Christ's Compassion and Concern

Well, let's begin our worship by singing to God's praise.

We're going to sing in Psalm 147, in the Sing Psalms version, Psalm 147.

Sing Psalms version.

We're going to sing from verse 1 to 7.

This is page 192.

And it's a psalm that just reminds us about coming to the Lord with praise.

Praise the Lord, how good it is to sing him songs of praise.

How pleasant to give thanks to him for all his gracious ways.

We come with these words in mind to praise our God.

Singing from verse 1 to verse 7 on the Tunis Free Church.

The Lord, how good it is to sing him for all his gracious ways.

The Lord builds up Jerusalem and the ages alone.

To bring the exile's home.

He heals his people's broken hearts,

He stores the news that way.

He sets the number of the stars and rolls very tiny.

the end of the house and rocks,

The Lord sustains the defense,

The Lord must live miy in the

The wicked to the God.

Sing to the Lord with handfulness,

with joy in space proclaims.

And when the music of the heart

give glory to his name.

Let's unite our hearts in prayer.

Let us pray.

Our gracious Lord, our Father in heaven,

we bow in your presence at this time,

just coming in adoration of you,

coming in praise of you,

with much to be thankful for.

We thank you for who you are,

for how we have sung of your greatness

in this psalm,

how profound your wisdom is,

as the psalmist says.

And we thank you that your wisdom

is so much greater than ours.

Your word reminds us that your ways

are above our ways and your thoughts

above our thoughts.

And so we are reminded by that, Lord,

that whatever our ways and our own wisdom,

that you are the one who is able to direct us

and to help us to find our security

and our help in you.

And we thank you that as we come to you,

we recognize just who you are,

for your word describes it so wonderfully for us.

There are so many passages of Scripture

that we can turn to and we're reminded of

your great power,

your steadfast love,

your great mercy towards your people,

the way that you are a God

who abhors all wickedness, Lord,

the way that you are in knowledge of all things,

that judgment belongs to you.

But we thank you that you have great power

over your people,

that you have authority in all things.

For you are the Lord who builds up Jerusalem.

You are the one alone who reaches out to Israel,

as your word says,

to bring the exiles home.

We thank you for these wonderful promises

for your people.

We thank you too that your word speaks of

your great healing power,

that you are the one who is able to heal

the people's broken hearts,

to restore the bruised and lame,

so that in the midst of all the authority

and power you have in creation,

you have numbered the stars

and called them by name.

But you have also seen your people.

You have numbered them

and you call them by name as well.

And you know every need,

every personal need,

every wider need,

every national and international need

of your people far and wide.

And so we call upon your name tonight

as the living God.

We call upon you as the one,

the only one who is able to help,

the only one who is able to bless.

And in all that we see

as impossible for ourselves,

we thank you that all things

are possible with you.

And so we come this night, Lord,

praying for your church.

We pray that you will build your church up,

that here in our own midst,

in our town,

in our community,

in our presence here, Lord,

that you will build us up as a people,

that you will help us

to be a living people,

an active people,

a people of much faith,

of much prayer,

of much service to you.

We thank you, Lord,

that you have promised

to build your church up,

that the very foundation of it

has been set,

that Jesus Christ is the cornerstone,

that he is the one

upon whom all things are built.

And we thank you, Lord,

that that is such a wonderful reminder to us

of the security of your church.

For when the enemy attacks,

as we so often see it,

as we read it in your scripture too,

we are given that wonderful promise

that though the gates of hell

prevail against your church, Lord,

that it will stand secure.

And so we pray, Lord,

that you will continue to bless

your people near and far.

As we think of the atrocities

taking place in Israel and Gaza,

as we think of the devastation,

the loss of life,

the ongoing conflict, Lord,

we are just,

have no words in it, Lord,

but we cry out to you

that you might have mercy,

that you might come,

O Lord,

in your power,

that you might turn

a people to you,

that peace would come,

that we would see,

O Lord,

your hand

in the midst of these

terrible situations,

that we would see,

even if we don't understand it,

that you would use it for good.

We remember and continue

to pray as well

for other conflicts

around the world,

as we think of

the Russian and Ukraine

conflict as well

and ongoing there,

so we pray, too, Lord,

for peace to come.

We recognize, too, Lord,

that our world,

in so many ways,

has turned away from you,

but yet we thank you

that throughout the world

there are signs of growth

and encouragement,

that especially where we see

and hear of people

being persecuted

for their faith,

suffering for it,

that you are indeed

giving us strength of faith,

that we should long

for ourselves,

that we would see,

O Lord,

and pray for your church

far and wide,

that we would pray

for ourselves, O Lord,

to be built up

with a strength of faith

that will stand up

to all the attacks

that we come under,

that we would stand up

with courage and boldness

and speak out against wrongs

and seek your good

throughout our land

and for all people.

And for that,

we pray for all our leaders,

Lord,

from our king

and the royal family

as a whole.

Lord,

we pray

that you will give them

wisdom to lead

and to rule over a people,

Lord.

We pray for them,

Lord,

to know

your spirit working,

to know

what it is

to truly believe

in the Lord Jesus,

to put their faith

in him.

we ask,

Lord,

that you will

do them good

to that end.

We pray for

Prime Minister

and First Minister

and Parliaments

in London

and Edinburgh.

We pray again

for your blessing

over them,

O Lord,

that you would guide them

to yourself,

that you will humble them

under your mighty hand,

that they would know

your power,

that they would know

that all authority

belongs to you.

O Lord,

have mercy on us

in these things.

We pray too,

Lord,

for our people here

and especially

remembering those,

Lord,

with particular needs.

We pray for

families going

through times

of bereavement

just now.

Again,

we commit the family

of Asda McKenzie

to you,

asking for your blessing

on them,

Lord,

for you to comfort,

to uphold

and to strengthen.

Remember too,

Lord,

the MacLeod family,

Reverend Duncan MacLeod

and Morick

and their other children

and the wider family

as they will

come together

on Tuesday

for the funeral

of Katie.

O Lord,

in the midst

of that great sorrow

and pain

that they feel,

we just pray

for your comfort,

for your promises,

even as we have

sung of,

that you are the one

who is able

to heal

the people's

broken hearts.

O Lord,

we pray

for your great

mercy and comfort

to them all

at this time

and others too,

Lord,

who mourn.

We pray

to be near to them,

be with all

who are ill

and in hospital

and homes again,

Lord,

we pray for them.

Be with us all

as a people,

we pray that

as we even read

your word

and turn to it

this evening

that you will

remind us of

what a wonderful

Savior we have,

what a wonderful

sacrifice he has

made for us,

that he has come

to seek

and to save

sinners.

We thank you,

Lord,

for the wonderful

compassion

shown by our Lord

that even as he saw

a crowd helpless

and harassed

like sheep

without a shepherd,

we thank you

that his gaze

upon them

was one of loving

compassion

and concern.

And so we pray

that you will

fill our hearts

with that same

burden

for all we see

around us,

that we would have

a great compassion

and concern

for all people

near and far.

So, Lord,

may you bless

your word to us.

May you help us

to have understanding

of what you are

saying to us.

May you guide us

through it.

So, may you continue

to bless us,

Lord,

and watch over us.

Can we commit

the youth fellowship

that meets later

to you as well,

Lord,

for your blessing

there upon the young

people who meet.

We thank you

for Jonathan and Alison

as they host

and for Hannah

as she comes to speak

and we just pray,

Lord,

that you will be

in their midst

as well.

So, Lord,

continue with us now.

Go before us

in the week ahead.

Guide our steps,

guide our thoughts,

guide our words

and actions

and all that we do,

may it be,

to your glory

and forgive us

our sins,

O Lord,

as we confess them

on you,

that you will cleanse us

by the precious blood

of Christ.

For we thank you

that in the cost

that has been paid,

that there is redemption

for your people.

We pray, Lord,

to know that saving power.

So, bless us,

we pray,

and hear us

as we ask all these things

in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

We'll again sing

to God's praise,

this time in Psalm 87

in the Singed Psalms,

page 115

of the psalm books.

Psalm 87.

And we can sing

the whole of this psalm.

Psalm 87,

page 115.

On Jerusalem's holy mountain,

he has founded his abode.

More than all of Jacob's dwelling,

Sion's gates,

are dear to God.

We'll sing

the whole of this psalm

to God's praise.

Psalm 87.

Glorious kings of you are spoken,

Zion, city of the Lord,

May be drawn from all the nations,

As your people I record.

I will name us,

Lord, to know me,

Egypt, Tyre, and Balea,

Palestine,

along with Gershaw,

I will count us high on war.

Yet,

Saint,

it will be said,

O Zion,

This and that

will hear the old,

And on her

the highest blessing

Will descend

And make us strong.

For in Zion,

God will enter,

In the people's register,

They will sing

As saving,

All my fountains

Are in hell.

We turn together

to read God's word

now in the gospel

of Matthew,

Matthew 9 · chapter mention

chapter 9.

Matthew,

Matthew 9 · chapter mention

chapter 9.

We're going to take up

our reading at verse 9,

reading down to the end

of this chapter.

Matthew,

Matthew 9 · chapter mention

chapter 9,

and taking up

our reading at verse 9.

In the previous chapter,

chapter 8,

in the beginning of this chapter,

if you just have a quick glance,

you see Jesus healing

and cleansing many people.

We see that's a theme

running through these chapters.

And what we're seeing

is really Jesus' longing

and desire towards a people,

and we'll see that at the end.

of chapter 9,

which we'll be focusing on

together this evening.

And let's take up

our reading at verse 9

of chapter 9.

As Jesus passed on from there,

he saw a man called Matthew

sitting at the tax booth,

and he said to him,

Follow me.

And he rose and followed him.

And as Jesus reclined

the table in the house,

behold, many tax collectors

and sinners came

and were reclining

with Jesus and his disciples.

And when the Pharisees saw this,

they said to his disciples,

Why does your teacher

eat with tax collectors

and sinners?

But when he heard it,

he said,

Those who are well

have no need of a physician,

but those who are sick.

Go and learn what this means.

I desire mercy

and not sacrifice.

For I came not to call

the righteous,

but sinners.

And the disciples of John

came to him,

saying,

Why do we and the Pharisees fast,

but your disciples

do not fast?

And Jesus said to them,

Can the wedding guests

mourn as long

as the bridegroom

is with them?

The days will come

when the bridegroom

is taken away from them,

and then they will fast.

No one puts a piece

of unshrunk cloth

on an old garment,

for the patch tears

away from the garment,

and a worse tear is made.

Neither is new wine

put into old wineskins.

If it is,

the skins burst

and the wine is spilled

and the skins are destroyed.

But new wine is put

into fresh wineskins,

and so both are preserved.

While he was saying

these things 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.

And Jesus rose

and followed him

with his disciples.

Behold,

a woman

who had suffered

from a discharge of blood

for twelve years

came up behind him

and touched

the fringe of his garment,

for she said to herself,

If I only touch his garment,

I will be made well.

Jesus turned

and seeing her,

he said,

Take heart, daughter.

Your faith

has made you well.

And instantly,

the woman was made well.

And when Jesus came

to the ruler's house

and saw the flute players

and the crowd

making a commotion,

he said,

Go away,

for the girl is not dead,

but sleeping.

And they laughed at him.

But when the crowd

had been put outside,

he went in

and took her by the hand,

and the girl arose.

And the report of this

went through

all that district.

But as Jesus passed on

from there,

two blind men

followed him,

crying aloud,

Have mercy on us,

son of David.

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.

Then he touched

their eyes,

saying,

According to your faith,

be it done to you.

And their eyes

were opened.

And Jesus sternly warned them,

See that no one knows

about it.

But they went away

and spread his fame

through all that district.

As they were going away,

behold,

a demon-oppressed man

who was mute

was brought to him.

And when the demon

had been cast out,

the mute man spoke.

And the crowds marveled,

saying,

Never was anything

like this seen in Israel.

But the Pharisees said,

He casts out demons

by the prince of demons.

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 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.

Amen.

And may God bless that reading

from his word.

Before we turn back

to that passage,

we'll again sing

to God's praise

in Psalm 103

in the Scottish Psalter version.

Psalm 103,

page 369.

And we'll sing

from verse 1

to verse 5,

the tune is Kilmarnock.

Although my soul

bless God the Lord

and all that in me is,

be stirred up

his holy name

to magnify

and bless.

We'll sing

from verse 1 to 5

to God's praise.

O Lord, my soul, best of the Lord, and all that in me is,

He stood up his soul in him, to my life, and all that in me is,

Bless, O my soul, the Lord, I know, and not forget for thee.

Of all his gracious benefits, he hath which stood on thee.

All thy name, if we're thee to God, most graciously forgive.

O Lord, my soul, the Lord, my soul, and grace, hath thee and me weary.

O Lord, my soul, best of the Lord, and all that in me is,

O Lord, my soul, best of the Lord, and all that in me is,

Who with the wonders of good things, does satisfy thy mind,

So that he can speak, O sing, bring you in his time in good.

can we turn back together to our reading in Matthew chapter 9

Matthew 9 · chapter mention

and we can read again at the end of the chapter verse 35 to 38

as you read through these verses we've read together from verse 9 you see Jesus

it said that he's passing on he's moving on he's going from place to place with many different

things happening and he's seeing many different people and then as kind of summarizing at the end

of the chapter here in verse 35 we see that he continued to go through so many places Jesus went

through all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel

of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction then these words when he saw

the crowds he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a

shepherd and 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

Jesus as we say has seen many crowds of people in many different circumstances as he's been traveling

around and it's this idea of a crowd as he sees him and what he sees in them that we want to think

about this evening because it says here in verse 36 when he saw the crowds he had compassion for them

compassion because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd so it was something

that Jesus was seeing in his day and I'm sure something in many ways we see ourselves today too we see many

different crowds around us but how do you react in crowds of people some people find crowds difficult

find it kind of overwhelming and claustrophobic to be in a crowd others love to be in the midst of a crowd

of people I suppose it might depend sometimes what kind of crowd of people you're with or you're in

if we're gathered together here this evening or if we're in other places where we gather to worship

God with a large crowd of people it can be a real joy and a delight and uplifting to be

among like-minded people lifting our voices and praise to God but other times you can end up in a

crowd and it's not your own fault you end up in a crowd by mistake perhaps you're just walking along

and all of a sudden you're in the midst of a crowd of people perhaps you are out marching or protesting

about something and you end up just almost being swept along by this crowd and it can be a terrifying

experience a very unnerving experience so a lot of times it depends what kind of crowd we're in and

i'm sure many of us have been in different crowds in different places over the years

whatever crowd you find yourself in wherever you are what's fascinating about crowds is just observing

the variety of people that you find there whatever kind of crowd it is wherever it is

however many people there are what you see is a people who are all made in the image of God

the question very often is is that how we see them and we want to see this evening how

jesus sees crowds how he sees people and the compassion that he has for them for as a great reminder

to ourselves how we should look out ourselves and see the people around us a reminder of the compassion

of the lord to his people and as you read through the gospel of matthew we are reminded even in this

chapter we've read it in verse 13 why god sent his son into this world why jesus came into this world when

you look at verse 13 of this chapter in the midst of jesus again with being with people sitting with

tax collectors and sinners as the the pharisees would see them but jesus sees them differently

he says in response to the complaints that he receives those who are well have no need of a physician but

those who are sick in verse 13 go and learn what this means i desire mercy and not sacrifice for i came

not to call the righteous but sinners that is why jesus came and up until this point in the gospel of matthew we

learn so much about the authority of jesus who he is as the son of god and why he has come

in the fulfillment of scripture she has come to save his people from their sins

so we've learned you learn up to this point about the power the authority of jesus

and then at the end of chapter 9 this section that we're looking at this evening we come to a kind of

a point of transition where the focus shifts not just on jesus and all the work that he is doing

and the authority and the power he has but what he wants his people to do and the power and authority

that he is giving to them as they are being reminded of the people around them as they are to see them as

we will see as the harvest feels the harvest is plentiful and as he goes on from here it's

sending his disciples and sending his people out that they might proclaim the gospel of the kingdom

of god and you see that as you go in to chapter 10 the 12 apostles then being sent out but before

that we come to that and the end of chapter 9 we're seeing just why they were chosen and sent out

and why jesus continues to send his church out today we are being sent out and we are to be a people who

have a compassion and a concern for those around us what do we see we see jesus here as he says here in

verse 36 he had compassion for them and this compassion is then shown in the concern that there will be people

laborers to go out into the fields to go out into the fields to bring in the harvest and as a people as a church that is

the compassion and concern we should have ourselves as well as a church we should long and look around us to see

the harvests brought in a people brought in to know the lord jesus that the lord would give us the heart of christ himself

for that compassion for that compassion for the lost the christian writer jc ryle he said this once

a person who does not feel for souls of all unconverted people surely does not have the mind of christ

so what a challenge there is in these words as we think of them in the context of this passage the

compassion and the concern that jesus showed towards the crowds and as jc ryle says if we don't have that

feeling for souls of the unconverted people surely then we do not have the mind of christ

we can become distracted even as a church as a body of god's people as a denomination as a church

worldwide we can become so distracted by so many things that go on things that we think are so

important for our own agendas and our own lives that we can so easily lose sight of what is at the heart of

the gospel that jesus proclaims to us here it is a people who are lost and a people who are perishing

that we would seek to have this compassion and concern that will be infectious to us that we would see the

lord jesus and what he has done for us that he came for sinners and that he claimed as he claims sinners for

himself that he would equip us as poor sinners as we were thinking this morning as fragile frail jars of

clay but with a great treasure the gospel the glorious gospel so let's think about christ's compassion and

christ's concern as we see it in this passage and see what it says to ourselves first of all we think of

christ's compassion and we see it there so clearly in verse 36 when he saw the crowds he had compassion for

them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd going astray lost no direction in their lives

and he saw them and he had compassion on them so where does the compassion come from what is the heart what's

behind this compassion well it's the essence of who he is of who jesus is when we think of the word compassion we maybe think of

just one word in english but there's a number of different words that are used for compassion in the greek

and the one that's used here for compassion in the greek is only used of the lord it's almost like it's a unique

word that only applies to the lord himself that only he can have this kind of perfect

compassion because our compassion is never perfect because we are sinners but christ's compassion is perfect

and when you read where this word is used and used of the lord it's always into circumstances

of distress and despair and grief but the lord is there showing his wonderful compassion

whether it's seeing crowds as we're seeing here or whether seeing families or individuals

that jesus has a special compassion for his people unlike anything that we could show

but when you think of who he is should we be surprised of course not we are imperfect but he is perfect

how could jesus reach out to all the people he did how could he care about so many different people

in so many different situations what motivated him motivated him well you have to go back to who he is

as the gospel of john reveals to us this is god himself made flesh the word of god who dwells among us who is with us

who god sent into this world

jesus born into this world god with us god is behind it he sent his son in this world to

this world because of his love for the world for the lost

and so many people look at the old testament and they read it and come away from it with the idea that

that that god is a cruel god a harsh god a god who is almost full of wrath

and yet when you read in the new testament of jesus what we see is the exact nature of god who this is

so it reminds us of god is a god of compassion yes he has wrath and judgment but also such great love

we are reminded of who jesus is in the book of hebrews chapter one and it says long ago at many times and

in many ways god spoke to our fathers by the prophets but in these last days he has spoken to us by his son

whom he appointed the heir of all things through whom all he also he created the world and it says he is the

radiance of the glory of god and the exact imprint of his nature

god is holy he is a consuming fire he's a god of wrath and judgment but he's also a god of steadfast love

grace and mercy and compassion so this is the essence of who jesus is and where his compassion

comes comes from he is not hindered by a fallen sinful nature he is not selfish like we are he goes

beyond all the flaw flaws and faults that mark us

but that does not mean we should not long to be like him surely that is the desire of every christian

to be more christian to be more christian to be more christian to be more christian to be more christian

so what do we see here of christ jesus we see how he sees the crowd he sees his people he's looking on

them intently and as he looks upon them he sees them with compassion compassion

a longing that they would not be lost that they would not be without a shepherd but that they would know what it is to be brought into the fold

that they would know what it is to have the peace of jesus

a quick glance over chapter 8 into chapter 9

it shows us the concern that jesus had

jesus cleanses a leper he heals a centurion servant he heals peter's mother-in-law he calms a storm

he delivers men from being demon possessed he heals a paralytic he raises a girl from her deathbed he heals two blind

men and casts out a demon out of a man who was mute you read through it and you see all of these things

why because of his compassion he sees a people in need

jesus knows the pain his people suffer he knows every situation that they are in he knows what it is to be hurt

deeply but he is also able to help in our hearts to enter into our hearts with us to be there with us

he sees a people as only he can

and so it asks us that question how do we look on people

an american author he's no longer living by the name of stephen covey

and he wrote a number of books and in one of his books he speaks about an unusual experience he had

and it was a day when he was on the new new york subway

and he was traveling on the subway and while he was sitting in one of the cars

with a number of a large number of other people the place was fairly quiet

until a man came on who had a couple of children with him

the man just sat back in his seat and his children just started playing around making much noise and

disturbing the place causing chaos and it was getting to the other passengers on the tram on the underground

that they felt that children's behavior was inappropriate that the father should do something about it

and eventually it got to the point where stephen covey felt that he had to go and speak to the man and so

he did he went over to him and said look

your children are being so disruptive can you not do something to settle them down

at that point the man just who had been sitting with his eyes closed opened his eyes and started looking around

oh he said i'm sorry you're right

i should do something about it but then he went on to say this we've just come

from the hospital where their mother just passed away an hour ago

and i don't know what to think i don't know what to do and all of a sudden stephen's attitude of

being annoyed by what was going on was suddenly changed to a thought of compassion for this man

stephen like so many others had just looked and judged without knowing what was going on in this man's experience

experience now what's interesting is stephen covey didn't believe in jesus as we believe in him

but yet he had compassion

so how much more compassion should we have as the disciples of christ to look around ourselves and not look

around with eyes of judgment thinking we know exactly what's going on and what needs to be done

when perhaps behind it all we know nothing of the experience of individuals of families of strangers that we see around us

compassion starts when we begin to understand the hurts of others and to know that we are one who is able to help

but do we have that heart and these eyes of compassion for those around us in that way jesus saw the crowds and he had compassion on them

on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd

how do we view people how do we see those around us do we look through the eyes of jesus through eyes

of compassion or do we look with eyes of judgment

he saw the crowd and had compassion the second thing we see here is christ's concern

perhaps we do have compassion

perhaps we do have

compassion towards not just those we know but those we see around us as well

but we see with the compassion of jesus here

it's not a compassion

without

action

you see you see it as you read through

the book of matthew up to this point he had compassion

compassion but he was doing something about the needs of the people

helping us only he could but also teaching his disciples that as they would be sent out that

they would go with his power with his authority with his help

and that he would teach them to have that compassion

for all that they would come into contact with

as well

if we think of compassion

in our own understanding

compassion is often defined as

a strong feeling of sympathy and sadness

for the suffering and a wish to help them

we cannot maybe reach

the compassion of jesus that only he could show in a perfect way

but we should have a compassion that leads to a concern

to help others

seeing them as harassed and helpless and not just

doing nothing

but asking what can we do

he's full of compassion here jesus

but he's also got a plan

and his plan is for his church

his church to go out into the harvest fields

and his church to pray for others from generation to generation to go out

into the harvest field

his plan is to send help to a needy people

and so when you look at verse 37 and 38

it shows that his compassion leads into this concern

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

jesus describes here the people the crowds that he is seeing as the harvest fields

ripe with grain that are ready to be harvested

but what he sees is the laborers are few

but we see that he has a plan

and his plan is founded on prayer

he said to his disciples pray earnestly to the lord of the harvest to send out the laborers

into his harvest

when you read these words you think

the prayers that his disciples had at this time

are they still being answered today

that they prayed not just for the harvest field as it was in these days

but that for every generation

and every nation of this world

that there would be laborers for the harvest for generations to come

and that as we pray we enter into this ongoing prayer

that the harvest would be brought in

there to pray

but there to pray earnestly with this heart and eye of compassion

that they too would see the crowd and would see the need that there is

that they would go

as part of jesus's concern to show this compassion and concern to others themselves

if you go and sit in any public place

whether it's an airport or a coffee shop or the library or wherever you might go

a place where people are passing by

do you ever take time just to look at the people who are around

the people who are dashing around perhaps if you're

certainly if you're not so much storing away airport

but if you go to a bigger airport

glasgow or heathrow or somewhere like that

you'll always see people

dashing around rushing from

one terminal to another or from one gate to another

and everybody seems so harassed

the same with trains and stations and places like that

you see people who are just dashing around

you ever stop just to wonder about these people and pray for these people

with a sense of concern and compassion for them

whether it's around us here or wherever we go

that we have a sense of concern and compassion towards them

and pray for them

pray for the people who pass by you in the street here

who pass by you in the coffee shops and other shops

pray because they are part of the harvest field

pray that they would come pray for laborers

whether they be others or ourselves

that as the lord gives us a burden that we would go

because that is the prayer that jesus is telling them to have here

pray earnestly to the lord of the harvest

to send out laborers

into his harvest

and there's a real sense of power behind that word

send

it's more than just

just go out if you want

there's a sense of power because this is his plan

plan for his church for his people

that they would be sent out

thrust out

it has almost a violence behind it

people are being forced out to go

but it's not so much forced

but behind this word is the idea of an explosion taking place

that there's a real sense of power behind

so they're sent out with the power of god behind them

and with a real desire to go out

with a compassion of their savior in their hearts

a desire for many to be saved

that is what is behind this

and is that how we pray

pray

lord not just you do the work

we pray that of course

but lord help us

to see

men women boys and girls

used in this way

used by you because the harvest

is plentiful and the laborers are few

J.C. Ryle again

to quote him

him he reminds us that yes we are doing this

in the power of god

he says personal working for souls is good

giving money is good but praying is best of all

by prayer we reach him without money

who money and work

by prayer we reach him without whom money and work are in vain

we obtain the aid of the holy ghost

the holy spirit

that we have that power with us

that is often our prayer

and that should always be our prayer

prayer

but behind it too

is his willingness to go

this willingness to go

he says here

we send out that he would send out laborers into his harvest

and what happens next in chapter 10

Jesus sends out the 12 apostles

they didn't sit back

they went out

and what happens at the end of the gospel of Matthew

in the last chapter chapter 28

that chapter concludes with the great commission

go therefore and make disciples of all nations

baptizing them in the name of the father the son and 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 we do nothing apart from him

he has promised to be with us

but we are to go

they go in chapter 10

they go at the end

and they continue to go to this very day

seeking the power of god with us

Jesus is concerned for his church

he has compassion and he has a concern

and his concern leads to a plan that he will send his people out

so what hinders this compassion and this concern

sometimes it's this

complacency

i don't know who said this

but somebody once wrote this

complacency is a blight that saps energy

dulls attitudes and causes a drain on the brain

the first symptom is satisfaction with things as they are

the second is rejection of things as they might be

good enough becomes today's watchword and tomorrow's standard

complacency makes people fear the unknown

mistrust the untried and abhor the new

like water

complacent people follow the easiest course

downhill

they draw false strength from looking back

complacency

complacency

complacency

kills

complacency

complacency

brings everything to a shuddering halt

we pray to the lord of the harvest

as we pray

we are to go

not satisfied with what we have

not saying that's good enough

enough

but remembering the compassion of christ

and the concern of christ

that is how we are to be

to press on in our walk with the lord

to not be satisfied with what we are or what we have

but to always be looking to him for more

more in ourselves more faith

more courage

more boldness

more in terms of people being saved

more in terms of laborers being sent out into the harvest field

more glory to god

is that our longing

c.s lewis once wrote these words he said

when he's talking here about kind of a

complacency in the midst of a people he says it's it is hard but the sort of

compromise we're hankering after is harder in fact it is impossible he says about staying as we are

but he expresses it like this

we are like eggs at present

and we can cannot go on indefinitely

just being an ordinary decent egg

we must be hatched

or else we go bad

we're never to stand still

we're never to stay as we are

we are to press on

being thrust out

sent out

not just forced out

but longing to go out

and to serve the lord

to have his compassion

and his concern

to pray to him

whether it be others or ourselves

to go

because the fields

are white

to harvest

let us pray

to the lord of the harvest

to send out laborers

into his harvest

that we would see many

being drawn in

for christ

let us pray

our father in heaven

we thank you

for the power of your word

we thank you for the power of your spirit

for the power you afford to your people

that when we are a people of faith

and courage and boldness

that we have that great assurance

that you are with us

and so help us lord

even as we see

the crowds around ourselves

how we see so many people

day by day

that we would see them

through the eyes of our lord and savior

jesus christ

that we would have compassion

and concern

and concern for them

for they are indeed so many

like sheep

without a shepherd

lord may you

send laborers out

may you send them out

from among ourselves

and from many other parts of our nation

and to all ends of the earth

for the fields are white to harvest

so we pray

to the lord of the harvest

to be with us in all of these things

so we ask it in jesus name

amen

we'll conclude by singing to god's praise

in psalm 145

the first version of the psalm

psalm

psalm 145

page 442

we'll sing from verse 8

down to verse 11

the tune is

amazing grace

and we see these words in verse 8

the lord is very gracious

in him

compassions flow

in mercy he is very great

and is to anger slow

we're reminded there

of the steadfast love

and the compassion

of our lord

and that that would be our prayer

to these words

as we sing them

that as we go out

in the week ahead

we would go

in this manner

we'll sing from verse 8 to 11

to god's praise

the lord is

eto

inter�avia

and is to rife

CHOIR SINGING

And over all his other words, his tender mercy shall.

Behold, thy words shall praise, O Lord, and in thy saints shall bless.

They shall thy kingdom's glory show, Thy power my speech express.

After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my right. We'll close with a benediction.

Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore. Amen.