February 5, 2023
Dave Stephens
Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields…
Matt. 9:35-38:
“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”
Matthew 9:36:
Seeing the people, “he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus goes on to say that “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few”; thus (v. 38) the disciples should “pray for the Lord to send workers into the harvest.”
We need to see as Jesus saw and feel as Jesus felt so that we will do as Jesus did.
Verse 35 gives us a summary of Jesus’ ministry at that time (almost identical with Matt. 4:23). He was going through all of the villages, teaching, proclaiming the gospel, and healing every kind of disease and sickness. Then, verses 36-38 report a specific incident on one of those occasions, when Jesus saw the crowds, perhaps as they approached Him, felt compassion for them, and then gave this charge to His disciples. The first lesson is…
WE NEED TO SEE AS JESUS SAW
Presumably, Jesus and the disciples saw the same scene: the approaching crowd of people. But Jesus saw them with different eyes than the disciples did.
- Do you ever look carefully into people’s faces when you’re in public? If you do, you’ll see a lot of distressed, troubled people.
- Hurting people do not wear neon signs blinking, “Love me! I’m hurting!” They tell you in other ways…
He said, “The harvest is plentiful.” This was an important concept that Jesus wanted His disciples to grasp. On another occasion, after speaking with the Samaritan woman by the well, He told the disciples (John 4:35), “lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.” He repeated it again as He sent out the seventy for ministry (Luke 10:2).
- God opens hearts to the gospel (Acts 16:14). It’s our job to go into the harvest field and seek to reap a crop.
“The workers are few.” Jesus has changed metaphors here. First, He used the metaphor of sheep. But, now, it’s a harvest.
- The harvest and the workers show God’s “need” met by man: God uses
This is so interesting: He could have used angels, who probably would have been more competent than we are. But He chose to use people!
- Jesus is saying: There is a need for more workers.
- Ministry is one beggar telling another beggar where he can find bread.
“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them…” The Greek verb translated, “felt compassion,” is used frequently of Jesus in the Gospels. It is related to a noun meaning, “inward parts,” or, as we might say today, “guts.” Deep down inside, Jesus felt for these people. It hit him in the gut!
- He didn’t angrily blame them for the mess that they were in, although He could have done so. Rather, He felt compassion for them.
People know if you love them. If they feel your love, they will be more inclined to listen to your message. We need to see needy people as Jesus saw them. And we need to feel compassion for them as Jesus felt.
WE NEED TO DO AS JESUS DID
What did Jesus do? He ministered to people’s needs, and He prayed for more workers.
Not everyone is gifted to teach publicly, but in private conversation you should be able to teach others what God has taught you from His Word.
The text says Jesus commanded “the disciples to pray for workers.”
Do you pray that the Lord would raise up and send out workers?
- But let me warn you: Praying for workers for the harvest is dangerous business! If you pray for workers for the harvest, God may tap you on the shoulder…and ask, “What about you? Will you be a harvester?”
What is our motive? Why would we do this? Our motive is the great love of our Savior, who came to this sinful world, who saw the great needs of lost people, who felt compassion for them, and who served them with the good news of salvation.
He wants you to see as He saw, to feel as He felt, and to do as He did.
THE HARVEST IS COMING!!