Matthew 9:35–10:8

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Dean, School of Christian Ministries, University of Mobile

IN HIS SERVICE

Matthew 9:35–10:8

Whenever I consider the concept of serving royalty, I think about the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Red-coated soldiers with their tall black helmets demonstrate precision and pride as they march from Wellington Barracks to the palace for the privilege to protect the royal family. Those who are selected for these regiments surrender individual liberty in order to serve the crown and the kingdom.

Serving our King calls for service outside our comfort zone. Our Sovereign deserves our surrendered lives in attitude, allegiance and action. As ambassadors for Jesus, we have much to learn about representing Him before a hurting, broken and lost world. In this week’s lesson we review a familiar passage that ministry is God working through His people to carry out His purposes.

Motivated by Compassion (35–36)

Teaching, preaching and healing — this was the essence of Jesus’ ministry in the rural villages and towns of Judah. Earlier in the chapter Jesus had instructed John’s disciples, healed the sick, raised the dead and restored sight to the blind. The individuals affected by His ministry were like thimbles of water in an ocean of needs. People were hurting and broken all around Him.

Matthew characterizes the crowds as “weary and worn out.” They had no one to help them and the religious leaders offered them no immediate solutions to the pressing needs of their lives. Jesus saw the people and their needs, and He was deeply moved with compassion. These “sheep without a shepherd” were completely unaware that they were in the presence of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14), the Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20) and the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4). He was preparing to give the disciples a calling to minister to the needs of people through prayer and service.

Challenged to Pray (37–38)

Jesus regularly used farming terminology when speaking to villagers away from the big city. His reference to the harvest in this passage is meant to identify those who were and would become His followers. It harkens back to Psalm 126:5–6, where a tearful sower becomes a joyful harvester bringing his sheaves with him, and also to Jesus’ harvest of Samaritan believers at Sychar (John 4:25–28).

Tearful prayers for the nations serve to prepare the spiritual ground for the seeds of the gospel. The fruit of those prayers is a joyful harvest of souls. Offering expectant requests that God will thrust forth more laborers to work in the field is a challenge for us, though, because many believers feel that local ministry is mandatory (for the pastoral staff), but global disciple-making is optional. When we invite God to send whomever He chooses, including us, our children or our grandchildren to the far reaches of the planet so that other people groups will trust Christ — that is the kind of compassionate praying that leads to surrendered service to the King.

Commissioned to Go (1–8)

“Prayers with feet” — this is one way to characterize Jesus’ commission to His disciples in this passage. Immediately after the instruction to pray for laborers, Matthew gives testimony of the disciples’ launch on their first missionary journey.

Jesus was equipping the disciples with increasing responsibility. First it was pray and go to the lost sheep of Israel (v. 6). Next it was go and find people of peace (Luke 10:5). Finally it was go and make disciples of all the nations (Matt. 28:19). We are to be on mission with Him.