When feeling overwhelmed as a pastor, I remind myself that my primary responsibility is to go up on the “mountain” and feed hurting people the Word of God.
It is not unusual as a pastor to interact with people facing horrific problems: Violence, cancer, conflict, divorce. So many are harassed and helpless. A pastor can feel so helpless. And, he is helpless in his own strength!
Facing many such situations in recent days, it is a comfort for me to consider how Jesus responded to hurting people. Jesus’ central response to hurting people was to compassionately feed them His Word.
The Gospel of Matthew shows that when large crowds began to follow Jesus, His response was:
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain . . . and he opened his mouth and taught them saying (Matthew 5:1-2).
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A bit more detail:
Two passages with nearly identical wording bookend the Sermon on the Mount. Between these bookends is the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew’s arrangement of the Gospel shows that the center of our Lord’s response to hurting people was to compassionately teaches.
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Matthew 4:23-25 records that large crowds of hurting people began to follow Christ.
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Matthew 9:35-38 echoes the language of 4:23-25.
Compare Matthew 4:23-5:2 and Matthew 9:35-38.
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MATTHEW 4:23-5:2 " And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:(Mt 4:23-5:2)." |
MATTHEW 9:35-38 " And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 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 pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”(Mt 9:35-38)." |
We’ve been memorizing The Sermon on the Mount, and the intro was something I just hurried over to get to “the good part”. I see it in a new way now…thanks.
Thank you. I am passing this one on to my pastor.
Lord bless you.