In the Gospel this morning there is a lot happening. Jesus travels to cities and villages teaching, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing the sick. When he sees the crowds he has compassion for them.
In the Gospel of Matthew, the word for compassion appears 5 times, with these verses being the first. The word compassion is often described as a state of being or feeling in which something has occurred to move someone to feel sympathy, empathy or perhaps even pity for someone or something else.
Throughout Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is moved to compassion by the physical distress He sees that people are in. He is moved to heal their illnesses or to provide them with food.
In todays passage, Jesus’ compassion is in response to not just illness or lack of food. He is moved by their situation of vulnerability. He has compassion on those who apparently live on the edges of society because of illness, disability, ostracism, and social convention that renders some people “harassed and helpless!” They were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus sees the crowd and likens them to the harvest (that is plentiful.) He sends the disciples (the laborers that are few) into the harvest.
Jesus calls His disciples and gives them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to cure every disease and every sickness. Matthew names the disciples who were called, Jesus send them out with instructions on who to preach to, what to say, the kinds of acts they are to perform. He tells them not to receive payment, and what to wear. He tells them what to do and how to act if they are not accepted and listened to. He tells them they will be persecuted for his sake. He tells them when they are handed over to the authorities, not to worry about what to say, for the Spirit of the Father will speak through them.
Compassion in Matthew’s Gospel is not just feeling sympathy and empathy. It is acting on behalf of the affected. Now Jesus’ compassion has gone beyond Him to the work of these who follow him and out to the life of the places they enter. This can be a lesson to us. Jesus is also sending us out into the world to show our compassion. Is compassion on the move in and around us? I think so!
The things people need in life are not just healing of sickness. We need to let those who are weary and in pain know that we see them. This kind of compassion is about letting those who are not seen know that we see them.
I think the scripture for today shows us what the season of Pentecost is all about. It’s not only about us as Christians seeing how God has empowered us through the Holy Spirit to have courage to go out and spread the Gospel message. It’s not a season about individuals being empowered and inspired. This is a season to see we have all been inspired and empowered to see the world around us, especially the people often overlooked and ignored. It’s a season to act and help these people with their circumstances in their communities. What shows we have compassion as Christians is the act that compels the one feeling it to move, and not reacting to the emotion alone. What does your compassion move you to do?
I think we, as a congregation are doing a good job. When I became a Deacon, I was already working in outreach and I took that on as a part of my ministry. In the beginning, I did all the volunteer organizing for several ministries. But I have had people with compassion through volunteering, take the reins and move into leadership positions.
Fred Schlanser has taken that position with Salvation Army and has a core group that helps him every 4th Sunday. Can he use more volunteers? Of course! If God is putting this on your heart, let me or Fred know if you are interested.
Erika and Brandon Miller have taken the leadership role of Churches United for the Homeless. They also have a core group that helps but they could also use more volunteers. Let me know if you are interested.
Our youth have stepped up and with the help of Joelle Shewey they are doing wonderful things in the city and the world, to help people who are less fortunate. They have collected food for local food pantries. Collected personal items for several different organizations. They have put together party supplies for families who otherwise would not be able to have birthday parties for their children. Right now they are collecting several items to put together 50 boxes for Christmas presents for children who would otherwise not get a Christmas gift. You have donated things for these and many more projects that they have done. Some of you volunteer in the Community Gardens and some of the produce is donated to the community.
Can we do more? Maybe! If you have an idea for a project in the community that could show our compassion, I’d love to hear it. Maybe I can help facilitate and move your project forward. Let me know!
This is what Jesus asked the disciples to do and now he’s asked us to do the same. Let’s go into the world and show people what Christian compassion looks like!
Amen.
Write a comment: