Community of Holy Friends

Intimately Linked in the Harvest

November 19, 2006 AM

Pastor Brad Dyrness
Sparks Nazarene Church

 

This community of pilgrims along with the Indians lead by Squanto, became partners in the harvest. 

 

Our celebration has become more about the plenty, the pies, the programs than it is about the partnership. 

 

Partnership with co-laborers and Partnership with the Lord of the Harvest. 

 

The first pilgrims celebrated their partnership…

 

Matthew 10:40  “We are intimately linked in this harvest work…"

 

Matthew 9:36-38

 

Jesus told his disciples there is a plentiful harvest but workers are needed.  Pray that God will send workers.

 

Matthew 10:40 “We are intimately linked in this harvest work… Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me.

 

                                                                                         The Message

 

Luke 10:16, 17 &21

 

Joy in the Harvest

 

Jesus reminds us that we are not called to harvest alone - we need each other, but we are also linked intimately to Jesus in the harvest. 

 

Later in the Matthew recording of the lessons after the 72 were sent out Jesus says these words…

 

Matthew 11:28-30

The principles of the harvest.

 

  1. We are intimately linked with harvest partners. Matthew 10:40
    1. Jesus
    2. Other believers. 

 

Whoever you see as one who needs to hear the Good News - you don’t have to carry the burden alone.

 

We can no more be conformed to the image of Christ outside of corporate spirituality than a coal can continue to burn bright outside of a fire.                                           --M. Robert Mulholland

 

Being Harvesters is more about living like Jesus than having some plan to tell.

 

  1. The burden you carry to live out the Good News will not be too much for you to bear.  Matthew 11:28-30

 

The linking together with Jesus makes our most difficult assignments - manageable. 

 

  1. There is Joy in the harvest Luke 10:17 & 21
    1. We will have Joy as we have victory over the enemy
    2. Jesus will have joy in our obedience

 

We are called to the Harvest field: to live out our faith in our world…

 

So…

 

þ     Seek to live in partnership in a community of Holy Friends and….

þ     Rest in His power to help us and to…

þ     Prepare to celebrate with joy the harvest before us. 

 

The harvest is still plentiful, The Lord calls us to go live the Good News and we can succeed when we are intimately linked with one another in a Community of Holy Friends with Christ as our strength, our wisdom and our joy.