Matt 9
As we consider the task of reaching the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it may seem overwhelming at times.  The population of the world is 7 billion people and over one third  (2.7 billion people)  have never heard the Gospel – these are people who don’t know there is a Jesus to believe in.  How do we address this overwhelming need?  Jesus presents the strategy in Matthew 9.
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  (Matthew 9:35-36)
Do you see the needs around you?  You may not see the needs because you’re not aware of the needs.  Many years ago one of my mentors, Robertson McQuilkin, told me about two books he reads every morning:  one was the Bible and the other was Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org/).  Operation World will open your eyes to the needs of the world.
Some of us not only don’t know about the needs, but we don’t want to know.  We’re so inundated by the challenges of our lives that we don’t want to consider another problem.  The truth is when we realize what other people are facing and we help them, it can lift our spirits.  When we see the world as God sees the world it leads to a heart of compassion.
Do you have a heart of compassion?  Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, said, “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.”    The situation in our world is desperate but the saints are not.  Jesus revealed a universal consequence that we face in our fallen world,
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  (Matthew 9:37)
So how do we keep from getting overwhelmed?  Jesus gives us the strategy in the next verse,
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.  (Matthew 9:38)
We are to ask God to literally “thrust forth” laborers into His harvest field.  Prayer aligns our will with God’s will.  Prayer enables us to gain His perspective.  We tend to focus on our comfort and well-being but God is concerned for the world.
Roland Allen in his classic book Missionary Methods:  St. Paul’s or Ours? writes, “In little more than ten years St Paul established the Church in four provinces of the Empire, Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia and Asia.”  That was without the internet or air travel!  How did they do it?  They had God’s perspective.  We see that the disciples who prayed in Matthew 9 became the workers in Matthew 10.
Steve Jobs made a legendary pitch to John Sculley: “Do you want to sell sugared water for the rest of your life?  Or do you want to come with me and change the world?”  I would say to John Sculley “Do you want to spend your life making electronic gadgets that will be obsolete in a few years or do you want to make a difference for eternity?”  What would happen if we got serious about fulfilling the great commission?  What is your role?  Here are three ways for you to start where you are:
Pray – Are you willing to pray specifically for the world and the great commission?
Give – Are you willing to give of your resources?  Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:21 “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Go – God may be calling some of you to step out of your comfort zone and enter into the learning zone on a short-term missions trip. You will discover that God will do more in you than through you and it can change your life forever.
You can play a vital role in taking the good news to those who have never heard.  Don’t miss what God wants to do in your life.

RickAssociate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

Follow me on twitter:  rickhiggins5