As Christians, we are afforded the opportunity, privilege and responsibility of being used by God to build His kingdom. God’s kingdom is not built by political strategies, takeovers or coups. It is a spiritual kingdom. Jesus gave himself for this kingdom. His compassion for people gripped by the ravages of sin led him to the cross to pay the penalty that was due.
Matthew 9:35 – 38 gives us a snapshot of the compassionate heart of Jesus and his call to us to be workers gathering the harvest – bringing lost people to him. These verses follow Matthew’s narrative in Matthew 8 and 9 of Jesus traveling through towns, villages and the country side where he encountered people who were seeking direction for their lives.
When we read through those chapters we see these people’s fears, their faith, their lack of faith, and their effort to understand Jesus and who he really is – just like people around us today. All of us cross paths every day with people like these; they are searching, longing, and hoping for something/someone that will bring hope and purpose into their lives.
We see the heart and compassion of Jesus toward these people, and to all of us. It’s this compassion that builds the Kingdom of God. It’s the compassion that people in our communities and around the world need for their lives. This passage contains some important lessons for us in being used by God to build a Kingdom on compassion:
Matthew 9:35 — “Jesus went through all the towns and villages…”
He mingled with the people. At every opportunity he communicated about the kingdom of God. Jesus was about people – being with them, relating to them, getting to know them, and responding to their needs.
As Christ followers, we need to follow the example of Jesus to be about people; being with them, relating to them, getting to know them and responding to their needs. Be intentional in this with your friends, family and neighbors. Be the hands of feet of Jesus in such a way that you people can see his compassion in you. Take time to “go through the towns and villages” and connecting with people.
Matthew 9:36 – “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Jesus, the son of God, knows the hearts of everyone – including their sin. But that’s not the focus of what Matthew was directed to write about Jesus. Jesus had compassion on the people – he saw people wandering; no direction or purpose. He is not judgmental, he is filled with compassion because their sin is leading them to a place he does not want them to be. The word translated as “harassed” describes being mangled by enemies, tormented, being in a distressing and painful condition.
This describes the state of people around us who don’t know Jesus – mangled by the enemy (Satan), tormented by the consequences of sinful choices, in spiritual distress and pain. We should be slow to judge and quick to love people and show the compassion of Jesus. That’s not condoning sin, that’s having the compassion that Jesus had that “breaks our heart for what
Matthew 9:37 & 38 – “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Jesus’ compassion led him to a prayer request asking God, the Lord of the harvest, for workers to go out in the harvest field. You and I can be the answer to that request. In our communities and around the world, the field is ripe – there are still people who don’t know Jesus. The harvest truly is plentiful; there are people that are hurting and mangled.
It’s one thing to have compassion, but it is meaningless until we do something tangible to reach out to people around us who don’t know Jesus. In Matthew 5 Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.” We should take every opportunity to show the compassion of Jesus that makes a difference in the lives of people. Identify some tangible way that you can be salt/light in the life of people you cross paths with. No matter how small it may be, it can go a long way toward spreading the love of Jesus in to the hearts of people. It may take an extra moment or two of your time, but it can make an eternal difference. Are you willing to make that investment in the lives of people and be the answer to Jesus’ prayer for workers in the harvest field?
As the song says, “Everyone needs compassion, the kindess of a savior…” You and I can be the vehicle that God uses to show that compassion.
written by Keith Dimbath, Lifeline’s Work Team Director
39 teams are already on the 2015 work team schedule!
