Sermon notes Fr David – 14/6/26

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Gospel today opens with a picture of Jesus constantly at work in the service of God's kingdom. We are told that He went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness.

As Jesus travelled, He encountered people from every walk of life. Some were physically ill, some burdened by poverty, some trapped by sin, some confused and spiritually lost. And when He looked upon them, Matthew tells us that "he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

Those words are as true today as they were two thousand years ago.

Many people in our communities are harassed and helpless. Their struggles may not always be visible. Some carry anxieties about the future. Some feel isolated and lonely. Some are grieving. Others are searching for meaning and purpose. Many long for hope but do not know where to find it.

The good news is that Christ still looks upon His people with compassion.

The compassion of Jesus is not mere sympathy. It is a love that reaches out, heals, restores, and saves. He sees us as we truly are, yet He loves us completely. He knows our failures, our weaknesses, and our sins, yet He does not turn away from us.

This is precisely the truth that St Paul proclaims in today's Epistle.

"God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us."

Human love is often conditional. We find it easier to love those who are lovable, to help those who deserve our help, or to forgive those who have first apologised. But God's love is different. Christ did not wait for humanity to become righteous before giving Himself for us. He loved us when we were still sinners. He died for us when we could do nothing to save ourselves.

Because of that sacrifice, Paul says, "since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Peace with God is one of the greatest gifts of the Christian life. We do not need to live in fear of God's judgement. Through Christ we have been reconciled to the Father. We stand in grace. We belong to Him.

And because we belong to Him, we can face even the difficulties of life with hope. Paul speaks of suffering producing endurance, endurance producing character, and character producing hope. Christian hope is not wishful thinking. It is confidence rooted in the steadfast love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

The Gospel then turns from Christ's compassion to Christ's mission.

Seeing the crowds, Jesus says to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest."

Before anything else, Jesus commands prayer.

The needs of the world are immense. There are many who need to hear the Gospel, many who need encouragement, many who need to know the love of God. The Church cannot meet these needs through human effort alone. We begin by praying that God will raise up workers for His harvest.

But there is a challenge hidden within those words. The disciples who are told to pray for labourers soon find themselves being sent out as labourers. Jesus calls them by name, gives them authority, and sends them into the mission field.

The same often happens to us.

We pray for God's work to be done, and then discover that God is calling us to play a part in it.

Most of us are not called to travel far or preach to great crowds. Yet every Christian has a vocation to share in Christ's mission. In our homes, workplaces, schools, neighbourhoods, and friendships, we are called to bear witness to the love we have received.

The disciples are instructed, "Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment."

At the heart of that command is a simple principle: God's gifts are given freely, and they are to be shared freely.

We have received the grace of God. We have received forgiveness. We have received hope. We have received the love demonstrated on the cross. These gifts are not meant to be hoarded. They are meant to flow through us to others.

As we gather around the Lord's table today, let us remember both truths found in these readings.

First, we are loved beyond measure. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We are justified by faith and have peace with God.

Second, we are called to share that love with the world. The compassion that moved Christ is to shape our own hearts. The mission He gave to His disciples is now entrusted to His Church.

May we know the depth of God's love for us, and may that love make us faithful labourers in His harvest.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.