Rufus Smith, Senior Pastor of Hope Church in Cordova, Tenn.

In the Thursday morning worship service of the 38th General Assembly, host pastor Rufus Smith of Hope Church in Cordova, Tenn., asked the attendees of the 38th General Assembly, “How does Jesus see your city?”

Speaking on Matthew 9:35-38, Smith related his personal story of coming to faith in Christ as a teenager by describing five actions of Jesus described in the passage.

First, the Hope Church Senior Pastor noted that Jesus “went.”

“He was out among the people,” Smith said. “Before we ever get to this text, Jesus had already had seven encounters with people. I’m in the kingdom today because someone did that in my city.”

Second, Smith said that Jesus “saw” as He went among the people.

“He saw their physical needs, and he saw their spiritual needs,” he said. “You can’t know if you don’t go.”

Third, Smith emphasized that Jesus “acted.”

“Jesus had compassion for those He saw,” Smith said. “An equation for this is sympathy plus action equals compassion. On the other hand, sympathy plus inaction equals ‘nice’—which is a kind way to do nothing.”

Fourth, he noted that Jesus “said.”

“He said to His disciples, ‘the harvest is plenteous.’ What do you say about people?” Smith asked. “Do you say they are hellions or are they a harvest? Are you cursing the dark or lighting a candle? How does Jesus see your city? How do you see your city?”

He reminded the GA attendees, “Someone in your city is waiting for the harvester to come.”

Finally Smith said Jesus “sent.”

“He is the Lord of the harvest,” Smith said, “and He has been harvesting a long time. He says to me and you to go and be a harvester.”

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