Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. Matthew 5:1-2
Jesus saw the crowds. I don’t believe He saw them as a mass of humanity. I also know that Jesus did not get His identity from popularity. Instead, Jesus saw these men, women and children as people. Mostly, He would have seen that they were hurting people. They were wounded from life as all of us are on a regular basis. Harsh words that were said or rude actions of others can create a great amount of emotional pain. In their pain they were in solidarity. It is likely that some were wounded by family and very likely that many were hurt by the church of the day.
We are not too much different than that crowd. Each day we are bombarded with messages that tell us that we are not good enough, faithful enough, smart enough or healthy enough. Our world is relentless in its attack on us. In our modern world our churches that should be an emergency room for the storm-tossed people have become a concert followed by a clever TED talk and then a vast majority go home patting themselves on the back for being a good Christian.
If that is the message these people came to hear they would have been disappointed. What Matthew records in the next three chapters of His Gospel is a call to action. He pushes us beyond a rigid legalism to be shaped and manicured into the very image of God. While the Pharisees and Sadducees loved to present themselves as Holy and true men of God, Jesus calls even these so-called good men to a higher standard.
When Jesus sits, He is taking on the posture of teachers in His culture. The crowds instinctively know that there must be more to life than what they are experiencing. They are drawn to Him to learn.
The teacher is ready.
Jesus still draws men to Himself. The world comes to church seeking Jesus, but is that who they meet? Too many of our churches act as political pawns for either party. Those that disagree with the political platform of the church are not fully welcomed. Too many in our churches come looking for Jesus but leave having heard some nice words and enjoyed some emotional music and go home to deal with their problems on their own.
Let me make it clear, I love the local church. The problem is that we, the mature believers, are failing to see the people. We give trite advice to bind up the broken hearted. Trying to patch up their wounds with a band-aid. When those struggling with addiction come to our church, we don’t tell them much about freedom from idols but instead tell them to simply, “Quit drugs and give it all to Jesus.” But then we don’t do much to help them along the way. Remember Jesus’s warning, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So, you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”
See the hurting and the wounded walking our streets. They are shopping all around us. They are at the lakes swimming next to us. They attend our schools and eat beside us at meals. Look at them. Bring out your Spiritual eyes and look at them. See their pain and invite them to meet the healer. Then walk with them through the redeeming and restoration process. It will not typically be a quick process; it will take time. Invest in the lost and you will reap rewards in Heaven.
