Is Your God Big Enough?

Zephyr United Methodist Church

Early First United Methodist Church

October 9, 2005

Rev. Eddie Smart

Matthew 9:35-38 (NRSV)

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. ³⁶When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

I have spent the last couple of weeks talking about God’s vision for the church—for this church. Vision is extremely helpful. Many years ago now, we went to Carlsbad Caverns. They took us deep into the cavern, asked us to sit down and then they turned off the lights. That was the darkest dark I have ever seen. I put my hand right in front of my face and I could not see it. Can you imagine what it would be like to try and walk out of that cavern with no light—no vision? How can we become the church that God wants us to be if we have no vision of God’s ideal for us?

One part of the visioning process for the church is to look around us. We are not to be the church in a vacuum. Jesus did not operate in a vacuum. He looked around at the people and situations that surrounded him. He responded to the unmet needs of the people. He responded to the people who were underserved. He could see the missed opportunities and responded. Jesus was a model for us as individuals as well as a model for the church.

In today’s text we read of Jesus going “into the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues.” The gospels are full of accounts of Jesus teaching his disciples, teaching the religious leaders, teaching the crowds. Jesus taught in parables. Jesus taught by example. Jesus taught using the things that were common to the people.

I believe God expects the church to teach as Jesus taught. How will people know how to relate to one another in ways that please God unless the church teaches them? How can people know how much they are loved by God, unless the church teaches? How can the world know unless the church teaches? “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.” “Love your neighbor as yourself.” “If someone asks you to go one mile, go with him two.” “He who is without sin cast the first stone.” “How can you see to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye, until you get the log out of your own eye?”

Jesus went about proclaiming the good news. Jesus has left to the church the responsibility to share the good news of God’s grace. The vision is a church sharing the hope that comes with eternal life through belief in Jesus as the son of God. If not the church, who will proclaim?

Jesus saw the sick and healed them. The church is in the middle of a society that needs healing. What can the church do for people who are suffering in dysfunctional relationships? What can the church do for people who are depressed, anxious, brokenhearted and angry? What can the church do for people who are battling cancer, heart disease, organ failure, and Alzheimer’s. Does the church have a role in the healing ministry of Jesus Christ?

Jesus had compassion. He had compassion for the lame, the leper, the blind. Jesus had compassion for hungry crowds. He had compassion for the harassed and helpless. The duck derby was yesterday. The proceeds will go toward showing compassion for the poor and needy. It is an extension ministry of the churches of Brown county. Hurricanes have hit our coastal area. How has the church shown compassion? How will the church show compassion? Three years from now when people are still trying to get back to normal, will the church still be compassionate?

But then Jesus does the unexpected. It is like he shifted gears. It seems out of place. Jesus has been teaching, proclaiming, healing, and showing compassion. Matthew tells us he has. But then Matthew says Jesus told his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” What do the two have to do with each other? The church has come to see “the harvest” in terms of evangelism. The church thinks in terms of a “harvest of souls.” Does the church have a God given mission to bring people into a relationship with Jesus Christ which leads to an eternity in his presence? I believe it was Jesus who said, “Go into all the world…” It was Jesus who said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Jesus said, “I am with you always.” Jesus said, “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest.” While Jesus has high expectations of the church, he does not expect the church to achieve God’s vision for the church on its own. Jesus has said, “I will be there to help.” Paul reminded us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13) It was Job speaking to the Lord who said, “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2)

Adam Hamilton shares this words in Leading Beyond the Walls, “Too often nothing great happens in our churches because we have visions that are so small and don’t take into account the power of God!” I believe a vision is God’s vision when it is too big to be humanly possible. For the church to achieve great visions, the church and its leaders must have a bold faith and trust in the power of God to do all things.

Remember the story of Gideon. You can find it in the book of Judges, the sixth, seventh, and eighth chapters. Gideon asked the Lord why the Israelites were no longer favored as in the days of Moses. They were under the control of the Midianites. The Lord told Gideon that he was chosen as the one the Lord would use to free his people from Midian.

Gideon then wanted evidence that it was indeed the Lord who was choosing him for this task. Remember the fleece that was laid on the floor. Gideon asked for dew on the fleece, but not on the floor, and so it was. Then he asked that the fleece remain dry and the dew be on the floor. That, too, was done.

Gideon had a huge army. The Lord pointed out that with such a large army Gideon would think that it was they who defeated the Midianites. Gideon was to tell the army that those who were fearful could return home. Twenty-two thousand went home, leaving ten thousand. The Lord said that was still too many.

Gideon was to tell the men to go to the river and drink. He was to watch them. Those who lapped water like dogs were put in one group, and those who knelt down using their hand were in another. There were 300 who lapped the water. They remained and the others were sent home.

With 300 Gideon took on the Midianites and their allies. They divided into three groups. Each man with a trumpet and a jug which hid a torch. They blew their trumpets, broke the jugs revealing the torches all at once, and the Midianites fled. The Lord did indeed free the Israelites from Midian using Gideon.

Can you imagine accomplishing things as the church that you know you could not do without God’s help? What a blessing that would be! To see dreams come true that are too big to be humanly possible.

Hamilton concludes, “Once you’ve come to trust that God can do unbelievable things through willing people, it is time to assess the true potential of our congregation, a potential that is always much greater than members believe…” (Leading Beyond the Walls, 102)