Matthew 9:35—10:8 on June 14th, 2026
Above is audio of the sermon pulled from the video and amplified.
Below is transcript pulled from the video and formatted by artificial intelligence. There may be inconsistencies or errors.
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Jesus Sees You: A Message of Compassion for All
Today we read the list of the 12 disciples and when we hear those names read aloud we may wonder how in the world we fit into all of this. Those are important people after all, the ones that Jesus chose Himself, the ones whose deeds are so remarkable that they got written down in the Bible of all places. It is easy to feel inadequate, left out, or at the very least distanced from such a prestigious group of people.
That's how I felt when I read it at least. I mean, 2000 years from now, will anyone remember St. Philip Lutheran Church or Pastor Jason or anything that we've done here? Not with that attitude, I thought at first, but then reality returned and I felt insignificant once again. Because we like to see where we fit in. We like to find ourselves in the story and surely we are not those famous disciples.
Finding Ourselves in Scripture
And since part of my job is to not give up on Bible stories so easily, I pushed down my first reaction and gut feelings and went back to the story. Where else could we be? Well, we know for sure that we ain't Jesus and while sometimes we do make that mistake, this time around I think we can all agree. We're not Jesus. So who else?
Well, the crowds are there. So is that where we fit in? They are described as harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. That seems a bit more like it. And maybe not always, but I'm sure that we have all been there before because there's always something.
The Reality of Struggle
Always something that leaves us feeling a bit unprepared, a bit powerless, a bit vulnerable to what's going on. And we all know it's true. I know it's true because you shared your stories with life changes, health changes, job changes, circumstances, situations, relationships, change. Things are good and then they're not. Life is predictable and then it's not.
There is anxiety, fear, sadness, and sorrow over these changes and over the uncertainty about the future. There are places, times, moments when we feel when we are helpless. And it's okay to admit that.
Honesty in Worship
Unlike most places in our lives, here in our worship, we can be honest and real about ourselves. At church, above all places, we should be able to be the most truthful about who we are. Sometimes we are harassed and helpless, lost and uncertain. But feeling that way doesn't mean that we are failures.
Instead, it is a sign that we are broken human beings stuck in this world with other broken human beings. We are part of the crowd. And by admitting that truth about ourselves, by acknowledging that we are in need, part of the crowd, we can also hear another truth about this passage.
Jesus' Compassion for Us
Now when Jesus sees the crowds, those hopeless crowds, he has compassion for them. When Jesus sees us, he has compassion for us. When Jesus sees you, he has compassion for you.
Jesus didn't come primarily as a teacher, instructing us on how to improve our lives. He didn't come as a motivational speaker giving us four easy steps to a better life. He didn't come to judge us for having broken, hurting, lost yet very real moments. Instead, Jesus came to shepherd the compassion of God for us and the world. Jesus came to show God's compassion and word.
Indeed, Jesus came to live and die and live again so that we would see and feel God's compassion for us.
The Disciples as Regular People
And now, knowing both of those truths, we can look again at the disciples, but a little bit differently this time. See, this isn't a collection of superhumans who are already on some short list. Those names are actually a collection of regular people who shared the compassion of Jesus. They started out as part of the crowd, but then began to see others as Jesus saw them.
These famous disciples were just regular people, seen by Jesus, summoned by Jesus, and then sent by Jesus. And the same is true for us. Jesus sees us. Jesus summons us and Jesus sends us, sends us out to share the compassion that he has shown to us.
Called to Share Compassion
So that means you don't have to be famous first. Nor do you have to do deeds that will be written in the annals of history. You don't need to be legendary for God to call and power love you. We may not think of ourselves as top-notch Christians who can perform miracles or will have renowned stories written, but what Jesus calls us to is vital nonetheless.
Jesus transforms recipients of compassion into bearers of compassion. We are sent to reveal the compassion of Christ. And when we do that by sharing how Jesus' compassion for us shows up in our own less renowned, pretty regular stories, we share of the forgiveness that he gives when our last button is pushed.
We tell about Jesus showing up in the friend who comes, casserole in hand after the surgery. We tell how we've been surprised by resurrection life in times that we expected only loss. We talk about being known by Jesus in our lowest moments when we were certain that nobody else was paying attention to us.
We tell the story of Jesus being with us always even into a future that has many changes and uncertainties. We tell the truth and we live out the truth.
Loved and Claimed
Now we are loved, even if we feel undervalued, even when we are lost, even when we think that we are just one of the crowd. Jesus has compassion for you. And we are the ones that Jesus calls out of the crowd to share that compassion with the world.
And more than that, we aren't just sent out on our own individually trying to live up to some impossible standard. And we get even more than Jesus' words, more than a verbal promise.
The Gifts of Baptism and Communion
We are baptized. We get to touch water, a physical reminder that God names and claims us forever, is fiercely compassionate and is present with us in the Holy Spirit. Those are the gifts of baptism.
In the communion meal, we get to taste and see that the Lord is good. Christ comes to us in bread and wine, again giving us forgiveness, grace and a foretaste of the feast to come. And we are part of the crowd. Part of this crowd that gathers to worship Christ and Him crucified and risen.
They are the crowd that is the recipients of God's compassion, grace, forgiveness and love.
Sent Into the World
So after seeing us, after having compassion for us, after gifting us with sacraments, filling us with the Holy Spirit and reminding us again of the old, old story through word and song, Christ then sends us.
Jesus transforms recipients of compassion into bearers of compassion. The world is harassed and helpless out there. People need good news. People need what Jesus offers. And Jesus is still looking out at the crowds with compassion. And He summons regular, legendary people like you and me to go tell them.
Will anyone remember us 2,000 years from now? Maybe, maybe not. But Jesus sees us. Jesus has compassion for us. And today and always He sends us for the sake of the world.
Amen.