Matthew 9:35-38
35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
The Parable of the Sower.
Matthew 13
And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose, they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one
1. My first point to day is this: Seeing, hearing, working with, being around people who do not know Jesus should stir compassion in us like it did in Jesus’ day.
2. Do you know how to tell someone where to find bread? Do you know how to tell your story of what Jesus did in your life?
3. Practice your story.
a. Your story is unique.
b. I’ll tell you where to start.
c. Fill your toolbox with all the tools you may need to share Christ.
For the discipler:
There is a phrase that I learned and adopted many years ago and it begins this way. Meeting people at the point of their deepest need always with the intention of sharing Christ.
Set reasonable expectations. We have seen that evangelism is a Biblical mandate for all believers. When your disciple tells you he/she is not going to evangelize then it’s in direct disobedience to scripture. Which means there are other issues to overcome with the disciple.
What is a reasonable expectation?
Commit to pray for a lost contact.
Commit to having healthy relationships with lost people.
Commit to initiating one gospel conversation with a lost person.
Commit to being accountable to your disciple about your disciple relationship.
For the disciple.
Visit a food court, a public park, or even the Canal.
Ask the Lord to send you someone who needs to hear the story of Jesus.
Commit to being accountable to the Bible. Make notes in the margin of your bible.
Commit to making a list of lost people in your circle of influence.
Commit to going with your discipler and practicing your story.
