One thing we as humans all have in common is that at one time or another, we have all felt desperate. Certainly, times of desperation come in varying degrees – but none of us escape moments where things seem so hopeless they seem impossible to deal with. In our times desperation, we will usually go all over the place looking for something or someone who can give us a glimmer of hope. That’s just the nature of desperation…and it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. One thing the Bible reveals, over and over again, is that God is fond of desperate people.

This Sunday we’ll be reading Matthew 9:18-38 and we’ll discover some desperate people who go to the right place in their time of crisis. As we read about these people, we’ll be looking at what it was that moved them to seek help from Jesus. We’ll look at the compassion Jesus had on them, and we’ll observe the faith that they expressed in Jesus’ compassionate power.

The synagogue ruler, the hemorrhaging woman and the two blind men all have their stories told in succession. Their expressions of faith are risky, scandalous and bold, but they are also desperate. How does Jesus respond to their desperation? Does Jesus demand anything but trust from those who approach him? It’s important to remember that God’s compassion comes before our need is ever known.

When Jesus casts out a demon and a man was able to communicate when he hadn’t been able to before – what are the two reactions recorded? If both groups of people saw the same miracle, what kept the Pharisees from believing Jesus’ power was from God?

The chapter culminates with a summary of what Jesus is up to with the Kingdom Project – and then we see his compassion for the multitudes who are oppressed by religion and not cared for by a Shepherd. He clearly is inviting us into the activity of harvesting a ripened field…but what does that metaphor mean to you? How do you believe we can be used in this “harvesting” activity?

I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig deeply into these fascinating accounts of Christ’s power!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.