The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Matthew 9:18-38 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

While He was saying these things to them, behold, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will become alive again.” ¹⁹ Jesus got up from the table and began to accompany him, along with His disciples.

²⁰ And behold, a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind Him, and touched the border of His cloak; ²¹ for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His cloak, I will get well.” ²² But Jesus, turning and seeing her, said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” And at once the woman was made well.

²³ When Jesus came into the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd in noisy disorder, ²⁴ He said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him. ²⁵ But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. ²⁶ And this news spread throughout that land.

²⁷ As Jesus went on from there, two men who were blind followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” ²⁸ And after He entered the house, the men who were blind came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” ²⁹ Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done for you according to your faith.” ³⁰ And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows about this!” ³¹ But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout that land.

³² And as they were going out, behold, a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak was brought to Him. ³³ And after the demon was cast out, the man who was previously unable to speak talked; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” ³⁴ But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.”

³⁵ Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness.

³⁶ Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸ Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

In today’s text we see the healing of the synagogue ruler’s daughter, who Jesus raised from death. We see the healing of the woman with a hemorrhage which had lasted for twelve years. We see Jesus heal two men who were blind and finally, we see Jesus deliver a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak. The text says: Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

More than just praying for workers to be sent into the harvest, we are those who have been sent. In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus says: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” In Mark 16:15-18 He says: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. The one who has believed and has been baptized will be saved; but the one who has not believed will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” In Acts 1:8 Jesus says: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.” We have been sent into the harvest, to make disciples, to preach the gospel, to heal the sick, to be witnesses of Christ everywhere in the world. In John 14:12-14 Jesus says: “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” In verse 15 He adds:  “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

If we love Jesus, we must keep His commandments. We must be those who are His witnesses. We must preach the gospel, make disciples and heal the sick. Here’s the thing though, it is not as daunting or difficult as it sounds. It really isn’t a matter of our ability. Jesus says: “whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”  It is not our ability or our power, it is Jesus that will do what He has commissioned us to do. He said we would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. It’s the power of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that hovered over the waters at creation and was the power behind the words that God spoke, it the power of the Spirit, not our power that is behind what we do and say in Jesus name. When He healed the woman with the hemorrhage, Jesus said: “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.”  When He healed the blind men, it says: “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done for you according to your faith.”   

Jesus asks us the same question today: “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” If we will answer: “Yes, Lord.”  He says: “It shall be done for you according to your faith.”   Amen, Yes Lord. I believe. Thank You that You are faithful to do all that You have said You would do. May Your kingdom come and Your will be done, in and through my life. Amen.