MOVED WITH COMPASSION
“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. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”-– Matt. 9: 36-38
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the world and churches were so near perfect that nothing negative need ever be said about it? While we all know that’s not the case, some folks seem to think that we preachers ought to pretend that it is. They don’t want to hear any criticism– unless of course they’re doing the talking. When they come to church (at their convenience) they don’t want the preacher to rock the boat. They despise being confronted with their faults. Rather than being edified they would rather be entertained. They love a good joke, a sob story, a compliment, or good singing, but no pointed preaching calling for repentance. Life for them is all about pleasure. Pretend they are perfect and they are happy as a lark. Suggest they are sinners and they get as mad as an old wet hen.
Such people are like those described by Paul in 2 Tim. 4:3-4 as “having itching ears“. They look for a pastor and church that will make them feel better about themselves, who will pretend all is well when it isn’t. But if they think to attend a Bible believing church they are looking in the wrong place. As C. S. Lewis said, “If you want a religion to make you comfortable, I don’t recommend Christianity”. He was right. The commands of Christ are not pleasing to the flesh. I love the way my friend missionary Greg Smith put it. He said, “the itching ears are a false front to disguise our sin of omission. We are suppose to be friends to sinners…fishers of men…makers of disciples”. Indeed we are, and that brings me to my point.
Why is there so little urgency when it comes to our God-given mission in life? Observation forces me to conclude that we are overly excited about all the wrong things– though in and of themselves they might not be wrong. We allow sinless thing to become sinful in that they distract from what we should be doing. While many don’t see this as a serious sin, from the Bible point of view it is moral insanity. We waste our time, energy, money, and opportunities on things of no eternal value– and then have the audacity to brag about what great Christians we are. Something is seriously wrong with that picture!
At least the unsaved Jews of Paul’s day had “a zeal of God“, although “not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2). Many professing Christians today don’t. So great was Israel’s passion for God that they were called ” the God-intoxicated people” (John Witmer). Many church members today are more like zombies! The world is rotten to the core and condemned to hell and we act like like it just needs a pep-talk to cheer it up. God help us to look at the harvest field with tears in our eyes, a broken heart, and a burden that drives us to our knees in prayer. As someone said:“Could a mariner sit idle, if he heard the drowning cry?Could a doctor sit in comfort , and just let his patients die?Could a fireman sit idle, let men burn and give no hand?Can you sit at ease in church, with the world around you damned?
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
