Sheep without a Shepherd

Jesus' Fulfillment of Scripture
Jesus and the Davidic Covenant
Worthy Is the Lamb

Matthew 9:35-10:4

The Message

^35-38 Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”

The Twelve Harvest Hands

10 ^1-4 The prayer was no sooner prayed than it was answered. Jesus called twelve of his followers and sent them into the ripe fields. He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits and to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives. This is the list of the twelve he sent:

Simon (they called him Peter, or “Rock”),
Andrew, his brother,
James, Zebedee’s son,
John, his brother,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Thomas,
Matthew, the tax man,
James, son of Alphaeus,
Thaddaeus,
Simon, the Canaanite,
Judas Iscariot (who later turned on him).

For Reflection

I am struck by what Jesus does not say.  In these passages Christ does not commission The Twelve to gather converts. He does not send them out to build a worshiping body.  Christ, moved by the compassion of God, sent The Twelve to heal.  There was no instruction to heal all who declare allegiance to Christ. With the power given by God, The Twelve were commissioned to displace evil and in humility and tenderness, heal all who are bruised and hurt,  Is the mission of the Christian Church to convert as many worshipers as possible, or is it to steward God's Kingdom as a shepherd stewards his flock?

Pray

that the Church will focus on the healing of all people.  Pray for those, all over the world, who suffer, and are confused and aimless. Pray for those who are ravaged by demonic forces of violence, injustices and all manner of human pain.  Pray for those who are moved by the compassion of God to serve a ministry of healing.