To answer your good question, let’s read Matthew 9:35-38, “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.” 

We read in Acts 10:38, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”  Here in Matthew 9, we have an example of the Lord Jesus ‘doing good.’  He traveled about to different cities and villages, He taught the believers, He preached the Gospel to the unbelievers, and He healed every sickness and disease among those He ministered to.  It is also said that the Lord was “moved with compassion” on the people.  There are several times in the Bible that we read that the Lord Jesus “had compassion” or was “moved with compassion” upon those in need.  Of course, this compassion, or pity, moved the Lord to action.  The compassion that He had caused Him to minister to their particular needs.

Here, in our portion, the Lord was moved with compassion because the people were tired and scattered abroad like sheep having no shepherd.  They wandered about aimlessly, not knowing where to go or who to follow.  The Lord was moved to minister to the needs of these people.  He used the analogy of a field that was ripe with food and ready to be picked to describe these people.  Indeed, in a great sense, this describes the world today.  There are many who are ready to follow the Lord if they only knew of Him.  Let’s compare this portion to what the Lord said in John 4:35-38, “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I SENT YOU TO REAP that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.” 

In Matthew 9:38, the Lord exhorted His followers to “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”  This is an important point to realize.  We cannot do the work of a laborer for souls unless the Lord sends us.  There is a great need today to take the Gospel to those who are lost.  Who has the Lord called to share the Gospel with them?  As the Lord exhorted Timothy, so has He exhorted every one that is a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ.  We read in 2 Timothy 4:5, “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST, make full proof of thy ministry.” An evangelist is someone who shares the Gospel message with the lost.  I often say, “If you are SAVED, you are SENT.” 

We read in Romans 10:14-15, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUG A PREACHER? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”  My friend, if you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior, you are a preacher, or a proclaimer.  YOU HAVE BEEN SENT.  You have the privilege of being a laborer for souls.  You have the privilege of telling others how they can be saved.

We live in a dark world where it seems there are few people who are interested in the Lord…who are interested in salvation.  The Lord has compassion on those people.  He has prayed that the “Lord of the harvest” would send qualified laborers into the field.  I encourage you to pray even as Isaiah prayed in Isaiah 6:8, “Here am I; send me.”  The Lord has promised His followers, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)  (469.2)