MATTHEW 9: 35-38
COMPASSION MOVES TO ACTION
[Ezekiel 34:1-6]
Jesus saw beyond the physical brokenness to the deeper tragedy of lives lived without spiritual purpose or direction.This short powerful passage provides insight into Jesus' motivation for advancing the training of His disciples to the next level or on to ministering to people in teams. The reason is Jesus' compassion for the masses. Jesus saw beyond the physical brokenness to the deeper tragedy of lives lived without spiritual purpose or direction.
This section looks both backward and forward. These verses conclude the words and deeds of Chapters 8 & 9 and prepare us for the disciples mission in chapter 10. It is a fitting transition to the next section for it introduces Christ's reason for disciplining His followers. The remarkably compassionate Shepherd discipled His followers to prepare them to be workers in God's eternal harvest (CIT).
As long as Christ ministered to the physical needs of people He was admired. When He directs His followers to join Him in His redemptive mission He becomes an object of doubt, criticism, and hostility. Yet antagonism would not defer Christ from seeking, preparing, and sending workers out to bring a spiritual harvest of eternal souls into the kingdom of God.
I. Christ's Compassionate Ministry, 35.
II. Christ's Compassionate Outlook, 36.
III. Christ's Compassionate Command, 37-38.
This bridge section is introduced in verse 35 by summarizing Jesus' threefold ministry: teaching, preaching, and healing. "Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness."
Jesus made a practice of going through large towns and small villages. Jesus visited not only the great and wealthy cities, but the poor, obscure villages. All the poor hidden souls of the world are precious to Christ, and should be to us also.
His early public ministry was concentrated into three areas. The first and foremost was His teaching ministry. Teaching is offering detailed explanations of a particular Scripture passage or passages.
Jesus' second public ministry priority was proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom. Jesus announced (krusso), made known, or heralded the long awaited arrival of the kingdom of God on earth. The phrase "gospel of the kingdom" or, the Good News of the kingdom, is a key for the understanding of the gospel message. The gospel of the kingdom is the good news of the rule of God amidst His people, now actualized in the Person and presence of Jesus Christ.
It is the Messiah who brings the kingdom of God into affairs of the world and asks His creation to enter His kingdom by submission to it's King and then following the King;s precepts. His message was repent - or turn from your sins and turn to God for the kingdom of God is at hand. A time of salvation by grace through faith for the forgiveness of sin and the reconciliation of the sinner is offered. The Son of David has come to build the kingdom by recruiting surrendered subjects.
Jesus' third area of public ministry was healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. His healing ministry was for the purpose of authenticating Himself. This astounding ministry attracted large crowds and needy people. The last two chapters have proven that there was no disease or sickness too difficult for Jesus to heal.
This ministry summation is given because it is at this point [which is very similar to 4:23,] that Jesus begins transitioning His ministry from one of public words and deeds to one concentrated on equipping His followers to become teachers of the Word, proclaimers of the gospel, and healers of the people. This equipping ministry enables an ever widening circle of people to be personally touched. This making disciples to carry on His ministry is still the emphasis of Jesus today.
II. CHRIST’S COMPASSIONATE OUTLOOK (36).
Presented in verse 36 is the compassion of the Shepherd for the misguided multitudes who are like sheep w/ out a shepherd. “Seeing the multitudes, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast [dispirited] like sheep without a shepherd.”
As Jesus conducted His teaching ministry He encountered many crowds. As Jesus observed the crowds, He had compassion toward them. Now the physical needs of the multitudes were not the only reason for the compassion of Jesus. His pathos for the crowds was heightened because their state of distress and helplessness which was similar to that of sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34). Because of their spiritual condition He felt compassion for they lacked godly shepherding. [The verb "to have compassion" (splanchnizomai) suggests strong emotion, it means "to feel deep sympathy" There were many occasions when Jesus' compassion was manifested (14:14; 15:32; 20:34).] Jesus was physically moved by stomach-wrenching empathy for the plight of the people.
Sheep is the word He uses to describe them. [This domesticated animal is the image of helplessness. Sheep are easily confused and tend to get lost. Not possessing fangs, claws or powerful muscles they have no weapons for self-defense and need a shepherd for protection. God sees people as confused and defenseless, in a state of spiritual oppression, in need of being brought into the fold of the Good Shepherd.]
Jesus saw that the people "were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Now there were many in positions of leadership or shepherding. There were powerful political leaders. There were capable military leaders. There were all kinds of astute religious leadership. Jesus though was still saying that the people are like sheep without a shepherd. Why? They are like sheep without a shepherd because they had no spiritual leadership. There were no shepherds who were helping them develop their spiritual life.
"Harassed" comes from a verb meaning "to trouble, distress, plunder, vex." The perfect tense demotes a habitual condition. Helpless is from a verb meaning "to throw down, to cast down." The past tense used implies a thoroughness of their oppression and it's persistent effect on the people. These people were completely and perpetually discouraged. They were weak and exhausted because they had not been fed, not knowing where to go to satisfy their inner need.
Having no shepherd to feed or teach them the truth and lead them in the everlasting way. They were helpless and wandering about with no spiritual guidance. The religious leaders, who should have been their shepherds, were keeping the sheep from following the true Shepherd.
A shepherd feeds, comforts, heals, guides, and protects his sheep (Ezek. 34). Israel's religious leaders were harassing, taking advantage of, and spiritually abandoning their sheep leaving them harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus sees the spiritual destitution of the people and is moved with compassion for them. Jesus was physically moved by stomach-wrenching empathy for the spiritual plight of the people.
III. CHRIST’S COMPASSIONATE COMMAND, 37-38.
Hear the heart cry of our Savior in verse 37. "Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."
Notice the change that true compassion brings. Jesus' compassion causes Him to want to do something about the need. He could not be a spectator but set out to establish a missionary force to bring help. His compassion moves Him into discipleship. The motivating force behind Christ's work is compassion. He seeks to develop a similar compassion in His followers. Why?
Jesus says that the harvest is plentiful. The word harvest implies spiritual receptivity; that many in the world are susceptible to salvation or are savable. The world is full of winnable people who, unless brought into the kingdom of God, will perish like wheat that is not reaped.
The main point is that much work needs to be done but not many are willing to do the work. Harvesting work is hard work, especially if the harvest is large and the harvesters are few. The supply of disciples or workers in the harvest is deficient. Jesus is conveying the great need is for workers in God's harvest.
Verse 38 is Jesus' application for the great need of workers to bring in the plentiful harvest. "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."
A compassion for perishing souls will lead to prayer for labors who will go out to harvest them. Prayer is the starting point for workers and their effectiveness. The key to the mission of the church lies in the hand of God, and that key is prayer not work. The key to the mission of the church is not the key of wisdom, understanding, or even evangelism. The key is prayer.
The Lord is the supreme Ruler, the Lord or Owner of the Harvest. We are His servants who have been given a stewardship to bring in the harvest. Jesus has stated that the priority of our stewardship effort is prayer, prayer for workers in the harvest, which includes those working in the harvest.
Note the request is that God, not man's insisting, would powerfully thrust workers out, as if by urgent necessity, into the harvest. Note also that the request is for workers, not bench-warmers or Monday-morning quarterbacks, but for people to be actively involved in their field to bring in God's harvest. God who has entrusted us with the work has also given us the authority to ask Him for the workers to bring in His harvest.
Do you have the conviction that with out this prayer for workers in the harvest that fields ready for reaping will be left to perish? This request is not for the reapers to hire a real good reaper, but for ordinary everyday field workers [or believers] to bring in the harvest.
IN CLOSING
Jesus experienced compassion for people who He describes with two pictures: a flock of neglected sheep, and a harvest going to waste for lack of reapers. Both images implied not only the plight of the people but a neglect on the part of religious people. Jesus then gives us the answer - Prayer.
Do you truly see the spiritual condition of the people around you daily? Do you have compassion for these lost souls? How strongly have you been moved by your compassion? Have you prayed for workers to be sent out to their rescue? How regularly have you prayed this request? Those who genuinely and regularly pray for workers find themselves also being thrust out into the harvest.
I have often wondered why Jesus, on the occasion described in Matthew 9:35-38, said nothing about witnessing to the lost. I might hazard a guess. Prayer must always precede activity. Efforts not grounded in compassion and complete submission to the Lord's mission are doom to fail. When we care enough to pray, we will be empowered by the Spirit to start working, witnessing and giving.
The starting point is prayer. Let us therefore pray to the Lord of the Harvest.
