Scripture Reading: Matthew 9:35-10:15, 40-42
Jesus never rested. He went about doing good. His work is summed up here in three words — teaching, preaching, and healing. He was in this world to seek and save the lost, and He went everywhere on His holy mission of love. He did not stay in one place, because then other places would have been neglected. He knew that He had blessings for the sad, suffering world, and His soul was burdened until He had borne these blessings to everyone’s door. So He went everywhere, from house to house. He was a shepherd seeking the lost, and we can see Him pressing through the dark ravine, up the steep cliffs, out upon the wild crags and over the rugged mountain, through storm and darkness, cold and heat, searching for the lost sheep. That is what He wants us to do now, for we are left in this world in His place, to carry on His work.
“When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them.” Christ’s compassion was wonderful. The sight of suffering humanity filed Him with grief. We have a picture here of the way the world of people looked to Jesus. They were “distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd.” This means that they were neglected by those who ought to have been their friends and helpers. The rulers were intended to be shepherds to their people. Instead of this, they showed them no love, no kindness, no care, but wronged them, robbed them. Jesus was among them as a true shepherd, and His heart was full of compassion toward them.
Out of the deep pity of His heart Jesus begins now to plan for the great work of saving men. “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.” He seems to have been almost appalled at the vastness of the work as He looked out over His own people and thought of their condition. But His vision was not limited to His own country. He had come to save the world, the whole world, and all nations. No wonder He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plenteous.” To meet the great need there must be many laborers enlisted. This is the beginning of the great missionary movement which is now reaching out all over the world.
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