The Kingdom of God is breaking into this world. Jesus sent his disciples to share this message and warned them that persecution is coming as they share this good news. We too are called to share this same message, but often fear of what could happen stops us from sharing who Jesus is. In Matthew 10:1-33, Jesus challenges our fears of sharing the gospel by reminding us of God’s intimate involvement in our lives.

Do you see the harvest? It’s all around you. So many people longing for answers, hungry for truth, ready for the beauty and authenticity of Jesus’ message to disrupt and heal their lives. So many, caught up in a whirlwind of anxiety, ready for Jesus’ compassion to move towards them. But where do you begin? In Matthew 9:35-38 Jesus tells his followers to begin with earnest prayer for more hands – for more “laborers,” eager to participate in the harvest of this city and willing to go far beyond its borders.

It was brand new in every way. Jesus’ message and behavior didn’t fit into the religious categories or systems of his day and it doesn’t fit into ours either. It didn’t kneel to man- made traditions and it most definitely couldn’t be contained by them. Matthew 9:14-34 describes the brand-new day Jesus brings with colorful metaphors and extraordinary healings. It leaves you to wrestle with whether or not you will celebrate and go on to participate in the brand-new yourself.

Theirs was a life of isolation, shame and fear. One man was paralyzed and labeled as having done something to deserve it; the other was wealthy but written off as a sell-out and traitor. Matthew 9:1-13 is the story of how Jesus meets both of them in their desperation and provides a way out it. By doing this, Jesus reveals the depth of his authority to meet you in your greatest need and call you to follow him. It’s the reason why he came.

Word was spreading about Jesus, a man who taught with authority and was able to heal illness and disease. Crowds begin to form around him, his popularity growing and influence rising. Amidst this growing enthusiasm, Jesus decides to leave town. While traveling Jesus makes clear that following him is difficult. In Matthew 8:18-34, Jesus brings peace amidst the chaos in our world. Although it is costly, Jesus proves that he is worth following with all our life.

It’s as if you can still hear the applause. Jesus has been on a mountainside teaching in a way that demonstrates authority like no other and the crowds are amazed. Now, in Matthew 8:1-17, as he comes down from that mountain, huge crowds still following him, he does the unthinkable – he does what no one would dare to do - he restores an outcast, commends an outsider and meets people in their deepest pain. The healings become a window into the restoration Jesus brings and the authority he has to bring it.