Working with the Lord

I. Matthew 9:27-21

A. When Jesus healed the two blind men He ” sternly warned” them not to talk about it.

B. The phrase is translated from a word that contains a very strong admonition, perhaps even a threat, that accompanies the charge.

1. He did not simply ask, He sought to constrain them with a very strong command, ” see that no one knows about it.”
2. There can be no misunderstanding His intention.

C. However, the blind men went and ” spread his fame throughout the district.”

II. Here the ESV cross-references provide more enlightenment.

A. Mark 1:44-45

1. Matthew’s account of the healing of the leper was that Jesus told (not warned) him not to tell anyone.
2. Mark records that the leper was also sternly warned not to tell anyone but he went about talking freely and the news spread.
3. As a result the work of Jesus was hindered since he could not openly go into a town but had to be in the desolate places and people came to Him from ” every quarter.”

B. Mark 7:35-37

1. In this second reference, the mute man is healed and Jesus charges him and the witnesses not to tell anyone.
2. The text says, ” But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.”

III. Was Jesus using what we now know as reverse-psychology (people often do what they are told not to do)?

A. Possibly but doubtful.

B. I want us to look at an Old Testament story from Moses’s life to provide some insight.

IV. Jethro’s advice

A. Jethro was the priest of Midian and father-in-law to Moses.

1. Jethro cared for Zipporah and his grandchildren and brought them to Moses when Moses and Israel encamped at the mountain of God.
2. Jethro rejoiced at the good that God had done for Israel in the deliverance from the Egyptians and offered a burnt offering to God.

B. Exodus 18:13-27

1. Jethro marveled that Moses was handling every little dispute with Israel and warned him that the work was too great and that he would wear himself and the people out.
2. Jethro wisely advised Moses to appoint judges because handling the disagreements among the Israelites would consume his time and take him from his important work.
3. Moses chose able men and organized them to judge the small matters, reserving the hard cases for Moses.

C. So what does this have to do with Jesus sternly some who were healed not to tell anyone?

1. Again, I don’t think it was reverse psychology.
2. Notice this contrast in Mark 5
   • Mark 5:43 after healing Jarius’ daughter He strictly charged them not to tell
   • Before that, in Mark 5:18-20 after casting out demon from the man among the tombs, he exhorts him to stay and tell his family and friends.
   • The difference? Jesus was being sent out of the region of the Gerasenes and he left the healed man behind to spread the good word.
   • Early in His ministry, in the areas where He was actively working, He told many who were healed not to tell others what had been done.
3. It appears that Jesus wanted to control the spread of the gospel at the first in order to control the workload that would be demanded by larger multitudes.
4. Remember, Jethro observed that Moses could not do all of the important work that needed to be done and also meet every small need of others.

D. As the word of Jesus spread very rapidly and the work quickly swelled to the point that more workers were needed.

V. Coming back to Matthew 9, the chapter concludes with great multitudes flocking to Him, His compassion for helping them, and the helplessness of the multitude.

A. Let’s look just at Matthew 9

1. Jesus comes to his city and is met with one needing healing and also critics of his work.
2. As He is reclining at a table tax collectors and sinners come and also critical Pharisees and then the disciples of John with a question about their lack of fasting.
3. This is interrupted by a ruler begging for his daughter to be healed.
4. While on the way to the ruler’s daughter a crowd is pressing on Him along the way (Luke) and a woman touches Him for healing.
5. On His way out two blind men ask him to be healed and then a demon-oppressed man who is mute and, again, critical Pharisees as witnesses.
6. Finally, Matthew summarizes that Jesus goes throughout all the cities and villages teaching and healing many. This prompted Jesus’s exhortation to His disciples.

B. Matthew 9:35-38

1. Jesus points His disciples to the lack of sufficient workers to meet these needs and urges the disciples to pray for laborers to go into the harvest.
2. Likewise, Jesus had compassion on the helpless multitudes but acknowledged that the work was too great to accomplish without plenty of workers.

C. Matthew 10

1. So in the next chapter, Matthew 10, He appointed the apostles to share the burden of the explosion of work.
2. Matthew 10:1, 5-8

D. Jesus initially appointed the apostles but then also commanded them to make disciples who would be zealous for good works and to be laborers in the kingdom.

VI. It is important to realize that Jesus on the earth had generated more work than He could physically handle.

A. This is not to limit His ability but He worked within time, space, and energy limits and was giving us an example of the need for additional laborers in the kingdom.

B. Two thousand years later, every day we wake up there will be work to do in the kingdom.

C. I must be about my Father’s business and pray for laborers to assist.

D. As we often sing, “there is much to do there is work on every hand.”