MATTHEW 9:36 – When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

THEME OF THE DAY: DO WE SEE THEM?  They are everywhere.  Right outside the front doors of our houses; neighbors, tellers in our banks, cashiers in grocery stores, attendants at drive-thru windows, friends, co-workers, family members, people sitting in traffic with us, and the majority of people we will see on a daily basis.  They are the people Jesus describes in today’s scripture – lost sheep (sinners) who have yet to know Him as their Shepherd (Savior).

Now today’s theme . . . do we see them?  We must. It is our mission on earth.  Jesus gave us the Great Commission to obey not the Great Option to consider – Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age”  (Matthew 28:19-20). The Apostle Paul in writing to the church at Corinthians affirmed this is our purpose on earth; the message and ministry of Gospel reconciliation between God and sinners – Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:11-21).

If we are to be on mission and reflect the love of Christ in the Gospel and consistently telling the Good News, two things must be present and deepening in our lives.  First, we must see people as Jesus sees people, and this means having His heart toward people – Jesus saw the crowds and had compassion them.  The only way to get the heart of Jesus is to experience the heart of Jesus, and this is only cultivated in solitude. It won’t occur in a life of frantic busyness and self-imposed hurriedness. And without His heart, we won’t share the Gospel.

Then we must do what the Great Commission commands – go.  We invest in the lives of sinners in what we may call redemptive relationships; being a friend of sinners like our Lord was and is.  And let’s not be afraid. No need. His love casts out fear (1 John 4:18), and God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

So, do we see them? They are everyone.  Jesus does and so should we!

PRAYER: “Father, give me the heart and eyes of Your Son to see people who need Him as their Savior.”

QUOTE: “Unless we have the heart of Christ for the lost we will never share the Gospel with the lost.”

In the affection of Christ Jesus,

Pastor Jim