“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

When Jesus looked at all the people around him, women, men, children, some married, some single, some young, some old, some carpenters, some tailors, some builders, some farmers, some moms, some dads, some grandparents, some teachers, some homeless, some rich, some poor- all the people around him who had gathered to be healed of whatever troubled them- so much disease- so much illness.  Blindness, deafness, infertility, the inability to walk, the paralyzed, the confused, the mute, those with fever, those with pain.  So much pain! All the people who had gathered to hear Jesus teach the good news of the Kingdom.  All the people who were so desperate for hope, for protection, for freedom from injustice, to know God had not abandoned them, to know how to love God and their neighbor, to know what is right and what is wrong. Jesus saw them, in the way that only Jesus can see- not just what was on the outside but what was on the inside.  And Jesus had compassion.  Compassion- from the Latinto suffer with.  Jesus suffered with them. Jesus shared their pain, their discomfort. Jesus felt their anxiety, their fear, their oppression, their sadness. What had the leaders in the synagogues done? They had been given the responsibility to teach and care for and about God’s people.  But, shepherds they were not and the people were suffering like lost sheep- wanting to be safe in the flock but instead left to fend for themselves among wolves and steep cliffs.

So, Jesus turns to his 12 disciples and says look at all of this need, look at all of these people- see them with compassion- suffer with them.  Look at all of this opportunity to bring people to know God in a new way, look at all of this opportunity to show people how much God loves them, look at all of this opportunity to show them their worth in the eyes of God.  Look at all of the ways people can see for themselves the powerful work of God as they are healed of their diseases.

If we see Matthew’s stories as chronological, this conversation happened before the disciples witnessed the feeding of the 5000 or saw Jesus walk on water. They had heard Jesus teach and they had witnessed healings.  But, Jesus had done all the heavy lifting up until now and they had a relatively limited awareness of all that Jesus was capable of doing. But, now Jesus was telling them they were workers.  In verses following what we read today, Jesus sends out the 12 disciples with the power to heal and drive out spirits- Jesus gave them the ability to heal the body, mind and spirit.  But, before they knew about that gift and maybe even afterwards as well,  I imagine the disciples felt overwhelmed with what Jesus was asking them to do. I imagine they felt helpless- the needs clearly outnumbered the few Jesus was talking to at the time.  How could 12 men, fishermen, tax collectors, the “nobodies” of the time even make a dent in all the need they saw around them?  Jesus tells them to pray to God, to ask God for help, for more workers, for reinforcements, for more people to join the team…

Oh my, we learn so much about Jesus in these few verses…

Jesus gathers, Jesus has compassion, Jesus equips and Jesus sends.

On Sunday, January 31, 1971, right here in this sanctuary, this amazing stained glass window was consecrated.  Presented to the Glory of God in memory of Judy Gould Spahr, the daughter of Lima pastor, Ben Gould and his wife Gladys. Judy is depicted as the woman in the yellow dress on the right hand side- you can see her holding an artist’s palette as she was an accomplished painter.  If you get close to the window, you will notice that the date on the newspaper that is held by the young boy on the left hand side is dated January 31, 1971- the date of the dedication of the window.

This window makes quite the statement as one enters into this sanctuary doesn’t it? You cannot miss it or overlook it.  Jesus Christ there with his hands outstretched is the central figure.  It gets our attention for sure!

This window is a gift for us- each and every time we enter into this space or each and every time we recall its beauty.  Christ as the central figure in this space of worship. What an amazing way to stay connected to Jesus.

I think that this window helps us to see what we read about today in Matthew’s gospel. I think this window shows what we learned about Jesus in these few short verses.  A

picture is worth a 1000 words they say…today we say, this window is worth 1000 words.

Jesus gathers, Jesus has compassion, Jesus equips and Jesus sends.

Jesus’s arms, outstretched, palms a bit cupped and facing forward.  Bidding us to come.

Jesus says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Do you see the yoke at the bottom of the window?  The designers put wings on the yoke to remind us of the lightness that comes when we are gathered in by Jesus.  Look again at the window, look and see who is gathered by Jesus- who is invited to come to Jesus- all kinds of people- see the nurse and what looks like the construction worker, the man in the suit, the artist, the mother, the child, the woman carrying the laundry basket and the farmer, the young paper boy, the man in uniform, there are young and old, from all walks of life, people from all over the globe, each expressing their uniqueness, each with their own story, each gathered in by Jesus’ compassion and promise of lightening their burdens.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.  Come and I will be compassionate.

Will you look at the window again with me? Jesus’s arms, outstretched, palms a bit cupped and facing forward.  Bidding us to come, yes, but ushering us to go as well. Can you see it?  Arms that welcome and arms that send.  Arms that draw us to come and arms that direct us to go.  The same Jesus who gathers us to him, also then equips us and sends us out.  Do you see the outside border of the window?  Tools of the trades- angles and typewriters, pen and paper, shovels and rakes, microscopes and pots, utensils, instruments, paint pails, lanterns, books and anvils and knives.  For each unique person needs unique tools to equip them to do the work God has called them to do.  Ephesians 4 tells us that God gives each of us gifts to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.

Now gathered together, loved and cared for, and equipped, God wants to send us out, not alone but with the presence of God.  I wish that Matthew 28 was incorporated into this window.  Jesus gives his disciples and us, the final instructions before he ascends to heaven- Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We are using Matthew’s gospel to help us understand what it means to say yes to follow Jesus- what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Jesus became human to set an example for us- to be Emmanuel- God with us- to teach us in our own context-in the reality of the world around us.  Christians, disciples of Jesus Christ, little Christs.  We are invited by God to pattern our lives after that of Jesus.

Look at the window again… Christ gathers all people- ALL people- each with their gifts and their diseases. Jesus welcomes them with compassion and love.  We should gather all people.  We should welcome all people with compassion and love.  Paul writes in Romans Chapter 5 verse 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Christ equips his people with an abundance of gifts- each with a unique use in the work of the Kingdom.  Different gifts, same goal.  A.W. Tozer, a pastor, theologian and author says “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers met together, each one looking to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be”

Do we recognize that even though we see differences among us that we are still connected and tuned together because of God’s grace?  Do we work together to equip each other for the work of the church?  Do we provide the necessary tools that will be needed to do the work of God? Do we affirm and encourage each other’s gifts to participate in the life of God’s church as whole, loved and called people of God?

We can’t stop at gathering together and studying and learning. If Jesus is sending us are we actually going?  Are we asking God where God wants to take us and use us next? Are we going into the fields and doing the work of justice seeking, of peace making, of feeding the hungry and clothing the naked?  Are we visiting the sick and the lonely?  Are we making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world? Are we bring others with us as we are called by God?  Are we doing the hard work of the harvest and celebrating the bounty from God?

Jesus says the workers or the laborers are few.  In that moment he might have been referring to the 12 disciples, but even now, there are not enough workers, not enough dedicated, mature disciples to offset the seemingly unending troubles of the world. Saying yes to God, coming into God’s loving arms of compassion and grace, being transformed, molded and equipped for the job at hand and then taking the step out can be frightening and overwhelming.  We rely on the promise that God is always with us. Psalm 121 reminds us The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.  Coming or going, gathering or sending, God is with us always!  To God be the Glory!  Amen.

Benediction:

Shalom- a blessing of peace at hello and goodbye

Shalom- not the absence of conflict, not the full agreement of people, but the wholeness that comes from knowing God and working with God’s people here on earth.

Position your arms like Christ’s are on the window.  Arms outstretched, palms cupped and facing forward.

Assume this position of Christ- of gathering and sending- of coming and going.

Coming together in shalom, in peace, in wholeness and go out from this place in shalom, in peace, in wholeness to do the work of the Lord!