“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 He said to his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray that the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.” Matt 9:36-38

Urgency produces the activity that creates an expectancy to see the manifestation of God’s opportunity!

Every time that I read or recite this passage from Matthew 9, there is a greater understanding of the urgency that Christ Jesus must have felt at that moment.

Maybe it is the fact that I have seen the estimated 15,000-20,000 men, women and children that live in Los Angeles’ “Skid Row” area.

Maybe it is because I have walked the housing projects and looked into the desperate eyes of those that live in America’s Murder Capitol– New Orleans.

Maybe it is because I have seen the penetrating power of the Word of God find its mark on repentant hearts from Bourbon Street to the militant Gay Pride Parades of West Hollywood to the lonely souls that wander this nations cities.

The Word says that “Jesus was moved” - that is something hit Him right in the gut! That “something” was such, that it caused an immediate urgency to come upon Him.

What was that “something” that He saw?

They fainted, they were scattered abroad, and they had no shepherd.
This “fainted” can literally be translated– to be mangled! I have seen this before. People destroyed by the vicious claws of sin and hopelessness.

To be “scattered abroad” means to be slammed into the ground! When someone’s life has been slammed into the ground there is the chilling thud of a soul hitting rock bottom! This is a place of death, depression and despair.

Then Jesus said that they were like sheep “having no shepherd.”
In other words, they had no one to watch over them, to defend them from attack, to heal their wounds, to find them when they were lost or trapped, to love them and to earn their trust.

This is what moved Jesus with compassion! This was the source of the urgency that led to activity!

For the next 3 1/2 years He went throughout the land of Judea: “Preaching the Gospel to the poor, healing the brokenhearted, delivering the captives, healing the blind, liberating the bruised, and preaching the acceptable year of the Lord!” Luke 4:18

This activity brought with it a great expectancy as lives were changed, bodies healed and souls were saved into the Kingdom of God!

Now you and I have an unprecedented opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and to do the things that He did– because we have seen those things that He has seen! John 14:20