Doing Part 6

This Preaching in Shorts sermon series is called “Doing” and looks at what disciples DO.

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Scripture Reading

Matthew 9:35-38 (NIV)
35 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. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on 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 workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Workers or laborers is from the Greek word ergatace from the root ergon which means doers. The harvest is plentiful but the doers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore, to send out doers (people that are doing) into His harvest field.

Disciples need to have compassion for the lost. We cannot look at them in judgment, we cannot label them by their sin, we cannot think of ourselves as better than they are, we need to see them as harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd and have compassion that leads us to pray for them and become doers, disciples, people that do what Jesus did.

1. Compassion is a trait of a disciples heart

There is a great picture of disciples learning to develop compassion in Matthew 14

Matthew 14:13-17 (NIV)
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

So the story is, that the disciples are hungry, they have figured out how to get enough food for themselves, and they want to eat. So they tell Jesus, “Hey Jesus, would you send these people away so we can have dinner.” Jesus response is interesting. “You give them something to eat”. You need to see these people like I do. It is not all about you. Have compassion. They are hungry, spiritually and physically.

2. But, what about me?

But we only have five loaves and two fish. This is just barely enough for us. What about me?

Matthew 14:17-18 (NIV)
17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said.

3. Listen to and have faith in Jesus

Matthew 14:18-19 (NIV)
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

We need to listen to Jesus. And we need to know that when He tells us, or sends us we can trust Him. Jesus told His disciple to feed the people, but they couldn’t see how it could be done, and they were hungry. But Jesus said bring them here to me (the fish and loaves) and the disciple did. When they did, Jesus did the rest. And not only was everyone fed, each of the disciples ended up with their own to-go box of food. In our scripture reading today, we need to listen to Jesus, to pray for doers in the harvest field, and then be doers in the harvest field ourselves. You see

4. A little faith goes a long way

Matthew 14:20-21 (NIV)
20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Isn’t it amazing how the five loaves and two fish, offered to Jesus with just a little bit of faith, can have such a huge impact. This is one of the ideas behind our mission here at the Vineyard. Our mission here is One More. One More lost child back to Dad. And we like to say that the simple acts of being thankful for 5 things and encouraging two people every day, offered to God with a little bit of faith can have a huge impact on the world. Just like the five loaves and two fish offered to Jesus with a little faith fed a huge group of hungry people, offering our thankful5 and encouraging two with a little faith to Jesus can impact the world. The harvest is plentiful, but the doers are few. Be a doer for Jesus, and change the world for Him.

Related posts:

1. Doing Part 7
2. Naturally Supernatural Part 5
3. Developing a Disciple’s Heart – Part 3
4. Doing Part 4
5. Developing a Disciple’s Heart – Part 1

Tags: compassion, disciple, featured, Jesus moment, Matthew, ministry of encouragement, Preaching in Shorts

Category: Preaching in Shorts