Let me read together from verse 27 to the end of the chapter. Matthew chapter 9, verses 27 to 38. Matthew chapter 9, verses 27 to 38. It's here in the word of God. And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy upon us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him. And Jesus said unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this. And they said unto him, Yes, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it unto you. And their eyes were opened. And Jesus straightly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with the devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake. And the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casts out devils through the prince of the devils. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Amen. I usually think of a harvest as a one-off event that takes place over maybe a few days where it's all gathered in. And that's the end of it. And then the fields are prepared for the next sowing of the seed and the next harvest. The harvest Christ speaks of here is a continual ongoing harvest until the great harvest when he comes again, when he will gather all to himself and separate the sheep from the goats. And here we see this continual harvest. The harvest truly is plenteous. There's a great task before us. He went about in his earthly ministry, traveling through villages and towns and cities. He went about preaching the gospel, the kingdom of heaven, and he went about healing diseases and illnesses and sickness. And he sees the magnitude of the task. Wherever he went, this village, that village, the other city, towns, one side of the Sea of Galilee to the other side, there were all these people. with the problems, who were in a desperate state. And in this passage we've just been reading, we meet three specific people who are in a desperate state, who have a great problem, a great issue, for which they come to him for his gracious and merciful help. Verses 27 to 31, we see two blind men. These men are living in physical darkness in that they can't see. Everything is just blackness. Whether they were blind from birth or whether they had become blind subsequently, we don't know. It doesn't really matter. We're not told. But that there are simply two blind men. And being blind men, they could not have witnessed or seen anything that Christ had done, any of the miracles He had performed, any of the deeds that He had carried out. They could not have seen Him healing people of their diseases and illnesses. They didn't witness themselves, His deeds, His works, But no doubt that they had heard of his ministry. They had heard of the things that he had done. In the previous verses, he had healed Jairus' daughter, and he had healed the woman who had had an issue of blood for 12 years. And verse 26 says, and the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. So they would have heard. of the works of Christ. They would have heard reports of Jesus Christ doing this and doing that and healing the blind and raising the dead and casting out demons. So they heard the reports. In Matthew 4, verses 23 and 24, Jesus went about all Galilee preaching the gospel of the coming of the kingdom of heaven. healing, casting out demons, raising the dead, and verse 24, and his fame went about all Syria. The words, reports of his deeds had gone out. So undoubtedly, they had heard the works of Christ. And for all of their blindness, When Jesus had departed from the house of Jairus, from Jairus having raised his daughter to life again, he departed thence and went to his own home, to went to his house, the place where he was lodging. And for all their blindness, they saw something that others didn't see. They saw in Jesus the promised Messiah, the son of David. And these two blind men followed him, crying and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy upon us. They saw in Christ, with all their physical blindness, they saw in Christ the promised Messiah, the Son of David. Matthew 21, verse 9, where Jesus is coming into the city of Jerusalem. Multitudes that went before and followed cried, Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. So at Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, they were calling him the Son of David. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Quoting Psalm 118, verse 26, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. Verse 27, God is the Lord which hath showed us light. So these blind men saw. And Jesus, he owes the promise Messiah. He is a son of David. And they ask, crying, have mercy upon us. Not we are blind and we need sight, but simply have mercy upon us. Look upon our wretched condition. Be gracious and kind and merciful to us and help us out of our miserable state. Thou son of David, have mercy upon us. And so they go in, they follow him into the house. When he come to the house, the blind man came in, and Jesus asked him, do you believe that I am able to do this? Do you believe it in your heart that I am able to do this work, to show mercy to you, to give sight to you? Do you believe this wholeheartedly? Immediately, yes, Lord. And they call him Lord. They identify him as Lord. Son of David, Lord. And he touched their eyes and saying, according to your faith, according to the strength of your faith, let it be unto you. And their eyes were opened. They believed that Jesus could do this, and he did it. And they saw, and their eyes were opened. He straightly charged them, saying, See that no man knoweth. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. Their eyes were opened. The blind seeing lifted out of their wretched state. In verse 32 to 34, we see the dumb man possessed. And as soon as the blind men went out, Seeing their eyes opened, they brought another one in. This man was dumb, possessed with the devil. He was denied that liberty of speech by this devil that possessed him. The liberty of speech, even to pray, is gone. He was made to be silent. Suppressed his God-given gift of speech in this demon-possessed, but silenced him, even from praising God. But when Jesus cast him out, Christ had cast the devil out, he was able to speak. And those who were there who saw, they marveled. Such a thing had never been seen in Israel before, that there's a man had been possessed with a devil that had caused him to be silent. Christ had released him from his miserable state, and he spoke, and they marveled. But the Pharisees, in verse 34, These learned men, these men who had sight, who saw what had happened. Unlike the blind men who, in their blackness and darkness of their sight, saw that Christ was the Lord, the Son of David, these men, these learned men, these teachers of the law, They saw what had happened, but they attributed it to demonic activity. He casteth out devils through the prints of the devils. Attributing the work of Christ to demonic activity. They didn't see what the blind men saw. Having witnessed with their own eyes, yet they didn't see Here is the Son of God standing before them. They say seeing is believing. Well, the question is, believe in what? You can see something, but what does it lead you to believe in? The blind men, in all their blindness, recognized in Christ the truth. These Pharisees, with all of their intellect, for all of their knowledge, for all of their learning, and for all of their sight, did not. They believed that Christ was casting out devils through the prince of devils, through demonic activity. But what did Christ see? Verses 35 and 36. When he went out to the cities, and to the villages, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, healing every sickness and every disease among the people. What did he see when he went out to where they were? He went out to meet them in their villages and in their cities. He went out to worship with them in their synagogues, speaking to them, teaching, healing, He met them where they were. He saw them in their everyday circumstances, and he was filled with compassion for them, because he saw people who were scattered, who were fainted, they were tired, they were wearied, they were burdened down and oppressed, unsettled, disturbed in their minds, not having any peace. As William Hendricks said, not knowing the peace that passes all understanding. They were, as Christ said, sheep without a shepherd, unguided, helpless, and lost. How is it that they had no shepherds? Was not the role of the Pharisees as the teachers of the law to teach the people? Jesus has some descriptions regarding the Pharisees. In Matthew 15 verse 14 he describes them as blind leaders of the blind. Matthew 23 verse 4, for they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves not move them with one of their fingers. They bind them down with heavy burdens and do nothing to help them and to aid them. And so Christ, when he went around the towns and villages, he saw people in a desperate situation, fainted, scarred, broad, unsettled, burdened, oppressed, as sheep having no shepherd. It's an Old Testament image. If you go to Numbers chapter 27, Numbers chapter 27. Moses had been told that he would not enter into the Promised Land. The Lord told him to get up into the mountain, and he could see over to the promised land what he would not enter in, but rather he would be gathered unto his people. In verse 15, Moses spake unto the Lord, saying, "'Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, which may go out before them. and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd." He was looking after and caring for the people, but he wouldn't enter in, and so he praised the Lord, set a man over them to lead them, to guide them. Do not leave them as sheep, not having a shepherd. Give them a shepherd to watch over them. So he sees this great multitude in desperate need, and he's moved with compassion upon them. But then, in verses 37 to 38, the needed remedy. All this great multitude that he has witnessed, that he's seen, he likens to this vast harvest ready to be gathered in. Just ripe, ready for the picking. But the workers, the laborers to gather in this vast harvest are few. There's a sense of urgency. The harvest truly is plenteous, this huge harvest. But the laborers are few. There's a great work needed to be done. and sow what's required, what is needed. He turns to his disciples and urges them, pray ye, therefore, that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers. Pray, bring it to God in prayer. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will gather up laborers. And they will go and teach the gospel. They will bring the men to Christ, the great shepherd. who loves them, cares for them, and who calls them unto himself. Bring it to prayer, the vitality and necessity of prayer. Bring it before the Lord of the harvest, before Almighty God, that he will gather labourers and send them out to gather in the harvest. He had mentioned about the Pharisees laying grievous burdens upon the people. In Matthew 11, verses 28 to 30, he invites people to come unto him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. He will give that peace that passes all understanding, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. The Pharisees brought a heavy burden upon the people. But Christ's burden, it is a burden, but it's light and easily carried. He will set them at liberty. And so we invite people, come unto me, ye who are burdened. And these people were burdened. Come unto me and I will give you rest. So what lessons can we learn from these passages? We learn, first of all, in verse 36, that Jesus was moved with compassion. He saw the great need that these people had. When we look around our communities, what do we see? Do we see people burdened today? The Pharisees brought heavy burdens upon the people of their day. Do we have burdens of our own today? The dumb man was possessed of the devil who had silenced him. Do we have liberty of speech today, or are we sure that it's hate speech? There are those who would seek to silence even the preaching of the gospel. Do we have liberty of speech, or is it called hate speech? Are we urged to be silent? Are they burdened with clamoring demands to conform to social conventions. The disciples didn't wash their hands in an acceptable way, in a politically correct way. Christ was accused of eating and drinking with publicans and sinners. We have clamoring demands to conform to social conventions. that are unbiblical. We should accept the homosexual. We should accept the transgender. Embrace them with open arms. That their lifestyle is acceptable. Are we burdened with these clamoring demands? Maybe we live in a society that's blind to their own sins and oblivious to the judgment to come. They're quite content to live apart from God, apart from the Bible, apart from the church. Just stay in your little corner and don't disturb anybody. Are they blind to their own condition, to their own miseries? Are we moved with compassion for them? And secondly, in verse 38, there is the necessity of prayer, committing ourselves to prayer, to bring the issues to God in prayer, seeking his wisdom and guidance as to how to deal with them, that he would shed forth his light, the wisdom into our hearts and minds. Prayer, a vital part of the work of the church. In Matthew 14, verses 22 and 23, you see Christ's example of prayer. Matthew 14, verses 22 and 23. Straightway, Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship and to go before him onto the other side while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray. And when evening was come, he was there alone, going apart from the multitude, even from his own disciples. He sent them forward and he went up into the mountaintop to pray. Even Christ prayed. Going back to Numbers 23, or Numbers 27, Moses was praying to God, set a man over the congregation of thy people. Verses 18 and 19. And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thine hands upon him, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation, and give him a charge in their sight. God answered that prayer. He provided the shepherd. He provided the man, set him over the congregation. He provides a laborer for the harvest. He sets Joshua in Moses' place. Jesus prayed. Many times Moses brought concerns and issues and troubles to the Lord in prayer. There's a great need. There's a huge harvest. Pray ye therefore, the Lord of the harvest. coming before the Lord in prayer, committing it to God in prayer. Thirdly, we see God's provision. He will send forth laborers into the harvest. God provides the laborers. God sends them out. The very next verse, Chapter 10, verse 1, And when he called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease. And in verse 5, these twelve, Jesus sent forth and commanded them, providing labourers for the harvest, And he calls his twelve, he empowers them, he equips them, and then he sends them forth into the harvest. He himself was one who had been sent by his father. In John chapter 5, verses 23 and 24, Sorry, I'm Luke chapter 5, John chapter 5. They are cometh. Chapter 5, 23 and 24. All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. And he that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth in him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. In verse 36 to 38, But I have greater witness than that of John, for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do bear, that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me. The Father himself which hath sent me hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice any time, nor seen his shape, and ye have not his word abiding in you, for whom he hath sent. Him ye believe not. So he himself is one whom the Father has sent out into the harvest. In Acts chapter 2, we have the church sending out Barnabas and Saul. Acts chapter 13 verse 2, As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, The Holy Ghost said, separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work we're on to, I have called them. Verse three, when they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away. They were commissioned for the work and sent out. Churches to pray for the work. Churches provide for them who they send out. And there is a concern about and the need to preserve the truth as well. The church watches over those who are sent out to ensure that the truth itself is being preserved. In Matthew 28, verses 19 and 20, that great commission, Christ sends out his disciples Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, preserving the truth and passing it on. Teaching them to observe all things that Christ had given to the church. Teaching the truth, preserving that truth. Paul's exhortation to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2 verse 2, and the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses. What Paul had taught Timothy, the same commit thou to faithful men, he was to pass that on, those teachings, those doctrines to Timothy. He was to pass them on to faithful men. So Paul had taught Timothy what he had received from God, from Jesus Christ. He was then to commit that to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also, preserving the truth. down through the generations. Sent out. Commissioned, prepared, taught, qualified, provided for. Sent out. Romans 10, verse 14. How then shall they call on him whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? Pray the Lord of the harvest that he will provide labourers and send them into the harvest. And fourthly, there will be opposition. Verse 34, the Pharisee said he casts out devils through the prince of the devils. There is opposition to be faced. And Christ tells him in Matthew 10, verse 16, Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in the synagogues. And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for I have testimony against them and the Gentiles. They will be delivered up. There will be opposition. to the preaching of the gospel. I'm sure you've felt that opposition, you've heard that opposition, you've faced that opposition from many, maybe in your own families before. What right have you to preach? the gospel, even in the public square. We're right of you to stand and declare to others the gospel, the need to be saved, the need to turn from your sin, turn on to Christ. It's the Lord's harvest. He's the God of this world, and this is His harvest, and He's sending forth labors into His harvest. What right has anyone to stop you from bringing the gospel to others? What right have they to silence you from talking to others and bringing the gospel to them? Someone doesn't like what you're hearing. Someone doesn't want to hear the gospel. They can choose to walk away. But what right have they to stop you? What right have they to stop you from speaking to others, from others hearing the gospel? He's the Lord of the harvest. and he has equipped his work laborers and he has sent them forth. But further to that, as Jesus says in Matthew 28, all power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Matthew 28 verse 18. People, Jesus came and speak unto him, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, you have the authority of Christ, to go into the harvest, to gather the harvest, to preach the gospel. In Acts 5, verses 28 to 32, Authorities in the temple said to Peter and John, did we not tell you, demand that you do not teach in this name? Peter replied, we ought to obey God rather than men. He's the Lord of the harvest. He gathers his laborers onto himself and sends them forth to gather in that harvest. And then fifthly and finally, the godly harvest. There will be a harvest. There will be those who will believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as the two blind men followed him, crying, saying, Thy son of David, have mercy upon us. He touched their eyes, according to your faith it will be unto you, and their eyes were opened. There will be a harvest. There will be those who are gathered in, the fruit of their labors will be gathered in, will be presented before Christ. In John 12, verse 31, now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. In verse 32, and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. He will have a harvest. They will be gathered in. There will be those who will be brought before Christ, who will be his children. In Isaiah 55 verse 11, "...so shall my word go forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void. It shall accomplish that which I pleased, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it." There will be a harvest, a glorious harvest. They will reap the reward of this harvest. to the glory and honor of Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory and honor of God the Father. His word will accomplish the purpose which he sent it. It shall prosper in the thing whereunto he sent it. There is a godly harvest. Thank God there is a godly harvest. The Spirit, as Paul said, that he may sow the seed. That Paul shall come along and water the ground, but it's God who giveth the increase. It shall accomplish that which I please, and shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it. The Lord will answer that prayer. He will send forth labourers into his harvest, and gather unto himself that which is truly his. Amen. May the Lord bless these few thoughts to ourselves, to our hearts this morning. As we close in prayer, we close to singing Psalm 43, and tune of Sol 221. Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against the ungodly nation. From the unjust and crafty man obey thou my salvation. For thou the God art of my strength, why thrust thou me thee fro? For the enemy's oppression, why do I mourning go? O send thy light forth and thy truth. Let them be guides to me and bring me to thine holy hill in where thy dwellings be. Psalm 43, sing all of this psalm withstanding to praise God.