Truth That Changes Lives

Guest (Male): Whether you cross the culture or just cross the street, it's to minister to the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of people. Not to us, but to your name be the glory.

Greg: Thank you for joining us on Truth That Changes Lives. Pastor JP Jones is the senior pastor of Crossline Community Church in Laguna Hills, California, and a professor in biblical studies at Biola University.

Today on Truth That Changes Lives, Pastor JP will be giving us a message from a series entitled Read the Red. Let's listen in as JP gives us part two of Luke 6, Matthew 5, 6, and 7.

JP Jones: When I was in graduate school, I took a missions class and we had to read a lot of books on worldwide missions. One of the books was called What's Gone Wrong with the Harvest? Interesting book. And the premise of the book was in answering the question, what's gone wrong with the harvest?

Nothing. The problem is we don't have enough workers. In other words, the harvest today is no different than the harvest in Jesus' day, no different than the harvest in any generation of Christians, no different than the harvest in any culture.

In other words, there's nothing wrong with the harvest. The challenge has always been workers. At the time when Jesus said this, guess how many workers there were? One. Jesus. And Jesus says, we need more than me because I'm going to the cross, and I'm going to be resurrected, then I'm going to be ascended to the Father.

Dudes, this is what you need to do: You need to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest field. There needs to be a burden in every generation of Christians and a burden in every cultural gathering of Christians, a burden in every community of Christians to pray for workers to go into the harvest.

We just finished a semester at Biola. I teach part-time there, so I gave a final exam, which I have to grade all those finals and turn in my grade this week. I gave this final exam and I had a bonus question, an extra credit question on the final exam.

The extra credit question was this: I start every class by catching up with the kids, telling a little funny story that happened, doing a little devotion, and then I pray for them. Then I do my lecture. So here was my extra credit question on the exam:

This past semester, I started every class praying for the students in this class. In addition to general prayers that I prayed, what was one very specific thing I prayed for the students in this class every week of this entire semester?

What did I pray for every week? I can see the wheels turning in these kids' minds. What did he pray for? I prayed the same prayer. I prayed it every week before class, fifteen weeks of the semester. Some of them got it right, some of them didn't get it right.

Here was the prayer that I prayed, here was the answer that some of them gave: Lord, I pray out of this class you would raise up workers for the worldwide harvest and send students from this class to the remotest parts of the earth as witnesses for Jesus Christ.

I've been teaching at Biola now for twenty-two years. I started off doing it because it was kind of novel. I felt honored to be invited to come teach at Bible college. Then I started doing it because they pay me a little money.

At this season of my life, there's really only one reason why I do it. I enjoy it, but the real reason why I do it is I want to challenge young people to consider serving Christ with their lives and going to the ends of the earth to help to fulfill the Great Commission.

So I'm very upfront in praying for that, talking about it, and challenging the students in my class to consider being laborers. Why? Because Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, but the workers, the laborers are few. Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest.

Let me tell you, that's a dangerous prayer to pray. You know why? Because if you pray that prayer, Jesus may say, thank you for praying that prayer and I want you to be the answer to that prayer. Because that's what he did with the apostles.

He said the harvest is plentiful, the workers are few, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers in the harvest, and then he sent them out. You've got to be willing to get out of your comfort zone when you're on mission for Christ.

You may be sent out not to Botswana, but across the street. Not to Malawi, but across the cubicle. Not to Iceland, but to the jacuzzi at the gym. Wherever it is that God is sending you, you're going as a laborer in the harvest, as a representative of Jesus Christ, on kingdom mission with a heart of compassion to minister to people whether they have spiritual, physical, or emotional needs.

Jesus sent these guys out. We ought to pray for laborers to reach the worldwide harvest and to be willing to be the answers to our prayers. The apostles received the authority of Jesus to do kingdom ministry, and I believe we can receive that same authority.

In fact, we have received that same authority to serve in Jesus' name, to bless people for Jesus' sake, and out of compassion, meet the needs that people have, realizing that everybody is distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus starts to give some specific instructions to these apostles while they're going on mission. You've got to be willing to step out of your comfort zone, take your eyes off yourself, and put your eyes on Christ, on Christ's kingdom call, on people who are in need, and allow Christ to give you his compassion so that you can go out and touch people for Jesus' sake.

If it's a spiritual need, share the good news of salvation with them. If it's an emotional need, share words of encouragement and hope. If it's a physical need, pray for God to heal them. If people are in spiritual bondage, share biblical truth that they can find freedom in Christ.

It says this in Matthew chapter 10: These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Here we again see that there is a unique context to this passage. It relates to Jesus' kingdom ministry and specifically his kingdom ministry in relation to the nation of Israel and the apostles' unique role in advancing that kingdom ministry.

At the same time, it's recorded for us so that there would be spiritual application to every generation of Christians. For us. So there's spiritual truth here for us. Big observation, number three: We ought to follow Christ's instruction on mission and minister to the spiritual needs of people.

Christ's instruction for the apostles was to just go to the lost sheep of Israel. There were surrounding communities of Gentiles, but Christ's instruction is I want you to go to Israel. How about Christ's instructions for us?

Here's the bigger principle: Jesus, who is the Lord of the harvest, has a strategy for how the harvest is supposed to be reached and fulfilled. Did you know that? I think sometimes we read the Gospels and we don't think about it a little bit.

We kind of think Jesus got up, oh, I'm in Capernaum, wonder what's going on. I'll go down to the Starbucks down there on the street, and then I think I'll walk over here. Oh, I'm in Galilee, I think I'll go down to Antioch. Then he just kind of meandered and all of a sudden one day he goes, oh, I'm in Jerusalem, I guess I'm going to be crucified now.

No, the three-year earthly ministry of Jesus had a very specific strategy to it because God was unfolding his kingdom plan. When you read the book of Acts, I think people think the same thing. The apostles, they kind of went here and they went there.

No, they had a very specific strategy in terms of the cities that they went to where they planted churches. The strategy was to infiltrate the larger culture to reach the whole world for Christ. Why? Because God has a purpose and strategy about the kingdom.

Here is the spiritual application for us: We need to ask God, what's his strategy for us? How do we fit into it? He clearly revealed it to the apostles and he will reveal it to us. He'll reveal it to the church.

God has given us as a church a vision and strategy. We've asked him to show it to us and he's shown it to us and he continues to show it to us. And we can ask him personally, God, what's your strategy for my life? How do I fit into your kingdom plan? God, what do you want me to do with my life to serve Jesus Christ?

I think that's a prayer God will answer if you sincerely ask it and pray it. But you've got to be willing to step out of your comfort zone. It may be that you haven't heard the answer because you're not willing to step out of your comfort zone.

What God's waiting for is for you to be able to actually hear the answer he wants to give you. Jesus is the Lord of the harvest. He sees people as distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. He says the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

He wants us to pray for laborers and to be willing to be the laborers ourselves. Then as we commit ourselves to be open to do that, he will use us and open doors for us to serve in kingdom ministry. My best friend, Todd Wendorff, pastors a church up in Palos Verdes. He planted it, a church called The River Church.

He called me the other day because they're starting to grow and they're making some decisions for the church. He had some concerns about the culture and was their growth going to impact the feel of how the church was. They were going to be doing some hiring.

So he's asking my opinion about some things he should do. In the course of our conversation, I said something essential like this to Todd: One thing, Todd, for guys like us, it becomes real simple because we have committed ourselves to the absolute authority of Scripture.

We believe God's word is the final word. So for our church, the final word is what the word of God says. And we believe that the Bible teaches that Jesus is the head of the church. So the real issue you and your board have to decide is what does Jesus want for your church? That's all.

There's no competing opinion or agenda or person. You guys just need to get together and pray and say, Jesus, what do you want for our church? Then when he shows you what he wants, do it. We kind of laughed. Obviously, sometimes that takes a lot of seeking and pursuing, but the point is we don't have to listen to any other voices.

We don't have to read any book on a business plan or vision, or we don't have to follow some model of some other church. Those all might be helpful, but the only thing we really have to do is humble ourselves, be willing to step out of our comfort zone, and say, Jesus, you're the head of the church, what do you want here? We're going to do it.

What's good and true for the church is also true for our lives personally. Jesus gave very specific instructions to these apostles. You may not know what your specific instructions are, but have you surrendered your life to Christ and said, Jesus, what do you want me to do with my life as I serve you in mission?

Jesus, do you want me to go across the street? Because if you do, I'm going. Do you want me to go next door? Because if you do, I'm going. Do you want me to go to the hospital? Because if you do, I'm going. Do you want me to go to the jacuzzi? Because if you do, I'm going.

Do you want me to go to Malawi, Botswana, Greenland, Bulgaria, Argentina, Micronesia? Do you want me to cross a culture? Because if you do, I'm going. We need to just follow the leading and instructions of Jesus and then minister to the spiritual needs of people.

This is the interesting thing: I've had the privilege of literally traveling on mission trips all over the world. I've been to Mexico, South Africa, Israel, Egypt, France, England, Bulgaria, Russia, the Ukraine, India, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

This next year, I'm going to Italy, I'm going back to Israel, and I'm probably going to go on a Haiti trip. I've had the privilege of being in a lot of different cultures. But you know what? The spiritual needs of people, physical needs of people, emotional needs of people are the same everywhere I go.

Jesus gives these guys specific instructions, but what they're to do once they go to wherever he's telling them to go is just minister to the spiritual needs of people. That's why I know whether you cross the culture or just cross the street, it's to minister to the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of people because Jesus has called us to be on mission.

Let me share one more truth and then we'll be out of here. Jesus is giving them some specific instructions and he says to them, do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts. Take no bag for the journey or extra tunic or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.

Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it. If it's not, let your peace return to you.

If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard against men. They will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues on my account.

You will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them, to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what you say or how to say it. At that time, you will be given what you are to say, for it will not be you speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

So here's the observation: We ought to trust in the Lord for our needs, look for faithful people to serve, and do it in the power of the Holy Spirit. Trust in the Lord for our needs, look for faithful people to serve, and do it in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Again, these instructions are very specific to the apostles in their context within the nation of Israel. But the spiritual principles are applicable to every generation and every culture. They're applicable to us. God says to the apostles, you can anticipate a mixed response.

Some are going to be eager and open and responsive to what you have to say. Some are going to be indifferent, and some are going to actually retaliate against you for trying to serve them. It's the same for us.

If you are thinking as you're hearing this message, or if you have been even contemplating this concept that to be on mission with Christ, that somehow because you're willing to serve Christ wherever he calls you, or somehow if you're willing to step out of your comfort zone and be a witness and minister for Christ, that God then is obligated to bless your life and give you financial prosperity and make everybody like you and have all your prayers answered exactly the way you're praying them because you're making some kind of sacrifice for Christ, that notion's just not true.

It may be, quite honestly, that if you are willing to say yes to Christ's call on your life and live on mission for Christ for the rest of your life, your life becomes more uncomfortable and you never get a comfort zone back. You may have greater financial challenges. You may have more emotional conflict. You may have some people who don't like you, and right now everybody likes you.

The issue is, will you live your life following Jesus Christ with Christ as your audience, not people? Think about it: These apostles were just kind of doing their own thing before Jesus came on the scene. He totally upset their world.

In the process, he saved their eternal souls, gave them peace beyond comprehension, filled their lives with spiritual abundance, and promised rewards in heaven. He does the same thing for us. But he's upfront. Jesus is very upfront.

Some people are going really listen and respond and be blessed, some people are going be indifferent, and some people are going be really antagonistic even to the point of persecuting. And he promises this: If your back's up against the wall and you don't know what to do or what to say, don't worry about it because I'm going to come through for you and my Holy Spirit is actually going to lead you in that situation and give you the words you need to speak in that situation.

This is what's interesting about this promise because of the dynamic I've seen in my own life and with so many people. I've done this in each of the services and I'm expecting the same response. Let me just set this up. I'm just going to ask you in the experience that you've had so far at this point in your walk as a follower of Jesus Christ.

How many of you have been in a situation where you didn't feel prepared, you didn't have what you thought was the necessary training, you didn't know the Bible the way you thought you should have known it, but somehow in that situation, you did what needed to be done or you all of a sudden remembered scripture that you didn't even know you knew, or you said words that were of great spiritual wisdom?

In other words, you got yourself in a situation and God came through for you and you were able to do or say what needed to be done and said so that it really blessed the person you were dealing with. How many of you have found yourself in that kind of situation before? Now keep your hands up high and just look around.

Every one of us almost. See, God's good on his word. Education's awesome, training's awesome. There are some tremendous books that would equip us. But the point is—and this is the point of this whole message—none of that matters because you could get all the training, you can memorize all the Bible verses, but if you're not willing to step out of your comfort zone and out of compassion serve people, you never will.

On the other hand, if you're willing to step out of your comfort zone and out of compassion serve people, then God will give you what you need to actually serve them. That's when life is dynamic because we're on mission for Christ and we're on mission with Christ.

That's what really matters. That's why Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest. Will you be a worker in the harvest? Will you say yes to Jesus' call to mission, whether it's across the street, across the fence, across the cubicle, or across a culture?

Will you be willing to step out of your comfort zone and say yes to the Lord of the harvest to serve in kingdom ministry? That's the question and that's the call that Jesus has on us.

Guest (Male): What a great message for all of us today. Pastor JP provides us with great insight. That is why we'd like to make it available to you on CD. Just get in touch and mention today's date. We'll send it your way for just five dollars.

Or if you'd like to support this ministry, you can write us at Truth That Changes Lives, 23331 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills, California 92653. Or give us a call at 949-916-0250. That's 949-916-0250.

Guest (Female): For your gift of twenty-five dollars or more, we will send you a signed copy of JP's new book, Facing Goliath. Please join us every Sunday at 9:00 or 11:00 a.m. at Crossline Church in Laguna Hills.

The address is 23331 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills, California 92653. Or check us out on the web at CrosslineChurch.com. We're going to get to the address and phone number again in a minute, but before we do that, Pastor JP, do you have any insight from today's message?

JP Jones: Thanks, Greg. We're in a passage of scripture talking about Jesus' commissioning of the disciples. It's part of the series that we're developing called Read the Red. It's where we're looking at the teaching of Jesus Christ.

What did Jesus actually teach about God, about eternal life, about salvation, about discipleship? Here in Matthew chapter 9 and Matthew chapter 10, it gives us a short synopsis of a day in the life of Jesus. He traveled around, he was teaching, he was preaching, he was healing people, he was casting out demons.

He saw people as distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. And Jesus felt compassion for people. So he turns to his disciples and he imparts this world vision. He says, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest field.

You see, Jesus Christ sees people in crisis, in need, in spiritual separation from God and desperation. And as his followers, Jesus wants us to see people that way. We need to see as Jesus saw. We need to see people as people who are in need of salvation in Christ, need of forgiveness in Christ, need of healing in Christ, need of transformation in Christ.

We need to see people through spiritual eyes. We need to see people as Jesus sees people. And when we do, then we see that the harvest is plentiful. We see that the world is crying out for God and the world is in need of salvation and Jesus is the only answer.

Our response to the teaching of Jesus is to see a world in need and to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest and to be willing to be laborers ourselves. Would you tell God that that's your heart today?

God, thank you for the harvest. Thank you that you're the Lord of the harvest. Thank you that you're the Savior and thank you that you're the Healer. Give me your compassion for people. Help me see people as you see them and may I be a laborer in your harvest. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Greg: We want to help you in your relationship with Christ. Please get in touch with us at Truth That Changes Lives, 23331 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills, California 92653. Or call us at 949-916-0250.

On the internet you will find us at CrosslineChurch.com. We hope to see you at one of our services every Sunday at our new campus in Laguna Hills. For more information and directions, please go to CrosslineChurch.com. Please join us next time on Truth That Changes Lives.