Day 3: God's Love For The Community

Read It: Matthew 9:35-38

35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

Meditate On It:

1. What was Jesus able to do prior to this verse? Enumerate the people He was reaching out and ministering to (read vv 27-34 for context).

2. As Jesus was traveling around the cities and communities, what did He feel for the people He encountered? What was His instruction to the disciples?

3. In what way can we develop more compassion for the needy? How can we pray for more workers to be sent into the harvest field? More importantly, how can we be part of the answer to that prayer?

Apply It:

Jesus was constantly on the road, traveling to different areas and engaging with different people. He did this in order to preach the good news and to make known the Kingdom of God through the healing of various ailments, casting out evil spirits, and simply being there for people who needed Him most. He exemplified what it means to build up the community wherever He went. The same should be true of His followers—we ought to be helping out where it is needed and at the same time heralding the Gospel of Christ.

1. Where has God placed me to be an example of His love? (Think about your current occupation, position, influence, and relationships—how can you be more compassionate towards the people around you and find ways to help them?)

2. In what way can I take part in God’s redemptive work in my own community - whether it be in my immediate city, local government, workplace, or school?

By faith, I will do my part by…

Set Simple, Measurable, Appropriate, Realistic, and Time-bound (SMART) commitments.

Example: “As a Christ-follower, I will do my part in sharing the love of Jesus in my community by volunteering in an evangelistic feeding program once a month.”

Pray It:

Pray for your Nation

• Intercede for the citizens of our nation—that we may all learn to trust God wholeheartedly and live as prayerful and dutiful men and women of Christ. May every citizen turn to Christ for real salvation and transformation.
• Intercede on behalf of our country—including our incumbent leaders, that we may all seek the Lord and do His will over the issues that continually encroach upon our nation.
• Pray for our political, legislative, and judicial leaders to uphold biblical values and exemplify godly character, competence, justice, accountability, and family—for them to serve with integrity, wisdom, faithfulness, protection, and guidance:
  • The President, Vice President, Cabinet Members and advisers
  • The Senators and Congressmen
  • The Chief Justice and all justices
  • The Military and Police force
  • The Local Government and Barangay officials
• Pray for major national issues:
  • For proper crisis management and economic sustainability
  • Graft and corruption, illegal drug trade, forced labor, human trafficking
  • Ungodly values, moral decline, materialism, idolatry
  • Economic hurdles, high gas prices, inflation, traffic problems, bills, and laws that are against God’s word and will
  • That more citizens from all walks of life be saved, discipled and for them to develop a genuine love for the Lord.

Pray to do your own part in building God’s Kingdom here on Earth as it is in Heaven:

• Seek the Lord’s guidance on what He is doing in your community. Offer to Him your own occupation and become a representative of His Kingdom; be ready to obey Him wherever He will lead you and whatever He will ask you to do.
• Strive for excellence in school or at work—doing everything for God’s glory alone.
• Pray for a culture of obeying God’s word and practicing evangelism and discipleship in your sphere of influence: family, community, company, and country.
• Serve in your workplace or community (start a Bible study or prayer time in your place of work or nearby location).