Dr. Roger W. Thomas, Preaching Minister
First Christian Church, Vandalia, MO
Jesus Eyes--People Eyes
Mt 9:9-11; 9:35-38
Introduction: Look around right now? What do you see? We all know that it is possible to hear and not listen. We can all see but not see. We have looked for something, maybe our car keys or worse yet the remote control. We look and look and don’t see it anywhere. We ask our wife or one of the kids where what they did with it now, accusingly. They walk in the room, go over to the coffee table, and point it out. We looked and looked but didn’t see!
Car keys and remote controls are one thing. People are another matter. What do you see?
Bible scholar and author D. A. Carson tells of a time when he and a friend were going to the beach for some much-needed peace and quiet, but when they got there they found a horde of high school kids celebrating graduation with lots of beer, loud music and, shall we say, public displays of affection.
He writes, "Deeply disappointed that my evening’s relaxation was being shattered by a raucous party, I was getting ready to cover my disappointment by moral outrage. I turned to Ken to unload the venom but stopped as I saw him staring at the scene with a faraway look in his eyes. And then he said, rather softly, ’High school kids—what a mission field!’" (D. A. Carson, When Jesus Confronts the World, p.110 (Baker Book House)
That’s the picture behind our text. The NLT condenses the picture a bit. Most other translations maintains the original language a bit closer. The NIV, for example, renders 9:36, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus wasn’t the only one looking and watching that day. But he may well have been the only one to see.
Others saw . . . Disciples---crowds more work
Scribes and Pharisees---sinners and misfits
Politicians and ruthless businessmen---suckers and dollar signs
Crowds—competitors
If we had been there . . . anger, criticism, despair; what did you see when you looked . . .
What Jesus saw:
1. People—
a. Easy to see: customers, faceless crowd
i. City vs small town—people you know
ii. Rich/poor skin color labels
iii. Church—numbers/statistics
b. Jesus knew people---Nathaniel; Zaccheus; Matthew
c. People hungry for recognition
d. Attention, name, touch—hug or handshake
e. Theme to old TV show cheers
Making your way in the world today takes everything you got.
Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot.
Wouldn’t you like to get away?
Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name,
And they’re always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see our troubles are all the same.
You wanna be where everybody knows your name.
You wanna go where people know people are all the same.
You wanna go where everybody knows your name.
2. People with problems
a. Darkside of small town life—know everybody’s story/past/problems
b. What we see: not people but sins
c. Jesus saw same thing . . but took people “as is”
Are their any other kind---“as is”
d. Compassion: bowel/ deep emotion—felt it “right here”
Harassed (beaten up)
Helpless (beaten down) Life can do that to you . . .
Sheep without shepherds
Dependent
Defenseless (no weapons)
Drift
Herd instinct—
e. The catalogue of miracles…. (chapters 8-9) picture of what we feel powerless before
1. Leper – untouchable
2. Roman officers servant—unwanted oppressor
3. Demon possessed – feared/unrestrained evil
4. Paralyzed man on mat—sin issue (not excuse moral issues)
5. Synagogue leaders daughter/death
6. Storms of nature
7. Women with hemmorage—beyond medical help
8. Mute/blind—cut off from normal life
What do you see . . . .
3. People with potential
Shoe salesman send to survey territory in Africa… no potential; nobody wears shoes
Another: send inventory immediately, no body wears shoes here
Negativity and pessimism tells more about you than your world; If knew what Jesus …
Harvest—plentiful
What do you see . . .
1. Enemies—Islam, etc.
2. Poor and hurting; homeless, etc.
3. Pre Christian neighbors
4. Rebellious young people
Churches that don’t have young people, sometimes don’t want !!??
See but don’t see What it’s like—Rainer’s ten fears
People . . . with problems . . . and potential?
What do you do: Jesus job description for his followers . . .
See Pray Work
Conclusion: A seminary professor (Fred Craddock) was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. One morning, they were eating breakfast at a little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and whispered to his wife, "I hope he doesn’t come over here."
But sure enough, the man did come over to their table. "Where are you folks from?" he asked in a friendly voice.
"Oklahoma," they answered.
"Great to have you here in Tennessee," the stranger said. "What do you do for a living?"
"I teach at a seminary," he replied.
"Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I’ve got a really great story for you." And with that, the gentleman sat down at the table with the couple.
The professor groaned and thought to himself, Great…Just what I need…another preacher story!
The man pointed out the window and said, "See that mountain over there? Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place he went, he was always asked the same question, ’Hey, boy, Who’s your daddy?’
"Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the same question, ’Who’s your daddy?’ He would hide at recess and lunchtime from other students. He would avoid going into stores because that question hurt him so bad.
"When he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. The boy would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, ’Who’s your daddy?’ But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast he had to walk out with the crowd.
"Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher, not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, ’Son, who’s your daddy?’
"The people around them got deathly quiet. Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question, ’Who’s your daddy?’ This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and used discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give.
"’Wait a minute’ he said. ’I know who you are. I see the family resemblance now. You are a child of God.’ With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, ’Boy, you’ve got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.’
The boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out the door a changed person. Whenever anybody asked him, ’Who’s your Daddy?’ he’d just tell them, ’I’m a child of God.’"
The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, "Isn’t that a great story?"
The professor responded that it really was a great story.
As the man turned to leave, he said, "You know, if that new preacher hadn’t told me that I was one of God’s children, I probably never would have amounted to anything!" And he walked away.
The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress over and asked her, "Do you know who that man was who was sitting at our table?"
The waitress grinned and said, "Of course. Everybody here knows him. That’s Ben Hooper. He’s the former governor of Tennessee!"
Could leave this text there and only see half the story… What if you area one of the harassed and helpless . . . anyone here like that
Lots of reasons . . . probably everyone in this room has a bit of that in them. … Good News: Jesus sees Jesus cares Jesus can make a difference Speak for people in this room . . . we do too!
***Dr. Roger W. Thomas is the preaching minister at First Christian Church, 205 W. Park St., Vandalia, MO 63382 and an adjunct professor of Bible and Preaching at Central Christian College of the Bible, 911 E. Urbandale, Moberly, MO. He is a graduate of Lincoln Christian College (BA) and Lincoln Christian Seminary (MA, MDiv), and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary (DMin).
