His harvest

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Psalm 103; Ephesians 3:1-13; Matthew 9:35-10:4

And 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.
(Matthew 9:35)

Our reading today seems to be a summary and transition - a summary of the narrative in chapters 8 and 9, and a transition to the discourse of chapter 10. Again, the narrative is the story of what Jesus was doing and saying, the discourse is an extended teaching to his disciples.

Jesus was teaching, proclaiming, and healing as he went throughout all the cities and villages. This summarizes the last two chapters.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (9:36)

What crowds? Presumably, like those of 7:28 and 8:16 and 9:8, all those gathering around him as his reputation grew and the word spread of all he was saying and doing. He had compassion for them, they needed the intervention of the word of God, the kingdom of God, and the power of God, because they were afflicted, lost, and powerless to help themselves. He came to be their great shepherd, to lead and guide and care for them; his compassion moves him to do something.

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." (9:37-38)

His compassion does not move him to double his efforts or prolong his evangelistic or healing crusade longer in any given city. Matthew mixes his metaphors, he transitions here from sheep to harvest. The consistent factor is the "crowds" like sheep and the "plentiful" harvest, and sheep "without" a shepherd and a harvest with "few" laborers. So his compassion moves him to enlist his disciples in the restoration project by calling them to pray for laborers for the harvest; actually to pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

This indeed is God's Restoration Project. Jesus has come for the Lord's harvest. God will have a harvest, he has sent Jesus for it, and Jesus will send his disciples for it. And that harvest is people who are called into the kingdom, taught and healed; it is harassed and helpless people floundering (another mixed metaphor, do sheep flounder?) around; it is mature fruit, like grain in the field just waiting to be gathered into the barn.

And we find ourselves on both sides of the story today. Those being called in, and those being sent out. Those who are hurting and helpless, and those who are to pray. Those being taught and those who are to teach. Those needing healing, and who are to heal. Those coming into the kingdom, and those sharing its good news.