Hello and welcome to this message from Calvary Albuquerque. We are excited to hear from our special guest speaker Pastor Nate Heitzig. Nate serves as executive creative administrator at Calvary Albuquerque, and we pray that God uses this message to strengthen your faith. And if he does, we'd love to hear about it. Email us at mystory@calvaryabq.org. And if you'd like to support this ministry financially, you can give online securely at calvaryabq.org/give. At Calvary, we're all about the numbers. Behind each number is a name, and behind each hand is a heart. It's not about how many people come to our church. It's about how many lives are changed. Now, we invite you to turn in your Bible to Matthew Chapter Nine as Nate begins the message, All About The Numbers.

What a joy it is worshipping with you this morning. Who joined us for freedom celebration this past weekend? What a great time. Today, I'm doing a message that's in the same vein of Freedom Celebration. It's one of our culture axioms here at Calvary. All about the numbers. Here at Calvary, we are all about the numbers because behind each hand is a heart, behind each number is a name. It's not about how many people come to our church, but it's about how many lives are changed and how many people are going to heaven. If you believe that, give God a shout of praise. And there's a lot of people going to heaven after this weekend. A lot more people are added to the flock because of what God did through your faithful call to invite your friends and to serve that event. So we're so thankful for all those who got involved and got behind Freedom Celebration 2017.

You can turn in your bibles to Matthew 9:36 to 38. As you do, turn to your neighbor and say God's going to speak to you today. Who ever said that to you, turn to them and say, you don't know me. God is going to speak to you today.
Hey, you know one thing I've discovered is that we, as a culture, are all about the numbers. We're all about the numbers. Numbers define us. They categorize us. They tell us what our worth is. They tell us what our value is. They tell us how relevant we are. Numbers define our culture. Relevance is calculated by age. Beauty is measured in pounds. Worth is determined by dollars. This world tells us that numbers dictate how successful you are, how popular you are, and what your achievements are, right? Whoever has the most followers is the most popular. Whoever has the most awards or degrees is the most achieved and accomplished. Whoever has the most expensive car, the biggest house, or the nicest clothes is the most successful. And I got to be honest, at times, it can be hard living in our culture because everywhere we go, we feel like we're being judged, and measured, and seen if we meet the standards that people have, and see if we meet some numerical understanding of success.

But there is hope. Because according to Jesus, success, popularity, and achievements are graded on a different scale. He doesn't judge the way the world judge. He judges on different standards. He doesn't judge your achievements in degrees or awards, rather achievement is found at the cross. The greatest achievement in history, he conquered death. And we can experience that same achievement when we ask Jesus Christ to come into our hearts and forgive us of our sins. That's achievement. Jesus doesn't care about how many followers you have. He says, if you want to be my follower, you must give up your own, way take up your cross daily, and follow me. It doesn't matter how many followers you have unless you're a follower of Jesus.

According to Jesus, in his kingdom, success isn't determined by cars, clothes, or square footage, but by gems in a crown that are rewarded to those that serve God. And church, you need to know, you might be here today and feel like you have nothing to offer this world. You might say my gifts and my talents are minimal. My job, my place in life, my lot in life, I don't have anything to offer the world. You need to know you have something to offer God. You are valuable to God. You are treasured to God. You can make a difference in the kingdom of heaven. And even though this world judges your difference on a different scale than God does, you can have a far greater impact and a difference in God's kingdom than you ever could have here on this Earth if you're willing to take up the call that he has placed upon you. Your worth, Christian, is determined by the image in which you were created, and that is the image of God. Your beauty is measured by your willingness to share Christ. As the word says, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news. Your relevance isn't determined by your age, isn't determined by your Instagram followers, your relevance is calculated by your submission to the word of God. Can we give God a shout of praise that he doesn't judge the way the world judges?

Did you know, though, even though that's true throughout the Bible, Jesus is still all about the numbers. He says, go into the world to make disciples of all men. All men. He tells us in Matthew 25 about our responsibility to invest our gifts and our talents in a responsible way, even measuring it out. To one, He gave one talent. To one He gave two, 10. He measures it out, and each person-- I was talking to a buddy of mine about this, each person has been given a responsibility to invest whatever it is that God has given them, no matter what numerical amount that is, into the kingdom of heaven to be used by God.
In Luke 5, Jesus helped a few disciples catch the most fish they had ever before seen and signified that if they followed Him, they would be fishers of men and the same could be true of the harvest they bring for the Lord. As a matter of fact, in John, a cross-reference that shares the same story, and yet it says they caught 153 fish. That's a pretty precise number, which means they were counting. They were counting exactly how many they had caught because it was glory to God. Each one of those fish brought a little more glory to God because it was more than they had seen before. Each one of those fish was a miracle as they recognized they couldn't have done it without God because numbers matter.

Numbers matter to God. And in our text here, Jesus tells us the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. We're going to read this text in a second, but the harvest is plentiful. Church, there is a numerical measurement by which God measures the harvest that we are capable of experiencing. It is plentiful. There is a lot of numbers out there, but the laborers are few. They are few. The numbers for the laborers don't match up to the numbers for the harvests, but God desires that that would change. And I submit to you, if we truly want to see God increase the harvest, we first need to ask God to increase the laborers. It means that God's desire for you is to be all about the numbers because behind each hand is a heart, behind each statistic is a story, and behind each number is a name. And church, last night and on Friday night, we saw almost 20,000 people packed into a stadium to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we saw 1,422 people accept Jesus Christ to make a profession of faith in Him, and those people are going to heaven. And we got that down to 22, 1422, because it matters. Because, church, those numbers aren't just numbers. They're names. Those hands aren't just hands. They're hearts. It's not a statistic. Each one of those people has a story.
And I ask you, have you ever had anyone in your life who you love and care for been touched by the gospel and given their life to Jesus Christ? Anyone ever had a friend who you love, a family member who you loved, give their life to Jesus? If we just referred to them as just numbers, but we didn't associate the name, the story, the heart. They're important because each one of those numbers of people. Each person has their own background, their own life, and they're important to God. And we think it's important to celebrate those victories.

The harvest truly is plentiful. God wants to make disciples of all men. He wants you to take the gifts that He has given you and invest them into the kingdom. He wants you to be a laborer. One thing that is abundantly clear of the early church is that they were all about the numbers, and they dramatically impacted their world. We're told in Acts that it says on an incredible evangelistic opportunity, that that day, about 3,000 souls were added to them. Again, they counted. They measured it because it was important, because it signified growth. It signified life. It signified change. And they wanted to commemorate it and remember it. And when we associate a number to it, it makes it more memorable. How do I know that? Because that's what birthdays are, right? When you get to a birthday, 50th birthday, that's a big deal. 20th birthday, 21st birthday, 18th birthday. It's important because there's a number attached to it. You have a birthday because it's an important day. There's a number attached to it. Mine is 5/8/86. It's an important date for me because it's the day I was born. The numbers add meaning to it. If we just disassociate the numbers and said, well, you just get older, it would take away the meaning of a birthday.

The numbers are important because they carry weight. They carry a truth in a reality of what has happened on those days. They were a church on the move, the early church. They touched those around them. It was said of them, and not in a complimentary way either, in Acts 17:6, these are the men who have turned the world upside down and have come here to-- you recall, to turn the world upside down. To turn your world upside down. To turn your sphere of influence upside down. Your family, your friends, your coworkers, your call to turn your world upside down, but so many of us let the world turn us upside down. We get rocked by the political system, by the economic crisis, by who is the President of the United States at the current time. We get rocked by the boycotts and the news, and we allow the world to eventually turn us upside down. But God says no, you turn the world upside down. You turn the world on its head, and you watch what I can do through you.

See, I fear the opposite has happened in the church today. Here we are as a church entering a new wave of Christianity. Our numbers have never been greater. Our opportunities are unparalleled. We have the ability to harness technology and reach people. If you have a phone in your pocket, I want you to think about the opportunity that that thing holds. You can, in an instant, let thousands of people know about who Jesus Christ is and what he has done. I wonder what Paul would have done with an iPhone. Man, imagine the impact Paul could have had with an iPhone, who he could have reached, the fruit he could have seen through that device.

The opportunities are unparalleled. The technology to reach people is there. And yet, the enemy has flooded the market with imitations. Thousands and thousands of people flock to teachings that there is no hell. They cling to the lie that Christianity is all about living in victory over sickness, over financial problems, over any worldly issues. There are so many imitations on the market. And then, there are so many of us that are diverted. We are believers that get fired up over social action, ready to get involved in the latest boycott, or protest, or political activism. We have Christians who spend their time just arguing about predestination versus free will, arguing about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Are still there, or do they stop? And they're arguing theology and theology, but they're never putting into practice in doing what they were called to do. One of the last things Jesus ever told them to do wasn't to have arguments about theology, but was to go and make disciples of all men.

We're diverted. We've lost our focus. And one of the things I love about this church is our focus remains the same. We at Calvary are all about creating life change. That's why once a month we have a welcome weekend where the gospel is always preached, and there is an altar call that's always given. It's why we do Freedom Celebration. It's why we do Easter sunrise service. It's why we have evangelism ministries. Because we believe that the gospel of God is relevant and real. It is sharper than a two edged sword. It cuts through the chaos of life. And it can reveal change. And that ultimately, you can take people to heaven.

You know, a lot of these things, social action, activism, they can have their place. But the effect will always be limited, at best. We need to have a heart Christian that says I've got better things to do. I've got better things to do than march in a boycott or a protest. You go chase your blessings, or argue about the election, or you go boycott Starbucks. I'm going to go preach the gospel because the preaching of the gospel is at the very roots of our church, and that's the only way we're going to see change in our city, in our country, and in this world is through the preaching of the gospel. Nothing else, added or subtracted, not diluting it, not diverting it, but the preaching of the gospel. That's what's important. That's what matters. Jesus told us to go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And I am with you always even to the end of the age.

Mark 16:15 cross-references the same thing. Go into the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Have we any preachers in the house? Oh wrong answer. You're all preachers. God has called every single one of you to preach the gospel. You're a preacher. God has called you to preach the gospel. God has called you to teach this truth to a lost and hurting and a broken world. And we live in such a critical time to do this. Our country is in such bad shape spiritually and morally, and the only hope that we have is the message of the gospel. That's it. There is no other hope. Hope is not going to be found in a president. Hope's not going to be found in a new stock. Hope is not going to be found in the latest and greatest technology or fashion trend. Hope is found in the name of Jesus, and apart from the work of God, there will be no revival. So we need to preach the gospel and pray for revival. Any other attempt to change our world is a distant second to those two objectives.

Now let's personalize that. You're like yeah yeah, preach preach, OK. Now we're going to look a little inward. Here we go. When the subject of sharing your faith comes up, what excuses do you have of why you haven't told that person in your life about Jesus? And I bring that up because according to the statistics, there is a survey taken, and 95% of Christians have never led another person to faith in Jesus Christ. 95%. Jesus looked to the future when He said the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Imagine if that number changed just a little bit. Imagine if half of Christians had led another person to faith in Christ. What do you think the revival will be like then? Because then, the half that those people led to Christ with another half. Imagine if that was the statistic. That's still not great. 50-50 isn't great odds. You don't bet on 50-50. But even if 50% of Christians had led another person to faith in Jesus Christ, we'd be in a different world. I tell you that.

Imagine if we flipped the number on its head, and 95% of Christians had let another person of faith in Jesus Christ. What do you think would happen then? I think we'd still be in a very Christian nation. I think we'd be in a Christian world. I think we'd have praise services breaking out in Iraq and in Afghanistan. I think North Korea would be a Christian nation. I think the world would be a Christian nation if 95% of Christians led other people to faith in Jesus Christ.

So let me ask you a question. Have you ever led anyone to Jesus Christ? Have you ever tried? Have you ever shared your faith with somebody, if not, why? Because Jesus is looking for laborers who will share this wonderful message with others. And church, it's all about the numbers, and we need to get those numbers up. We need to flip it on its head. Not 95% who haven't, but 95% who have.

And so I'm going to give you a possible reason for why I think we're not sharing our faith. Let's look at our text Matthew chapter nine verse 36 to 38. Let's read it together Matthew 9:36 to 38. It says, "But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them because they were weary and scattered like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
Hey church, we're going to see two things this morning. If we're to be all about the numbers, it needs to begin with compassion. Compassion needs to give way to conviction, which will end up producing compulsion. And I believe that if we allow that to take place in our life, not only will we see the number of laborers increase, but we will see the numbers of the harvest increase in kind.

There is a poll that was recently done as to why more Christians don't share their faith. And some of the obstacles believers faces is number one, a feeling that I'm not able to do evangelism as well as the professionals. Anyone ever felt that way before? You go to Freedom Celebration. You hear Pastor Skip sharing, you're like, man, he's just got it. Like he's talking to you. He speaks to your heart, and it's just captivating. I could never do it like he could. Another fear that people have is a fear that they're just too timid. They're too shy. They're wondering how they can start a conversation with someone they've never met. Like, do I just shout out Jesus? What? You need to accept Him. I mean, how do you-- they're too timid. They're shy. How am I going to do That Another one is a fear of how people respond. Did anyone fear how someone would respond to you sharing the gospel of Christ? You're scared that they're going to get mad at you, that they're going to tell you that you're an insensitive person, that you're not believing of their views. Or you might add that you're afraid that you won't have the answers to all of their questions. You know what? You might not, but you're not claiming to. You're not going in there claiming to know everything. And if you are, there's a problem. As a matter of fact, one of the things that the world hates about the church is a lot of times the church likes to think that we know the answer to everything and that we're know it alls. Sometimes, it's good to just say, you know what, I don't know. But we can discover the answer together because I believe the Bible has the answer, even though I might not know it. I believe it's in there. So let's discover the answer because God's got an answer to your question, not me. God's got an answer.

I believe, ultimately, the reason why many of us have rarely shared our faith is simply that we don't want to. And you're like, whoa hold up, Nate. I didn't get any preaches on that. You said, man, you started this off saying tell your neighbor that God's going to speak to them. And then you said, tell that person you don't know me. And you're looking at me, and you're saying you don't know me. You don't know my heart. You don't know that I don't want to. That's unfair to say that I don't want to share the gospel. I believe that most Christians, not all, simply don't do it because they don't want to, and that's ultimately because we don't care.

I know that seems harsh, but it's true. And how do I know it's true? Because when you really care about something, it occupies your time. Anyone in here have kids who love video games? It occupies their time. Anyone in here have a classic car that they love? It occupies your time. Do we have any golfers in here or basketball players? It occupies your time. Anybody go to the gym? It occupies your time. Anyone like to get manicures or pedicures? It occupies your time. Anyone like massages? It occupies your time. Here's a very simple one. Does anybody like taking a shower so you don't smell bad? You care about it and so it occupies your time. When we really care about something, we make time for it. It doesn't matter. We make time for it because it's important to us.

We've had many evangelism ministries here at Calvary through the years. In the early days my mom started one. We've had a pastor named Jesse start one. We've got an evangelism ministry going on right now. We've had many iterations of evangelistic ministries throughout the years. But if Christians really cared about it, those ministries would be packed. They would be full. There'd be hundreds and hundreds of people going on the street and sharing the love of Christ because you only invest your time in what you really care about. And your time is always a telltale sign of what's most important to you.
See, the same is true for us. If we're brutally honest, I got to let you know, I'm preaching to myself here as well, if we're brutally honest, we would all admit that we really care about ourselves. We really care about ourselves. I know I do. And it's really easy for me. Maybe you feel the same way that when you've got a busy week, you've got a job, you've got a family, you've got different things to do, and your week is so packed, when you finally get some free time, you just kind of want to keep it to yourself. You say, well, this is my time, and I do so much that this is my time. And we ask ourselves these questions, what's in it for me if I do that? What about me? What about my needs? We hear so much about the need for evangelism. We have sermons on how to do it. You're hearing one right now. We have programs designed to mobilize the church to do it, but all of this is of no consequence if we're lacking one simple basic concern. Concern. A burden. Compassion. This is where I started out, number one. It has to begin with compassion. If you don't have compassion, and you don't have a burden, and you don't have concern, no one can get you out of your house to go evangelize.

Charles Spurgeon said this. The Holy Spirit will move them by first moving you. If you can rest without their being saved, they will rest too. You need to have compassion. Look at what motivated Jesus when He saw the needs of the people. It says in verse 36, "He saw them, and He was moved with compassion for them." Everywhere Jesus went, He was literally mobbed by people, pushing and pulling, always wanting something from Him, a healing, a resurrection, a deliverance. But Jesus saw through all those surface needs. Their real and deepest need where they were hurting the most, Jesus sees behind our masks and our facade, behind the defense mechanisms we put up, and He hears the real cry of our hearts. What did He see with these people? He saw them as weary, scattered like sheep without a shepherd. And He said, you're weary. I can give you rest. You're lost. I can lead you and guide you. You need hope. I am the hope. And He saw their deepest need.

Church, when you see people, do you see their need? When you see people on the street, a homeless person, and they're asking for money, do you think, man, what are they going to use my money for? They going to use it for drugs or alcohol? Are you moved with the care, and a compassion, and a concern, seeing their deepest need, not their surface need, but seeing their need for Jesus? When you see two gay guys walking around in a mall holding hands, do you look at them, and do you have contempt in your heart? Or does your heart break? Do you have a deep concern, and a compassion, and a realization that they need Jesus Christ? That they're just lost, and they need a shepherd to guide them? We need to see people, not their sin. We need to see people. Jesus saw people, not just their sin. He separated realizing that the sin and the sinner are not the same thing and that we need to have compassion, and concern, and a burden for the lost.

We see this pattern of compassion throughout Christ's ministry. When Jesus met the woman at the well, He could have lectured her on the evils of immorality. But He saw behind the sin to what drove her, an emptiness for God, and He appealed to that emptiness. When He saw Zacchaeus, He could have rebuked him for his greed and his theft, but Jesus said that He had come to seek and save that which was lost. And He was going to Zacchaeus the way home.

The word lost speaks of something that has value, but is simply broken. Church, you need to realize a lot of the world feels undervalued, under loved, and under appreciated. Because as we started out, the world's all about numbers. And if they don't look the way the world tells them that they're supposed to look, they lose their sense of worth. We, as Christians, need to not come in and make them feel more worthless, but we need to cast the image that they were again created in the image of God. And their worth is found in who they were created to be. They are valuable. They are worth something. And they are loved and cared for. And that starts with us. That's our job to do that.

Many of us have a hard time doing that. We can get up on our soapboxes and harp about certain sins and even feel scorn for those who do them. You know, it breaks my heart. I'm going to get a little touchy here. One of the biggest things that we see in our culture right now, and it seems like it's in the news everyday, is terrorism. Somebody taking a car and plowing it through a crowded bridge. Somebody shooting a school. Somebody bombing a club or a concert. And it happens every day. And it breaks my heart to see that loss of life. But it also breaks my heart to see the response of some Christians. I've seen people tweet things like, I hope they're burning in hell. And I hope that they're being judged for their sin. Man, that is such a wicked heart to have. That is not the heart of God. Yes, we can have righteous indignation and be angry and mad over what has happened, but at the end of the day, it needs to lead us back to compassion and realizing that even that terrorist is one decision away from making a commitment to Jesus Christ and going to heaven for eternity. And Jesus died for your sin and their sin, and they're just as deserving of grace as you are. They're just as deserving as the love of God as you are. And we need to be praying for their salvation, not their judgment.

We need to be concerned, compassionate, and burdened for the sin of this world. Jesus was always moved with the needs of the people. When Jesus saw Mary and her friends weeping over the death of her brother Lazarus, it says that He was deeply moved in spirit. And He was troubled. That phrase deeply moved in spirit carries the idea of physical, as well as emotional and spiritual anguish. Here's the crazy part. Jesus knew that He was going to raise him to life in just a little bit. And yet, He still took time to come down to their level and find compassion, and concern, and burden for the pain that they were feeling.

So many Christians, when they're confronted with pain, with difficulty in someone's life, they like to quote little verses that say well all things work together for good. Does that help you when you're broken hearted? No. That's not what you need to hear. I know I'm guilty of this sometimes when I see somebody who is in a situation they've gotten themselves into because of their own sin. I can become really cynical and callous and say well you got yourself there. This is just the fruit of your sin. And it's really easy to get callous. Let me tell you the more mature you are in Christ, and the longer you walk with God, it shouldn't turn you into a more cynical person. It should turn you into a more caring person. You should become more compassionate, more burdened, and more loving the older you are in Christ. And if you see yourself going the opposite direction, you've got to go back to the beginning and say what happened? When I first gave my life to Christ, that has caused me to view people the way that I wouldn't want myself to be viewed. Because we all need Jesus. And caring compassion is the way to start.

This attitude of compassion is shown again throughout the Scripture in Gethsemane when Jesus gets arrested by the guards. His concern isn't for himself. It's for His disciples. And He says, I'll go with you. Just don't hurt them. Don't touch them. Let them go. I'll go with you. When Jesus hung on the cross, and the spikes were being nailed into His hands, His concern was for the Roman guards. Lord forgive them, for they know not what they do. His concern was for His mom as He was worried about who was going to care for her now. And He said, woman behold your son, and son behold your mother, as He passed her off to someone else to make sure she was cared and loved for. He always cared about others more than himself. He always started with their need before His own. To sum it up in two words, Jesus cares. And so should you.

In the same way, if we're going to be used by God to win others to Him, we have to take care, not out of obligation, not out of duty, not out of guilt, but out of a God given compassion for those that we speak to. Now, you might say, well, that was Jesus. Only He could see people that way. No, no, you don't get to cop out on this. You might say that was only how Jesus could see people, but isn't it also God's objective to conform us into the image of His son? When He says let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus? God doesn't want you to see like the world. He wants you to see like Him. And the older you grow in Christ, the more your vision should change. You know, as we get older, our vision gets worse. But as we get older in Christ, our vision should get better. The way we see people should change. The way we view people should change. So we need to change the way we see people and start with compassion.

Paul echoed that outlook in Romans 9:23 when he said I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart, for I could wish that I, myself, were accursed or separated from Christ for my brothers, my kinsmen, according to the flesh. No wonder Paul had such a phenomenal ministry. He cared. He had compassion. Nehemiah is an illustration of a man who is genuinely touched with the needs of the lost. When he saw that the walls of Jerusalem had fallen down, it troubled his spirit, and he wept. He cared about what happened. He could have very cynically said, I'm not a priest. I'm not a prophet. Let them take care of that. But he wept. After the weeping came working. After the despair came determination. He realized that he, as a layman, could make a difference. Church, you need to realize that you as a layman can make a difference. Don't leave it to the professionals. Don't leave it to the pastors or the priests. You are called to preach. You are called to make disciples of all men. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. So don't just pray for laborers. Become a laborer. That's exactly what Jesus tells us to do here. You wonder what you should pray for? Pray for laborers and the harvest. So number one, we saw that needs to start with compassion.

Number two, it should lead us to have a conviction. Look at verse 38. It says, "Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest." Not observers, not spectators, but workers. God is looking for and even commanding us to be laborers who are willing to plant and water seeds in the lives of those who don't yet know Jesus Christ. And you say, people just don't want to hear it. And I want to be sensitive. I don't want to be culturally insensitive. I don't want to be mean to them. I don't want to be politically incorrect. If they don't want to hear it, I'm not going to say it. The reality is at some point, either in this life or the next, they will be confronted with the fact that they are sinners separated from a holy God. And there is salvation in no other name than the name of Jesus Christ.

And what do you think will be more offensive to them? Hearing that from you or hearing that from the mouth of Jesus, as He says depart from me, I never knew you? I'll tell you right now. It's going to be way more offensive to them when they stand before Jesus Christ. And if you don't tell them, who's going to? If you don't tell them about Jesus, whose job is it? At some point, they have to be confronted with that truth, and if you don't do it, who will? Who will tell your friend in class? Who will tell your coworker? Who's going to tell your family member? Who's going to tell your best friend?

Remember, I said earlier that one reason I believe we don't share the gospel is because we don't care. What I want you to think about right now, that one person in your life, who you love dearly, could be a friend, a family member, your best friend, a coworker, think about that person who needs Jesus Christ. Now I want you to picture that that person is in a room here on campus, and the room is burning. The room is burning. You know the exit strategy. You the only way out of this burning room. What are you going to do? Are you going to sit here in your seat? Are you going to, as quick as you can, get out of your seat, run into the fire, regardless of what's going to happen to yourself, and do everything in your power to save them and get them out of that room?

Well, I would hope that if you really loved them, you would do that. See, the problem is a lot of us, I think, either, A, don't believe that hell is real, or, B, we just don't care. Because I believe-- if we really believed that and cared about that, we would do everything in our power to get those people who don't have a relationship with Christ off of the path of destruction and onto the path of righteousness, off of an eternal destination of damnation and into an eternal destination of salvation with Jesus Christ. That should be our goal. But it has to start with that compassion and that care that leads us to a conviction to tell them about Jesus.

And again, it's such an urgent time to do this. You might say, well, God doesn't need me. He can get the job done Himself. In the Bible, angels come and preach the gospel. I mean, come on, a donkey spoke to a dude. If God really wants my friend to get saved, God can do it Himself. My friend's got a chihuahua. He can be an evangelist. God can speak through him. You know what? God doesn't need you. And I think it's good to realize that. A lot of people think that God needs them, that they're end all, and if I wasn't here, then God couldn't do anything. God doesn't need you. But the reality is that God wants you. And even more importantly, God has called you. Christian, you are called. You are called to this task. 1 Corinthians 1:21 said, "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." Not that it pleased God by the foolishness of preachers, although that's probably true as well. But by preaching. It's the act that pleased God by the preaching to save them that believe. See, the emphasis is on the act. It means the love of Jesus, that you have the good news that changed you, your job is to proclaim it, to share it, to communicate, and to verbalize it. To tell people.

And you might say, well, I'm not called to that. I believe in lifestyle evangelism, which means that I just am a good person. I let my life shine before men. And eventually, I just believe that somebody is going to ask me, hey, how can I accept Jesus? Because I can tell that you're a Christian. Now, although that might happen, the odds aren't great. And God has called you to use your words. See when we just leave the preaching to others and don't witness and just let our life do it, that's just Christian miming. That's all that is. Saint Francis of Assisi said, preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words. Yeah that sounds cute. That sounds trite, but you have to use words. Christian miming doesn't work in the same way that it wouldn't work in your own relationships in life. Imagine if you told your love interest, your husband, or your wife, your boyfriend, your girlfriend, hey, you know what? I'm not going to tell you I love you anymore, that you look good because I think my life can do that on its own. And so I don't think I'm called to verbally communicate that to you. Well that's a recipe for disaster in a relationship, and that's a recipe for disaster in evangelism. You've got to use your words. You've got to tell people.

There are so many so-called seeker sensitive churches today, where the Bible won't be preached from the pulpit or brought in the pews. The message might allude to it in passing, but there's more of an emphasis placed on drama, music, and entertainment designed to appeal to the seeker, to make them feel good. It's more like self-help. There's no trace of Scripture. It's all about having a better tomorrow, making you a better you, having your best life now. And although it's vital to live what we preach, it's essential to verbalize it to others. Though it's true that God has gifted some in His church with the role of being an evangelist, it's also true that God is called everyone in the church to evangelize. And too many people today are ashamed of the gospel.

Yes, it's work. Evangelism is work. It can be hard. You might sow the seed. Someone else might water it. And somebody else might get to experience the harvest. I wonder, last night and on Friday, how many of those people that came on the field and accepted Christ had a seed planted in their hearts long ago by a believer who took the call of evangelism seriously. And they don't get to see that fruit now, but when they're in heaven, they're going to get to meet that person and see the fruit of their labors as they labored for Christ, as they planted the seed, as they watered the seed, and maybe you're going to be the lucky one that you get to see the harvest. You get to lead somebody to Jesus Christ.

Paul, utilizing this line of thought, said I planted, Apollo's watered, but God gave the increase. No one can honestly pray that this work would be done unless they're willing to help do it. You can't honestly pray for somebody who needs Jesus Christ without being willing to be a part of that process. God is looking for workers today. Not today in this day and age, in this culture. Today, right now, here in this place at Calvary Albuquerque, with everyone here, God is looking for workers and laborers, men and women, children, who He might show Himself strong on behalf of.

So my question for you, church, is will you pray that the Lord will send laborers into the harvest? Will you not only pray that God will raise up other people, but would you also pray that God would raise you up? Will you become a laborer? Will you ask the Holy Spirit to stir your heart to answer the desire and the wishes of Jesus? Will you allow God's spirit to stir you deeply with a burden for those who are like sheep without a shepherd? They are weary. They are scattered. Pray that God would give you 20-20 Jesus vision, so you could see them and their deepest need for who they really are. And pray that as God starts to fill you with that compassion, it would lead to conviction, and, ultimately, to compulsion to tell them about Jesus Christ and have the opportunity to experience the life change with them. Will you pray for a burden like Jesus, Paul, and Nehemiah? He might call you to go across the sea and become a missionary. Or he might call you to go out your back door and preach the gospel to your neighbor. No matter where you live, what career you follow, how much or little money you have, whether you are married or single, that you will never stop being available for God. Because the spectators are many. The critics are many. The complainers are many. The complacent people are many. The fair weather followers are many. The compromisers are many. But the laborers are few. And, church, we are all about the numbers, but if we want to be about the numbers of the harvest, we first must be about the numbers of the laborers.

Lord, we pray that you would make us laborers, that you would raise us up, that you would prepare us, that you would call us and equip us to be a part of your plan. Lord, we want to see a great harvest, but before we can pray for that great harvest, we have to first pray for a great number of laborers believing that the two are connected, believing that as we rise up and take the call that you have placed upon us, we're going to see the harvest. Hence Lord, we ask you to do that. And Lord, as I pray, I can't help but think there might be somebody in here, Lord, who's heard this. And they've got to start from scratch, Lord. They hear this, and the gospel is being presented to them for the first time as they're hearing this, Lord, and they're realizing that they need Jesus Christ, that they are sinners separated from God. They realize that they are on a course for destruction, and they want to turn from that course and be on a course of righteousness. They want to know that when they die, they're going to go to heaven. They're going to be forgiven of their sins.

So as we're praying right now, as we have our eyes closed and our heads bowed, if you're here this morning, and you say, you know, I hear this, and I need Jesus Christ. I need to have a relationship with Him. I need to know that when I die, I'm going to go to heaven. I need to be forgiven for my sins, and I need to experience a peace on a daily basis that I haven't been able to find from drugs, or alcohol, or relationships, or being a good person. I need to experience a peace that only Jesus Christ can give.

If you're here this morning, you're willing to admit that. And you want to accept Jesus Christ into your life, either for the first time, or maybe you want to rededicate your life to Him. You walked with God for a time, but you've walked away from Him. And today, you're here, and you say, man, I need to start from scratch. I need to give my life back to Jesus. And I need to ask Him to give me a heart for others. If you're here, and you want to give your life to Jesus, could you just raise up your hand so I can see it? You're saying, Nate, pray for me. I need Jesus. Amen over here to my right, over here in the center, a couple of you to my left, over here to the far left. Anyone else? Just raise your hand up. You're saying, I need Jesus. I want to know that when I die I'm going to heaven. Don't be shy. Don't be scared. God is calling you and speaking to you. Anyone else? Raise your hand up so I can see it. Raise it high, amen, the back to my right. Anyone else?

Well Lord, I thank you for those who have raised their hand signifying their need for you, Lord. I pray that you would put feet to their faith, and you'd help them to stand for you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Hey could you stand up? We're going to sing a song. As we sing this song, I'm going to ask you that if you raised your hand up signifying your need for Jesus that you get up from wherever you are, you come down here to the front, and you say a prayer to accept Jesus Christ. Maybe you say Nate, I'm all about raising my hand up when no one's looking, but you want me to actually be seen walking forward? I do, and here's why. If you can't stand for Jesus in a room full of people that love Him, how are you going to do it in a world that hates Him? You get your life right now. If God speaks to you, you come. You say this prayer to accept Jesus Christ. And as you do, we're going to sing this song. You come. Come on, church, let's get loud. Let's give them a round of applause.

[MUSIC - "O Come to the Altar"]
Oh come to the altar.
The Father's arms are open wide.
Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Amen. There's still time for you. You come. If you didn't raise your hand up, you see these people coming forward, and you know you need to do this. You get your life right with Jesus right now. And maybe you say, well, what's my friend going to think? They think I'm a Christian. What's my friend going to think? Guess what? Your friend didn't die for your sins. Jesus Christ did that. Your friend can't get you to heaven. Only Jesus Christ can do that. You're not getting your life right with your friend. You're getting your life right with Jesus. So you get your life right with Him. You come. Maybe you're standing there, and you say, well, I want to do it, but just not now, just later on. You don't know if you later on. We're not promised later. We'll promise now. And if you were to die in a car accident today on your way home and stood before Jesus, would you hear the words depart from me, I never knew you? Or welcome, well done, good and faithful servant? You leave here knowing that when you die, you're going to go to heaven. Anyone else? We're going to sing this through one more time. If God is speaking to you right now, you come here.

[MUSIC - "O Come to the Altar"]
O come to the altar.
The Father's arms are open wide.
Forgiveness is bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
O come to the altar.
The Father's arms are open wide.
Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Amen. We're not going to sing this through anymore. In a second, I'm going to pray with those who have come forward. But I think it's biblical. God always wants to cast that net out one more time. And so I always love to cast that net out one more time for that person. You're just on the fence. And you say, well, what am I going to have to give up? I've got a good life. I've got a lot of things going for me. You know what? You going to have to give up a lot, but you're going to gain a lot more. You're going to have to give up your pain. You're going to have to give up your despair. You're going to have to give up your loneliness. You're going to have to give up your lack of purpose. Boy, you're going to get in return for that is joy everlasting. What you're going to get for that is companionship as Jesus will walk through you on the mountain tops and in the valleys. He's with you always. And number one, you're going to gain a knowledge that when you die, you're going to go to heaven. You're going to lose the reality that if you die, you were going to go to hell. You're going to gain so much more.

And so is there anyone else? Before we pray, amen. You come, come on, church.

Maybe you're late for everything in life. You're late to work. You're late to class. Don't be late for this appointment. If God is speaking to you right now, don't push Him away, you come. Amen. I see you. You come.

Maybe you're feeling the talking. Maybe your friend's feeling the talking. All they need is to see you do it too, and they're going to do with you. Anyone else? Anyone else? Come on. Amen. Amen.

Hey, well right now, for those of you that have come forward, I'm going to lead you in a prayer. And it's a simple prayer. You're going to say it from your heart, and you're going to say to Jesus. There's nothing magical about this. You're not going to see this and feel yourself levitate off the ground. But what is going to happen is Jesus Christ is going to come into your heart. He's going to fill you up. He's going to forgive you of your sins. And he's going to give you the knowledge that when you die, you're going to go to heaven. So the most important thing is you say these words from your heart to Jesus Christ.

Let's say it together. Lord, I know that I'm a sinner. I know that I've done many things that have hurt you. But, Lord, I believe you died for those things. And I believe that you rose from the dead. So Lord, ask you to come into my life, forgive me of my sin. I turn from my old life, and I turned to you. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me live for you. In Jesus' name I pray. . Amen

Let's give them a round of applause.

We hope you enjoyed the special service from Calvary Albuquerque featuring our guest speaker Nate Heitzig. How will you put the truth you learned into action? Let us know. Email us at mystory@calvaryabq.org. And just a reminder, you can give financially to this work at calvaryabq.org/give. Thank you for joining us for this teaching from Calvary Albuquerque.