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"From the Pastors Study"
Dear Friends,
Consider the mass of people you see driving at
rush hour, waiting in the lines for groceries, or competing for
parking during the Christmas shopping season. Think about the
houses up and down your street, each one representing people.
Ponder the news scenes of people falling through the floor in
Israel, people surrounding a relief worker in Africa, a mass of
people devastated by some natural disaster wherever, or a group of
rioters causing upheaval in Cincinnati. As you think about these
people what comes to your mind? Pity? Annoyance? Sickness? Anger?
Apathy? Irritation?
Jesus saw a mass of people and his response and
instruction gives us the insight we need to respond well to the
mass of humanity around us in suburban Cincinnati and in the
world. He was moved with compassion. His response was compassion
because he knew they were not OK. They needed help. They were
tired, lacking direction and headed for eternal damnation, Hell.
People have not changed much but I think our response to them
needs much change.
We need the perspective of Jesus as we look at
people. People are not OK they need help. The help they need is
the good news of the gospel, not a man made gospel but the gospel
according to Jesus. Some of these people will respond to the
message and place their trust in Jesus alone. However, according
to Jesus there is a problem, lack of workers. Not enough people
working to genuinely serve Christ and others by telling them the
truth.
He told us to do two things. First is to pray
that God would send out workers. Second, to individually proclaim
the gospel according to Jesus. There are sure lots of people.
There is surely a message that when acted upon changes lives; we
are witnesses to both. What is missing?
But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved
with compassion on them, because they were faint, and were
scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto
his disciples, the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers
are few. Pray ye, therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will
send forth laborers into his harvest. Matthew 9:36-37
Let’s present to God our perspective, our work
and our prayer in the harvest field so He can examine and change
it as He sees fit and let’s do it together.
Pastor Bruce Seivers
Valley Chapel Community Church
Fairfield, OH
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