Christmas is ultimately the celebration of the arrival of Emmanuel, “God with us.” In other words, while humanity was lost and with their backs quite literally to God. Christ came to restore our relationship with God and each other. If this is true, then the process of discipleship can be understood as moving from Back to Back to Heart to Heart. The first step is to move from Back to Back to Shoulder to Shoulder. From not knowing who we are to having some awareness of who we are and a shared experience. In the same way that God came closed to us when we were lost, it is the call of the church for us to come close to our community. We are called to be close enough that our hearts can be broken in compassion for our community as Jesus’ heart was broken for the crowd surrounding him.
When was the last time that you learned something about your community that surprised or shocked you? Explain.
Why do you think that it was important for Jesus to “go” to all the towns and villages? Why not wait for them to come to him?
Why do you think that Jesus had compassion on the crowds? What do you think that Matthew means by the expression “like sheep without a shepherd?”
How is our community “like sheep without a shepherd?”
As we discussed, the tendency at times is to believe that we have enough workers but it is the harvest that is few. Jesus believes the complete opposite. Which do you believe? Why?
How could you be sent to the community? How could you be one of the workers for the harvest?
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