Scripture

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.”

Observation

Two blind men call to Jesus, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” Jesus heals them and warns them not to tell anyone, but they spread the news about Him everywhere.

A mute demonised man is brought to Jesus, and He drives the demon out. The crowd is amazed.

Jesus goes throughout Israel preaching the Good news and healing the sick. He looks at the crowds with compassion and tells his disciples they must pray for the Lord to send out his workers into the harvest field.

Application

There are so many people who are desperate for salvation. The harvest is plentiful.

There was a time when this scripture was applied to what used to be called “the mission field.” Over recent decades we have discovered that it applies here at home also.

In Australia a little under 20% of people attend church at least once a month. This is a fairly low bar to describe what it means to be a christian. Yet about 60% identify as “christian” in the census.

The harvest is plentiful, even if we start a the easy place of sharing with the huge number of people who claim to be christian but don’t ever go to church and are not living in the Way of the Lord.

Jesus tells us to pray. We are not necessarily all called to be evangelists, but we all called to pray for the Lord to release workers into the harvest field.

Jesus also tells us to make disciples. We must share the gospel with our friends and family members. The people closest to us can judge whether the God stuff works in our lives.

We are not responsible for results, just to pray and witness.

Prayer

Father, please send your workers out into the harvest field. Show me who to talk to about you and how to do this. May the harvest be great. Amen.

Scripture

“No one puts new wine into an old wine skin. For the old skin would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skin. New wine is stored in new wine skins so that both are preserved.”

Observation

Some disciples of John the Baptist ask Jesus why His disciples don’t fast like they and the disciples of the Pharisees do. Jesus replies that this is a wedding feast and not a time for fasting. It is time for new wine and new wine skins, so the old seasons are passing away.

The leader of a synagogue comes and pleads with Jesus to raise his daughter who has just died. As Jesus is going to his house, a woman who has suffered prolonged bleeding comes and touches the hem of his garment. Instantly, she is healed.

At the synagogue leader’s house, Jesus removes the mourners. He then takes the girl by the hand and she stands up alive.

Application

The kingdom of God is a new age, a new era. The new wine, representing the Holy Spirit, is poured out on all who will receive it.

To contain this new wine, a new wine skin has been created. It is called the church.

The people of the Holy Spirit, the followers of Jesus, are birthed into a new way of living, a new way of relating to the Father that was not available in the old ways.

Religious practices such as prayer and fasting are repurposed. In the old age, people prayed and fasted to impress God, but now we pray and fast to draw near to God. Worship was once to a God “out there”, but now it is to the God who is “in here.”

In the past, the Holy Spirit was only available to a few people. But now He is in all of us.

We are the people of the new wine! Drink in all that He wants to give you.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for old wine skin thinking. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who gives me new life in all its fullness. Amen.

Scripture

Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority.

Observation

Jesus returns to Capernaum. There, some people bring on a mat a paralysed man. Jesus says to him, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Some of the teachers of the law are upset by this. Jesus says, “I will prove my authority to forgive sins.” He then heals the man.

Everyone is amazed by this, and the people marvel at Jesus’ great authority.

Jesus then sees a tax collector named Matthew whom He calls to follow him. The Pharisees question why Jesus associates with scum like tax collectors. Jesus responds by saying it is the sick people who need a doctor not healthy people.

Application

The question of authority seems to have been a big issue for some people. They were often questioning where Jesus got His authority from, whether it was authority to heal or teach or to forgive sins.

All human authority comes ultimately from God, whether we recognise it or not. He is the one who puts governmental rulers and spiritual leaders in place.

As christians, we have authority over the evil spirits, authority to heal and perform miracles, authority to preach the gospel. This authority flows from God and is dependent on us remaining in close relationship to God.

We need to be under proper authority in order to exercise authority.

Prayer

Lord, please show me how to walk in the authority you have given me. Amen.

Scripture

Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, and they begged him to go away and leave them alone.

Observation

Jesus and the disciples cross the lake on a boat. A fierce storm breaks, threatening to sink the boat, but Jesus sleeps through it. The disciples wake Him up and ask Him to save them.

Jesus rebukes the wind and waves, and suddenly there is a great calm. The disciples are amazed at His authority.

They arrive a the other side of the lake where they encounter two demonised men living in a cemetery. The demons recognise Jesus and start screaming. They beg Jesus to be sent into the herd of pigs nearby. So Jesus commands the demons to go, and the whole herd of pigs plunges down the hillside and into the lake.

The herdsmen flee to a nearby town, telling everyone what had happened. The entire town comes out to Jesus pleading with Him to go away.

Application

Many people want the benefits of Jesus without any cost to their lifestyle. This is why Jesus could truthfully say that many would call “Lord! Lord!” but not be saved.

The people of the town were not moved by the deliverance of the two severely demonised men. They were confronted by the loss of property and income that his freedom cost them.

They saw the miracle. They may even have recognised that Jesus was someone special. Yet, they wanted nothing to do with him, pleading with Him to leave them alone.

People can get excited about miracles and extraordinary healings. Then they go home unaffected.

In the end it is unbelief that holds people captive to sin. They refuse to believe that there is a better way to live, a better Lord to serve, than the one they have.

Jesus warns us to count the cost of following Him. Too many see the cost, but not the returns which are eternal.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to look to what I gain in following you, which is always a million times better than anything you ask me to give up for your sake. Amen.

Scripture

But Jesus said to him, “Follow me now. Let the dead bury their own dead.”

Observation

Jesus arrives at Peter’s house to find that Peter’s mother- in- law is sick with a fever. He touches her and she is healed.

Many demonised people are brought to Jesus, and he casts out their demons and heals the sick.

One of the teachers of the law promises to follow Jesus wherever he goes. But Jesus says, “I have nowhere to lay my head.” To another who wants to bury his dead father He says, “Let the dead bury their own dead.”

Application

Jesus has a way of identifying the idols that stop us from following Him whole heartedly. To a rich young man whom He perceives is addicted to his possessions, He says, “Go and give it all to the poor.”

To this man who wants to bury His father, Jesus says “Following me is more important than family obligations. Let the dead bury their own dead.”

He is not suggesting that we neglect our families because Jesus is more important. That would be an obnoxious religion.

Jesus wants to make it clear that He has to have the number one priority in our lives. Anything else, even burying a dead parent, comes second.

Usually this is not an either- or choice. In most situations in life we order our priorities so that all the different things in our life have an order to them, and we are able to arrange our various responsibilities.

But we need to make sure that in everything in our lives, Jesus remains number one. When conflict arises between family, work, social obligations, and so on, our commitment to Jesus must override everything else.

Prayer

Lord, I acknowledge that you are my king. I hand all parts of my life to you to use as you wish. Amen.

Scripture

“I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers.”

Observation

As Jesus comes down from the mountain, a leper approaches Him and asks to be healed. Jesus heals him and tells him to go to the Temple and make the required sacrifice.

When Jesus returns home to Capernaum, a Roman centurion asks Jesus to heal his servant. The centurion tells Jesus to just say the word and the servant will be healed. He knows about authority, being under authority himself.

Jesus is amazed by this man’s faith which is greater than any He has seen in the people of Israel. He tells him to go home for his faith has healed the servant.

Application

The centurion understood spiritual authority because of his experience of military authority. His own authority over his soldiers stemmed from his submission to higher authority. To be able to function in his role, he had to recognise his place in the chain of command. As long as he remained faithful to his superior officers, he knew they would back him up in his authority over the men under him.

Christians have authority on the basis of their submission to other people in the Body of Christ as well as their submission to Christ Himself. Anyone who tries to act outside of the Body will not be able to function on their own.

A centurion who only took orders directly from the Emperor and defied his commanders would not last long before being removed.

If we try to exercise authority over demons and diseases, and are not rightly located in the Body and submitted to others, then we will not be effective.

The reason that this is so important is that true humility is the hallmark of the christian life, and is vital in spiritual warfare. Humility is our weapon and can only be wielded by the person who submits to others.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for giving us authority over all things. Please help me to subject myself to proper authority so I can exercise authority. Amen.

Scripture

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowd were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority- quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

Observation

Anyone who follows Jesus’ teaching is like a man who builds a house on solid rock. Even when the rain comes and pours down, and the flood waters rise, it remains secure. Anyone who disobeys his teaching is like a man who builds his house on sand.

After Jesus finished teaching, the crowds were amazed at His authority.

Application

The crowd was amazed at the authority with which Jesus taught. It was so unlike the religious teachers they were used to.

Jesus taught with authority because He was the divine Son of God. He had all the authority of the Father to say what God was like and how followers of Jesus should behave.

This was so different from the rabbis who just gave opinions based on the authority of other rabbis.

God’s authority is always infinitely greater than any human opinion. God’s word lasts for ever, but human opinions vary with the wind.

Jesus has given us His authority to go and make disciples and teach them everything about Jesus.

Our teaching is not based on the latest “word” from some celebrity preacher. It is not necessarily even the latest sermon from our pastors.

No, our authority comes from the Holy Spirit living in us, giving us God’s word in the moment. It also comes from the bible, which is God’s authoritative word.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the authority that you have given us to represent you and to stand for you. Please help me to stand on that authority and to resist the opinions of the world. Amen.

Scripture

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.”

Observation

False prophets present themselves as members of God’s flock, but they are really ravenous wolves. You can tell them by their fruit. A good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit.

Not everyone who calls out “Lord! Lord!” will enter God’s kingdom. On Judgement Day many will claim to have done great works, even prophesied and cast out demons in the name of Jesus, but He will say to them, “Go away! I never knew you.”

Application

A false prophet is not a prophet who makes mistakes. No, a false prophet is someone who leads people away from true faith in Christ.

A false prophet is false because he or she is not surrendered to Christ. Their words come from their own spirit, or worse, from a demonic spirit.

Not everyone who claims to minister in Christ’s name is true to Him. Those who have falsely ministered will be subject to judgement unless they repent.

False prophets, false teachers, and false apostles, wreak havoc in the church. They cause people to stumble, even fall away from the faith. They destroy congregations with their evil ways.

We need to have a discerning spirit about such people. Jesus says we will know them by their fruit. We must not believe every person who comes with a new word or a powerful ministry. Instead, we should look to see if their life matches up with their performance, and if they truly show the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Lord, may your church be always discerning in its acceptance of prophets and other ministers. Amen.

Scripture

“You can enter God’s kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”

Observation

Ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking. God is a good Father who knows how to give good gifts to his children.

We should do to others as we would like them to do to us.

God’s kingdom is only entered through a narrow gate, but the road to hell is wide and easy.

Application

Those who say there are many paths to salvation have never taken Jesus’ own teaching very seriously. He says clearly that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). Here He says the gate to the Kingdom is narrow and only a few find it.

It is not that God is rejoicing in condemning sinners to hell. No, He gives good gifts, including salvation and eternal life.

It is just that satan offers so many lies and deceptions that seem more enticing than the way of Jesus. We can go the way of the flesh- “YOLO”- “you only live once” so make it a good life enjoyed to the full. We can try to prove that we are good enough for God by a life of good works. We can swallow the lies of Eastern mysticism, Islam and Hinduism.

Or else we can simply receive what Christ has done for us on the cross.

As G.K. Chesterton has said, “There are many angles at which a man may fall, but only one at which he may stand.”

The ways to hell are many and superficially attractive, but there is only one way to heaven.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for dying on the cross and opening up God’s kingdom for me. Amen.

Scripture

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.”

Observation

We must not judge others or we may find God judging us. We especially must avoid criticising our brothers for minor failings when we ourselves are guilty of greater sins. First get right with God, then you will be able to help your brother.

We must not give to dogs and pigs things that are holy or sacred. They will trample them and devour us.

Application

On the surface, there seems to be a contradiction between the command “Do not judge” and the exhortation to not throw pearls to pigs. How can we judge “pigs” or “dogs”?

We need to understand two things:

1. The judgement referred to here is a condemning kind of judgement in which we write people off as being of no worth.

2. There is a discernment that comes from the Holy Spirit which reveals to us the hearts of people and whether they are controlled by evil spirits.

The two instructions here, together with the instruction about the plank in our eyes, hold together in a tension rather than being contradictory.

We do not condemn unbelievers for being unbelievers, sinners for sinning. We love them and share the gospel with them and pray for their salvation.

At the same time we need a measure of discernment. There is no point talking about intimacy with Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit, and so on if the person is totally opposed to the gospel and only interested in mocking it. Instead we wait and pray, looking for a softening in their heart.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to love those who do not know you yet and to share wisely my knowledge of you. Amen.