Trinity Church of Benicia
Guest - Zach Jamison (Matt 9:35-38)

      • Isaiah 26:7–8ESV

  • Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery
  • He Will Hold Me Fast

      • John 19:1-3ESV

      • John 19:4-5ESV

      • John 19:6-7ESV

      • John 19:8-10ESV

      • John 19:11-12ESV

      • John 19:13-14ESV

      • John 19:15-16ESV

      • John 19:17-18ESV

  • What Love My God
  • Release the kids
    Palm Sunday/Mission Sunday
    Why am I preaching on Mission Sunday?
    My Role at SEND Network
    My role is to envision people for the mission
    I hope to do that with you today
    Open your Bibles to...
    Matthew 9:35 ESV
    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.
    Matthew 9:36 ESV
    When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
    Matthew 9:37 ESV
    Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
    PRAY (make us, give us, teach us)
    CONTEXT
    This text is a pivot point in Christ’s ministry
    His public ministry starts at the end of chapter 4 of Matthews gospel with a very similar text as the one before us today
    Highlights two specific area’s of Jesus ministry preaching and healing
    In Ch. 5-7 Matthew details Jesus’ teaching and preaching ministry with the sermon on the mount
    Matthew then illustrates Christs ministry of healing and Ch. 8-9
    Cleanses the leper
    Casts out demons
    Causes the lame to walk
    Raises the dead
    Cleanses the unclean
    Brings sight to the blind and
    Loses the tongue of the mute
    He’s about to pivot from his own ministry to preparing the disciples for theirs
    Intro
    Our culture sees preparation as an integral part of becoming a responsible adult
    One school prepares us for the next
    We have prep schools!
    We do SAT Prep
    All of this will hopefully prepare us for “real life” as if that hasn’t been what we’ve been doing all along…
    We meal Prep for the week
    Our morning routines prepare us for the day
    Until eventually we are preparing our kids for school which will hopefully prepare them for life
    In our minds preparation becomes the difference maker between success and failure
    We say things like
    “If we fail to plan”…
    “We plan to fail”
    If you’ve ever looked with horror at the first coat of paint on a piece of furniture that was not prepared by stripping the previous paint and sanding with a series of different grades of sand paper you know what I mean
    How does Jesus prepare them for the mission he is sending them on?
    He makes them aware of an essential truth of the mission

    Big Idea: “Christ’s mission advances through the prayers of His people.”

    Before we can see how prayer moves the mission forward we must answer another question.
    What is the mission?

    The Mission Manifested (v. 35)

    EXPLANATION - Relax
    In the first verse of our text we see a description of Jesus’ ministry
    First we see he is…
    “teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom…”
    What is he teaching and proclaiming?
    The gospel of the Kingdom.
    What is the gospel of the Kingdom?
    Gospel means “Good News”
    What is the Kingdom?
    “God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule and blessing” - Graeme Goldsworthy Gospel and Kingdom
    Why is this Kingdom “Good News”?
    When Adam and Eve sinned they were exiled from God’s presence
    This removes God’s people from His place and His blessing
    However, in that moment God promised to Adam & Eve that what they had broken through sin he would restore himself through their offspring.
    From that moment on God’s people are awaiting the day when God would restore them to His presence under his perfect rule and blessing.
    That they would no longer be separated but live in fellowship
    As Jesus enters into humanity we see with him comes his rule and blessing
    “healing every disease and affliction”
    Restoration was the sign that the Kingdom of God was breaking into the world!
    In Matthew 11 Jesus shows us that these were not simply miracles that Jesus was performing but the restoration of God’s authority and blessing.
    Matthew 11:2 ESV
    Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples
    Matthew 11:3 ESV
    and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
    Matthew 11:4 ESV
    And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see:
    Matthew 11:5 ESV
    the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
    Matthew 11:6 ESV
    And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
    This made sense to John because he knew these words were pointing back to the messianic prophecies of Isaiah.
    Isaiah 35:1 “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;”
    Isaiah 35:2 “it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.”
    Isaiah 35:3 “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.”
    Isaiah 35:4 “Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.””
    Isaiah 35:5 “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;”
    Isaiah 35:6 “then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;”
    ILLUSTRATION Is Spring Here?
    A smell in the air
    Warmer days
    Blooms
    Allergies
    The good news of the kingdom is still good news
    However… We live in the time after Christ’s death and resurrection
    We are further along in the Spring of God’s redemptive plan to usher in His Kingdom
    The mission of Christ has blossomed
    IMPLICATION - Show your heart
    The physical brokenness seen in the crowd and that we experience in this world is the result of spiritual brokenness
    Jesus’ entrance into humanity would not just deal with the symptoms of sin and death but but would bring an end to them.
    “You know how it is when some great king enters a large city and dwells in one of its houses; because of his dwelling in that single house, the whole city is honored, and enemies and robbers cease to molest it. Even so is it with the King of all; He has come into our country and dwelt in one body amidst the many, and in consequence the designs of the enemy against mankind have been foiled and the corruption of death, which formerly held them in its power, has simply ceased to be. For the human race would have perished utterly had not the Lord and Savior of all the Son of God, come among us to put an end to death.” - Athanasius of Alexandria, On The Incarnation
    He would make a way to fully restore what had been broken by Adam’s disobedience
    Jesus took on human flesh and dwelled with us so that he could undo what Adam had done
    Where Adam failed to live righteously Christ lived in perfect obedience
    His perfect life and sacrificial death on our behalf has removed the curse that of sin and death!
    It restores us to right relationship with God
    It brings us back to Gods place so that we can live under His rule and blessing!
    The mission of Christ is a mission of reconciliation.
    Our text doesn’t just tell us what the mission of Christ is we also see what motivates it.

    The Mission Motivation (v. 36)

    EXPLANATION - Relax
    When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
    Afflicted by bad earthly Shepherds
    This was a common metaphor used by God to judge the leaders of His people…
    Ezekiel 34:1 ESV
    The word of the Lord came to me:
    Ezekiel 34:2 ESV
    “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?
    Ezekiel 34:3 ESV
    You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep.
    Ezekiel 34:4 ESV
    The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.
    Ezekiel 34:5 ESV
    So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered;
    Ezekiel 34:6 ESV
    they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.
    The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were supposed to be the Shepherds of God’s people
    Unfortunately not much had changed from the time of Ezekiel The shepherd were wicked
    They should have been pointing the people to God and His coming Kingdom
    The shepherds left the people exposed to the affliction and brokenness of the world
    Physically needy They were the ones who should have been caring for the afflicted, poor, and the needy
    Spiritually needy They were the ones who should have been teaching the people the good news of the coming messiah
    Instead they exploited them for selfish gain and burdened them with laws God never commanded
    This is not the Good Shepherd's response to the suffering of His people
    He had compassion for them.
    compassion here is a verb that describes a deep emotional response to need that results in action to relieve their suffering
    IMPLICATION - Show your heart
    This is what motivates Jesus’ mission
    This is what motivated him to touch the untouchable
    To love the unloveable
    This deep compassion compelled him to enter into the world he created and experience all the grief and pain inherent to humanity's brokenness
    This deep compassion is what lead him to leave his throne in heaven to hang on a cross
    APPLICATION
    Non- Christian:
    Are you needy?
    He will respond in compassion!
    Christian:
    Is this your heart for the needy?
    Is this how we view our neighbors and our co-workers
    Not out of self-righteousness but as those who have received Christs compassion ourselves
    This compassion doesn’t simply motivate Christ to heal the sick…
    It’s also what motivates the mandate he’s about to give his disciples

    The Mission Mandate (v. 37-38)

    EXPLANATION - Relax
    Motivated by compassion Christ turns his eyes from the multitude of needy people he sets his eyes on his disciples
    The magnitude of the need requires more hands
    In preparing to send them and out he shares his burden for the needy with His disciples
    The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
    Christ’s compassion for the people would not just motivate him it would also motivate his disciples
    Up until this point they have been recipients and observers of Jesus’ mission
    Jesus is enlisting his disciples into the mission
    But he doesn’t do it the way we would expect…
    He doesn't send them out right away to do as he had been doing
    Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
    The texts shifts agricultural analogies from shepherding to harvesting
    Jesus He compares his mission to bringing in a harvest
    Harvest is the busiest time and requires the most workers
    Illustration: Napa Harvest Internship
    What took only a few people to create now requires many
    Exhausting work
    The inauguration of the Kingdom through Christ results in a harvest that is ready to be brought in
    It is HIS harvest
    He has prepared the soil, planted the seeds, fertilized and watered the ground
    He has done the work and brought the growth
    The result of Christ’s redemptive work of reconciliation is a need for those who will share the good news of his kingdom!
    This analogy is difficult for us because of our position in redemptive history
    We now see that as the workers sent by God to complete what he began, that the harvest we bring in is then sent back out
    The harvest comes in and is added to the work force.
    IMPLICATION - Show your heart
    What an amazing plan for Christ’s mission to be advanced!
    Through Christ work the harvest is prepared and the workers are sent
    Through Christ’s power the workers reap a harvest
    Through that harvest more workers are sent.
    We are a product of this mission!
    God in his wisdom has decided to incorporate his people into his plan
    However, our text doesn’t call us to go it calls us to pray
    Why?
    Because we can not complete the mission without him
    He makes the work of reaching the lost possible
    He reconciles sinners to himself and sends them out
    proclaim the good news of his kingdom
    Care for the oppressed and afflicted
    He forms us into his image and puts in us a heart that is like his
    A heart that is filled with the same kind of compassion for the oppressed and afflicted
    APPLICATION
    When we think of missions do we think of prayer?
    What do we think of when we think of prayer?
    When we think of evangelism what come to mind?
    Romans road?
    The three rings?
    Apologetics?
    Mission offerings?
    Those are all great things but our greatest resource for missions is prayer
    God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances in the world. Prayer gives us the significance of frontline forces and gives God the glory of a limitless Provider. The one who gives the power gets the glory, Thus, prayer safeguards the supremacy of God in missions while linking us with endless grace for every need. - John Piper Let the Nations Be Glad!
    God has sent us out on his mission but it is not dependent on us
    Only God can reconcile his people
    Only God can bring spiritual transformation
    Prayer recognizes our reliance on God to do great things!
    This gives us greater confidence as we go about proclaiming the good news and caring for others.

    Outro

    If we know anything of prayer, let us make it a point of conscience never to forget this solemn charge of our Lord’s. Let us settle it in our minds that it is one of the surest ways of doing good and stemming evil. Personal working for souls is good; giving money is good; but praying is best of all. By prayer we reach Him, whom work and money are alike in vain. We obtain the aid of the Holy Ghost. Money can pay agents; universities can give learning; bishops may ordain; congregations may elect: but the Holy Ghost alone can make ministers of the Gospel, and raise up lay workmen in the spiritual harvest who need not be ashamed. Never, never may we forget that if we would do good to the world, our first duty is to pray! - J.C. Ryle Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Matthew.
    Prayer is not SAT Prep
    Prayer is not simply a good habit
    Prayer is not what we do before the work
    Prayer is not what we do before we do something great
    Prayer is not our way of mitigating the potential of failure
    Prayer is an act of faith that recognizes our dependance on God
    Prayer is the work, because we’re completely dependent on him to do it
    Non-Christian: If you have never prayed for forgiveness and trusted in Christ as your savior that prayer is the most important thing you can do
    Christian:
    Do you want to live like Jesus did proclaiming the good news and caring for the needy?
    Pray
    Do you want to grow in the type of compassion that Jesus had for the needy and afflicted
    Pray
    Do you want to see your friends, family, neighbors reached with the gospel…
    Pray!
    Do we want to see leaders raised up and sent out to plant church both here and abroad?
    Pray
    Do you want to see revival in Benicia, California, Our Country, our World
    Pray!
    Let’s be a people on mission together in prayer.
    Let’s start right now.

    Prayer

      • Matthew 9:35ESV

      • Matthew 9:36ESV

      • Matthew 9:37ESV

      • Matthew 11:2ESV

      • Matthew 11:3ESV

      • Matthew 11:4ESV

      • Matthew 11:5ESV

      • Matthew 11:6ESV

      • Ezekiel 34:1ESV

      • Ezekiel 34:2ESV

      • Ezekiel 34:3ESV

      • Ezekiel 34:4ESV

      • Ezekiel 34:5ESV

      • Ezekiel 34:6ESV

  • What A Savior
  • O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing (Azmon)

      • Romans 15:13ESV

Trinity Church of Benicia
info@trinitybenicia.com
http://www.trinitybenicia.com
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