When You Raise Your Hand and Say Yes

At one time or another we have all heard the phrase- "We are living in a lost and dying world."

We then rise to the conclusion that our answer to solve this problem is to “go out into all the world and preach the gospel”. So we strap our boots on and get our passports ready to touch foreign soil to show Christ, through us, all over the world.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the ministry of missions and have been to several different countries serving the poor and orphans since I was 10 years old.

What I would love to begin is a conversation about a world we may have forgotten about, the one that says -

"We are living in a hurting world."

Dare I say, a world right in front us.

Matthew 9:37 says - Then He said to His disciples, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

We tend to relate this verse to the mission field. Where there is work to be done, but not enough of us raising our hands, saying - me, I will go and be that worker.

But, really, in all of Chapter 9, Jesus was in his own town, in his own city, working to show a people compassion.

Look at all that He did on his home soil just in Matthew 9:

• Healed a paralyzed man
• Added Matthew as one of His disciples
• Made a call for sinners
• Healed a bleeding woman
• Healed a leader's dying daughter
• Heals two blind men
• Cast out a demon from a man
• Healed every kind of disease and illness
• He preached the Good News

All in His own backyard.

Friends, we must not ignore the ones in front of us. We must make room for them in our homes and at our tables. We must be aware of those hurting or struggling at the ball fields and the football games. We must be the hands and feet of love and compassion in the grocery stores and the restaurants.

We must be aware of the ones around us.

These last few days, I talked to so many women that are on the verge of divorce, mom’s that are trying to raise teenagers to love Christ, and are failing to love themselves. I’ve talked to women that have children living away from them because of mistakes they made in the past. I’ve heard the words gay, porn, and abuse of women that are hurting and don’t know what to do.

Why?

Because friends, there is a world, a world right in front of us that needs to know the love of Jesus. That needs to know that Christ is there in the midst of their circumstance. That Jesus has compassion for their hearts. That God has never left them. That even though they walk through this shadow of death, that they will not fear, because He is with them.

We are the ones to show His love. We are the ones to show them compassion, mercy, grace, and comfort in the midst of their trials. We are the ones to point them to a faith in Christ that will see them through. Pray with them in the parking lots. Introduce them to a Savior that makes them white as snow.

How do we do this?

We say Yes!

For many are called, but few are chosen - Matthew 22:14

We hear this verse and, we think, Lord, I don’t want to be called, I want to be chosen. Choose me, Lord. Or we go back and forth and analyze - Lord, is it better to be called or chosen? Because God, I want a calling on my life, but I also want you to choose me, but I want to be called too. And around and around we go.

But, really, when you read that story in full context (stay with me here) a king sends a wedding invitation out and everyone was invited, but the invitation went out in three waves. The respectable people were invited first, but they said no we are too busy or ignored the invitation. Then a second goes out again to the same people and they do the same thing. The king then tells his slaves to send out the invitation a third time to the people who were not originally on the invitation list, and these people actually did show up. In the end, everyone had been invited, but only a few were chosen.

The issue is not the call.

The reason why many are called and few are chosen is because there are only a handful that raise their hand. {Tweet This}

God comes and says, you are to disciple women. He says to another you’re called to lead a revival. And to another, you’re called to give yourself fully for the glory of God to the whole earth. This is the call on your life.

What separates you is not the call, it is whether or not you raise your hand.

What if Jesus came into your church, into your bible study, or into your home and asked – who will be the ones that disciple this city, this town? And all of us have excuses - I don’t know, I don’t have time, that doesn’t fit me, I don’t want to do that, and then there is someone who raises their hand and says I’ll do that Jesus.

Then Jesus says – I choose you.

The way you get chosen is you raise your hand.

The question is will you say yes?

Your yes separates you.

Because I said, Lord, here I am. Use me however you see fit. Put me in places you want me to go. Take me wherever you need me. I’ll follow, you lead, Lord.

A hurting world has been shown to me. A hurting place right where I am.

Friends, we need to be present in our places.

I love what Jennie Allen said as she explained in Nehemiah:

“In Judah, the strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves, we will not be able to rebuild the wall.”” (4:10)

So Nehemiah divides them with their people (their clan) in their places on the wall. And he says,

“Do not be afraid. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” (4:14)

Ok, this piece of the wall, I got it. I'm going to fight for my people. I'm going to work to rebuild the brokenness in my place. - Jennie Allen

Will you be that worker that is available for the One to use for the one that is hurting?

Will you fight to rebuild what is broken?

Will you raise your hand in your churches, your workplaces, at your kid’s games or even at your local coffee shop?

Jesus did a lot in Matthew 9. He did a lot in His own city.

I ask you – What can you do with yours?