SEE Part 6

S.E.E. - speak. empower. engage.

To FULLY live the Victorious Life, we must SEE like Jesus.

And as we do, our ability to S.E.E. in this way, changes every part of our lives. We find that God SPEAKS to EMPOWER His people in order to ENGAGE the world.

GUT CHECK TIME

Have you have had a moment where you had to push yourself beyond your perceived limit? Maybe it was a workout and you found yourself digging deeper squeezing out a few more reps in the remaining seconds or maintaining your speed when you were way past checking it in? Maybe, there was a call for another round when you were done two rounds ago.

We call those gut checks. I’m sure you’ve heard of them.

But what about something not related to fitness? Has there been a moment when something moved you in your core? Maybe hearing about a heinous crime made you sick to your stomach. Perhaps a tragedy turned your insides upside down leaving your nauseous or in a tizzy.

We’ve all had a stomach bug but I’m guessing it’s safe to say that we’ve all had times that we would call a visceral (or gut-feeling) with or about something.

This is the nature of our story today that I want you to know Jesus has about you!!!

Matt 9:35-38

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming 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.”

Jesus saw the crowd as sheep, harassed and helpless, or another translation says, CONFUSED and helpless. The original language paints a more vivid picture. They were ‘enfeebled due to exhaustion (pooped) and scattered as in deliberately hurled or thrown down. OUCH!

When Jesus saw them, he had compassion on them. The word COMPASSION in Greek means ‘the bowels’. It was thought of as the seat of violent passions - love and anger. So, when Jesus saw the crowds, his stomach turned. It wasn’t in a repulsed manner, but one that MOVED him to his core, out of LOVE.

Ever feel harassed, confused, helpless, thrown around, and discarded? Well, Jesus SEES you! And is moved by your plight. If you’re on in the crowd, the encouragement is you’re not just a number. You are noticed and your pain moves the heart of God.

The call to action, if a disciple, is to pray for workers. There are lots of opportunities for bringing in the harvest. But as I know from my time on the farm, it’s critical to bring in the harvest when it’s time otherwise it dies in the field.

So, maybe you need to start working and if nothing else, make sure you are praying for more workers to emerge from the crowd!

#SpeakEmpowerEngage

#SEE

#RestoringWholenessOfLife 

Brett