The Vineyard Church

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" Matthew 9:35-38 (NIV)

The original Greek word for compassion refers to a feeling that starts deep within the gut. It comes from the stomach. It happens when you see a situation of such pain and need that your stomach aches for the people involved...you have to do something.

Jesus was filled with compassion. His mission was to sacrifice himself in order to restore creation and fallen humanity to a right relationship with God. His overall mission was one of compassion, but He couldn't just walk past the hurting, broken people who stood right there in front of Him.

Healing, feeding, forgiving were all part of Jesus' activity on earth, but He knew His time was short. His public ministry lasted for only about three years. He couldn't heal everyone that needed to be healed.

So He did what God had been doing from the beginning...He worked through and with His human creation.

Jesus trained and sent His disciples as partners. Their purpose was to spread the Kingdom of God to the world. The disciples, however, were not even enough...there needed to be more. More people...more workers!

God calls people to follow Him not just to be forgiven, but to be partners in bringing the Kingdom of God to earth. He asks us to join a mission of compassion to a hurting world. God still wants to heal, feed, and care for the people of this world...He just chooses to do it through us.

Eric Wright