Overview:
Matthew 9:27–38
Our previous concern in this pre-evangelism series was our need for repentance. Revival requires repentance. Sin and deliverance cannot coexist. Our concern now shifts to another equally important issue: our need for intercession. We are efficient when it comes to zeal, technology, and modern methods for reaching those without the Savior. We will give our money, plan our strategy, spend our energy, and implement our plans; but, in it all, our most common oversight is prayer. We need to hear our Lord’s command loudly and clearly: “Beseech the Lord of the harvest!”
Message Summary:
In the message “No Compassion, No Harvest,” Pastor Chuck Swindoll explores the essential motivation behind all effective evangelism and ministry: the compassion of Jesus Christ. By examining the way Jesus looked upon the crowds in Galilee, Swindoll identifies the deep spiritual exhaustion of a world living without a shepherd. The sermon emphasizes that reaching our world is not merely a matter of strategy or duty, but a matter of the heart. Without a genuine, gut-level compassion for those who are “distressed and dispirited,” our efforts for the harvest will remain hollow and ineffective.
Message Key Facts:
- The Itinerant Ministry: Jesus traveled through “all the cities and villages,” demonstrating a proactive rather than a passive approach to reaching people.
- The Anatomy of Compassion: The Greek word for compassion (splagchnizomai) refers to a deep, visceral reaction in one’s “inner parts.” It is a move from intellectual observation to emotional involvement.
- The Diagnosis of the World: Jesus describes the crowds as “distressed” (eklymenoi—fainting or exhausted) and “dispirited” (errimmenoi—thrown down or helpless).
- The Shepherd Metaphor: The people are described as “sheep without a shepherd,” highlighting a lack of guidance, protection, and spiritual nourishment.
- The Priority of Prayer: Before calling for more strategy or programs, Jesus’ first command in response to the massive harvest is to “beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers.”
Message References:
- Matthew 9:35: The summary of Jesus’ threefold ministry: teaching, preaching, and healing.
- Matthew 9:36: The pivotal observation of the crowds and the visceral compassion of Christ.
- Matthew 9:37–38: The harvest analogy and the imperative to pray for laborers.
- Ezekiel 34:1–6: (Contextual) The Old Testament indictment of false shepherds who neglected the flock.
- Mark 6:34: (Contextual) A parallel account of Jesus feeling compassion for a large crowd for the same reason.
Foundational Truths for Believers
Chuck Swindoll identifies four vital principles for seeing the world through the eyes of Christ:
1. Compassion Must Precede Action
We cannot effectively reach people we do not truly care about. Ministry without compassion is merely religious activity. To reach our world, we must first allow God to break our hearts for what breaks His.
2. The World is Spiritually Exhausted
Behind the masks of self-sufficiency, the world is “fainting” and “cast down.” Recognizing the deep spiritual fatigue of those around us changes our approach from one of judgment to one of mercy.
3. The Harvest is Plentiful, but the Workers are Few
The problem is never a lack of people ready to be reached; the problem is a lack of laborers willing to go. The “plentiful” harvest is a call to urgency and individual responsibility.
4. Prayer is the Catalyst for the Harvest
The “Lord of the harvest” is the one who chooses and sends the workers. Our primary role in global reaching is to be in constant, fervent prayer that God would raise up and thrust out laborers into the field.
Practical Application
- Shift Your Gaze: Intentionally look at the people in your life—coworkers, neighbors, family—and look past their external behavior. Ask God to show you their “distressed and dispirited” condition.
- Pray for Workers Daily: Set a reminder to pray specifically for the “Lord of the harvest” to send laborers. Pray for your local church, for missionaries abroad, and for your own willingness to be “thrust out.”
- Move from Judgment to Mercy: When you see someone living in rebellion or sin, catch yourself before you judge. Remind yourself that they are “sheep without a shepherd,” and ask God for a heart of compassion instead.
- Respond to the Compassion: Compassion is not a dead-end emotion; it should lead to action. Look for one practical way this week to help someone who is “fainting” or “cast down” with a gesture of Christ-like kindness.
