The Sending Christ
Scripture Reading: Matthew 9:35–10:42
Meditation
Before any great commission is given, there must be great compassion. First the heart has to be moved, and then the feet. The Sending Christ does both.
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’ ”
As Jesus looks on the crowd, his heart breaks.
He sees so many needs and yet there are so few hands to help. He senses so much pain and yet there are so few arms to comfort. He’s aware of so many people who are ready to hear the good news of the kingdom of God yet there are so few mouths ready to speak.
He compares the crowd to a flock of sheep. They have no shepherd. They’re harassed, helpless, vulnerable, lost, and open to attack.
His compassion compels him to act.
He prays.
He looks for the answer and finds it in twelve men. He calls his disciples and commissions them. These twelve are the dirty dozen.
Simon Peter and John are “unschooled, ordinary men” (Acts 4:13). Matthew works for the Roman internal revenue service. The other Simon is a zealot. Thomas will question the resurrection and will never shake the moniker of “doubter”. And Judas Iscariot, his name will be synonymous with “traitor”.
The twelve disciples aren’t well polished. They aren’t even diamonds in the rough. They’re just rough. But the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few, so a dozen rough men are better than no men at all.
As he calls them he gives them a gem of a message.
“The kingdom of heaven is near.”
He empowers them.
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
He instructs them.
“Go here. Don’t go there. Do this. Bring that. Look for opportunities and watch out for enemies.”
He assures them of his presence.
“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.”
This isn’t just a mission; this is a co-mission.
The Sending Christ is going with them and—as he goes with them—he promises that he will give them the right words to say at the right time.
“But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
The Messiah, who carries the most important message that the world would ever hear, decides to place that precious message into frail human hands. He takes his words and places them into his disciple’s mouths. God doesn’t declare his message through a booming voice. He speaks through the stutters of common men.
God now has a Galilean accent.
This is how he reaps his harvest—word-by-word, conversation-by-conversation, life-by-life.
As his disciples listen, he listens. When they speak, he speaks. When they act, he acts. It’s a co-mission. They walk the harvest fields together.
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written,
‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ ” (Rom. 10:14-15)
Prayer
Father,
As your Son looked upon the crowds, he had compassion.
He saw them as sheep without a shepherd—harassed, helpless, and vulnerable to attack. There were so many who were hurting and so few ready and able to help. And so he asked his disciples to pray.
He said,
“Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.”
They asked and then they became the answer.
The Sending Christ commissioned them. He gave them his authority. He directed them where to go. He told them what to say. He explained to them what to do. And, as they left, he warned them. He comforted them. He promised them that he would walk the harvest fields with them.
During this day, I ask that the Sending Christ show me where my world is ready, waiting, and ripe for a kingdom harvest.
Send me to those who are harassed and helpless. Lead me to those who are lost and looking for the Good Shepherd. Impassion me. Commission me. Empower me. And as I go, make my feet swift, strong, and beautiful.
It’s in the Sending Christ’s name that I pray and it’s in his power that I go. Amen
Reflection
What is your harvest field?
Who in your life is ready and waiting to hear the good news?
The Sending Christ promises that the Holy Spirit will give you the right words at the right time. How does that encourage you to speak the good news?
What comfort does it bring you to know that the Sending Christ walks with you through the harvest field?
All Scripture references in the meditation are marked by italics and are taken from the Gospel reading for the day (Matthew 9:35–10:42). Those verses quoted outside of the chosen reading for the day are noted in parenthesis. All Scripture quoted on this site is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
