16/06/2026
Weekly Lectionary Reflection - Matthew 9:35-10:8
"God's Ongoing Mission" - Pastor Timothy
As Jesus’ ministry spread across Judea, more needs emerged. Jesus described them as “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus was not only referring to the people of God as sheep, but he was also describing the situation they faced, of their dignity being stripped, and their life tossed away cheaply.
when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, curing every disease and every sickness. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few." The harvest here refers to the blessing of God’s saving work—his healing, deliverance, and life-giving power for those exploited by the Romans and abandoned by the religious leaders.
The harvest is not the people themselves, but God’s blessings for the people.
The church must avoid objectifying and reducing those in need as a “harvest” to be collected and reaped, but we are called to serve and care for them, so that their life and dignity are restored.
If we understand that we are commissioned to participate in God’s ongoing mission, we learn to surrender and obey. It is not about how we want things to happen in the ministry, but how much we understand God’s mission and vision for each of us. When we know that it’s not about us, the pressure to succeed is lifted, and we also become free from the trap of ego: on one hand, letting go of the need to claim all the credit, and on the other, letting go of the habit of absorbing all the blame.
God does not target a particular type of people for his ministry, but people coming from diverse backgrounds and capabilities. Among the twelve disciples of Jesus, they had different jobs, and they were still active with their trade when following Jesus. In the same way, the harvest is not limited to a religious setting only, but also in every aspect of our life. Therefore, regardless of what we do and who we are, we can also participate in God’s harvest.
There is always a start for everything. Every one of us can be used by God.
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