Missing a Shepherd
Jesus lived in a world much like ours… not the technical things we have, but a world filled with people who are lost, selfish, confused… He spent His life trying to reach them with the good news. Why? Because He loved them and I can tell you that He still loves them today…
35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:35-38
Jesus went around the cities teaching the way to heaven. Sharing the good news. Giving them a report they did not know. He went around healing diseases and bringing life to the lifeless… those in despair. As He traveled around He had compassion for them… His heart melted for them. He wanted to comfort them, to encourage them… to give them hope. Why?
because they were confused and helpless. Because they were lost like a sheep without a shepherd. Lost in the world without someone to tell them the way… to show them the truth. To give them reason for hope. He had a brand new way to the Father… He had the answer for every sin they had committed… for every mistake they had made.
As He looked upon the people and shared with His disciples; He told them… The world is filled with lost people who do not know the way and there are not very many guides to give them directions… He said pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest and ask Him to send more guides, more workers… more people who will have compassion and a story to tell. After His resurrection He gave them; this set of instructions…
15 And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Mark 16:15
He wanted the world to know about Him… about His love for them… His mercy… His grace… His plan.
When I look at these passages of scripture; I see a lot of heartache. I see a world so lost and confused… a deceived people that has the truth hidden from them. People can look at the world and think surely there is something else… that there has to be more than what we see. But the truth is hidden from them… The world is blinded from the good news…
3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
This passage along with the other shows us the problem. It is a spiritual war that is taking place. People are not just ignorant alone… they are blinded. The Word is shared, the truth is spoken, Jesus is proclaimed but they cannot see it. Why not? Because Satan has blinded the eye of the unbelievers. This scripture says they are unable to see the light of the Good News… They don’t understand the message about the glory of Christ.
I mean think about it. Why would anyone turn down the message of Salvation? How could they hear about sin and the cost of the sin and then hear about the grace and mercy of Jesus and reject it. I mean when you hear the whole story and you still reject Jesus, something is wrong. What is it? The scripture just told us. They have been blinded by the enemy to the light of the true gospel. They refuse to give their lives fully to Jesus because they do not really see the whole picture.
How can anyone say that they love the Lord but refuse to go to church? Refuse might be a hard word… but it is the truth. I know several people they will say love God, but they do not go to church… they do not faithfully read the Bible… they don’t earnestly spend time in prayer to grow in the Lord… yet they will tell you they love God… they just will not live for Him and with Him. Does this sound right?
They are confused just as Jesus said. They are blinded from the truth. They feel like they are ok and yet not one thing about their life gives testimony to that. Jesus saw these people and had compassion for them. He told us to pray for more workers, for more people to shine a light in the darkness… because these people cannot see and they do not know the way to go. They might have heard the story of Jesus, but they DO NOT KNOW the way to go. They are blinded by the darkness.
Let me tell you something… you might just be the light that they need to see. There is a reason why God gave you that job… moved you to that neighborhood… put your kid on that team… Because the Lord of the harvest is sending and placing His people where He needs them. Do not let the enemy blind you to the truth and do not allow him to scare you, distract you or get you too busy to let your shine. Do not hide your faith. Do not hide your love for God and do not hide God’s love for them.
Jesus saw the multitudes that needed a shepherd. The majority that needed to hear the good news. He has challenged us to be that light in the darkness. To be that person that would share the good news faithfully to those they come across. Faithfully… not just once in a blue moon.
Listen to me… we are surrounded by people who are hurting. All around us there are people who are scared… unsure of what tomorrow holds. People who are in desperate situations and they do not see any way out. They do not see any answer available to them. They will try anything and that is where the enemy gets his hooks into them. You are to be the light they need to see. You are to be the one who loves them as Jesus loves them… the one to have compassion for them… the one to share the good news with them. To just tell them what Jesus would tell them… Look at this passage in Matthew 11…
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-29
Come to me all who are weary… come to Jesus. Come to Jesus if you are tired and do not feel like you can keep on going. Come to Jesus if you feel like your life is out of control. Come to Jesus if your marriage is in trouble… if your family is fighting a losing battle. Come to Jesus if the doctors do not have a good report for you. Come to Jesus if you have just made so many mistakes that you feel there is no hope.
Jesus wants you to come to Him because he cares. His way is the only way. It is not hard or heavy, it is filled with hope and promise. Not only will He save your soul, forgive your sins… He will carry the load you are under. He will relieve the stress… He will calm the nerves… He will speak softness and peace into your turbulent moments. But He cannot do any of this if you do not come to Him. If you do not give it to Him. Open your eyes to what is being offered and let the light in. Refuse to be blinded by the enemy any longer. Who in their right mind would reject what Jesus is offering. Will you give your cares to Him? Will you give your sins to Him for forgiveness and give Him your life? You might have thought this message was about others, but it was the only way to get you to see it is about you. About your life… Jesus wants to be your shepherd… will you let Him? Can He have that mess you have been carrying for way too long?
