Have you ever felt desperate in life? It’s a rhetorical question because if you’re reading this you’re human which means you live on earth and earth has a way of squeezing us into desperate situations. In our times desperation we will usually go all over the place looking for something or someone who can give us a glimmer of hope. That’s just the nature of desperation…and it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
This Sunday we’ll be reading Matthew 9:18-38 and we’ll discover some desperate people who go to the right place in their time of crisis. As we read about these people, we’ll be looking at what it was that moved them to seek help from Jesus. We’ll look at their faith, what Jesus said about faith, and what this can all mean in our own lives.
The synagogue ruler, the hemorrhaging woman and the two blind men all have their stories told in succession. Their expressions of faith are risky, scandalous and bold, but they are also desperate. How does Jesus respond to their desperation? What sort of attitude does he seem to have towards all of these individuals? Do you think of desperation as a positive or negative motive for coming to God for help, and why?
When Jesus casts out a demon and a man was able to communicate when he hadn’t been able to before – what are the two reactions recorded? If both groups of people saw the same miracle, what kept the Pharisees from believing Jesus’ power was from God?
The chapter culminates with a summary of what Jesus is up to with the Kingdom Project – and then we see his compassion for the multitudes who are oppressed by religion, but not cared for by a Shepherd. He clearly is inviting us into the activity of harvesting a ripened field…but what does that metaphor mean to you? How do you believe we can be used in this “harvesting” activity?
Sorry for the late post – looking forward to Sunday! Hope to see you then!
WONDERWHAT 
Jesus responds to their desperation by responding to and meeting their needs. He gets directly involved in their lives and brings His healing and wholeness…He seems happy that they have come to him with their problems and commends their faith..
I think desperation from our side feels helpless and horrible but is possibly a great mercy from our God who knows the end from the beginning. Many of us may not actually call out to God (like Homer) until we are in a circumstance beyond our control. Maybe desperate times are His way of introducing or growing His life in ours…
The crowd applauds and the Pharisees try to discredit Jesus…They were nothing less than willfully stubborn….If this man was indeed God then their position was in jeopardy…If people followed him or if they followed him they would have to humble themselves loose their status and admit their hypocrisy…pride is an enemy we have to guard ourselves against…
A ripe field signifies a world looking, longing and desperate for something, more significantly someone…Our part is the same as His, enter into their desperation with compassion and point them to the very life He gave to us!!! We are privileged indeed!!!