Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Evangelism - The Church’s Primary Commission
Bible portion: Matthew 9:35-38“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” (v37)
Who do you notice when you walk into a crowded room? Perhaps it is the people who seem the most like you… the people who seem easy to talk to… or the people who look the most popular or important. In today’s passage, we see Jesus looking at a crowd and noticing another group of people. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (v36) Jesus noticed the harassed and helpless, those who needed and couldn’t find a way out (like sheep without a shepherd).
As we think today about the themes of Evangelism and the Harvest, we should probably start the way Jesus did – with COMPASSION for those who are harassed, helpless, and adrift.
Who are the harassed in our world? Maybe it’s the one kid who always gets made fun of or left out in class. Maybe it’s the one coworker who everyone likes to joke about the minute they leave the room. Maybe it’s a family member in our own home – a sibling or parent – who always bears the weight of responsibilities or criticism. Jesus SEES these individuals and has compassion on them – He calls us today to notice them, reach out to them, encourage them, show them their value, and show them that they are SEEN – by us and by God.
Who are the helpless in our world? Is there someone among our family or friends who need some type of assistance to be able to get out of a pit in their lives? Is there someone who needs us to go with them to an appointment? Needs some financial help? Needs our prayer or a listening ear? Needs our help to learn or prepare for an exam? The Great Helper, the Shepherd, is clearly Jesus – but often Jesus chooses to work in others’ lives through you and me. Are we ready and willing to join the work?
Jesus seems quite confident that there is a Harvest coming! He is in the work and calls us to join Him. However, as soon as we start doing the work of getting involved with the needs of others, we may quickly become discouraged by how great the need is all around us. To that, Jesus commands us not to get discouraged or stay uninvolved, but to get working and pray for more workers!
So how can we get started? Let’s start with compassion – As we go through our day today, let’s try to SEE and SERVE the harassed and the helpless who come our way.
As we think today about the themes of Evangelism and the Harvest, we should probably start the way Jesus did – with COMPASSION for those who are harassed, helpless, and adrift.
Who are the harassed in our world? Maybe it’s the one kid who always gets made fun of or left out in class. Maybe it’s the one coworker who everyone likes to joke about the minute they leave the room. Maybe it’s a family member in our own home – a sibling or parent – who always bears the weight of responsibilities or criticism. Jesus SEES these individuals and has compassion on them – He calls us today to notice them, reach out to them, encourage them, show them their value, and show them that they are SEEN – by us and by God.
Who are the helpless in our world? Is there someone among our family or friends who need some type of assistance to be able to get out of a pit in their lives? Is there someone who needs us to go with them to an appointment? Needs some financial help? Needs our prayer or a listening ear? Needs our help to learn or prepare for an exam? The Great Helper, the Shepherd, is clearly Jesus – but often Jesus chooses to work in others’ lives through you and me. Are we ready and willing to join the work?
Jesus seems quite confident that there is a Harvest coming! He is in the work and calls us to join Him. However, as soon as we start doing the work of getting involved with the needs of others, we may quickly become discouraged by how great the need is all around us. To that, Jesus commands us not to get discouraged or stay uninvolved, but to get working and pray for more workers!
So how can we get started? Let’s start with compassion – As we go through our day today, let’s try to SEE and SERVE the harassed and the helpless who come our way.
Prayer
Dear Lord, Help us to see with your eyes – those who You care about and want us to serve. Allow us to be a worker in your Harvest. And Lord, bring many more workers - that we may see Your Kingdom come!
Thought for the day
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” ~ Mother Teresa
Betsy Mathew, Epiphany MTC