WJS2 – Jesus Saw The Crowds

WJS2 – Jesus Saw The Crowds

Reading: Matthew 9:35-36, 14:14, 15:32; Mark 6:34; John 7:47-49 Jesus saw the huge crowd and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14 NLT) Then Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.” (Matthew 15:32 NLT) Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. (Mark 6:34 NLT) Jesus spent a good deal of time surrounded by crowds of people. Crowds flocked to hear his teaching, crowds gathered to see his miracles, crowds followed him from village to village, along the seashore, and into the Temple in Jerusalem. Crowds hailed him as the Messiah and Savior when he entered Jerusalem at the beginning of the last week of his ministry, and crowds yelled “Crucify him!” at the end of that week. When Jesus saw the crowds he was “moved with compassion” for them. And when his compassion for the crowds moved him, he didn’t always respond in the same way. Sometimes he healed the sick among them, sometimes he miraculously fed them, and sometimes he taught them. But Jesus always saw them, he always loved them, and he always did the best thing in the moment to help them with their greatest need. 47 “Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. “This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!” (John 7:47, 49 NLT) The Pharisees and religious leaders of the people should have been their shepherds. But the Pharisees despised the “crowds” and cursed them. The people were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus saw them and loved them. Jesus stepped in and served them, helped them, taught them. Now we who bear Jesus’ Name are in the place of Jesus for “the crowds” of our location and our generation. It’s our turn to see the crowds and have compassion on them, to be moved with compassion for them. May we love like Jesus loved so we can See What Jesus Saw! Prayer: Father, Please grant us ears to hear and eyes to see and a heart like yours to be moved with compassion at the needs of the confused and helpless crowds! May we never curse the crowds and may we always see them through eyes of love. In Jesus’ Name!