Are you worried like a sheep without shepherd?

Matthew 9:35-10:1,5,6-8

Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.

And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were worried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’

He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’

Food for thought!

As he saw the crowds, Jesus' heart was filled with pity for them, because they were worried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Worried and helpless were the people Jesus saw. Whenever we are worried and helpless, we resemble a sheep without a shepherd.

Sometimes we worry so much as if we don't have a shepherd; we worry as if tomorrow is the end of world. This is why Jesus, when he sent his disciples he told them to tell the people that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. What does this mean?

The truth about every person’s life potential is so incredibly rich that Jesus called it the kingdom of God within each one of us. Jesus says that this kingdom is very near, very close at hand. It means that Jesus is very close to all of us. Jesus is the kingdom of God in person. And he says that he is very near to us, very close at hand.

Why is this so? It is because Jesus cannot stay indifferent when he sees us in our struggles, in our problems, our messes. The gospel says, "Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness."

Jesus moved around because, as the Gospel says, "when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd." Jesus is so near to us that we don't have to worry as sheep without a shepherd. Consider what he says in Matthew 6:25-34

25-26 “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

27-29 “Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

30-33 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.

People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.