Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest


The miracles of Jesus continues ....

A paralytic man was healed by Jesus, but the way in which Jesus healed the man stirred up some of the religious people. This is because Jesus said "your sins are forgiven you". They would have been right in calling this blasphemy if anyone else said it; except it was Jesus who said it and they did not recognized His divinity. And Jesus explained He deliberately showed that He had the power to forgive.

Tax collectors may have been unscrupulous and deceivers in the time of Jesus and they may also be regarded as morally corrupt. So the Pharisees was appalled when Jesus had meaningful fellowship with them. Jesus used this as a lesson to show that the sinful people are the ones that need Him the most.

Some of John's disciples asked Jesus what seemed to be an honest question about why Jesus' disciples do not fast. Jesus' answer hints at His divine identity, and that His disciples are not fasting because they are enjoying the company of the Almighty in the flesh.

Jesus was called to revive the daughter of a ruler, possibly a man in authority. Nevertheless this man seemed to believe Jesus can raise the dead. On the way, Jesus' attention was diverted by a woman with strong faith who touched His garment and got healed. Jesus praised her faith. Then He raised the daughter of the ruler, despite the ridicule by people before that.

A few other cases included the two blind men who came to Jesus to be healed. Jesus healed them, saying their faith had let them be healed. Then they brought a mute and demon-possessed who was also healed. The Pharisees blasphemed by claiming Jesus power was associated with evil. And it is recorded that Jesus preached in cities, villages and synagogues about the gospel of the kingdom. His preaching was often accompanied by healing. At that instance Jesus, seeing so many people flocking to see Him, had compassion and told the disciples that the harvest was plenty and they need more labourers for the kingdom.


Matthew 9
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

1 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. 2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

3 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”

4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7 And he arose and departed to his house.

8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled[a] and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

Matthew the Tax Collector

9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’[b] For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”[c]

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often,[d] but Your disciples do not fast?”

15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land.

Two Blind Men Healed

27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came 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, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” 31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

A Mute Man Speaks

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. 33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”

34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

The Compassion of Jesus

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.[e] 36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary[f] and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

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