Mat 9:37-38 | KingComments | STEP | The blasphemous opposition of the religious leaders does not in any way interrupt the blessed course of the Lord. He doesn’t skip a town or village. Everywhere He goes, He teaches, proclaims, and heals. He does so with great concern and compassion because He knows how much these sheep of God have been exposed to dangers, to leaders without mercy. He sees them as distressed and dispirited sheep without a shepherd, at the mercy of cruel wolves ( ). At the same time, He sees them as a plentiful harvest. Who is willing to go to these sheep to tell them about the true Shepherd? There were few of them then, and today is no different. But there is a way out: prayer. The Lord says to His disciples – and to us if we confess to be His disciples – that they must pray to “the Lord of the harvest” that He will send workers into His harvest. The Lord of the harvest is the Lord Jesus Himself. We see that directly in the next chapter ( ). Praying for it is one thing, making ourselves available to be sent out is another. If we pray for it, there is a good chance that He will send us out. Not the need, but only the Lord determines whether we should go, where we should go and when, and what we should do.

‏ Matthew 9:37-38

The Lord Feels Compassion

The blasphemous opposition of the religious leaders does not in any way interrupt the blessed course of the Lord. He doesn’t skip a town or village. Everywhere He goes, He teaches, proclaims, and heals. He does so with great concern and compassion because He knows how much these sheep of God have been exposed to dangers, to leaders without mercy. He sees them as distressed and dispirited sheep without a shepherd, at the mercy of cruel wolves (Eze 34:1-6). At the same time, He sees them as a plentiful harvest. Who is willing to go to these sheep to tell them about the true Shepherd? There were few of them then, and today is no different. But there is a way out: prayer.

The Lord says to His disciples – and to us if we confess to be His disciples – that they must pray to “the Lord of the harvest” that He will send workers into His harvest. The Lord of the harvest is the Lord Jesus Himself. We see that directly in the next chapter (Mt 10:5). Praying for it is one thing, making ourselves available to be sent out is another. If we pray for it, there is a good chance that He will send us out. Not the need, but only the Lord determines whether we should go, where we should go and when, and what we should do.