Title: Pray, send, go, and tell the Good News!
Text: Matthew 9:35-10:8
Facebook live: Pray, send, go, and tell the Good News!
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
In our gospel today:
35 … Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.
In the proceeding part of chapter 9 Jesus:
Healed a paralytic brought to him lying on a mat.
He called the apostle Matthew, the tax collector, to follow him.
He raised a daughter from death to life.
He healed a woman from bleeding who touched the hem of his garment.
He restored the sight of two blind men who asked him for mercy.
And cast out a demon from a man unable to speak who then spoke.
Our compassionate Lord went to those in need or they came to him.
He brought life where only death reigned.
He healed those who had been unable to be healed.
He restored sight and cast the demons away.
[Jesus] had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
We’ve talked a bit over the last months about the need for pastors and the churches that are without one and going through the process to self-evaluate. They are trying to be honest with themselves as their needs and church has changed.
Our Pastor’s conference in Frankenmuth last month had a number on conversations about that and our Synod convention next month will deal with this as well.
We have symbols from two sister congregations in our Narthex that for many of their members now call Peace their home, and there are other churches in our circuit that are in need of pastors. It is a hard reality for many more churches in the future.
I mentioned last weekend that we had a husband and wife visit us on Trinity Sunday from a Prescott Valley Arizona and they asked for prayers for their congregation, Trinity Lutheran as they struggle without a pastor.
After all, the church is the gathering of the faithful no matter where it may be, and all churches need an under shepherd of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ to proclaim God’s word and distribute his gifts!
The Twelve Apostles
10 And [Jesus] called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Each church in our circuit grows and falls as the Lord dictates.
I think pastors are given calls to move the process along. After all we are creatures of habit. We would all stay put and do things just as they are unless moved along by the Lord.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out,
The 12 disciples were probably not looking for a change.
They liked Jesus and were content to follow him and stay where they were.
But he sends them out, taking them out of their comfort zone and giving them marching orders.
“Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
Life and needs have changed for some of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Some are without a shepherd and waiting on the Lord.
Some are watching services online.
Some can’t come or drive.
Some are in care facilities.
Some are dealing with cancer and other illnesses.
Some can’t do stairs.
Some are mourning the loss of a spouse and struggle with grief.
In some cases other Circuit Pastors are visiting church members to help out.
We all, in compassion for the Lord’s sheep, are trying as best we can to serve God’s people as his under shepherds, where we are.
I am thankful for all my brother pastors and their efforts.
No one size fits all here. “The times they are a changing,” as Bob Dylan once sang and we all have to have our eyes open to this reality.
Every year things change.
2026 is no different.
The hope is not to avoid change but to hold dear to the unchangeable Jesus.
Jesus is after all: The way the truth and the life!
Sickness, war, protests, midterm elections, our Synod convention, birth and death. Everything the world deals with, the church deals with, and the root cause, result, and solution, are the same.
Sin, death and Jesus
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23
Whether like Peace member Erna Gidcumb, who rests in Jesus having finished the race in this life last month. Or, the myriads of other members and loved ones from this church and others who have once blessed us with their presence in this life and now joy in Christ’s presence, the sting of death is real.
It hurts, It’s personal, it’s troubling, and it’s no respecter of age, race, gender, status or political affiliation. So, the mandate from Jesus to his disciples should ring in our ears as well.
38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Our prayers are for both the Lord to send laborers; knowing that we might be called upon to be one of those to bring Christ to those in need as pastor’s, helpers and friends.
While death is the result of sin, Jesus is the solution for sin.
Christ needs to be proclaimed in this life with or without pastors - not to diminish the concerns in this life but to illuminate the greater reality.
All roads lead to death in this life, but only one way leads to peace and life eternal and that’s Jesus.
Our sermon hymn 826 Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying brings all of our concerns and in a wonderful way points to the Blessed Hope that Jesus is.
Your hope, trust, and security in this life is only for a while.
Let us rest in Jesus’ call as the lyrics of our hymn make clear.
1. Hark! the voice of Jesus calling, "Who will go and work today?
Fields are white, the harvest waiting, “Who will bear the sheaves away?"
Loud and long the Master calls out, Rich reward he offers free:
Who will answer, gladly saying, "Here am I, send me, send me."
2. If you cannot speak like angels, f you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus, you can say he died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked, With the judgment's dread alarms,
You may lead the little children, To the Savior's waiting arms.
4. Let none hear you idly saying, "There is nothing I can do,"
While the multitudes are dying, and the Master calls for you.
Take the task he gives you gladly; Let his work your pleasure be.
Answer quickly when he's calling, "Here am I, send, send me."
Pray, send, go, and tell the Good News!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
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