We Are the Workers of the Lord!

The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost                                                                                 June 17, 2018
Text: Matthew 9:35-10:8                ILCW Series A                                                        18:2073
Theme: We Are the Workers of the Lord!

What’s the first job that you ever had in your life? Do you remember what your first day on that job was like?
The first job that I ever had was typical for boys of my age back when I was growing up. I mowed lawns. But we didn’t have power mowers back then. We used the old rotary push-type mower. Do you remember those? You had to supply the power, and if the grass was long or thick or mixed with weeds, you had to push and push with all your might. Also, there were no weed-wackers back then. One used hand clippers to trim. Now-a-days people ride and have self-propelled mowers. But back then it called for a lot of pushing and sweating to mow a lawn for $1, 2, or if you were really fortunate, $3.
I remember coming home that first day that I mowed a neighbor’s yard, whose grass was thick with crab grass and other weeds, wondering what I had gotten myself into! My arms, legs, and hands were aching and my shirt was soaked with sweat. That first day on the job was overwhelming. I didn’t know whether to quit or to be happy I got $2. In the end I kept on mowing for a number of years.
How do you think Jesus’ disciples felt their first day on the job when He sent them out to preach the Gospel? They had no special equipment other than having heard Jesus preach to thousands and watch Him heal hundreds. In awe they watched Him do what He did. But now He was sending them out for the first time to do the same. Did they felt overwhelmed? The potential harvest of souls was great but just a few of them. What would they say? What would they do?
Jesus still calls workers into His harvest field. Yes, He calls pastors, missionaries, and teachers to do special work. But it is also true that we all are workers of the Lord for all are His witnesses. Overwhelmed with the task? Where do you start as a worker of the Lord?

I. Lord, give us eyes that see.
Well, maybe it’s good to start where Jesus Himself started. He started with His eyes – seeing people. Our text says, “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching, preaching, and healing. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” He started with His eyes, looking at others and seeing their need.
We first need to have eyes that see like He did. We need eyes that look around us to see what’s going on in the world, to see the many that are lost without Christ, to see what opportunities are there to reach out to those in need and proclaim the gospel to them. So often we miss seeing the things that are going on around us. We aren’t looking.
The other day I read a story about a family on vacation. The author wrote, “We were at a crowded beach on a hot summer day, spreading our blanket, setting up chairs and a beach umbrella. Suddenly we looked up and saw that our two-year-old daughter was missing! While we weren’t watching, she had wandered off! We started looking through the crowd in every direction, calling her name, but there was no sign of her. We told the lifeguard and in a short time our little girl was found. We couldn’t thank him enough.”
“Lost” was the picture that the writer was painting, and the emotions that went with it – the sorrow and fright at realizing that their little girl was gone, and the relief and joy of having her back again. He then likened that to people who don’t know the Lord Jesus. They are wandering about, too, lost in a sea of faces in our world, having no one to rescue them. But to help them we first have to see them and open our eyes like Jesus did.
Speaking of beaches, have you ever looked at a beach full of people and wondered how many of them know Jesus as their Savior? Or how about a stadium full of fans at a baseball game? What about the person standing in line in front of you at the grocery store? How many truly understand that Jesus paid for their sins by His death on the cross and opened heaven to them? Without Him they are like sheep without a shepherd to guide them spiritually, eternally. Before we can help we have to open our eyes and see those people as Jesus saw them, lost, like sheep without a Shepherd. They are all around us. So, in your task as a worker of the Lord be quick to pray, Lord, give us eyes to see them.

II. Lord, give us hearts of compassion.
But there’s more involved than having eyes to see them. We need hearts that go out to them…that have compassion on them. Our text says, “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless.” Jesus had a heart of compassion.
Compassion means to “suffer along with someone.” It not only sees but feels the sufferings or troubles of others and has an urge to help, as though the troubles seen are one’s own and you want to alleviate the pain. It’s the picture of a mother seeing her little child hurt itself at play and wanting to take it into her arms, soothe its pain, and dry its tears. That’s compassion the way the Lord felt it. Do you have it? Eyes that see are not enough. Having hearts that pity are needed.
It seems to me that one of my own problems is having a heart that is unmoved by what it sees on the street corner, in the store, around the neighborhood, in the world, etc. As workers of the Lord we need eyes to see, and more. So we pray: Lord, give us hearts of compassion to reach out.

III. Lord, give us mouths that pray.
But how are we going to reach them all? How could Jesus, who was the very Son of God, even begin to penetrate the world of His day with the good news of Himself as the Savior? Well, He taught the disciples what to do to reach the world. And the first thing He said was, “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field.”
There’s not a one of us who can’t do that – who can’t pray to God that He send more help in this matter of soul-winning. We have the time to do that. If you can’t get out there yourself, then use your mouths to pray. Pray for more workers; pray for more young people who desire to become pastors, missionaries, and teachers so that the Gospel can go out into our world. There’s not a one of us who can’t do that. It’s the least we can do. And Jesus lists it as very, very important. So, as Your workers, Lord, give us mouths that pray.

IV. Lord, give us legs to go.
But mouths that pray aren’t enough either. It has to be more than just talk; there must be action. As Paul tells the Romans (10:14f), “How can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” It calls for action, dear friends, not just talking about these things, but doing it. We need legs that go.
A writer of the 19th Century (Kirkegaard) tells the story of a wild goose that was brought down by a hunter’s shot. However, only one of the goose’s wings was wounded. Fluttering about for miles, he finally came to rest in a farmer’s barnyard. All the domestic ducks, geese, and chickens were quite startled by this sudden visitor from “space.” But they got used to him and soon asked him to describe what it was like to fly, since none of them had ever ventured outside of the barnyard.
The wild goose eloquently extolled the glories of flight, describing how thrilling it was to soar into the wild blue yonder. “Why, up there,” he said, “this barn down here looks like it’s only an inch high and you are all just specks of dust seen from such a distance.” All the domestic fowl were very impressed by his speech. Sometime later they asked him again to describe the glories of flight.
His speeches got to be a weekly occurrence while the goose’s wing was healing. He would get up in front of all the animals and talk and talk and talk. They even provided a little box for him to stand on so that they could see him better. But while all the domestic fowl very much enjoyed hearing about the glories of flight, they never tried to fly themselves. And the wild goose? Well, even though his wing healed, he just continued to talk and talk about flying – but he never flew again.
The moral of the story? Launch out! Don’t just talk and dream about mission activity, do it. “We are the workers of the Lord. As workers we must not be afraid in fighting Satan and the world. Our Lord will give us aid. Our Savior, Jesus, to us says, ‘Why are you waiting to go forth; to bring to people everywhere my Gospel message of priceless worth.’ Amen! We are the workers of the Lord!”
To that end we ask: Lord, give us seeing eyes, compassionate hearts, mouths to pray, and legs to go; for Jesus’ sake.