Many Hands Make Light Work! Matthew 9:35-38

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The Workers Are Few

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.”
Jesus is very busy in Matthew 9.  He definitely puts in a full day of work. We see an emphasis on his healing power.  His healing is a combination of emotional, spiritual and physical.  Here are some of the examples:
1. Jesus heals and forgives a paralytic man (physical and spiritual)
2. Jesus calls Matthew the Tax Collector and forgives him of his sin sickness. (spiritual)
3. Jesus raises the synagogue ruler's young daughter from the dead. (physical)
4. Jesus heals a woman with a bleeding disease (physical, emotional)
5.  Jesus heals two blind men (physicial)
6. Jesus heals a mute man who was demon possessed. (physical, spiritual)
If you read through all the examples you will also notice that in many instances it was the faith of the people being healed, or their friends, that prompted Jesus' healing.  In one case, the paralytic's healing was combined with the forgiveness of his sins to show the authority Jesus had over both the physical and the spiritual diseases.  
Verse 35 summarizes Jesus' public ministry.  He taught, he proclaimed what the kingdom of God, then healed all who were brought to him.  He preached about God's kingdom and then showed what it looked like here on earth.  Where God rules or reigns there is not sickness, disease or sin.   
So it is no accident that he says, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few!"  After all, he needs some help.  He is a one man show.  But he knows that when he leaves that there will be a lot more work to do.  Fortunately, He sent the Holy Spirit to His followers so they could minister in the same authority and power that he did.  
The harvest is still plentiful and the workers are still few, trust me I am pastor.  But there are still many people out there that need to see and experience God's healing power physically, emotionally and spiritually.  As the old adage says, "Many hands make light work!"  Jesus has asked the Lord of the harvest to send workers out into the field.  Will you be one of them? 

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