Have you ever been surprised by God? You’re following along in a passage and you think you know what is coming next. But then…
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This probably happens more than I’m aware of. But I was reminded again this weekend. I was preaching on one of my favorite passages in the Gospels. Matthew concludes a section of his Gospel that featured Jesus in action teaching, preaching, and even healing people. The writer is about to shift the focus from Jesus ministering to the multitudes to Jesus building into His disciples.
35 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. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 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.”
Matthew 9:35-38
Study Deeper
If you dig deeper, you’ll be richly rewarded in your study of the nuances of the original language used here. For now, I want to focus on the obvious because I am afraid we are in great danger of missing the core truth while we allow ourselves to be fascinated by the fringes.
Stay Focused
When reading and studying the Bible, it can be helpful to take special note of the commands. There are a lot of great stories, events, and principles in the Scriptures. We can be refreshed, encouraged, and learn much by reading and meditating upon them. However, there are times that God wants to make sure that we get the point. Therefore, He often summarizes the concept in a command. We should enjoy the story but be sure get the point too.
In this brief paragraph, there is a lot going on. There’s a compassionate Jesus, hurting crowds, disciples, a harvest, laborers, and a Lord of the harvest–not to mention all the towns and the teaching, preaching, and healing. Those are all there in the background to help set the scene. They also give us so many opportunities to get lost in the fringes and miss the point.
In these four verses, there is only one command.
38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Matthew 9:35-38
It’s even highlighted by an adverb adding intensity to the command. Not only does Jesus command us to pray but he adds “earnestly”. That word adds a level of urgency and fervency to the prayers.
Feel the Feels
In context, when Matthew writes that Jesus felt deep compassion on the crowds. He knows their current state (harassed and helpless) and is aware of their future state (eternity without God). That’s why He came to seek and to save the lost. He knows that the work is too great for His small band of followers, at least in their current development. One day they will turn the world upside down but that time has not yet come.
Jesus tells His followers that the harvest is bigger than they can imagine (CEB) and that the workers are few.
What would you expect Jesus to say next? “Get to work!”? That’s what I would expect.
Pray Earnestly
What does He say next? “Pray”. In fact, “Pray earnestly”!
“Pray earnestly” doesn’t mean that we just pray a quick shotgun prayer asking God to bless what we’ve already decided to do. That means that we allow our hearts to be broken by the immense need of the people and by our inability to meet the need in our own strength. Then we can beg God to send workers out to reach the people. As we pray, God may choose to send us out to meet that particular need.
Why Wait?
Let’s be sure to catch the right order.
- See the crowds.
- Sense the need.
- Pray for workers.
- Be ready to partner with God as He calls.
In the very next paragraph, in chapter ten Jesus does send out His disciples. But that was after He instructed them to pray.
I think one of the great sins of our age, at least for North Americans is self-sufficiency. We may sing nice songs to God but ultimately our trust and confidence are in our own strength and ingenuity to resolve whatever problems we face.
That’s bad enough when we try to solve our problems in our own strength. It must look downright laughable, if not pathetic when we try to solve God-sized problems in our human strength.
In Evangelism: A Biblical Approach, G. Michael Cocoris writes, “Perhaps if we prayed more we’d win more. In acts 2 they pray for 10 days, Peter preaches for 10 minutes and 3,000 get saved. Today, churches pray for 10 minutes, preach for 10 days, and 3 get saved.” Those words, published in 1984, seem even more relevant for us today.
Often we go to prayer because we want God to change a situation. But, as we spend time with God, He often changes us first. Then we often see the situation very differently.
When we charge out to meet a need without being rooted in our relationship with God, we can sometimes create messes that take months or years to fix.
As we spend time with God, He works in us to focus and energize our thoughts and plans. Sometimes, our job was simply to pray. Other times, our prayers are only the beginning. God may send others. God may send us.
Sense the need. Ask God to break our hearts with the things that break His heart.
Partner in prayer. Ask God to raise up and cast out workers into the harvest at work, at school, in your community, and even in your home. Ask God to send someone to your hurting loved ones, coworkers, and neighbors.
Be ready for the call. Develop your gifts. Write and practice the story of your own faith journey.
