Preached by Kip McKean, 5/30/2009

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The Fields Are Ripe for the Harvest – Outline

Colossians 1:6
“…All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.”

Main Points
1) Repent To Be Radical
2) Ignite A Light
3) Price to Proclaim
4) Example for Everyone
(spells “ripe”)

John 4:35
- The fields are ripe for harvest–this is true all over the world.
- There is a revival movement in God’s kingdom that is shaking the nations.
- You’ve got to repent to be radical.
- A lot of people want the fruit, but they don’t want the root.

1 Corinthians 3:5-15
- Passage used for evangelism.
- But main application is about church planting, and what God does with it.
- Every single person in the church must be “sold-out,” totally committed. That’s what to build on–Christ.
- Each member builds the church.
- True disciples will multiply–make disciples.
- Fear can take zeal out of a group. Pray.
- Do you love God more than your own safety, more than your own comfort, more than your own life?

Nehemiah 1:1-9
- It’s about the remnant
- In 466 BC
- If Zion is going to be glorious, the leaders and the people must repent.
- When God’s people are unfaithful, he will scatter them.
- When they obey and repent, God will gather them.

The Price to Proclaim
- Love God, love one another, love the lost.
- In remnant groups, must count the cost with each member.

John 20:24-29
- Jesus appears to Thomas
- My lord and my God! This is the first and only time that one of the apostles is recorded as calling Jesus God.

John 11:11-16
- Thomas understood that to follow Jesus, you must be prepared to die.

Acts 15 (council at Jerusalem) happens 49 AD.
- After Acts 15, the twelve Apostles are not together in Jerusalem anymore. They spread out to all nations
- Thomas goes to Southern India in 52 AD.
- Thomas died for Jesus 72 AD. Do you grumble about how hard it is to be a Christian during the economic recession?
- The price of world evangelism is the same today as back then = your life.

Acts 16:6-7
- In province of Asia (western Turkey), Paul is kept at first from going there.

Acts 19:8-10
- God didn’t forget Asia (preaching at lecture hall).

Revelation
- Written to the seven churches in Asia.
- Asian churches grew from humble beginnings. Paul started with just a few people (Acts 19).

1 Corinthians 4:15-17
- Imitate Paul, Timothy
- Church has unity and an international movement.
- Church needs leaders.
- Overseeing evangelists have authority to come to cities and lead.
- Be committed to God’s plan of disciples multiplying and being sent out to plant churches.

Revelation 2:1-5
- Do not forsake your first love–God.
- Without discipling, there is no hope.
- Be alarmed if you have lost your deep love for God.

Hebrews 12:7
- Endure hardship as discipline from God–he wants you to be more righteous–to grow.
- The Christian life is a marathon.
- If you want forgiveness, you have to let go of bitterness, forgive others. Understand your mortality. That’s the way back to your first love.
- If you don’t have the love you first had for Christ, you need to repent and return to your first love.

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