualities you are “blind or short-sighted” and you have “forgotten [your] purification from [your] former sins.”
And it helps us understand why the farmer isn’t sending some people.
They may be saved
They may have faith
But they have never grown.
They have never added the things that Peter says they need to add.
They are still spiritual babies.
They are like the people the writer of Hebrews wrote to:
Hebrews 5:11-14 “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”
And there are people like this in the church.
At this point in their Christian walk
They ought to already be teaching others.
(That is part of the Great Commission –
“and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you”)
They ought to be teachers, but they still need to be taught.
They are not mature, they can’t discern good and evil.
And so they are not useful.
Now it’s one thing when that person is a 10 year old kid
Who has only be saved a year or two,
But it is quite embarrassing when we’re talking about
An adult who has been a Christian for years.
And yet that is one of the reasons that the Lord of the harvest
Is not sending people into the harvest.
The workers are deficient
They are not yet useful
They have still not grown and learned to teach the gospel to others
2 Timothy 2:20-21 “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.”
So, when Jesus tells you to pray to the Lord to send workers,
I think we understand a little better how to pray.
Pray for those who are immature and not yet useable to grow up and put away childish things and make themselves useable to God.
So why is the Lord of the harvest not sending workers?
The Workers are Dangerous The Workers are Deficient
#3 THE WORKERS ARE DISQUALIFIED
Turn To: Acts 15:36-38
Paul and Barnabas had already been on one missionary journey.
But while they were there Mark deserted them.
For whatever reason he did not see the mission through.
And in Paul’s mind this disqualified him.
“After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.”
Mark had quit the first trip and this disqualified him for the second.
And this sort of thing happens.
People in the church disqualify themselves for service
Because of unrepentant sin in their lives.
Now, don’t get me wrong, we are all sinners.
If God isn’t willing to use sinners then, He’ll never send anyone.
None of us are worthy to be called a missionary.
You aren’t disqualified because of what you used to be,
Or what you used to do.
In fact, many times God uses your past failures as a testimony to reach others.
What we are talking about is present sin
What we are talking about is unrepentant sin
What we are talking about is habitual sin
A farmer isn’t going to send a worker into the field
• That will destroy the crop
• Who doesn’t know how to harvest the crop
• Who isn’t interested in doing what the farmer says.
It is an issue of an obedient heart.
And if the worker won’t obey the farmer in other areas,
He’s not going to trust that he will in this one.
So a worker living in sin is disqualified and God won’t send him.
Let me give you another example.
Matthew 7:1-5 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
Certainly that passage at its heart is about self-righteousness.
But there is a very strong missional statement there as well.
How do you plan on helping someone get a speck out of their eye when you haven’t been able to get the log out of yours?
We already read what happens when one blind man tries to lead another.
If you won’t turn from sin in your own life,
How do you expect to get someone else to do it?
And incidentally choosing sin over service is NOT acceptable before God.
And there again is another specific as to how to pray.
Pray that the workers will turn from sin and qualify themselves for service.
That they will make themselves usable by means of repentance.
And it is only fair to note that Mark did this.
In the last letter Paul ever wrote, Paul said:
2 Timothy 4:11 “Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.”
Mark had been disqualified, but he didn’t stay that way.
He obviously repented, he obviously became committed to the mission
And he became useful and was thrust into duty.
But it helps us understand why workers aren’t being sent.
It may help you understand why you aren’t being sent.
Some workers are dangerous – destroying the crops
Some workers are deficient – they don’t know how to harvest
Some workers are disqualified – they aren’t walking in obedience to the farmer
#4 THE WORKERS ARE DISINCLINED
Turn To: Ezekiel 22:23-31
Now please notice the grim state of the culture of that day.
READ 23-29
Now there is a place that needed a good missionary
There was a dark land that needed light
And God certainly wanted to send a worker into that harvest.
But there was a problem.
(30) “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.”
Notice what God said:
“I searched for a man who” what?
“who WOULD”
• It wasn’t that God didn’t want workers.
• It wasn’t that God wouldn’t send workers.
• But no one “would” do it.
There were no Isaiah’s in that day.
Isaiah 6:8 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
These were people who knew there was a need
They knew their culture was in shambles
They knew the gospel needed to be preached
They knew the standard of God needed to be raised
They just weren’t willing to do it.
AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY SHAMEFUL!
How can it be that people who have been graciously chosen and mercifully forgiven just totally disregard that gift and then refuse to do what God asks?
I mean this farmer has fed you time and time again from his harvest
And now when He wants you to help Him bring another harvest in,
You tell Him “No”.
How can this be?
Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
That was certainly Paul’s mentality.
Acts 21:12-13 “When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
In Paul’s mind Jesus had certainly done more than enough
To warrant his obedience.
And this should be the mindset of every saved person,
And yet sadly it isn’t.
There are many who are just disinclined to go be a part.
They would rather sit in their own houses
And leave the harvest in the field.
They just don’t want to do it.
And that again helps us understand why workers aren’t being sent.
• Some are dangerous
• Some are deficient (not ready)
• Some are disqualified (by means of sin)
• Some are disinclined (they just don’t want to)
And again that helps us know then how to pray that workers will be sent.
We are to pray that those who are redeemed and able
Would be willing to step out and answer the call.
That they would stand with Isaiah and say, “Here am I, send me!”
Some are dangerous, some are deficient, some are disqualified, some are disinclined
#5 THE WORKERS ARE DISTRACTED
Turn To: John 4:31-38
Now there is a story you will remember.
The chapter begins with Jesus choosing to travel through Samaria and at noon as He sits by a well He sends the disciples into town to buy food.
Well here we read what happens when they get back.
READ 31-34
That is classic Jesus, and the disciples are obviously a little confused.
Why wouldn’t He want to eat?
And then notice Jesus’ answer.
(35) “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.”
When they looked up, if you’ve read the chapter, you’ll know what they saw.
The woman at the well had returned to that same town
Where the disciples just bought food.
The only difference is while they only bought food,
She told people about Jesus.
And the crowd was coming out to Jesus.
And Jesus told His disciples to look at that harvest that was coming.
(36-38) “Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. “For in this case the saying is true, ‘ One sows and another reaps.’ “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”
Now please pay close attention here.
Verse 38 reveals the problem.
“I sent you to reap”
• He doesn’t say “it’s time to reap”
• He doesn’t say “I’m going to send you to reap”
• He says, “I sent you to reap”
What is He talking about?
He’s talking about when He sent them into that town.
He sent them “to reap”, what did they do?
They bought food
The problem?
• They were distracted
• They were not focused on spiritual things.
Remember our text that we started with this morning?
Matthew 9:36-38 “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
Did you catch that first statement?
“Seeing the people”
That is what the disciples never did.
They walked all over that city, but they never saw it like Jesus did.
They weren’t sinful, they were just distracted.
Missions wasn’t that important to them.
But let me assure you that missions is important to God.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
1 Timothy 2:1-4 “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
Luke 15:3-7 “So He told them this parable, saying, “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? “When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
The Good Shepherd finds sheep because He is looking for sheep.
The disciples found food because they were looking for food.
The call is to open your eyes.
If you are serious about witnessing, there is ample opportunity.
But the church is easily distracted.
And that is why workers are not being sent.
The farmer sends workers into the field to harvest the crop,
But instead they end up painting the tractor.
And you know this is a problem.
We are in a world that is lost and going to hell and churches are more concerned about building gymnasiums and worship centers than reaching the lost.
So the prayer?
That the church would open her eyes and quit being so distracted.
There is a reason why the Lord of the harvest is not sending workers.
Some of them are dangerous and will destroy the crop.
We must pray that they are saved and will preach the true gospel.
Some of them are deficient and don’t know what to do.
We must pray that they grow up in the faith and become useful.
Some of them are disqualified because they won’t obey the farmer.
We must pray that they will turn from their sin and qualify themselves for service.
Some of them are disinclined and just don’t want to harvest the crops.
We must pray that they will repent of their disobedience
And love Jesus enough to join His missionary effort.
Some of them are distracted and just aren’t paying attention.
We must pray that the church opens her eyes to the need of missions
And gets involved.
“Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
So if you want to be involved in missions, that is one way to do it.
Pray
Pray that the workers will be sent
