Out of His compassion for crowds of people, Jesus multiplies His ministry through His disciples in order to reach more people. He equips those disciples, provides for their needs, and teaches them to be honest with unbelievers about God’s coming judgment.

In Matthew chapters 8-9 as Jesus demonstrates His authority with miracles, He models what it looks like to labor in His Kingdom harvest field. Then in Matthew 9:37-38 He calls his disciples to “ask the Lord of the harvest” to send out more laborers. This sets up chapter 10 where Jesus sends 12 of His disciples out into ministry on their own.

In this passage, we learn that Jesus combines His great authority–as God’s promised King–with compassionate responses to people in need, even when they interrupt Him. This combination–authority and compassion–invites us to come to Jesus with bold faith.

After demonstrating His authority to forgive sins by forgiving and healing one paralyzed man, Jesus shows that His grace is even more expansive than that. He invites many of the “worst” sinners to follow Him as his disciples, and He invites them into joyful anticipation that is fitting for those experiencing His grace.

Jesus moved toward the disciples and the women with concrete proof of His resurrection and then commissioned them to proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins among all nations starting in Jerusalem.

Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost,” and who is more lost than the thief on the cross? In this passage, we see two contrasting responses to Jesus: one of misunderstanding and rejection, and one of understanding and acceptance.

Jesus displays his authority over all creation and over the whole spiritual realm. Sometimes, though, He uses His authority in perplexing ways. Even so, Jesus is always worth following.

Matthew’s been introducing us to King Jesus who has the authority to reverse the effects of sin in creation. How do we know Jesus will do that? Because He spoke with decisive authority. And He acts with decisive authority. That’s what we see as we move from the sermon on the mount to this string of 12 miracles throughout Matthew 8 and 9.