Planting Churches among the City's Poor - Volume 1

118 • P LANTING C HURCHES AMONG THE C ITY ’ S P OOR : V OLUME 1

1. The sons of Sceva, Acts 19.13-17

2. Singing saints: Paul and Barnabas at Philippi, Acts 16.19-33

D. Jesus Christ is the Lord of the harvest; don’t confuse your role and responsibility with his.

1. He alone determines where his warriors serve; he alone reserves the right to dispense his troops where and when as he wills, John 21. 20-23. John 21.20-23 (ESV) – Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” 2. The Lord Jesus Christ possesses all authority and power over the enemy; we only represent his will and desires in the fight, Matt. 28.18; Phil. 2.9-11. Phil. 2.9-11 (ESV) – Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 3. The Lord Jesus Christ alone coordinates his infantry in all spiritual warfare; our responsibility is to be prayerful and deployable, Matt. 9.35-38. Matt. 9.35-38 (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. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “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.”