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Devotional for week – 14 July 2008 Sermon Title: A Cry for Shepherds “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matt: 9:36) Introduction We should remember that the church exists for the poor and the needy. In Matthew 25:32, Lord Jesus gives stern warning that in the end days, He will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this case, the sheep would refer to the people who ministered to those who were the least in man’s kingdom while the goats were those who did not and were thus sent to eternal torment (Matthew 25:34-35). In this passage, Lord Jesus is referring specifically to those who already believed in Him - His followers – stating that they shall also be judged by their lives and what they lived for. Matthew 25 is an indication of how Jesus had the poor and the lost closest to His heart. And so, if we love Him, we too must know where His heart is – otherwise, we would not have ever known Him. The question we have to ask today is, if we know the heart of God. To understand this further, let us see how Lord Jesus ministered to the poor and the needy: Seeing Jesus ‘saw’ the crowds, He lived with His eyes open. We already see this in Exodus 3:7, when God met with Moses at the burning bush, He declared that He had seen the misery of His people and heard their cry. Truly, our God is a God who feels for His people. Yet, much of today’s church is involved only in “doing”. If we look at our church mission trips, for example, they revolve around many activities – but how much does each mission-tripper actually see and hear in the field? The first important thing in ministry is thus, to see. This is also true in the prison ministry where seeing the hearts of the prisoners is most important. Why then do many of us not see like Jesus did? One possible reason is because we are afraid. Because seeing will shake us out of our comfort zone and compel us to the unfamiliar. Yet for those who remain open to God, they will find God taking them to places that they once thought impossible and discover their destiny, the very reason God created them. What then did Jesus see? He saw people harassed, helpless and without a shepherd. The words “harassed and helpless” convey an image of a sheep that is pinned down and ready to be devoured, without a shepherd to chase the predators away. Jesus saw the world and people through spiritual eyes. There are two dimensions in our life – what we see and do not see – today, let us allow God to develop in us, the ability to see in the supernatural realm Hearing Apart from seeing, Jesus also heard. When you stop to listen – prepare yourself – ask the Lord for spiritual ears to hear so that we can understand the urgency of the needs of the people around us and keep them from the devil - the lion that prowls around waiting to devour them. In all their situations, we should be encouraged by the goodness of God’s work in their lives and encourage them to move on. Compassion Jesus had great compassion. Compassion originates from the Greek language and refers to emotions which are deep within a person. Compassion could thus imply a reaction of great violence against oppression because of love for the victim. Isaiah 61:2 speaks of the “vengeance of God” and this is mentioned along with His favour and comfort. This is because it is the vengeance of God that brings about His favour and compassion –when Jesus saw how the devil was hurting His beloved, He took action. Likewise, we must possess that committed action. For instance, in the Prison Ministry, the constant prayer is that God will deliver His people and restore them back to freedom. Conclusion When Jesus saw His people without a shepherd, His compassion was ignited. We must remember that God is a passionate and compassionate God. When He sees His people in trouble, He calls the rest of His children to see and to hear and share in their suffering. Today, as we open our eyes to see, let us pray that we may also see and feel a deep compassion that will drive us to become part of God’s army to pray for their freedom. For all are workers in the kingdom of God – the only prerequisite is that we share the heart of God for it is God alone who calls and equips us to do the work. Today, let us ask if we see, and if we hear. Prayer Response Lord Jesus, grant me the Father’s great heart. Fill me with Your deep compassion. Open my eyes and my ears to the needs of those who are around me. Use me Lord, as your vessel to bring Your love and Your light to those around. Amen Devotional based on a sermon by Rev. Dr Chiu Ming Li
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