The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. (Matthew 9)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The WORD. The WORD. The WORD. The Holy Spirit is at work in the WORD calling sinners to faith.
Jesus is out preaching the WORD to SINNERS. Mission work is centered on Jesus. Mission work is done through the WORD. Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9)
Jesus is filled with COMPASSION as he sees the crowds without a shepherd. Meaning they do not have a Pastor. Sheep need a Shepherd to care for the Lord’s flock. “Feed my lambs.” Jesus said, “Tend my sheep.” (John 21)
The Lord of the Harvest has heard the prayers of the people of God at Zion. Our church has two shepherds to preach the Word. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3)
The Word of God is at work on you, the sinner. Calling you to REPENTANCE & FORGIVING your sins all for Christ’s sake. Christians regularly gather around the Word of God. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10)
Sinners filled up with God’s mercy are called to be merciful. To live in faith toward God and love to your neighbor. To pray earnestly to the Lord of harvest. God is filled with compassion.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? How are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? (Romans 10) The need for preachers. Pray that the Lord will raise up more men to be Pastors. Pray that from Zion the Lord will raise up men to go to Seminary to be trained in the WORD. To faithfully preach God’s Word of Law & Gospel into the ears of sinners.
There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all... For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (1 Timothy 2)
Mission work takes place every day as the Word of God goes forth. At Zion (Word & Sacrament) where sinners are Repented and Forgiven. In our homes – Mission work takes place as a Father & Mother teach the Word of God to their children. In our vocation. As we witness to others the Good News of Christ as Lord.
Pray earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest. God called Rev. David Preus to serve as missionary to the Dominican Republic. In 2016 Rev. Preus came to Zion to preach. He gave a great insight of the opportunities to preach the Gospel in the Dominican Republic. All that was before his work of Word and Sacrament had begun. This week we get to hear an up-date on God’s Work being done.
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1) Pray – Pray earnestly that the Word of God will go forth. That God’s Word would bear abundant fruit in the lives of repentant sinners. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.