Jesus sees the needs in our community a

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Called and Surrendered where I Live Matthew 9:35–38 Canon City EFC MAIN IDEA:

8/27/17 Jesus sees the needs in our community and calls us to join in His harvest, first in prayer, then alongside others in service as He directs and empowers.

SUPPORTING IDEAS: JESUS SEES THE CROWDS, BUT SEES THEIR NEED  Harassed & helpless  like sheep without a shepherd  Needs are EVERYWHERE - through all the towns and villages JESUS HAD COMPASSION  compassion: root “bowels, intestines” – ‘guts’; visceral; love that stirs deeply this is Jesus feeling their pain, their struggle, their agony this is the compassion that took Jesus to the cross, to die for you & me  His compassion drove Him to respond tangibly – see it here in two ways, v.35 o they needed the eternal message; receiving Him as Savior & surrender to the KING o but His compassion also drove care for their physical / tangible needs  Needs are great in our community & Jesus would see them: seniors, youth, poverty . . .  But this is not a gloom and doom outlook from Jesus – Realism, yes; pessimism, not a chance OPPORTUNITY IS GREATER “The harvest is plentiful Speaks of HARVEST Jesus sees new life bag of seed becomes a barn of grain PLENTIFUL Harvest Plentiful, because it’s HIS Harvest / LORD of the Harvest 38 We can’t fix this, but we belong to the One who can, who does in our helplessness, God does His deepest work, Holy Spirit has the most room to work INVITES US INTO THE HARVEST o joining the harvest - staying in the harvest begins with His call to PRAY, v.38  if we only see need & jump in – no matter how well intended – OVERWHELMED o it leads then, to those who pray for workers, becoming workers in chap 10  He intends for all His followers to join in the harvest – what’s your part? CONCLUSION / APPLICATION: How do crowds usually make you feel? What’s required for compassion to arise, rather than irritation? When have you found compassion stirred in your heart? Why is Jesus first command to pray? God gives us all distinct sensitivities for need around us. What needs in our community stir your heart? As you’ve been praying these past few weeks, have you sensed direction from God? Take time as a group to pray for us as a church  Help us see as you see  Stir our hearts with your compassion  Send workers into Your harvest, empower and use them  Send me