“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).
TEXT — Matthew 9:35-38
Message
We sometimes believe that some of the lofty services we render in the house of God are the best He requires of us. We possess skills that others do not have and we are acclaimed by many as being vital to the work of God. That may well be true, but the greatest expectation of God from all His children is to show others the way to obtain eternal life. This hardly crosses the mind of many Christians today.
In our text, Jesus travelled to different cities and villages in Israel, preaching and teaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God. He also took time to attend to the sick, working miracles of healing and removal of sicknesses and diseases among the crowd that gathered to hear Him. On an occasion, He could not help but notice the forlorn looks on the faces of the multitudes that came to Him. He saw that many of the folk were sick and suffering from other maladies. More than that, He saw people who were without strength and fainting and roaming aimlessly. They were like “sheep having no shepherd.” At this sight, He explained to the disciples that while many people were potentially waiting to receive salvation, those who should show them the way to eternal life were so few. He then commanded the disciples not to forget to pray always for more hands to be enlisted into the task of spreading the gospel.
Left to themselves, natural men are blind and cannot find their way to God. Sadly, many think without repentance, they can bribe God with their gifts and services in the church. Yet, the only thing that can please God is for sinners to seek forgiveness and pardon from sin. Only this can give them comfort and rest in life. But, if this is to happen, we must get involved in spreading the message widely.
Thought for the day
Look Bring joy to heaven by enlisting in its army of preachers.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
