eFollowingJesusFeb6 - Harvest plentiful, laborers few (read Matthew 9:35-38 - printed below)

   "When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion."  The Greek verb, esplangnisthe, means "his stomach twisted"; the Hebrew riham implies the heaving of a woman's womb.  Jesus saw the masses, and was physiologically effected; he felt a compassionate agony, a bodily affection for them.

   But why?  They were not spiritual soldiers, marching in holy array.  They were "harassed and helpless."  How do we look at crowds, at the throng out there in the world?  We may not notice them, or we may formulate criticism in our minds for why these people are what's wrong with the world.

   If we see with Jesus' eyes, we notice that people are harassed and helpless.  People feel mistreated, victims of large forces that hamper development.  Their very efforts to help themselves are misguided; without God they are stuck being harassed and helpless.  They need the attention of God's people.

   Can we feel for them what Jesus felt?  Can we enlist as one of the laborers for the harvest for which Jesus prayed?  What can I do to insure the bumper crop of human potential doesn't rot out in the field?

   Lord, help me see with Jesus' compassion; sign me up as a worker in Your ripe fields.

James

james@mpumc.org

Sunday's sermon on Matthew 9:18-26, Jesus' healings, may be heard by clicking here.

Here is the full text of Matthew 9:18-38 -   18: While he was thus speaking to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." 19: And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20: And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment; 21: for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well." 22: Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well. 23: And when Jesus came to the ruler's house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd making a tumult, 24: he said, "Depart; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. 25: But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26: And the report of this went through all that district. 27: And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David." 28: When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord." 29: Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you." 30: And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly charged them, "See that no one knows it." 31: But they went away and spread his fame through all that district. 32: As they were going away, behold, a dumb demoniac was brought to him. 33: And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel." 34: But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons." 35: And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity. 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: pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

The full eFollowingJesus series (thus far!) may be found on our web site.