Compassion that Compels
Matthew: The King and His Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 37:29
0 ratings
· 12 viewsOur Lord is compassionate toward the helpless; thus, His compassion compels us to a life on mission.
Files
Notes
Transcript
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
We’re at a hinge in the book of Matthew.
Looking back from Jesus coming off the mountain from the Sermon on the mount.
His displays of authority.
His power in casting our demons.
His authority over the cosmos.
But it also looks forward.
Examines where the mission is going.
Shows the expansion of the mission.
35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he wasn’t annoyed.
He wasn’t angry.
He wasn’t upset.
He wasn’t afraid of being influenced by them.
He had compassion on them.
His compassion sprang from the fact that they were harassed and helpless.
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
What does the word “compassion” mean?
We see this word “compassion” (σπλαγχνίζομαι) is simply the deep, inward felt response within one’s self.
Compassion is the inward, deeply felt emotional response to the plight of a suffering person, coupled with a desire to evaluate that suffering.
Our motive for mission is God’s Glory in compassion to the helpless.
Our motive for mission is God’s Glory in compassion to the helpless.
We saw last time that Jesus was coming to shepherd His people.
He was fulfilling where the shepherds of Israel had failed.
He was caring for the needs of the helpless like the shepherds were supposed to do.
23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.
24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them…
We must not forget how the Bible describes helplessness.
Though it is often associated with a lack of physical needs.
The deeper issue of helplessness is actually spiritual.
This spiritual helplessness encompasses everyone.
Including you and I.
17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
A compassionate doctor has traveled deep into the jungle to provide medical care to a primitive tribe afflicted with a contagious disease.
He has had his medical equipment flown in.
He has correctly diagnosed the problem, and the antibiotics are prepared and available.
He is independently wealthy and has no need of any kind of financial compensation.
But as he seeks to provide care, the afflicted refuse.
They want to take care of themselves.
They want to heal on their own terms.
Finally, a few brave young men step forward to receive the care being freely provided.
What does the doctor feel?
Joy.
His joy increases to the degree that the sick come to him for help and healing.
God is glorified when helpless sinners flee to refuge to Him.
The Father is magnified in the exaltation of the Son of God in the power of the Holy Spirit when helpless sinners come to Christ as their refuge.
Have you fled to Him?
Because if you haven’t, any other action, you do will only merely be in your own sinful flesh.
If you have not fled to Christ alone for salvation, every other mission is a failure.
If you have not fled to Christ alone for your salvation, you are utterly wasting your life.
Our Lord is compassionate toward the helpless thus His compassion compels us to a life on mission.
Our Lord is compassionate toward the helpless thus His compassion compels us to a life on mission.
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
What do I mean by “mission”?
I would define “Mission” more generally than we might think.
Living a life on mission is a life oriented in the direction of fulfilling the great commission and the great commandments that Jesus declared.
Mission is more than getting on a plane to go to another country.
Mission is more than crossing boards, though we do send people who are living their lives on mission.
A life on mission is a life governed by the compassion of Jesus first for oneself, then governed by His compassion for those who are far from Him.
A life on mission is a life governed by the compassion of Jesus first for oneself, then governed by His compassion for those who are far from Him.
Families, what’s the mission of your home?
I mean specifically what has God called your family to embody for his mission in Keyser, West Virginia.
Now this mission may be includes generally your vocation.
Whether it be engineering, contractor, healthcare provider, or stay at home mom.
But more specifically, how is your particular mission in your home accomplishing the mission which Christ has given us?
How is your particular mission fulfilling the greater mission of Christ compassion to the helpless?
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
We have just seen Jesus’ authority demonstrated over all sorts of things.
Why doesn’t He just go harvest everything Himself?
You have the authority and the power, why don’t you do it?
God is a God of means.
He doesn’t merely snap His fingers and accomplish all that He desires.
God uses secondary means to accomplish primary things.
His primary purposes are to save individuals through the gospel.
What empowers the believer to be on mission?
Our motor that empowers mission is compassion that leads to action.
Our motor that empowers mission is compassion that leads to action.
Jesus’ compassion moves Him to action.
His first action is to mobilize others to effectively take the message.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
A plentiful harvest with a lack of workers.
A plentiful harvest with a lack of workers.
Picture with me a field that is white with harvest.
A wheat field when it is time to harvest is scattered with grain.
Like Jesus tells His disciples in John 4.
35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
Likely the people of the town would have littered the horizon.
From a distance this could have appeared to be like white wheat.
The problem is NOT that there’s not enough ripe to be harvested.
The problem is that there is not enough workers.
The Christian has compassion because they themselves have first received compassion.
The Christian is full of mercy because they themselves have received mercy.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
The mercy and compassion of Christ becomes the unending, unquenchable, unfading motor that compels the believer to action.
The compassion of Christ is the jet turbine that propels the believer toward the lost in the hurting.
The seasons that I have found myself most burnt out by the needs of others is strictly because I myself have not first come for desperate compassion to my Savior.
They have been the seasons of the least prayer.
They have been the seasons of self-sufficiency that believes the world all depends upon me.
Children this matters for you as well. You must decide today, what mission will govern your life? Will your life primarily be focused on your mission and your desires for a good job or a healthy family? Or will your mission in life be covered by Christ’a greater mission of knowing and making known His compassion to the helpless? Don’t waste your youth squandering your strength on things that won’t last.
Which I find ironic then that Jesus says the first thing we should do when we see a white harvest is pray.
Our means of accomplishing missions is the effective weapon of prayer.
Our means of accomplishing missions is the effective weapon of prayer.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Our means of accomplishing missions is the effective weapon of prayer.
Our means of accomplishing missions is the effective weapon of prayer.
This reality doesn’t disturb Jesus.
It draws Him to pray.
To be prayer-less reflects two things.
One, it reflects a heart that believes the mission depends upon us.
I think it would be a mistake if we spoke about sending people for missions like this…
Matthew—All Authority in Heaven and on Earth The Lord of the Harvest Helps
“If it’s going to be, it’s up to me!”
Matthew—All Authority in Heaven and on Earth The Lord of the Harvest Helps
“If you won’t pray for missionaries, if you won’t go yourself, then God’s hands are tied, and guess who’s responsible for this huge harvest that’s gonna spoil and rot? You!”
It would be easy to think that as we pray for workers
2. Two, it reflects a heart that does not believe in the goodness of God toward the lost and the helpless.
This is one of the reasons we pray often for more laborers.
When we pray for different countries, we pray that the Lord would stir up more laborers to go out into the harvest.
Employing the effective weapon of prayer for laborers.
Employing the effective weapon of prayer for laborers.
How does Jesus effectively answer prayer for the Christian?
“Jesus Christ is closer to you today than he was to the sinners and sufferers he spoke with and touched in his earthly ministry. Through his Spirit, Christ’s own heart envelops his people with an embrace nearer and tighter than any physical embrace could ever achieve.
His actions on earth in a body reflected his heart; the same heart now acts in the same ways toward us, for we are now his body.” –Gentle & Lowly, p. 33
Our mode of fulfilling the missions is people.
Our mode of fulfilling the missions is people.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Our mode of fulfilling the missions is people.
Our mode of fulfilling the missions is people.
I once heard a helpful illustration to describe the role of ministry and people within it.
When I was growing up, we used to have a grape arbor.
Now one of the roles of a grape arbor is to lift up the grapes off the ground in order for the grapes to grow more effectively.
The purpose of having a grape arbor is the grapes.
Now I can imagine in some vineyards there are people who would love to spend long hours discussing the arbor.
But in the ministry context, the grapes represent people.
The goal of ministry is not bigger better faster ministries, the goal is transformed people.
To get so excited about the ministry itself is to focus on the arbor and miss the grapes.
It’s amazing to me that the mode God uses to fulfill his greatest mission is people.
How crazy is it that the God of Heaven uses people to accomplish His purposes?
He uses sinful, flawed, and deeply counter productive means to fulfill His activity in the world.
Don’t miss the answer to prayer that we see the Father grant directly in this passage.
1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.
2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
This list of names is crucial because it represents the Lord’s answer to the prayers of the disciples.
Jesus commands the disciples to “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Notice how effective this prayer has been for world evangelization.
Think about how absolutely gigantic the movement of Christianity has been.
As Jesus says, the kingdom of God will start with the grain of a mustard seed (Mark 4:30-32).
When the kingdom of God is done, it will be the largest tree in the whole garden.
Matthew—All Authority in Heaven and on Earth The Lord of the Harvest Helps
This prayer has been answered, is being answered, and will continue to be answered until the last hour.
Sending more laborers is always a prayer that our Lord loves to grant.
He loves to send out more workers.
The “Lord of the Harvest” guarantees effectiveness.
The “Lord of the Harvest” guarantees effectiveness.
Notice the paradigm of how God mobilizes His church for mission.
But there is an important principle we learn from verse 38.
Often the way God answers prayer is by mobilizing the people who prayed.
I remember when I was in college I would often run around the town of Frostburg.
Frostburg has many hills and beautiful views at certain points.
I would often stop while I was running and pray for the town and for the campus.
One day, I found myself praying outside of a beautiful stone church.
I was praying this text.
That church was Welsh Memorial Baptist Church also known as Mountain City Church.
Eventually the church where I would serve as a pastor.
If you would’ve told me while I was running,
“Hey Daniel, you’re going to help pastor that church.”
I would never have believed you!
But this is often how God answers our prayers.
We pray and ask for the Lord to send out laborers and in his Providence, he sends us.
Matthew—All Authority in Heaven and on Earth Prayer for Helpers
“Lord, raise up workers for the harvest … and Lord, even me.”
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Not only does the heart of Jesus move Him to go to the crowds with compassion.
His command to pray for more goers compels the disciples to go themselves on the mission He is preparing to send them on.
There is something more fundamental that we must observe for our purposes.
It’s the…
Our model of missions – Enter, Know, and Bring
Our model of missions – Enter, Know, and Bring
Jesus gives for us His model of how He changes the world.
Remember as I’ve mentioned before that Jesus was not burdened with the neediness of people around Him.
When we want to escape away from the needs of people, Jesus moves toward them.
There is a bit we can learn from this model Jesus presents for us as His followers.
Enter their world.
Enter their world.
Jesus entered the physical world of flesh and blood.
He entered a world plagued by hunger, sorrow, and sadness abounding.
He didn’t remain aloof from people.
He came near.
He came near and became like us in every way except for sin (Hebrews 2:14).
For Christians in the West, we must grapple not only with entering other people’s world.
We might even be well and good to go into their world and help them in their need.
But there is another dimension that invites people into our own world.
Our homes are meant to be tiny spaces of eden-like peace in a world gone mad.
Father’s especially must protect and help their homes to be spaces of peace and security in a way that children can grow up to know the grace and kindness of God our Father.
It’s into these spaces that I would contend Christians are obligated to invite outsiders and less fortunate into.
The command of hospitality is not just making nice meals and having the candles set up just right, but it is inviting in the poor, vulnerable, harassed and helpless.
1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
We don’t do this at the expense of our families, but we steward the gifts of our families to welcome the unbelieving world into our homes.
Know their need through understanding.
Know their need through understanding.
If you listen to the way, that people talk about evangelism and outreach, it’s always focused on what we need to share.
And there’s a place for that, it’s important that we get the message correct.
But it’s also important that we understand the context into which we speak.
Jesus doesn’t just come down and give us an un-contextualized message.
He lives in a time and place.
He lives in a culture and a context.
In order for our message to hit home to the people of Keyser, we must know their need.
That we know their need in general, but I’m talking about knowing their need specifically.
It’s not enough to just know the general needs of a community.
We must live, build homes, and dwell amongst a people and know their specific needs.
Bring them the Savior.
Bring them the Savior.
This seems like a passing comment but it is truly the core of what Jesus is doing for these disciples, “[He] gave them authority.”
The authority of Jesus is passed on to His followers to spread the “good news” of the kingdom of God coming through healing, casting out of unclean spirits, and proclamation of the kingdom.
This authority that Jesus gave to those later called Apostles
We want people not only to encounter some truths.
We want them to encounter the risen Christ.
We want people to know and see and believe and treasure the Lord Jesus.
It is not enough to merely bring people some facts about God.
We must bring them truth, inflamed by the Holy Spirit.
We must bring them the message of the risen Christ.
We must bring them truth and pray the Lord fan into flame hearts of worship of the risen Christ.
So when you go to the baseball field for practice, the Christian goes on mission.
When you go to school, the Christian goes on mission.
Our Lord is compassionate toward the helpless thus His compassion compels us to a life on mission.
Our Lord is compassionate toward the helpless thus His compassion compels us to a life on mission.
