In Matthew 9 we are treated to six separate episodes of faith at work. Each of them involves a somewhat different focus of faith and shows us a different facet of the work of faith. Further, each episode demonstrates the teaching of Hebrews 11:1 that faith practices things it cannot see, and, in practicing them, actually begins to possess them. The example of the paralytic lowered through the roof is typical, in many ways, of all these episodes. It especially helps us to understand Jesus’ remarks at the end of this chapter, His instruction to pray for laborers to enter the harvest. This is the climax of this chapter – the chapter in which its author is called as a disciple – and it seems to be the point toward which the entire chapter is moving.

The paralytic’s friends
In verses 1-8, we see four friends pooling their faith on behalf of a paralyzed friend. We may note three aspects of faith at work in their example. First, their faith envisioned a different situation for their friend: healed instead sick. We should note that what they envisioned was a dramatically different situation. They didn’t just see their friend feeling better or being more comfortable in or content with his affliction, and somehow having more peace in his soul. They saw him healed, well and walking around just like everybody else.

No one had seen this man in such a condition before. Doubtless many who saw these men carrying their friend, and heard their hopes for him, thought them foolish. They may have even mocked or scorned them for giving their friend “false hopes.” Maybe they said, “Well, that’s sweet, but what are the chances?”

But those friends were not to be deterred. Together they had resolved with their friend on a new vision for his life, and together they were determined to realize that vision.

Second, they turned to Jesus as the One who could bring their vision to pass. They had heard of Him and knew something about what He was able to do. So they simply applied Hs ability to their need. Had Jesus healed sick people before? Yes, indeed. Could Jesus heal our friend if He chose to do so? He certainly could. Thus resolved they went together to Jesus and made their request of Him, not beseeching Him for anything other than what they knew He was able to do, and not seeking such blessing for themselves, but for their paralyzed friend.

Finally, they took action. Not just any action, but action specific to their need and vision and relevant to Jesus and His ability. And, as the particular case required, highly unorthodox action, such as they had probably never undertaken before. Going together up to the roof, they took up the tiles that covered the room below and lowered their friend down to where Jesus was sitting. And the rest is history.

So these friends envisioned something beyond what they’d ever seen; they took their vision and need to Jesus; and they acted in a way they’d never acted before in order to see what they hoped for become a reality. How can we apply this to Jesus’ instruction that we should pray for laborers to enter the harvest?

Faith working toward the harvest
First, we need a new vision of the harvest. Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, but we don’t really believe that, do we? We think people don’t want to hear the Gospel, that they’re so content in their secularism and materialism that they don’t want us poking around asking questions and suggesting they need a Savior. If they want that sort of thing, we reckon, they know where to find us.

Clearly, we need a new vision. We need to see people desperate to be saved, and in large numbers, everywhere, in all the contexts and settings of our own lives. We need to “lift up our eyes” and see what Jesus sees (Jn. 4:35) – fields everywhere white unto the harvest.

We also need a new vision of ourselves. Most of us don’t see ourselves as working for the salvation of the lost. That’s somebody else’s job. But God has given us His Spirit to make us His witnesses (Acts 1:8); His mandate to make all the nations disciples is as much upon every church member as on every pastor or evangelist (Mt. 28.18-20). But we are not likely to begin acting on that mission until we begin seeing ourselves in ways we perhaps have not seen ourselves before.

Second, we need to bring our vision to Jesus. Do you pray about being a witness for the Lord? Do you intercede on behalf of lost neighbors, friends, and associates? Do you plead with God daily to use you as a witness, to send you wherever He will, to open doors of opportunity for you to speak to others about the Lord? If you aren’t consistently bearing witness for Jesus it may be that one of the reasons is you aren’t taking your vision of being a witness to Him in prayer (cf. Jms. 4:2). If you take your vision to Jesus, praying in all these ways that He might use you as a witness every day of your life, it won’t be long before you’ll be surprised to discover yourself plunk down in the midst of the harvest, bringing in sheaves of your own (Ps. 126).

Third, it’s time for us to begin acting as though we were laborers in the harvest. No matter what you need to do to start bearing witness for Christ, begin doing it today. Learn to give a testimony. Use a simple questionnaire. Invite friends to church. Make some new friends. Give people something to read, then agree to meet together to discuss it. Have people over for coffee and conversation. Whatever you do, for the harvest’s sake, get up on that roof and start tearing up some tiles!

Finally, look for others who will share your vision, prayers, and labors. There is, indeed, strength in numbers and power to be had working together that we cannot realize on our own. This is why Jesus always sent His disciples out by twos, rather than alone. Two or more, working together, blend vision, prayers, and strength to the single task of bringing in the Lord’s harvest, and they are more likely to succeed than one person working by himself.

Real faith works toward bringing in the harvest of the Lord. That’s the lesson of Matthew 9, and it’s the lesson we need to begin learning so that our faith can work more powerfully as well.