THE CROWDS, THE COMPASSION, THE COLLECTING(6)

MATT. 9:35-38

I want to thank Tyler for letting me come this morning. I want to thank you all for your support for the ministries of this association. No ministry happens without faithful believers sharing of there time and resources.

I want to share with you a little bit about the Africa well and irrigation project and bible distribution.

*Matthew 9:35–38 “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 he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “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.””

*v.35 From Matthews account Jesus spent much time teaching the word, proclaiming the gospel and performing miracles or serving the people.

*Jesus had a purpose in His ministry. What a thought for us today to be like Christ. We cannot perform miracles, but we can serve others. So we can teach, proclaim the gospel and serve people.

THE CONDITION OF THE CROWDS v.36 When He saw the crowds

What do you think Jesus saw?

*Question- When you look at someone what kind of person do you see? 1. Do we see someone who needs some form of rehabilitation in behaviour, manners and life choices. 2. Do we look at others and say if they are in trouble or not. 3. Do we see a person that has done well for their self and say they are good. 4. Do we look at someone and see a soul that is helpless, and hopeless and in need of the gospel of Christ. Not just a look at their physical condition, but a deep look into the root of their life.

*Jesus saw the real condition of the crowds. Lostness. Jesus saw the lack of spiritual leaders to lead the people to a relationship with the Father. HOW DO YOU VIEW OTHERS AROUND YOU? LBA churches only account for roughly 7% of attendance of Laurens county. If we double that for all churches 14% in attendance.

*Their condition is best explained in 2 Corinthians 4:4 “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” There was spiritual abandonment. Who will disciple these people. Who will proclaim the gospel and then disciple them.

2. THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST. v.36 When He saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they we harassed and helpless.

The word harassed- to be troubled, bothered (to be weary) The word helpless- to throw down or away. Wow. How many times have we crossed paths with the lost and seen there troubles and decided not to get involve and thrown them to the side? Or as the termed used down. This term helpless explains there condition what they are doing to their self. Matt.11:28-30

*Notice something in the bible Jesus saw the spiritual need over the physical need. Jesus had great compassion for the people. Luke 19:41–42 “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” For Jerusalem Jesus explains that if they would have known Him they would have known peace and not bitterness towards the Romans who eventually destroyed Jerusalem and many lives lost. This passage from the top of the Mt. of Olives where Jesus could see the days ahead and also the people who would turn from Him and crucify Him. Jesus still stood there for a moment and weeped for them. Wow! Knowing the treatment that he was about to receive from them. Jesus wept over them. Would you knowing what others may do when you extend a helping hand, the good news of the gospel. Would we spend time knowing of their fate and weep for them.

*In this passage Jesus said like a sheep without a shepherd. Jesus saw that the spiritual leaders, the pharisees, where not concerned for the people except to give them more burdens of their laws. The pharisees gave them a law, that they could not keep. In themselves they felt hopeless and helpless. Jesus came to give them eternal life in the good news of the gospel of salvation. Jesus came to give them eternal life in Christ, not themselves. They had no one to teach them the truth of God. In our world today they are many wondering harassed and helpless. Will you have enough compassion for them to lead them to the Good Shepherd. Jesus Christ.

3. THE COLLECTING IS PLENTIFUL (The Harvest) What does Jesus mean that the Harvest is plentiful. The harvest represents the readiness or ripeness of the fields. Or in a simple way the gospel will work. Because that is what we are talking about in this passage. The gospel of the kingdom. Think about it that God is already at work in the hearts of people. It is not a hopeless task of sharing the gospel. Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful and ready. What if we changed our opinion on the harvest from (no one wants to hear that) to they want to know because Jesus said they are ready. It is the harvest of escape from the judgement. They are many passages that talk about the return of Christ. I want to share one. John 5:28–29 “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

*The harvest is happening right now around the world. In all countries and nations. Let’s be apart of the harvest.

4. THE CALL TO PRAYER. The method that Jesus is teaching us to use is prayer for the laborers. If we persuade a person to share the gospel it possibly soon to fade, but if God calls them into the gospel it will last for an eternity. The call to prayer leads us from compassion to the commission. Jesus through prayer to care for the uncared for soul. Jesus’s compassion for the lost sheep moved him to get involved no matter the risk. He ate with sinners. He laid hands on the dead. Compassion moves us to action. (Valentines day) Listen Jesus asked them to pray for the laborers and then in the next chapter guess who Jesus sent. Them. Jesus said to pray that God would move in the hearts of His people and give them compassion for lostness, that they would be stirred to labor in the harvest. We are to preach the word, proclaim the gospel, and pray for the laborers to go forth into all the world. Until the trumpet sounds we have time. We don’t know how much time we have, but there is still time. We think of crusades of mass numbers of people coming to Christ, but what about that person in Africa or some other country who is sharing the gospel one on one and discipling and that multiplies and thousands over a few years come to Christ.

*Jesus describes the opportunity for us here. The helpless crowds, the plentiful harvest, the scarcity of laborers.

*You maybe here this morning and have never responded to the call of salvation. I pray that today you would consider the good news of Jesus Christ that saves us from our sin.

*You maybe here this morning and your compassion for others is fading. I pray that you would look at the harassed and helpless sheep as Christ did from the Mt. of Olives.

*You maybe here this morning and think that the harvest is not for you. I want you to think about those in the harvest your family, your friends, your co-workers and so on.

*I want to ask of you one thing like Jesus has for us in this passage. Pray to God for the laborers of the harvest of souls. In that prayer God will move you from compassion to commission of the gospel.