Take the next step in sharing your faith
Notes
Transcript
If you’ve seen the End of the Spear, you know the story of Jim Eliot. He was a missionary who was murdered in 1956 along with his three friends when they took the gospel to the native Auca inhabitants of Ecuador.
His wife Elizabeth Elliot was left to carry on her husband’s mission. She returned and forgave the Auca tribes including the men who murdered her husband, and the result was a gospel explosion in Ecuador.
But Elizabeth Elliot had some rough days. She wrote a poem to encourage herself to persevere. It’s called “Do the next thing”.
“Do it immediately; do it with prayer. Do it reliantly, casting all care. Do it with reverence, tracing His hand, Who placed it before thee with earnest command. [Focused] on omnipotence, safe ‘neath his wing, leave all resultings: do the next thing.” [https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/suffer-depression, accessed Jan. 4, 2025]
Do the next thing. When you’re facing something overwhelming, and many of you are, the lesson is: whatever else there may be to do, right now your responsibility is merely this: to do the next thing.
For many of us, evangelism is overwhelming. Our focus over this entire calendar year of 2025 is evangelism?
What if we apply that advice to evangelism? Do the next thing. Take the next step.
Whatever we may call it — whether it be evangelism, sharing your faith, witnessing to others, telling others about Jesus — let’s let this be our motto: take the next step. Do the next thing. Take the next step.
For some of you, taking the next step is active evangelism. For others of you, taking the next step is something less risky like going with someone to take literature throughout a neighborhood. For others of you, the next step simply writing a message inviting on a card or inviting your neighbor to church.
Wherever you are, whatever your comfort level, our message to you is: take the next step.
I want us to see this morning from our text that Jesus is the model for our discipleship. I want us to understand that Jesus approach to evangelism is to be ours. I want us to understand that Jesus’ compassion for the lost must be ours. And I want us to see that the commission Jesus gives to His 12 disciples must also be ours.
He enables us to take the next step.
The title of the sermon today is Take the next step in sharing your faith. May the Lord of the harvest bless the preaching of His word.
1. Jesus went physically into hard places (v. 35)
1. Jesus went physically into hard places (v. 35)
I want you to see first that Jesus went physically into hard places.
Where do we see that in the text? Verse 35: “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages”.
Now this is the region of Galilee. How do we know He actually went to hard places? Because He went to places where the need was great. Because Matthew goes on to say Jesus was “teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction” (ESV).
Now Jesus’ ministry is to be the model for ours. Our mission and ministry as a church and as individuals should resemble His.
Which means we value preaching and teaching of the lost as equal with ministries like healing and service. If you’ll look back at verse 35, you’ll see that teaching and preaching of the gospel come first. Then the healings and then the casting out of demons.
Teaching and preaching come prior to healing in Jesus’ ministry.
Why is that? Because a person’s diseases and illnesses are not their most urgent problem.
The Bible assumes that there are things more important than whether or not you get physically well or not.
Preaching and teaching are more urgent and therefore more important because they address our brokenness, they address our sin and guilt before a holy God. That’s the illness; the gospel of eternal life and forgiveness by grace through faith in Jesus Christ is the remedy to the illness. And so Jesus preached first.
But Jesus preached not to religious people — they wouldn’t hear it. Jesus preached to those with real struggles. And to back up His message, to show His love and concern, He paired His preaching with healing. He addressed temporal needs as well as spiritual and eternal needs.
Teaching and preaching come prior to healing in Jesus’ ministry.
And when it comes to the sharing of your faith, you are only called to share the good news. What they do with it that news is in the Lord’s hands.
You can’t save them. That’s God’s part. If you’ve shared the good news, you can rest assured with a clean conscience before God that you have done your part, you have been obedient, you have shared the good news.
Jesus went physically to hard places, and He met their needs.
Where are the hard places today? Undoubtedly the cities. I
t’s unfortunate that many of us want to write off the cities as hopeless and irredeemable.
But it’s not so with our Lord. Consider Jesus: where did Jesus go? Look back with me at verse 35: “Jesus went through all the cities and villages…”
Do you remember what God said about Nineveh in the book of Jonah? Filled with lost people. Jonah didn’t care much for the city or the people in it. But God said, “Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left?” (Jonah 4:11 ESV).
But we also have hard places in our back yard. We could start there.
Did you know that during the great pandemics of history, people would leave their sick loved ones — even their sick children — for fear of getting sick themselves. Did you know that, although their families ran away from suffering, Christians ran toward it and cared for those sick people, even if it meant they might get sick and die themselves.
Here’s the thing: the church is not a place you go to be protected from the evil that’s out in the world.
What is church, then? Church is a place you go to be equipped and sent out to the hard places in the world to do the hard work of showing compassion and telling the lost about Jesus.
Jesus’ ministry is our model. He went physically to hard places.
2. Jesus was moved emotionally by what He saw (v. 36)
2. Jesus was moved emotionally by what He saw (v. 36)
Will you look with me at verse 36? “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them”. because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Do you have Christ’s compassion for the lost?
When Matthew says Jesus had compassion on the people in these cities and villages, it’s a word with a really — interesting? — meaning. It’s a word that means kidneys, bowels.
Back then it was believed that our deepest and strongest emotions come from the kidneys and the bowels.
So men, here’s a piece of relationship advice: go home tonight and give her a kiss and say, “I am moved with love for you way down in my bowels.”
It means to be moved deeply, Jesus was moved deeply, with intense pity and compassion, down in the deepest part of who He was.
Maybe it would help if we notice what is probably the most important word in this verse, even more important than the word compassion because it tells us where Jesus’ compassion came from. Look with me at verse 36 and notice the word “saw” — “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them…”
I don’t think we really see people. We see them on the outside with physical eyes, then based upon what we see there we prejudge them, draw conclusions about them, we categorize them and then we move on.
How different with Jesus. Jesus sees them, really sees them, and He assesses them.
Matthew gives us Jesus’ assessment using two words and a metaphor.
What are the two words? “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were” — and here are the two words — “harassed” — distressed, worried, confused about spiritual things — and helpless” — rejected and cast out — and here’s the metaphor: “like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt 9:37 ESV).
Their spiritual leaders had failed them, they had even hurt them, abused them. The Pharisees heaped every manner of impossible regulations on them and then castigated them when they failed to be perfect. Always made to feel as though they don’t measure up. They were given the law without grace, truth without love.
The same was true in OT times. The Lord promises through the prophet Ezekiel:
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
Matthew gives us this picture of Jesus, the compassionate Lord, really seeing the needs of people and being moved so deeply with mercy, and acting to meet their needs.
Matthew is saying: this is fulfillment of prophecy! The Good Shepherd has come!Jesus is the promised Shepherd.
In Jesus, the Holy One of Israel has come to banish the unfaithful ministers and Himself be our Shepherd. In Jesus’ mouth are the words “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy” (Ezek 34:15-16 ESV).
Jesus was moved emotionally by what He saw.
His ministry is our model. So, what if we stopped to actually see people?
See past what’s on the outside to what’s on the inside. What has this person experienced in their life and how has it contributed to them becoming who they are? Then remind yourself that they live in the same broken and difficult fallen world we live in.
Then, take the time to think about the realities of heaven and hell, and that every person you come across throughout the course of your day is someone that must spend eternity in either one of those places. Your willingness to share your faith could be the difference in that person having eternal life or forfeiting it.
If you lack compassion, first of all — don’t say “I’m just not a compassionate person”. Compassion if your responsibility. Colossians 3:12 “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts…” So ask Jesus to give you His compassion.
Then, commit to pray for the lost every day. Whatever you’re doing, stop for a minute and pray to the Lord of the harvest -- see if your heart changes toward the lost.
Then go about your day, taking the time to really see and hear the people around you. See if you don’t grow compassion.
Next I want you to see Jesus acted intentionally to meet spiritual need.
3. Jesus acted intentionally to meet spiritual need (9:37-10:5a)
3. Jesus acted intentionally to meet spiritual need (9:37-10:5a)
Jesus’ actions are seen in terms of four actions Jesus takes beginning in verse 37.
A. He said (9:37-38; lego)
A. He said (9:37-38; lego)
First of all, Jesus said. What did Jesus say? Jesus said to pray!
Verse 37, if you’re still looking at your Bibles or Bible apps — I appreciate you push through to stay with me — “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”
There is more need than there are workers. The Israelites could identify with this picture: there’s more wheat than our small family can harvest. Come help us! It was a picture that easily translated to spiritual things. People are ready! Their hearts have been prepared by John the Baptist. There is a tremendous harvest. There are not enough workers to reap its benefits.
The lack of workers is why Jesus says we are to pray. “Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest, to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matt 9:38 ESV).
Therefore the first step is being willing to pray for the lost.
I urge you again, to pray for the lost every day. Whatever you’re doing, stop for a minute and pray to the Lord of the harvest, that He would send out laborers into His harvest.
Whatever you have to do to remind yourself to stop and spend just a minute or two in prayer, do it.
I have set my phone to remind me to do this every day starting today at 1:00 in the afternoon.
Jesus said. What did He say? He said to pray. Pray to the Lord of the harvest, to send out laborers into His harvest.
It is “his harvest” - what happens if we neglect the work entrusted to us by the Lord of the harvest? What if we ignore the harvest, if we harden our heart against Jesus’ call to pray. What harm does that do to lost people? What harm does that hardness of heart do to our own souls? What does that hardness of heart do to our church.
Jesus said. What did He say? He said to pray.
B. He called (10:1a; proskaleo)
B. He called (10:1a; proskaleo)
>> Raise your hand if you have a heading just over chapter ten verse 1.
It’s misleading because the story continues. What does Jesus do right after urging His disciples to pray for laborers in the harvest? He calls them to go out and be the laborers in the harvest.
We’re going to move through this one quickly.
He calls us to answer our own prayers by going!
I want you now to see also that Jesus not only said to pray and called them to go, He also gave.
C. He gave (10:1b—d)
C. He gave (10:1b—d)
He gave. What did He give? Before He sends them out, He first gave them His authority. He equips them with His own authority. Matthew 10:1
What gives us the right to talk with other people about their eternal destiny? What gives us the right to talk about sin and judgment grace?
Have you ever felt that way? What right to I have to this? What gives us the right to say things to people that they need to hear but may initially offend them even if said in love?
The better question is not what gives us the right, but Who gives us the right?
Look with me at verse 1 of chapter 10: “And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them” — what? — authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.”
Jesus does.
Now this authority was given originally to the 12 disciples, but in the gospels the 12 disciples are the prototype of the church. Jesus has given this same authority to His church, to each individual member of His church.
We have authority to share the good news as authorized ambassadors of the King!
But lastly, Jesus not only said and called and gave. He sent.
D. He sent (10:2-5; apostello)
D. He sent (10:2-5; apostello)
>> Now, raise your hand if you have heard us say: when it comes to missions, pray, give, or go.
All of us are called to pray for missionaries, some of us are called to give to missions, some of us are called to go. Plenty of room on the Hungary bus this year, by the way. See me if you wanna go.
It’s different with evangelism. We are all called to pray for the salvation of the lost. And we are all called to reach the lost by sharing our faith.
Got it? Pray, give, or go applies to missions, but ALL are called to evangelize!
We are all called to pray to the Lord of the harvest, that He might send workers into His harvest. But when it comes to sharing our faith, the Lord of the harvest calls givers and pray-ers also to be go-ers.
What did He send them to do? To continue out and continue Jesus’ own mission.
Who did He send? This is one of the earliest lists of the 12 disciples of Jesus. If you look at this list, a few things stand out. Look there with me, will you?
Simon Peter is first, Judas Iscariot is last.
The first six names — Simon, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew — these are the first six men to become disciples of Christ.
Most importantly, four of them have nicknames: Simon the first, Judas the Traitor, Matthew the Publican, and Simon the Zealot.
Let’s take Simon the Zealot. Who were the zealots?
The zealots were basically a Jewish nationalist group. More than anything in the world they wanted the Romans to stop occupying Palestine. They saw the Roman occupation of Palestine as a moral tragedy — how can Yahweh rule over Israel in the land when it’s not Yahweh that’s in charge but instead a pagan nation like Rome.
The thing about the Zealots is, they were radicals. Revolutionaries. Anything, they said, no matter how violent, is justified if it means that Rome is kicked out. So sometimes they used terrorist tactics to advance their agenda. [So Blomberg NAC & Baker Encyclopedia]
On the other side of the spectrum, was Matthew the tax collector. It’s hard to imagine a person that would be more hated by Simon the Zealot than Matthew the tax collector. Here’s a guy who taxed the Jewish people exorbitantly, pocketed a lot of it for himself and then sent it off to Rome.
So you have, on the one hand, a guy who is ready to use violence to avenge Rome. And on the other hand, you have a guy who basically steals from the Jews, keeps some for himself and sends the rest to the Roman government, who does nothing to stop them from stealing. [See
Jesus throws these two men together and says, “Get along.” Not only does He say “get along”. He says “work together”. Jesus has such a sense of humor. [See ISBE, rev. ed., p515]
But it’s also a testimony to the healing and reconciling power of the gospel. We never hear in the gospels or in early church history of any failure that these two disciples had in serving together and loving one another.
The gospel brings together natural enemies, makes them brothers and sisters, deposits them into the church and empowers them to overcome their past and show mercy to one another. He changes the human heart, empowers the Christian disciple to look beyond who a person used to be and instead choose to see the person God is making them.
Don’t ever say, “I can’t work with that person. I can’t serve with them. I just can’t.” Not only does Jesus say you must; He also says you can. It’s possible!
So look what’s happening here. Jesus takes these men who were very different from one another, and very much like us, and selects them to be His disciples, and uses them to spread His gospel, so that we can look at them and say, “If Jesus can use Simon and Matthew and Peter, He can use me.” “If Jesus can use those 12 disciples with all their past baggage, He can use my church.”
So really, you should read those names like this:
“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 Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him”…and you…me…Us.”
Call for response
Call for response
We are in a time of watering and planting
When Jesus came to earth in human flesh He submitted to human limitations, and He needed help! Today He still needs “help”, not because He is limited, but because He wants to involve us
Commit to pray for the lost every day. Whatever you’re doing, stop for a minute and pray to the Lord of the harverst -- see if your heart changes
Don’t harden your heart by refusing
