Year A: Proper 6/Trinity 3 - Matthew 9:35-10:8

12.5.05

Matthew 9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on 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 workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." 10:1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: `The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

When Lloyd C. Douglas, author of The Robe and other novels, was a university student, he lived in a boarding house. Downstairs on the first floor was an elderly, retired music teacher, now infirm and unable to leave the apartment. Douglas said that every morning they had a ritual they would go through together. He would come down the steps, open the old man's door, and ask, "Well, what's the good news?" The old man would pick up his tuning fork, tap it on the side of his wheelchair, and say, "That's middle C! It was middle C yesterday; it will be middle C tomorrow; it will be middle C a thousand years from now. The tenor upstairs sings flat, the piano across the hall is out of tune, but, my friend, that is middle C! "


Jesus is alive. This was true yesterday. It is true today. It will be true tomorrow. It will be true when there is no need for a tuning fork because everyone will be in tune with God.


Jesus told the Jewish people that the kingdom or rule of God was amongst them in his person and works. He was soon to offer them the way to God through his death and resurrection. The miracles that he performed authenticated his claims.


In the Old Testament the religious leaders were compared to shepherds who took advantage of their sheep rather than caring for them. God looked to a time when He would shepherd his sheep ( Ezek. 34 ). Jesus called himself the "good shepherd" ( John 10 ).


Here we have Jesus showing that he is the good shepherd by the compassion He has for the crowd of people that were following him. These people would have been rejected and despised by the religious leaders of the day. They needed someone to lead them, to accept them. They were "harassed and helpless ", verse 36.
This is a reminder to us that when we feel harassed and helpless, and let's face it who doesn't nowadays, Jesus is there for us. Waiting to lead us, to calm us.


Jesus is also waiting for people who do not yet know him to come to him. Jesus does this by comparing the crowd to a ripe crop, waiting to be harvested. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Elsewhere in Scripture harvest is often used to describe the coming judgement of God but this is not the case here. However, there is a sense of urgency. Any farmer knows the importance of moving quickly and decisively when the harvest is ripe.


Story of 2 shoe salesman sent to a remote island where there is no shoe shop. One comes back soon saying that there is no chance as the islanders had never seen a shoe before. The other salesman phoned asking for a large shipment of shoes saying that there was a terrific opportunity because every foot on the island was bare !


What would we be like ? Look to need and the opportunity, not obstacles !


Jesus asked the disciples to pray that God would send workers to harvest the plentiful crop that is just waiting to be picked. He then tells them that they are the answer to this prayer! So he sends them out to do what he has been doing ( 10:1ff ).
Matthew calls them "apostles", verse 2. This is the only time Matthew uses this word. "Apostello" (Greek) means "to send". Jesus was sent from heaven to earth by God the Father to share the good news. Jesus sends the apostles to the Jews, initially at least, to share the good news.


We all need to pray that God will send Christians to tell his good news to others. We should also be prepared to be the answer to that prayer.


God's kingdom has coming to earth in and through Jesus. Not one that is brought about by military victory but through the unjust, barbaric execution of an innocent victim. The Kingdom will not be a prosperous earthly one but a spiritual one that will be costly to those who enter into it. But it will bring blessings, too. God's kingdom will free people from the burden of having to conform to the ways of the world, from having to be young looking, successful, confident, wealthy and all the other things that lead to people feeling harassed and helpless.


The majority of the early church were poor and uneducated, yet they turned the world upside down with their love, joy and peace.
Today Jesus still offers forgiveness, a new start, love, joy, and peace.


Billy Graham said: "We're suffering from only one disease in the world. Our basic problem is not a race problem. Our basic problem is not a poverty problem. Our basic problem is not a war problem. Our basic problem is a heart problem. We need to get the heart changed, the heart transformed."


Our hearts need to be changed, again and again. The hearts of our unbelieving neighbours, friends, relative and colleagues need to be changed. The hearts of the leaders of the world's nations need to be transformed. Not just the leaders of the G8 countries but also those who govern countries for their own selfish gain. Like shepherds exploiting their own sheep  .


Earlier in his gospel Matthew has established Jesus' authority to teach, exorcise, heal, and raise the dead. He now records this authority being passed on to the apostles. This is part of Jesus' 'on the job' training for the disciples. First they saw Jesus doing these things. Now it is their turn. This would have been good practice for their own ministries after Pentecost.


When they go out here, and when they went out after Pentecost the disciples were ministering with Jesus' authority. They did not have the power themselves to heal the sick, raise the dead and convert people. This all came from Jesus. They were representing Jesus.


Such a mission requires an absolute and bold trust in Jesus' ability and willingness to carry out these tasks. Today Jesus calls us to exercise a radical faith that he can and will heal the sick, raise the dead, and convert people.
Jesus and the apostles were able to do these miracles because there are times in salvation history when God's power is shown to back up the ministry of an individual, such as Jesus, Elijah or Moses. At other times we can still see glimpses of God's power. For example in answers to prayer for healing. Now God may not answer every prayer for healing. We do not know why he answers some prayers and not others. But we can rejoice when we see answers to prayer.


Jesus sent the disciples first of all to the lost sheep of Israel, verse 6. Jesus instructed them so they wouldn't go South to Samaria or North and East to Gentile territory. Initially his mission was to Jews. This was all part of God's plan of salvation. First Jesus would be sent to God's chosen people the Israelites. He would, at times minister in other Gentile and Samaritan locations but primarily he came for the Jews. They would then reject him and, after his death, resurrection and ascension the gospel would them be preached in Samaria and the ends of the earth, as Jesus told his disciples in Chapter 28.
Today the good news of Jesus is for everyone. Jew, Samaritans, Gentiles, male and female, rich and poor, old and young, short and tall, thin and fat !


How should we respond today ?

With thankfulness that God sent Jesus. Romans 5:8, ' But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.'While we were still sinners we were cut off from God. He has made the first move in sending Jesus and choosing us to be his followers.


Pray that God will send workers into the fields that are white with harvest. Jesus has come for everyone and anyone.


Pray that he will give us the compassion and the opportunities to show and share his love in a world full of people wandering around without spiritual guidance or protection. We are not all called to be evangelists like Billy Graham, but we have our story of faith and God's love to share with a world waiting to be harvested.
We need to have the confidence that Jesus can and will answer our prayers when we pray for the sick, demon possessed, even the dead.


While crossing the Atlantic on an oceanliner, F.B. Meyer was asked to address the first class passengers. At the captain's request he spoke on "Answered Prayer." An agnostic who was present at the service was asked by his friends, "What did you think of Dr. Meyer's sermon?" He answered, "I didn't believe a word of it." That afternoon Meyer went to speak to the other passengers. Many of the listeners at his morning address went along, including the agnostic, who claimed he just wanted to hear "what the babbler had to say."
Before starting for the service, the agnostic put two oranges in his pocket. On his way he passed an elderly woman sitting in her deck chair fast asleep. Her hands were open. In the spirit of fun, the agnostic put the two oranges in her outstretched palms.
After the meeting, he saw the old lady happily eating one of the pieces of fruit. "You seem to be enjoying that orange," he remarked with a smile. "Yes, sir," she replied, "My Father is very good to me." "Your father? Surely your father can't be still alive!" "Praise God," she replied, "He is very much alive." "What do you mean?" pressed the agnostic. She explained, "I'll tell you, sir. I have been seasick for days. I was asking God somehow to send me an orange. I suppose I fell asleep while I was praying. When I awoke, I found He had not only sent me one orange but two!" The agnostic was speechless. Later he was converted to Christ. Yes, praying in God's will brings an answer.

 

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In Chapters 5-7 Matthew records the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. 7: 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. Jesus is established as a teacher with authority from God.

In Chapters 8 & 9 Jesus is shown as having authority to forgive sins, heal the sick, expel demons, and raise the dead. Last week in Chapter 9 we saw how Jesus called Matthew, mixed with sinners, cured a sick woman, and raised a dead girl.

In 9:8 after Jesus had healed a paralytic Matthew writes, 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.

This is what Jesus means when he says the kingdom, or rule of God is near. God's rule is found in the person and ministry of Jesus who undid the effects of sin. When sin came into the world it unleashed sickness, death, and the devil and his followers.

Jesus shows that God has broken into human history by his deeds. He tells of this by his teaching and preaching. The two go together. They demand a response.

We saw earlier how the crowd were filled with awe, verse 8. in contrast the Pharisees were jealous and claimed that Jesus power came from Satan, verse 34.

What motivated Jesus to minister ?

Two things. Need and opportunity.

Need. Verse 36 says that the crowd were like a sheep without a shepherd. Jesus had compassion, the word refers to a gut reaction. Israel's leaders are often unfavourably compared to shepherds in scripture. They are usually portrayed as being in leadership for their own gain. Yet Jesus cares for his sheep who have no spiritual guidance and protection without him.

Opportunity. In verse 37 Jesus describes people like a ripe harvest ready to be picked. Elsewhere in Scripture harvest is often used to describe the coming judgement of God but this is not the case here. However, there is a sense of urgency. Any farmer knows the importance of moving quickly and decisively when the harvest is ripe.

Story of 2 shoe salesman sent to a remote island where there is no shoe shop. One comes back soon saying that there is no chance as the islanders had never seen a shoe before. The other salesman phoned asking for a large shipment of shoes saying that there was a terrific opportunity because every foot on the island was bare !

What would we be like ? Look for the need and the opportunity, not at obstacles !

In verse 38 Jesus tells the disciples to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers in the harvest field.

We all need to pray that God will send Christians to tell his good news to others. We should also be prepared to be the answer to that prayer. The 12 disciples were because Jesus then proceeds to send them out.

He calls them 'apostles' for the first time, verse 2. This comes from "apostellos" which means "I send".

Having established Jesus' authority to teach, exorcise, heal, and raise the dead, Matthew records this authority being passed on to the apostles by Jesus. This is part of Jesus' 'on the job' training for the disciples. First they saw Jesus doing these things. Now it is their turn. This would have been good practice for their own ministries after Pentecost.

When they go out here, and when they went out after Pentecost the disciples were ministering with Jesus' authority. They did not have the power themselves to heal the sick, raise the dead and convert people. This all came from Jesus. They were representing Jesus.

Such a mission requires an absolute and bold trust in Jesus' ability and willingness to carry out these tasks. Today Jesus calls us to exercise a radical faith that he can and will heal the sick, raise the dead, and convert people.

Jesus and the apostles were able to do these miracles because there are times in salvation history when God's power is shown to back up the ministry of an individual, such as Jesus, Elijah or Moses. At other times we can still see glimpses of God's power. For example in answers to prayer for healing. Now God may not answer every prayer for healing. We do not know why he answers some prayers and not others. But we can rejoice when we see answers to prayer.

Jesus sent the disciples first of all to the lost sheep of Israel, verse 6. This was all part of God's plan of salvation. First Jesus would be sent to God's chosen people the Israelites. He would, at times minister in other Gentile and Samaritan locations but primarily he came for the Jews. They would have to reject him and, after his death, resurrection and ascension the gospel would them be preached in Samaria and the ends of the earth, as Jesus told his disciples in Chapter 28.

Today the good news of Jesus is for everyone. Jew, Samaritans, Gentiles, male and female, rich and poor, short and tall, thin and fat !

How should we respond today ?

With thankfulness that God sent Jesus.

Romans 5:8, ' But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.'

While we were still sinners we were cut off from him. God has made the first move in sending Jesus and choosing us to be his followers.

Pray that God will send workers into the fields that are white with harvest. Pray that he will give us the compassion and the opportunities to show and share his love in a world full of people wandering around without spiritual guidance or protection.

We need to have the confidence that Jesus can and will answer our prayers when we pray for the sick, demon possessed, even the dead.