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October 5, 2012 12:37 pm
Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners receive free email daily devotions or to become a harvest partners, please visit us online@harvest.org. Father, we are glad to be here today because this is the day that you have made so we will rejoice and be glad in it. The Lord we want to reflect back then all that you've done in the crusade this year and I look forward to what you are still wanting to do any and through us. So bless our service today. Bless our time and your word. Bless our time at the communion table. Our prayer is that you will be honored and glorified in all that is said and done, we ask all of this in Jesus name, amen to be seated well good morning good to be back we took a little took a little break out of the crusade to get a recharge. I got sick on the way home that always seems to happen to me but that's my throat a little bit hoarse, but today is going to be some of the specialty as we reflect back on what the Lord did it in before I get to that one dimension that next Sunday were back in our revelations. But was sort of a prequel if you will.
And by that I mean instead of going to the book of Revelation were going to go to Ezekiel 3738 and 39. Let me tell you why, because of all that is happening right now in the Middle East. It's really important that we have a biblical understanding something of a message next Sunday morning called Israel. I ran America in the Bible. The Bible has a lot to say so we can actually look at the events are unfolding in real time before our eyes understand God as a plan and it's pretty amazing what's taking place in that part of the world of these riots in this are people it's all moving in one basic direction, so we'll see what the Bible has to say about that than the following Sunday will be back in our in-depth series. In the book of Revelation. So now shifting gears. Looking back at what the Lord did this year the harvest to say it's just so incredible, and we want to give God glory, but we also want to get a sense of all that took place. So our outstanding video T has put together what we would call a recap video, but this is a recap video on steroids. Okay, I suggest take your time. Tell the story, especially what happened in harvest America in I sort of woven the message into this video from the book of Jonah. So a good part of our message for today is actually a part of the video that you're going to see that following that will have some thoughts about what communion is. So beginning of the big old video screen or tardy down.
Okay we don't need you to get that down so turn your attention to the screens and let's look at this recap video of what God did in harvest 2012 and is gospel is an opportunity for wisdom that things happen. People.maybe you've come here with great and passed through Lori's group at a time when in the 60s once they were there were hippies in the world but also Jesus freaks and they were cutting hippies for Jesus, you did not attract or repel the repelled me. I thought they were collectively nuts and my friends warned me about them in my high school campus. Craig stay with the Jesus re-examine what I said as if Greg Lori's ever to become his Fox TV said he is now in LA is on the good Day LA programmer Steve Edwards and Lauren Sanchez and it is a interesting time in a way, good conversation on the air.
My favorite part was when Lauren asked me what is your message and I said well never ask if I never ask you to that question Lauren when I get my messages that there is a God who loves us a God who is there a God was a plan for our lives and were separated from God by sin. We all sin is one way to form the government does so much he sent his son Jesus Christ to dine across in my eyes again a good thing about you know how a God of love and God scenario like a petty boss that some people have created not understanding what a good question Stephen. I think we need to understand that we all hold believe there's a final Court of arbitration their wicked people in the world.
The Hitler's of the world that people that commit horrible crimes which it withers a judgment day they'll get there is one day that when it gets personal. When we consider that we can end up in that judgment that we get a little uncomfortable.
God is the one who ultimately decides what I'll say this, that God didn't create hope for people God wants every man and woman to know him and he loves us, but he's given us a choice. He didn't turn us in the little here's what I'm trying to do is as we do this event appear becomes a catalyst that opens up opportunities and really this is just like a personal evangelism opportunity accepted sampling on television and I like to try that reach people where I can maybe I'm speaking in the stadium. Maybe in talking to someone in a coffee shop.
I'm doing an interview. But I basically find that the questions people have are usually the same questions in the same issues, and you know when you're sharing the gospel one unwanted it's a dialogue it's on a monologue. When I stand up in the stadium have the opportunity to just speak and people listen.
But in situations like this, people interrupt you, they have questions they have arguments and so forth. But I feel like my job is to build the bricks not to burn one to find common ground with a person and then bring the message of the gospel to them and that's why were here in Los Angeles and that's why we were in Anaheim and that's what we did a harvest America because we believe the only hope for our country is people turning to Christ. I wanted tell you a story from the Bible of a man that was called to go to a great city and preach a great message. He was a flawed guy, a guy who was initially reluctant, but great things happen when he obeyed and great things will happen when we obey God to let's talk about Jonah. The problem over this Soria, Jonah Woods, the first thing that comes your mind you think of Jonah and the whale right that's really not the story. Sure there's a whale in the story.
But guess what, there's a worm in the story to. More on that later. Let's think about Jonah himself was Jonah. Jonah was an Israelite Jew, a man that was given a job to do, who did not want to do it. Jonah was called to go preach the gospel to a city called Nineveh that was one of the most wicked cities on the face of the earth when he read to you what the Bible actually says about Nineveh know the word of the Lord came to Jonah, the son of the need time reading from Jonah 11, saying, arise, and go to Nineveh, that great city and call out against it for the evil is, performing listen to this, but Jonah rose up to flee the charges from the presence of the Lord. He went down the job, but he found a ship going to Tarshish, and he paid the fare and one on board to go with them. The charges away from the presence of the Lord, but the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and it was a mighty tempest on the seas of the ship threatened to break up. Why was Jonah so reluctant because the Ninevites were the enemy of Israel see the prophets and told Israel, that one day the Assyrians were going to overtake them, and then about was the capital of Assyria so here's Jonah thought when the second of I go and preach to them, they might repent, and if they repent, then God will spare them in the Congress. But if I don't preach to them, they will repent and God will judge them. That would be one less enemy.
We have the deal so we try to go on the opposite direction. He paid the fare good reminder. It always cost to sin.
Anyone down to Joppa in the presence of the Lord lives in any step away from God is always a step down but God centigrade storm. Listen, God will always have the last word mother on the little boat there being tossed about and everybody started freaking out and everybody started calling on their God. You know when the chips are down. People will cry out to God. Generally, and they couldn't figure out why this torment, so they cast lots and somehow determined that the culprit was Jonah was asleep. They woke him up. What's going on with you and he finally admits well I'm a Hebrew and I serve the Lord God. So the answer to question why would you run from a God. This powerful great question. And Jonah said listen guys, if you just throw me off the side of the boat the storm.
Really okay the siding goes, the Bible says the Lord prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah.
Oh, I don't believe that some would say listen, this story was validated by no one less than Jesus himself. Jesus said, as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Oh yeah, the story of Jonah is a true story, but again it's not so much about Jonah being swallowed by a whale. Sure he was there. I have read recently that people around in the street interviewing people to see with the Bible literacy rate was and they were asked the question was swallowed by a whale. Most people said Pinocchio knows Jonah. Jonah was swallowed by a whale and it was in the stomach of that great beast that God had prepared that he repented and changed his mind and so the whale crews will write up to the shore of Nineveh and opened his mouth and vomited.
Jonah got a dramatic entrance. Can you imagine your Ninevites catching some rays. Thereby, the beach, all of a sudden you see something moving toward you up large object when is that at the whale whale to right of the sarcomas is not part of Saud Jonah.
The original chicken of the Sea when I was ready to do what God had called them to do to preach the gospel lesson we been called to bring the gospel even to people we don't like, you know, a lot of times I hear believers talking about how much of looking forward to the return of the Lord God can judge this world really be out of here and that's all true. Listen we need to have compassion on these people. Nonbelievers are not the enemy that the captive the Bible says that they been taken captive by the God of this world to do what he wants them to do our job until the Lord comes back is to reach them. Our job is to go into cities like Nineveh, Los Angeles I'm in Santa Monica or Riverside or New York City or Chicago or Dallas or Detroit, you name big city Slidell city. We need to go to these places and shine the light of the gospel. Why, because God will work when his word goes for any certainly work the life Jonah I and I email those methods I mentioned to Megan never been here before. He always heard about in the paper everything and anything here at the Holy Spirit with great meaning change the licensing Lane hardships that I'm going to rain know God's movement. I love the work of it I seen it happen in my life so I mean this many people is amazing and so here I am with a pretty nice view of the skyline of Los Angeles and reminds me of Jonah going to want to go but the Lord well it to say quite some friendly persuasion. Jonah came around the site and obey God. He was parked on the shores of Nunavut and he began to travel the city. Here is the message we preach to me read it to you from the book of Jonah chapter 3, he went into the city and said in 40 days Nineveh will be overthrown very hopeful message. No promise of forgiveness. No mention of God's love just to die this far as he was concerned he could have cared less. Here's the amazing thing. Listen to this.
Jonah chapter 3 verse five and the people of Nineveh believed God, and they called for a faster, put on sackcloth from the greatest of them to the least of them in the word reach the king of Nineveh and he arose from his Som removed his robe covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes and issued a proclamation on publishing Nineveh by the decree of the king that everyone should repent and they said, who knows God may turn and relent and turn from his first finger so we will not perish when God saw what they did they turn from Their Evil Way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them and he did not do it.
This is probably the greatest revival in human history and applied message from a flawed message that's well flawed message but we have a perfect message.
It's the good news of Jesus Christ.
We can tell people listen. God loves you and God will forgive you, but you're separated from him by your sin.
But if you will turn from your sin and put your faith in Christ. You can be forgiven. Listen, I think we would all agree and say that America needs a spiritual awakening. We can't bring a revival about about.
We can pray for God tells us as we pointed out in second Chronicles 714 if my people, which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land. So we God's people pray and turn from our wicked ways. God says on here all forgive all pardon and I'll heal the listen though we can bring about a revival. We can pray for one week and bring about evangelist to here's my challenge to you. We all are people that well we don't like to hang around. We are people that we might even consider an enemy but God has told us to go to them not to isolate but to infiltrate as I've often said Jesus did not say that the whole world to go to church. He said the church should go to the whole world. That's what we've done in harvest America inherent our crusade at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. We come into this world we got into this culture with the message of the gospel and we have seen God bless and we have seen literally the people come to faith in Jesus Christ you is the display to see.
I lose it is you. You have one to the notice on the story and the beginning I mention Jonah and the worm right well think of Jonah and the whale. Talk about the worm here this great revival breaking out Nineveh how to Jonah react Jonah 4. It didn't please Jonah exceedingly and he was angry and he prayed to the Lord's and O Lord. This is not what I said when I was still in my country.
This is why it made Hayes depleted charges for I know that you are a gracious God, merciful and slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and relent team from disaster. Now take my life. For me, it's better to die than to live. So Jonah set up a little spot there still hoping that judge would fall on Nineveh and the Lord causes plant to grow over him is called Gordon in the Bible and the Bible says that the Lord sent a worm appointed a worm just like he appointed the whale unappointed awareness when it must've been some big gnarly worm that attacked the plan and whether and when the sun rose God appointed scorching east wind and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah, and he asked if he could just die right there on the spot and the Lord said to Jonah do you do well to be angry for the plant. Jonah said yes I do well to be angry enough to die in the Lord said you're sorry for this plan, you didn't build this plan of union labor for you and make it grow and yet should I not kidding than ever that great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the right from there left and much cattle this idea of not knowing the right from the left is talking about little children who don't even know yet that lets them write these big cities� Let's not say forget about them.
No, let's go to these places and continue to preach the gospel. As you know, harvest America has three phases to a phase number one is pretty much completed now we been able to reach so many people phase number two. We've laid the track working to try to reach more churches next year more people next year. More media outlets and then phase number three, just more of that and also were opening it up now to the whole world, so will just be harvest America its harvest world book would been called to preach the gospel. Let's not stop doing that lets him stop know that the Crusades, all will the Crusades then I went on to do anymore evangelism. No, we just get started. Let's keep this up because, listen, Jesus Christ is coming back again and he is told us as we await his return. We should occupy till he comes.
Which means be about our father's business, serving him following him without any compromise in our life looking for opportunities to share the gospel want to thank all of you for your prayers for your involvement for your financial support in everything you did to make this outreach of 2012, the great success. It was so let's keep on doing it as we wait for the Lord to come back again accomplish the main and tonight searching for the meaning of life in appointed and things are not appointed pleasures appointed and accomplishments appointed in religion. How do you find personal happiness and not by seeking by seeking him, you put God first in your life put your faith in Jesus Christ. You will find elusive happiness you have sought because the Bible says copy other people as God is the Lord God loves you. God wants to forgive you. God wants you to join him one day in heaven. God doesn't want you to face judgment.
Because of this sin you committed. The Bible says today is the day of salvation. Listen, the devil will whisper in your ear tomorrow. Later Mignon not now says now, today, tonight this moment come to Jesus, believe in Jesus and was into drugs myself. I was in a drinking stop and all that stuff. They scan doing it all be honest, I would cut myself suicidal laws was lost for a while. I doubt Osama I was on depression I've actually I was going downtown stiffly we go with the everyday lives past few weeks I've been hearing my friends over there is an angel game and again I basically am. Here's my daughter to see my daughter again like I didn't deserve anything and serve anybody here have my family have anything and the answers right here and sign is right here today not allowed in singling with me.
I not in the light selling that's actually real. I believe that I feel like is watching over us. He's doing it for a reason and he'll be there for you. Basically only so many come down. I felt something pony. I can explain exactly his name is God's love guides on all my shirts only come this way nephew here receive the Lord today. For many years. He would always say, you know who is God what is God and today God is in God's timing. He gives he gave himself to the Lord. That was that was the art that was the prize that his mother could had and you can buy anything. No materials in compares to the piece that you could have in your heart. My prayers have been answered has been his back and we been separated for long time and he's coming home to the Lord and to me there's always something to believe in God's miracles, time, let's put those numbers seeking for just a moment. Over 466,000 people attended this event some venue somewhere 20,000 people plus responding to you 60s vernacular that mind blowing. Okay I mean it's just fantastic, really. You might say we know what God doesn't care about numbers either do YI did it differ. God does care about numbers.
You know it's interesting in the book about we read of the day of Pentecost. And after Peter preach the gospel.
The Scripture says that 3000 people believe it's interesting to me that a number was actually used wine because numbers matter to God. Later in acts chapter 3:04 Peter preach another sermon we read that after he preached many believe in the number of believers totaled about 5000 men, not counting women and children, so God's very specific in his book keeping this many people believe and that's why were very specific. You notice that these numbers are not usually even rounded off their their actual numbers of people that responded. Now, though it is true that God cares about numbers. That's obviously also true that God cares about individual because in Luke 15 Jesus said there is joy in heaven over one sinner comes to repentance, one person is important to God.
Jesus told that story of the Shepherd that left 99 sheep went after the one stray lamb and brought it back rejoicing in God's always interested in that one person and it's interesting that heaven breaks into applause over one person coming to repentance. Now we don't call this number of 28,000+ convergence because we don't know if there convergence recall professions of faith. Time will tell if there convergence right.
Jesus gave us the parable of the sower effectively in subfloor reactions to the gospel. We have a sewer sowing seed by the way. Back in those days they didn't carefully prepare a field and then insert the seeds and so forth. No sower would just go out reach his hand and went back and throw the seed out as far as he could in fact it's interesting to note that the word sowing the seed is the word broadcast broadcast in its original intent means to so see. So we've taken modern technology and were broadcasting with growing the seed.
As far as it can go then at length the different types of soil in the parable of the sower that was a category of soil basically just the roadside with the seed. One of the role of the birds aided Jesus said these are they that hear the word of God and the devil comes immediately and snatches away what was taken given to them that we have the seed sown on the ground embedded with horns and it showed out and doesn't bring forth fruit that we have the category of the seed that shoots up quickly, but because it did not have root budget rocks in the soil and withered away.
And finally there's a category of the seed that kid productive, receptive ground and brought forth fruit, our prayer is that the churches will be proactive in their follow-up and help these people to be seen sown on good ground. Blessed, I want to thank everyone of you who were involved in this crusade. You know who you are and you know what you did and for those of you that pray for those of you that gave financially for those of you that attended the event and brought a nonbeliever for those of you that helped out is counselors or ushers or helpdesk build our platform or terror platform down, or the many other things that you may have done handing out pies. I wanted to say thank you because you have made an investment in the kingdom of God and you share in the fruit of what the Lord has done this is a team effort, all of us working together. Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi and he commended them for their financial support. And he said in Philippians 417 I don't say this because I want to gift from you. What I want is for you to receive a well earned reward because of your kindness over war we don't think about that a lot, but when we do something for the glory of God. According to Scripture, there is a reward waiting for us in heaven because after we leave this world. Through death or the rapture. We will ultimately stand before the judgment seat of Christ that is giving out of reward, almost like it to be Olympic ceremony.
It's not a ceremony that determines whether or not you get in the habit that's a great white throne judgment and believers will not be present on it because the fact of the matter is the bema seat or the judgment seat of Christ takes place in heaven. But rewards are given out for our service to God and all those things you've done for the Lord maybe unknown by people maybe have never gotten the credit God keeps meticulous records and there's a well earned reward for you. Someone we invest our time when we invest our energy when we invest our finances were laid out for ourselves a treasure in heaven. It's been said, do your given while your live and then your knowing where it's going right now I can't take it with me but I can send it on ahead.
And that is what Jesus meant when he said, do not lay up for yourself treasures on earth were mock and moth and rust can corrupt in these break in and steal. But lay up treasures in heaven were neither moth the rust can corrupt nor thieves break in and steal.
You know the word that he is using different layout needs to store horizontally. The modern word would be hoarding. There's something wrong with having thing hoarding is another thing don't hoard things don't just acquire and accumulate stop and miss the fact that what you really want to do is accumulate reward when you get to have you know it's interesting