Anchor My Faith

Sheep, Shepherd, Harvest, Workers

Scripture: Matthew 9:35-38

With this lesson, we begin our study of a period of time Jesus spent ministering in Galilee. The Narrative for this major section took time to produce because it drew material from all four gospels. Creating a narrative from four gospel writers and having it read smoothly and maintain the context of each writer is not always that easy.

In this first of five sections, assigned to this main section, we are told that ^{Mt 9:35} “Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

The Father sent his Son to earth who took on human flesh through a virgin birth and was named Jesus. Jesus was sent to carry out a part of the restoration plan by going throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. He taught the people with authority and demonstrated his power through various miracles. These miracles and teaching pointed to the cross where he would suffer and die in our place to purchase our salvation.

As Jesus traveled from place to place, he saw the crowds and their need of someone to guide them in their journey through life, and he had compassion for them. As the Son of God, Jesus had a sympathetic pity and concern for them because of their suffering and enslavement to sin. He was determined to inform the people who he was, what his mission was, and then to purchase our salvation by dying on the cross in our place to pay the price of our sin. He became our good shepherd and those who humbly submit to him in faith become his sheep. As his sheep, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, we are to have compassionate hearts and show kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (Colossians 3:12).

Why were these people like sheep without a shepherd? God had chosen the Jews, revealed himself to them, and instructed them in how to shepherd the people, but they failed to respond in obedience, leaving the people, like sheep, harassed and helpless. Standing in the midst of this disobedience, Micah speaks up for God and prophsies that one would be born in Bethlehem, whose coming forth is from old, from ancient days, who shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. This Jesus is our good shepherd, the door of the sheep.

Jesus ^{Mt 9:37} “Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Some of those in the crowds come to believe in Jesus, but there are many lost sheep to be found, and Jesus request that his disciples pray for more to go forth to bring in the harvest. As disciples make more disciples, it progresses to where we become his disciples and we are thus instructed to pray for laborers to be sent into the harvest.

At this point one can anticipate what is to follow. We have the urgent request to pray, but prayer is usually followed by guidance from God into some kind of action. We will see this in out next lesson as Jesus sends his disciples out two by two to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

Conclusion

How important it is to show compassion toward others as Jesus did to help them find the good shepherd. It is equally important that we pray for workers to go out into the field and to bring in the harvest and as we pray we are to also go as workers. Father, I pray that as your children, we be more effectively engaged in this righteous lifestyle.