May Family Services This Sunday

This Sunday, May 2, we begin our Family Worship adventure…with an adventure. Our illustrated sermon will bring to life the action-adventure story found in Matthew chapter 9:35-10:42. Up until this point the disciples have been witnesses to Jesus’ authority, but now Jesus gives them authority and says, “Go tell people and show people that the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand.” Our King is telling his loyal subjects to get to work in his Kingdom.
This Sunday’s message will involve a dramatization of this story. Not a line by line retelling, but a capturing of the spirit of the story with the same call to action. What I find so interesting in this account is the fact the Jesus first calls the disciples to pray. Few times in scripture does Jesus give us clear instruction on prayer and this is one of those times. Jesus says, the Harvest (speaking of people) is plentiful, but the workers (also people) are few, so pray that the LORD of the Harvest will send laborers into HIS harvest. Sounds simple enough…pray that people will go out and save souls.
What’s so amazing is that right after Jesus instructs his followers to pray this way, Jesus sends the disciples into the Harvest. You may have heard of a “self-fulfilling prophecy,” well this is a self-fulfilling prayer. Jesus, our King and incidentally, also the LORD of the Harvest, is showing us that our prayer is inevitably answered as we go out into the Harvest field.
Jesus wants the life of a disciple to be an adventure, to be action packed, to be somewhat dangerous, to be risky and to be filled with faith. How dangerous you wonder? How much action is required? There are factors at play here that are too deep for this discussion. Suffice it to say, the extent to which God uses us is a mixture of willingness, calling, giftedness, faith and obedience. But rest assured – no deed whether big or small, will be over looked by the LORD of the Harvest. According to Jesus (Matt 10:42), “Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cold cup of water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
All of us can give a simple cup of water to someone in need, whether a Kindergartner or a 59’er. No matter our age or stature, we all have a role to play in LORD’s Harvest. Begin praying the prayer of Matthew 9:38 as a man, woman or child and don’t be afraid to live it out. The King is counting on us!