Daily Bread 2011 - Matthew 9
Verse for the Day: 9:35-39
35 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. 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.”
What Does This Mean?
Verses 9:35-39 form a literary form called an “inclusio”, as these verses are identical to verse 4:23 and form a book end for this section of teaching. They mark the end of a section where Jesus is illustrating what God’s kingdom looks like coming to this earth. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount illustrated the principles for how we can participate in this kingdom. Then, in chapters 8 and 9, Jesus demonstrates the Kingdom coming through teaching in the Synagogue (the Jews) and proclaiming or preaching the Good News in public (Gentiles). Then he gives further evidence to his teaching and preaching by healing every disease and sickness.
Some have described this ministry as the Word and Works of the Kingdom. Jesus proclaims the Word that the Kingdom has come near and then illustrates it through the Works of healing every disease and sickness, thus proving He is the Messiah the Jews had been waiting for.
Then, an important transition happens where Jesus says to his disciples that the “harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Jesus realizes He is but one man, and the ultimate goal is to bring this kingdom to all who God had purposed. So Jesus moves from doing and proclaiming the Kingdom, to equipping His disciples to do it.
What Does This Mean For Us? Similarly, we can be about absorbing information about the Kingdom all of our lives through Church or other means, but the Great Commission is that we have been called to be Jesus’ disciples who will make other disciples. As we are about the three main things that Jesus was about: teaching, preaching and healing; we will be sent out into the harvest field God has prepared for us in advance to reach.
As God creates in our hearts the same compassion as Jesus did for a world that is like sheep without a shepherd, God will send us out in His name just like the original twelve disciples. And this is the primary purpose of the Church to prepare disciples to go out and be a witness to God’s kingdom coming in and through them in the power of the Spirit.
Jesus thank you for demonstrating what God’s kingdom is like in your life here on earth. Give us courage and Your power to equip us to be your disciples today in a world that is still helpless and harassed like sheep without a shepherd. Amen.
35 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. 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.”
What Does This Mean?
Verses 9:35-39 form a literary form called an “inclusio”, as these verses are identical to verse 4:23 and form a book end for this section of teaching. They mark the end of a section where Jesus is illustrating what God’s kingdom looks like coming to this earth. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount illustrated the principles for how we can participate in this kingdom. Then, in chapters 8 and 9, Jesus demonstrates the Kingdom coming through teaching in the Synagogue (the Jews) and proclaiming or preaching the Good News in public (Gentiles). Then he gives further evidence to his teaching and preaching by healing every disease and sickness.
Some have described this ministry as the Word and Works of the Kingdom. Jesus proclaims the Word that the Kingdom has come near and then illustrates it through the Works of healing every disease and sickness, thus proving He is the Messiah the Jews had been waiting for.
Then, an important transition happens where Jesus says to his disciples that the “harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Jesus realizes He is but one man, and the ultimate goal is to bring this kingdom to all who God had purposed. So Jesus moves from doing and proclaiming the Kingdom, to equipping His disciples to do it.
What Does This Mean For Us? Similarly, we can be about absorbing information about the Kingdom all of our lives through Church or other means, but the Great Commission is that we have been called to be Jesus’ disciples who will make other disciples. As we are about the three main things that Jesus was about: teaching, preaching and healing; we will be sent out into the harvest field God has prepared for us in advance to reach.
As God creates in our hearts the same compassion as Jesus did for a world that is like sheep without a shepherd, God will send us out in His name just like the original twelve disciples. And this is the primary purpose of the Church to prepare disciples to go out and be a witness to God’s kingdom coming in and through them in the power of the Spirit.
Jesus thank you for demonstrating what God’s kingdom is like in your life here on earth. Give us courage and Your power to equip us to be your disciples today in a world that is still helpless and harassed like sheep without a shepherd. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment