Says Who?!
Matthew 9:35-10:23
Jordan Byrd
In 1950s Georgia, 10-year-old Joe Reliford, a black boy, wanted to be bat-boy for the all-white Fitzgerald Pioneers. Against all odds, managers Ace Adams and Charley Ridgeway hired him. Ridgeway made sure Joe was always included—choosing restaurants that served black folk or eating on the bus. In July 1952, during a 13–0 blowout, Ridgeway said, “Grab a bat.” Joe proceeded to hit a line drive, nearly made it to first. He threw out a runner from right field. And caught a seemingly “sure” home run at the fence. The crowd erupted and stormed the field in excitement. However, the league punished Ridgeway for playing an ineligible player. And Joe was let go. But history remembers. In Baseball’s Hall of Fame, Joe Reliford is remembered as the youngest player to appear in a professional baseball game. Mr. Ridgeway gave authority to the ordinary Joe. And Joe stepped up to the plate and brought life where it was needed.
Today, the Good news I hope you’ll hear from God’s word in Matthew 9:35-10:23 is this: Jesus gives authority to the ordinary. Jesus invites ordinary people to step up to the plate—and bring life where it’s needed.
It’s a common feeling, “I don’t know how.” “I can’t.” Or, “I’m not prepared to be a dad.” “I don’t know how to be a mom.” “I could never do that.” “I could never speak in front of people.” “I’ll never figure that out.” “I’m too old to start something new.” Whether, in childhood, adulthood, your career, or your later years—we all face this temptation: “I’m not skilled enough.” “Not knowledgeable enough.” “Not capable enough.” To ride a bike. To parent. To lead. To contribute something that matters. And if we feel that way in everyday life how much more do we feel it when it comes to the life Jesus calls us into—life in the Kingdom of God? “I’m not Jesus.” “I’m not as wise as Him.” “Not as capable.” “Not as holy.” “So what could I possibly offer to God’s mission of healing the world and bringing life where it’s needed?”
While that tempting feeling—of not being enough—can seem like the normal way of life, it keeps us from stepping up to the plate—in so many areas of life. But Jesus’ interaction with his disciples in Matthew 9:35–10:23 shows us a different possibility. Jesus—bringing God’s presence in the flesh—has been on mission: to make God’s Kingdom known and experienced. He’s been proclaiming the good news—and demonstrating it by bringing healing where it’s needed: the dead raised to life, the mute made to speak, the blind made to see, storms calmed, and life restored in places of devastation. But then—Jesus turns and looks at his disciples and he sees something in them they don’t see in themselves. He intentionally calls twelve men—from all backgrounds, classes, political persuasions, and natural abilities. Just… normal Joes. Not the elite. Not the religious pros. Just ordinary people. And to them—Jesus gives authority. He sends them out to bring life to others—to extend the healing presence of God wherever it’s needed.
Where we often believe we have no authority, no ability, no role to play—Jesus says, “Hold on.” Yes, you’re ordinary. And yes—on your own, you can only do so much. But with me? So much more can happen. The good news Jesus invites us to believe—right here in Matthew 9:35–10:23— is this: Jesus gives his authority and his ability to ordinary people like you and me. If we will step up to the plate—and allow God to bring life where it’s needed through us. Jesus gives authority to the ordinary. Will you step up to the plate—and bring life where it’s needed?
In Communist Romania, leaders harassed and oppressed the people—especially those who followed Jesus. Richard Wurmbrand, the founder of Voice of the Martyrs, lived through this. He knew what it meant to be harassed. He knew what it felt like to be helpless—living under powers that should’ve cared, but instead crushed. That’s the same dynamic Jesus saw in the people of Israel in Matthew 9:36. Roman occupation had brought oppression. And to make it worse, some of the Jewish religious leaders sided with Rome—offering a faith that was neat and whitewashed on the outside, but hollow on the inside. The people were like sheep without a shepherd—not guided well, not protected well, not loved well. And when Jesus looked at them, Matthew says, “He had compassion on them.” But this isn’t a soft, surface-level compassion.
This past Thursday evening, one of our cats—Patch—was hit by a car right in front of our house. Julia found him first. And when I came to move his limp body from the road, the weight of the moment hit. That moment—that ache—in a place deeper than words can describe. That feeling of helplessness, sadness, and frustration—wondering if something could have been done to stop it. An aching gut response—that’s the kind of compassion Matthew says Jesus had. In fact, the word used here describes a gut-level reaction—a physical response. In the Old Testament, emotions were often described as coming from the gut—the innermost parts. Today, we often say “the heart.” But either way, it’s about the body being moved—deeply—by the pain of someone else. That’s the compassion of Jesus. When Jesus looked at the crowds, he didn’t just see numbers. He didn’t just see problems. He saw people—harassed and helpless. And it moved him—down to his core. As has already been highlighted, Jesus’s compassion drastically positioned him to be with, and meet the needs of the harassed, the helpless—the hurting among him. And it’s to this aim that Jesus calls—that Jesus invites his disciples–his proteges—to respond–to step up to the plate, and help bring life to these needs too.
A couple Saturdays ago, our family went on a hike to the eternal flame, with my boys’ Ranger Kids’ outpost—that they’re part of at Evangel Assembly of God, west on Greiner Rd. from here. We had shoes, pants, Ranger Kids’ shirts for the boys. We had all that we thought we needed for the hike. But we didn’t. We weren’t prepared for fall-like weather that day. We weren’t prepared for rain. We weren’t prepared for our feet to be sopping wet and muddy. We did not feel equipped for this hike. So often, that is how we feel when it comes to joining in God’s mission. You can just imagine Jesus’ disciples saying, Uhhhhh…. We can’t do what you do!!! But Jesus didn’t call the pros. Jesus called the Joes—ordinary people to extend God’s guidance and healing.
The disciple’s success would come not from what they had, but from whom they had with them.
Throughout Matthew 10:1 and following, we encounter the following pattern: In chapter 10, verse 1, Jesus called these average Joes to extend to be harvesters for a field of needs. Also in chapter 10, verse 1, Jesus gives His authority to them—to extend Jesus’ guidance and healing through their presence and activity where there was need. In chapter 10, verses 5-16, Jesus doesn’t expect his disciples to come fully equipped for every situation. Jesus didn’t send them off to training, or to the store for supplies, or to boot-camp to get into shape. Jesus actually indicates that they should extend his guidance and healing with lite supplies. The disciple’s success would come not from what they had, but from whom they had with them. And in chapter 10, verse 9 and 16-20, Jesus promises to equip them along the way. Jesus will give them boldness. Jesus will help them know how to speak, when needed. Jesus puts His disciples in position to be successful. He’ll help them step up to the plate—not with perfect skills, but with his power.
Throughout Matthew 9:35–10:23, we see how Jesus, full of compassion for the harassed and helpless, called his disciples to join him. He didn’t just want to meet the need himself. He wanted to extend and broaden the mission so that more hurting, harassed, and helpless people could experience help, healing, and guidance from God—the abundant life that is found in Jesus. That’s why our local mission is to guide all people to abundant life in Jesus—just like those first disciples, sent out by Jesus to bring life.
Jesus connects prayer to participation.
Jesus saw the need. Jesus invited disciples into the mission. But Jesus also said something else: “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers into his field.” And here’s what’s powerful—Jesus connects prayer to participation. Jesus connects praying to our willingness to step up to the plate and join what he is doing right here, right now. Being a disciple of Jesus means being willing to be the answer to your own prayer. It means being shaped by Jesus so that you become part of the answer to the need for more workers in his mission field. While you and I aren’t the only disciples in the world, we are the ones Jesus is sending right here. Jesus is calling us to the plate—to bring life where it’s needed. If not us, who? There are no others who will bring his life to a hurting world unless it’s those who have surrendered to him as Lord. We are his disciples. We are his church. And we are his physical presence to the needs of his mission.
Have you ever heard a statement like this: “Sounds like a good project for _________….” While it’s reflective, and attempting to solve a problem, it also captures a passive response—one that says “it’s not MINE to do.” This kind of response is the opposite of the response Jesus has in Matthew 9. Jesus’ response for the needs around him moved him to take action, and that’s what he’s inviting his disciples to do as well. A response like Jesus will prompt us to take action and re-orient our lives to bring life where there are needs.
Gratefully, we have a number of examples in this church body who HAVE stepped-up to the plate of Jesus’ mission and taken action, and re-oriented their lives to bring lie where there was a need. Big or small, seen or unseen—these all matter in God’s mission. Jesus is asking: Are you ready to step up to the plate? To bring life where Jesus is calling you to meet a need, within the church’s weekly functions, or the broader mission to guide all people to abundant life in Jesus? The mission is here. The need is real. Jesus gives authority to ordinary people—and that includes you. Jesus has given authority to the ordinary. Will you step up to the plate—and bring life where it’s needed? Jesus gives authority to the ordinary. Will you step up to the plate—and bring life where it’s needed?
Become a disciple of Jesus.
If you’re not yet a disciple of Jesus—someone who’s surrendered their whole life to Him—and you want to experience God’s abundant life, a life that welcomes ordinary people to live meaningfully and bring life where it’s needed—please come find me or another follower of Jesus. We would be glad to help you take the next step: uniting your life to Jesus by faith, expressed through baptism.
Will you step up to the plate?
If you’re already a disciple of Jesus, then who are we in the story of Matthew 9:35–10:23? Are we more like the Roman leaders—contributing, perhaps unknowingly, to the harassment and helplessness in the world—more than we’d like to admit? Often when we read Scripture, we side with the heroes—Jesus, or the obedient disciples—but maybe, honestly, we’re more like the villains, or at best, part of the passive crowd—sitting on the sidelines, doing nothing to step up to the plate where needs are pressing. If you find yourself sitting by passively, God’s word today is inviting you: Join Jesus’ mission, join the twelve disciples, and trust the authority Jesus has given you—as an ordinary person—to be His ambassador, to step up to the plate, and bring life where it’s needed.
How is God’s Spirit prompting you to respond today? Jesus gives authority to the ordinary. Will you step up to the plate—and bring life where it’s needed? Maybe it’s serving in the daily and weekly rhythms of this church body—carrying on ministries that bring life to this community—socially, physically, spiritually. Maybe it’s helping the church be a faithful witness to the next generation. Or maybe it’s on the global mission field—answering the prayers for the next wave of Alley Project missionaries. Or maybe it’s starting something new—something that doesn’t exist yet—to bring life where it’s needed here in WNY. Jesus gives authority to the ordinary. Will you step up to the plate—and bring life where it’s needed?