The Corner Principle
Pastor Erickson preaches on All Nations Sunday from Leviticus 19 and Deuteronomy 24, where farmers left the corners of their fields for the poor and the stranger, and from the stories of the Shunammite woman and Boaz. He calls the church to go into all the world by giving to missions on purpose, and to stand behind a new training center that will send workers into the harvest field.
The message in 6 points
The corner principle
On All Nations Sunday he reads Leviticus 19:9 and Deuteronomy 24:19, where God told the farmer not to reap the corners of his field or go back for a forgotten sheaf, but leave them for the stranger, the fatherless and the widow. His title is the corner principle.
1:19:56A feeder for world missions
He tells of World Missions University, where he met couples and young people with a burden for places like Moldova, Uganda and Kenya. They need more than three days of training, and he says the new training center in Maryville will be a feeder that prepares them for the field.
1:23:39Jerusalem to the uttermost
From Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15 and Acts 1:8 he says every believer is called to the Great Commission, and the Holy Ghost is given to make us witnesses. The uttermost part of the earth is the hardest to reach, and those who stay home go by giving, while also discipling their own families and county.
1:30:43A prophet's reward
Reading Matthew 10:41-42, he says whoever receives and supports God's messengers shares their reward. The Shunammite woman fed Elisha and built him a room, not to get a blessing, and God gave her a son and raised him back to life on the prophet's bed.
1:41:11Do not cut the corners
Returning to Leviticus 19 and Deuteronomy 24, he explains that the harvest was gathered so the corners and gleanings stayed for those in need. In Ruth 2 Ruth gleans in the field of Boaz, so giving to missions is not just charity but an investment in people who work hard, and Matthew 6:33 promises God will add what we need.
1:51:02Give on purpose
Boaz told his men to drop handfuls on purpose for Ruth, and Pastor Erickson asks the church to give intentionally to the training center, which is not a Bible college but a place to send workers into the field. He says leaving the corners brings blessing on home, family and business, and calls people to pray and give on purpose.
2:00:52
In his words
“The Holy Ghost is to enable us to be a witness to our family, to our friends, to our co-workers, to our neighbors.”
“My family must be saved. While my girls are still in the home, I am their spiritual priest. I've got to make sure I'm the missionary of my home.”
“I know our greatest revivals take place when we get serious about giving.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
Leviticus 19:9-10
9And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.
King James Version.
Deuteronomy 24:19-21
19When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. 20When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 21When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
King James Version.
Matthew 28:19
19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
King James Version.
Mark 16:15
15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
King James Version.
Matthew 10:41-42
41He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
King James Version.
Ruth 2:17-18
17So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. 18And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.
King James Version.
Ruth 2:20-23
20And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. 21And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. 22And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. 23So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
King James Version.
Matthew 6:33
33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
King James Version.
Ruth 2:16
16And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
King James Version.
He also points to
Related messages
Also about purpose, provision, obedience
Also about purpose, provision, obedience
Also about purpose, the Holy Ghost