Awesome Message

This morning there was an awesome message at church. I typically summarize the sermons and then just keep them "private" (I don't post them) but this one was so amazing I wanted to share. I figure more people can benefit besides me :). The sermon series has been "All in", this week was specifically about being All in-in ministry.

The scripture that the pastor used as the basis for the sermon was Matthew 9:35-38:

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on 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 workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Here are some key points that I wrote down.

We need to be willing and available and meet people where they are.

We need to go like Jesus goes. Jesus went into towns and villages and proclaimed, taught, and healed.

Jesus healed with touch. This showed the true character of God. Jesus could have healed anyway he wanted to. Many of these people where very sick, contagious, outcasts. Jesus touched them anyway and demonstrated compassion and love.

We need to see as Jesus sees. We tend to look but not see. It is easy to get so angry and judgmental with people. We do not know their circumstances and why they act the way they do. The pastor mentioned that in his sin, it is easy to group suffering people into two groups, the group that is suffering because of choices or sin and the group that is suffering due to no fault of their own (that we know of). In all reality, it does not mater, we still need to understand that they are someone that Jesus loves and we are supposed to as well. It is not our job to determine if they "deserve it"!

We need to feel like Jesus feels...have serious compassion, not just in words but in the pit of our stomach.

My prayer as I left the service is that I can remember that everyone sins, I am no better than anyone else. I pray that I will be given eyes like Jesus so that I can have true compassion and reach out and help people in need.