The Harvest is Plentiful

Recap

2 Daughters and 3 sons - With All My Heart

Matthew 9:18–19 ESV

18 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples.

A daughter already dead leads a desperate but faith filled father to seek the only one who can help.

Leaves all logic behind to seek Jesus

Rejects daughter’s current state to pursue Jesus in faith

Ruler worships Jesus?

Jesus responds to the worship by receiving it as he goes to see the daughter

Jesus reception of his worship is a sign of Jesus’ deity.

Journey interrupted:

Matthew 9:20–22 ESV

20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

Mark 5:25–29 ESV

25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

12 years ceremonially unclean. Cast out and cut off from her world, her family, her life.

She believed that even touching his garment could heal her.

She wasn’t defaulting to a inferior procedure.

The only element needed in addition to Jesus and His power is our faith. IT doesn’t mean that He will heal everyone every time.

She was attempting to not defile Jesus and make him unclean

It was risky to try this in the crowded city streets for fear of touching someone else and making them unclean.

IT was her faith that healed her and Jesus wanted her to know that. That, and that He called her by her honored title, his daughter.

Journey Continued:

Matthew 9:23–26 ESV

23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.

Flute players and mourners were more than likely paid. Common in that day. You can tell that they don’t seem to know this ruler or his daughter well because they turn their mourning off real quick to laugh at Jesus when he tells them the news.

The father’s faith caused him to pursue Jesus for healing his daughter

it was public due to the ruler and Jesus kicking out the band and mourners.

as a result, the news spread through out all the district.

Guzik

Jesus didn’t raise every dead child He encountered, but Jesus did so here in a simple act of mercy and compassion to the grieving father. In addition, Jesus must have hated death and its cause, and enjoyed the opportunity to hand death a small defeat before He would defeat it altogether at the cross and the empty tomb.

Two blind men:

Matthew 9:27–31 ESV

27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

These men followed Jesus - two blind men following someone they can’t see is a picture of faith

they had faith to follow

they had faith to cry out

they had faith and boldness to declare “Son of David” which is to proclaim Jesus as messiah

they don’t request healing, they ask for mercy.

“Their sole appeal was to mercy. There was no talk about merit, no pleading of their past sufferings, or their persevering endeavors, or their resolves for the future; but, ‘Have mercy on us.’ He will never win a blessing from God who demands it as if he had a right to it.” (Spurgeon)

Jesus, wanting to not be so public invites them inside for a intimate, personal conversation

“Do you believe that I am able to do this?” contrasted to the man in 8:1-4 who says to Jesus, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” Again, there is no magic formula. Faith and Jesus will. Only one of which we have any control over.

“According to your faith be it done to you”

They had faith that Jesus was ABLE to heal them

They had faith to ask for healing....to Say “Yes Lord”

Demon Possessed Man:

Matthew 9:32–34 ESV

32 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”

Rabbi’s believed if they could call out the name of the demon then that would give them a grip as to be able to exercise the demon.

The Demons caused the man to be mute, unable to speak, but that didn’t stop Jesus and the power of the Living God!

The Crowds marveled when they witnessed the sign/wonder

the Pharisees condemned Jesus and rejected the truth the Holy Spirit

Moved to Compassion

Matthew 9:35–38 ESV

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

We are surrounded by sheep that have no shepherd

they act like they don’t want one or they’ve already rejected the Good shepherd, but they were designed to need a shepherded.

He described them as harassed, meaning to trouble oneself, and helpless, the NASB uses the word Dispirited, which means thrown down.

Helpless - HELP'LESS, adjective Without help in one's self; destitute of the power or means to succor or relieve one's self. A person is rendered helpless by weakness, or want of means.

Psalm 34:18 ESV

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

How do you look at the people around you who don’t know Jesus, especially the ones that are VERY different than you? Do you look on them with contempt and/or judgement, or do you look on them and see them as God sees them.

He had compassion for them

Spurgeon On The Harvest and Laborers

“Now the Greek is much more forcible, it is that he would push them forward, and thrust them out; it is the same word which is used for the expulsion of a devil from a man possessed. It takes great power to drive a devil out, it will need equal power from God to drive a minister out to his work.”

to be moved as to one's bowels, hence to be moved with compassion, have compassion (for the bowels were thought to be the seat of love and pity)

“Pretenders were many, but real ‘laborers’ in the harvest were few…Man-made ministers are useless. Still are the fields encumbered with gentlemen who cannot use the sickle. Still the real ingatherers are few and far between. Where are the instructive, soul-winning ministries?”

We are challenged to pray to the Father and ask him to send laborers into His harvest field. Are you willing to pray for him to send you personally?

The people seeking healing from Jesus sought him with everything they had. Their reward was their physical healing.

God desires for us to seek Him with everything we have as our lives and wills are conformed to His more and more.

We are called to be His witnesses in this world. The two blind men couldn’t wait to tell everyone about Him despite his charge not to. When he ascended into Heaven he gave his disciples the charge to be his witnesses, empowered by the holy spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that will enable you to see the Lost with compassion. To do otherwise is to be a Pharisee.

Our reluctance at times as believers as we look out on the people around us is to see their seeming rejection of the Lord and we judge them before we allow God to move us to compassion for them, at least the ones who would be receptive to the HOPE of the gospel.

Isaiah 50:10–11 ESV

10 Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. 11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches! Walk by the light of your fire, and by the torches that you have kindled! This you have from my hand: you shall lie down in torment.

Let’s pray!