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The World's Greatest Need Kingdom Building Ministries - As Jesus traveled from place to place, He was keenly aware of the profound needs of people all around Him. He was moved with compassion. At one point, He turned to His disciples and shared in one word what a world of "harassed" and "helpless" people needs most. This word represents His plan for meeting the greatest human needs. "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity. 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; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest'" (Matthew 9:35-38 RSV). So, what word did Jesus choose? I'm reluctant to say it. It's not a very glamorous word, and it may not grab your attention and keep you reading. It's a word you'll probably never see in a Madison Avenue advertising campaign. Still, it's the word Jesus chose. What the world needs, Jesus said, is laborers. Common laborers. Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. He tells us to pray that God would send laborers wherever there's human need. In short, laborers aren't just critical to God's plan for the world. They are God's plan. And there's no Plan B. So, why don't we hear much about what it means to be a Kingdom laborer? Hallmarks of Ministry in the 20th Century But "Christian celebrities" aren't the answer to the great harvest need. When the work is done, it will have been accomplished by nameless, faceless people who did what they could, where they were, and God added the increase to their labor. God's work through ordinary laborers is what the world needs most. He's not calling just a few select people to make the difference. Instead, His plan is to mobilize an army of laborers who go into every place of human need. You and I, indeed every one of us, is called to be a laborer in this army. Every Christian has a significant role to play. From those who serve on the platform to those who serve in the hidden places. From those who serve with their mouths and minds to those who serve with their hands and feet.
"LABORERS aren't just critical to God's plan for the world. They are God's plan. And there's no Plan B" The Scripture is full of examples of ordinary laborers who had an extraordinary influence on those around them. Look at the 12 ordinary men Jesus chose to be His disciples. They weren't rabbis. They weren't the most brilliant scholars or the most charismatic speakers. They were a cross-section of ordinary people - fishermen, a tax collector, some businessmen. They're the kind of ordinary people Jesus still uses. Hallmarks of a Laborer But being a laborer isn't just about action. It's also about beingthat is, being in a love relationship with Christ. In fact, the Bible seems to identify at least three characteristics that are hallmarks of a laborer (a disciple in action). Love Life Legacy
Click here to review and order an audio version of Dwight Robertson's powerful message: Laborer's: The World's Greatest Need. I remember in my early days of speaking I ran across the book, 101 Ways to Improve the Self-Concept in the Classroom. There was one sentence in the book that has stuck in my mind ever since. It said, "The most inhibited person will influence at least 10,000 people in the course of his [or her] lifetime." Each of useven the most inhibitedhas the capacity to impact the lives of countless others! That influence is central to the life of a Kingdom laborer. A laborer's life is like a drop of water in a lake. One drop causes a ripple effect that spreads out in every direction. Likewise, the circle of influence of one common laborer can be profound. The circle of influence of an army of laborers can be world-changing.
Click here to download free computer-wallpaper images that contain some of the most powerful quotes from this article.
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