Whom Jesus Is Sending, and Where

During my sermon yesterday, we had a conversation about Matthew 9:35 – 10:23. (Read the passage here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/? search=Matthew+9%3A35-10%3A1%2C+10%3A5-23&version=NRSV)

Jesus had compassion for the crowds because they were “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”

We agreed that the “harvest” is the work of God, God is the “lord” of that harvest, and we are the “laborers”. But we need more people to do the work.

In the next sentence, Jesus “summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority.” A few verses later, Jesus tells them to proclaim the good news that the kingdom of God has come near, to cure the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons.

We then talked about what “diseases” we, as his present-day disciples, need to cure. Surely, not physical diseases?

We came up with quite a list:

Poverty, hate, addiction, bias, racism, mental health issues, hopelessness, helplessness, loneliness, emptiness, stress, anxiety. Injustice. Violence. Fixation on material things and appearance.

What qualifies us, little old me and you, to cure those?

My personal opinion: Because we suffer from them (or some of them) ourselves, or have at one point in our lives. We are all “harassed and helpless”, and that’s what qualifies us to reach out to others who are.

Our lives aren’t easier because we have Jesus. None of us are immune to feeling hopeless, helpless, clueless or even worthless. We’ve all been there.

I’m not saying we can cure that for anyone else. But I am saying we can be there with them. We can offer hope and help, support and a sense of being worthy.

The harvest is plentiful. The work of God is a big job! But “harvest” implies there is something to gain. The work of God will bear fruit. And you and I get to be a part of that. We get to see it happen, we get to make it happen, and we get to enjoy the fruit: The unconditional, undying love of God.