Matthew 9:35,36

THE HARVEST AND THE LABORERS. -- Matthew 9:35-38; Matthew 10:1-8.

GOLDEN TEXT. -- Freely ye have received, freely give. -- Matthew 10:8. TIME. --A. D. 28. PLACE. --Somewhere in the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee. HELPFUL READINGS. -- Matthew 9:32-34; Mark 3:6-19; Mark 6:7-11; Luke 9:1-6. LESSON ANALYSIS. --1. Laborers for the Harvest; 2. The Twelve Chosen; 3. The First Commission.

INTRODUCTION.

The commissioning of the apostles opens the Sixth Period of our Lord's history upon earth. It is the period of his expanding ministry. His apostles go forth; the Baptist retreats from the world; the fame of Jesus fills the palace of Herod; and the faith of his disciples is so established that at the next period he commits to them the keys of his kingdom, and prepares for his departure.-- Whedon.

I. LABORERS FOR THE HARVEST.

36. When he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion.

The Lord seldom looked upon. crowd of the poor, lost, human beings without being moved with tender compassion. It was his compassion that brought him to the earth, that led him to travel his weary ministry and to die; it was his compassion also that led him to send his preachers out to save. Our compassion, if we have Christ's spirit, will lead us to preach the gospel and to send others to preach it.

Because they fainted, and were.. as sheep having no shepherd.

A figure representing their spiritual condition. They "fainted" under the burdens placed on them by pretended shepherds, Pharisees and scribes. They wandered, as sheep left without care.