Matthew 9:35-38

Intro

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic, The Lord of the Rings…

And in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia…

Why are we captivated by such incredible stories like The Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia? What makes them speak to us in a way where we become connected to a story that we do not belong in? I believe the answer to those questions is that Tolkien and Lewis are skilled in the art of being able to share a narrative that we aspire to be a part of. We want to (explain the ending of LOTR & Narnia). They are able to tap into our innermost desires through story to make us feel moved in a way we aren’t usually familiar with. Maybe you aren’t someone who enjoys those stories or likes books but movies and other forms of entertainment function with a similar purpose. They share a greater message through the art of narrative to make us feel different.

The Gospel According to Matthew, The Gospel According the Mark, the Gospel According to Luke, and the Gospel According to John are all narratives. While they are books of the New Testament as part of our Bibles, but they are also, importantly, narratives told by each gospel writer about a particular individual, the person of Christ. They (the authors) like Tolkien and Lewis, write in narrative form in attempt to connect to a story and make us feel different from before but in a far radically different way…

The Gospel is real! It tells a story about a particular someone who lived, died, and rose again. Jesus Christ came from a virgin woman called of God, He breathed the air we breath, hungered for food, was tempted as we are, persecuted by many,

The Gospel is relational! It calls us to be a part of something much greater than us. Unlike any book you can pick up in a library, it tells a narrative that involves a response from its reader. You are prompted with a choice to accept or reject it. If you so chose to accept it, you bear the responsibility in then seeing where fit. Are you going to carry out the life Christ calls you to and are you going to live in expectation of receiving the reward promised by the Father?

The Gospel is radical!

We do not read God’s word for the sake of being well-informed but rather we read it for the sake of being transformed. God doesn’t desire that you know more about Him than anyone else. What He desires of us is that we have our hearts and eyes fixed on His glory.

Look in front of you, look behind you, look to your right and left, the work God has placed before you is abundant, it’s everywhere. Even better, look again, He has placed people around you in your life who can support you and you likewise can support them. God has provided for us all and calls us to participate in such a marvelous task. (This one might deserve more attention…)

The best course of action is to not stay settled in one area. Instead, the best course of action to take is to be bold and try different things. By being bold, we can finally grow and make adjustments accordingly. So many Christians, out of a lack of awareness and comfort, stay in one sport for far too long which prohibits growth…

We live in an age where we have the proper tools needed for the mission. Even better, we live in an age where we have more than enough tools for the mission…

We cannot move forward without being willing to surrender our will to God.

In prayer we will have a comfort, clarity and a course of direction.

This moment is a climactic moment in scripture as this is when the sheep receive their shepherd, and the disciples are handed the responsibility in being prayerful to the Lord of the harvest that He would send laborers into the harvest.

This passage demonstrates how the Son operates as a shepherd to sheep while simulataneously, choosing to be a servant in submission to the Father (Lord of the Harvest). What Christ is doing reveals Himself as a laborer in the harvest sent by the Father but also, the shepherd who was said to come and reveal the way to life.

This passage provides a summary of what has taken place in prior chapters and lays a foundation of what is to come. Christ has come as a servant and shepherd to His people and offers life to the fullest. As He does so, He commands His disciples to follow Him and pray for others to be sent into the harvest as laborers. As Christians we must interpret this text as evidence for us to live in humility and prayer as we surrender our will to Father so that we would be sent by Him to do His work. The task at hand is great, but we have a Lord who is greater and will provide for us as the generous without reproach God He is.