Matthew 9:36-38; Psalm 142:4 No one cared for my soul. Jesus had compassion on them because: He saw their depravity in sin - weary; He was their departure from God - scattered; He saw their destiny - hell; He was their despair - sheperdless; He sent His disciples to bring them to Him.

1. A
COMPASSION
FOR SOULS

2. Matthew 9:36-38 But when He saw
the multitudes, He was moved with
compassion for them, because they
were weary and scattered, like
sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then
He said to His disciples, "The
harvest truly is plentiful, but the
laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray
the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into His harvest.“

3. COMPASSION FOR SOULS
A.Psalm 142:4 Look on my right hand and
see, For there is no one who
acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me;
No one cares for my soul.
B.There are literally millions who live in this
world with no one to care about them,
pray for them, or tell them about Jesus.
C.Jesus is talking about people like this in
Mat. 9:36-38 He had compassion on them.
D.Sadly, there are many Christians who are
saved, hell proof, heaven bound, who do
not care about the souls of the lost.

4. COMPASSION FOR SOULS
E. What a contrast with the Lord Jesus Christ! It
was His passion for souls that brought Him
from Heaven to earth, that motivated His
every waking activity, Luke 19:10 for the Son
of Man has come to seek and to save that
which was lost."
F. It was this compassion for souls that
propelled Him to an old rugged cross where
He gave His life to save the lost sinner, Mark
10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come
to be served, but to serve, and to give His life
a ransom for many."
G. Jesus saw four elements that caused Him to
be moved with compassion on these lost
ones.

5. I. JESUS SAW THEIR DEPRAVITY IN
SIN – WEARY - v. 36
A. Jesus wasn’t referring to physical weariness!
He intended a deeper meaning! Psalm
38:4 For my iniquities have gone over my
head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy
for me.
B. He was moved with compassion because
these people were lost under a burdensome
load of sin. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also,
since we are surrounded by so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and
let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us,

6. I. JESUS SAW THEIR DEPRAVITY IN
SIN – WEARY - v. 36
C.Notice the sins of the world! We are
surrounded by men and women who are
capable of absolutely anything you can
imagine! (Ill. David and Bathsheba. Ill.
Simon Peter; Ill. Judas Iscariot; Ill. You!)
(Ill. Some may say, "Not me!" Beware – 1
Cor. 10:12.
D.These depraved people need to be
reached by a compassionate Christian
soul winner!

7. II. JESUS SAW THEIR DEPARTURE
FROM GOD – SCATTERED - v. 36
A. They were "scattered abroad" like sheep
scattered from the shepherd
B. Outside the fold. (No company or fellowship)
C. Away from the Good Shepherd (No guidance
or protection)
D. Away from home (No comfort or rest)
E. Apart from where they ought to have been –
Ephesians 2:12 that at that time you were
without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel and strangers from
the covenants of promise, having no hope
and without God in the world.

8. II. JESUS SAW THEIR DEPARTURE
FROM GOD – SCATTERED - v. 36
F. Christians need to understand that this world is
away from God!
G. The Good Shepherd seeks sheep like these. Luke
15:4-7 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep,
if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-
nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which
is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found
it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And
when he comes home, he calls together his
friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice
with me, for I have found my sheep which was
lost!' 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more
joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than
over ninety-nine just persons who need no
repentance.

9. III. JESUS SAW THEIR DESTINY IN HELL
A. He could see the end from the beginning. He knew
that apart from Him, they would all be in Hell.
B. No wonder He was moved with compassion!
Jesus doesn’t want anyone to go to Hell! He died
to save them from that fate. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord
is not slack concerning His promise, as some
count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,
not willing that any should perish but that all
should come to repentance.
C. Christians need the same compassion! Jude 1:22-
23 And on some have compassion, making a
distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling
them out of the fire, hating even the garment
defiled by the flesh.
D. If we really believe in Hell like we say we do, then
why aren’t we telling more men about the Savior?

10. III. JESUS SAW THEIR DESTINY IN HELL
E. Even the rich man in torment was concerned
about the lost. Luke 16:27-28 Then he said, 'I beg
you therefore, father, that you would send him to
my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, that
he may testify to them, lest they also come to this
place of torment.'
F. Look around brethren! There are people all around
you who will die and go to Hell. Will they go
without your having warning them? Ezekiel 33:8-9
When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you
shall surely die!' and you do not speak to warn the
wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in
his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your
hand. 9 Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to
turn from his way, and he does not turn from his
way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have
delivered your soul.

11. IV. JESUS SAW THEIR DESPAIR
WITHOUT A SHEPHERD
A.They were scattered, without a shepherd!
B.This world is in despair and desperately
need guidance.
C.Jesus can guide them out of the despair of
sin and its consequences.
D.Our duty as Christians is to tell them
about Jesus!
E. Our hearts ought to be broken because
the world doesn’t know our Savior!

12. V. JESUS SENT HIS DISCIPLES
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE v.37-38
A. Jesus places three responsibilities on the
shoulders of his people.)
B. Visualize – See the harvest! Recognize that not
everyone is saved and millions are poised on
the edge of everlasting damnation! We also need
to see that the harvest is just waiting to be
gleaned! We will never reap until we first enter
the field! (Mark 16:15)
C. Agonize – "Pray for laborers." This is a call to be
broken and burdened over the plight of the lost.
Ill. There are few broken hearts over the lost in
our day! We need to attack Hell on their behalf,
constantly praying for them and seeking the
Lord for the souls of sinners.

13. V. JESUS SENT HIS DISCIPLES
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE v.37-38
D. Evangelize – It isn’t enough to see the need, nor is it
enough to pray for the lost and be concerned for their
souls. Jesus desires that each of us be laborers in the
harvest.
1. 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that you have heard
from me among many witnesses, commit these to
faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2. Acts 8:4 Therefore those who were scattered went
everywhere preaching the word.
3. Hebrews 5:12 For though by this time you ought to
be teachers, you need someone to teach you again
the first principles of the oracles of God; and you
have come to need milk and not solid food.
4. 1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and
do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of
God. I speak this to your shame.

14. DO YOU HAVE A COMPASSION
FOR SOULS?
A.What are you doing to bring to Jesus
those scattered souls?
B.Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous
is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is
wise.
C.Our job is the greatest the world has ever
known.
D.Perhaps you need to come before the Lord
and confess to him that you haven’t
shared Jesus with others as you should
have.

15. DO YOU HAVE A COMPASSION
FOR SOULS?
E. Time is short, the laborers are few and the
harvest is plentiful and ready.
F. Are you doing your part?
G.If we can reach just one for God, then we
have altered eternity for someone and
gained the smile of God for ourselves.
H.Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy. 6 He who continually
goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for
sowing, Shall doubtless come again with
rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.