Matthew 9:35-38 ESV

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

As Jesus went about proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and meeting the physical needs of the people, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Here are some key observations and takeaways for us as his followers.

  1. Jesus went to the people
  2. Jesus met the physical needs of the people
  3. Jesus saw the people – their true condition as harassed and helpless, lost – and He had compassion for them.
  4. Jesus shared the truth of the opportunity: THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW.
  5. Jesus calls his followers to pray earnestly to the Lord to send workers/laborers into His harvest field that He just said was plentiful.

Pray for the Lord to send out workers into His promised plentiful harvest. And what is the harvest? A harvest of people who Jesus is calling & drawing to Himself to be His children and disciples. People who need Jesus.

Pray and ask Jesus how you can be a worker to go into his harvest field (family, friends, church, neighbors, coworkers, the world, etc). We are called to love like Jesus and make disciples. May we see those in in our spheres of influence as Jesus does and have compassion on them. May it lead us to love & share with them the greatest news & gift they could ever receive: a loving, eternal relationship with Jesus right now.