R.A. Torrey emphasizes the mission of Jesus as He compassionately addresses the physical and spiritual needs of the masses, highlighting the urgency of the harvest and the need for laborers. Jesus not only ministers to the crowds but also instructs His disciples to pray for more workers, indicating that genuine compassion must lead to action. He empowers the twelve apostles, equipping them to heal and preach, while also guiding them on where to focus their efforts. The sermon underscores the importance of being sent by God and the necessity of sharing the message of the Kingdom freely. Ultimately, Torrey calls for a response to the needs of the unshepherded, urging believers to engage in the mission of Christ.

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. Our Lord Himself Ministering to the Physical and Spiritual Needs of the Masses, 9:35–38 What are the three forms of activity ascribed to our Lord in v. 35? What is meant by “preaching the Gospel of the kingdom”? How differ from the “teaching in their synagogues”? Did He wait for those who needed Him to come to Him? Where was this three-fold activity exercised? Where else is a similar statement made of Him? (Matt. 4:23.) In what similar way does Peter describe His activity? (Acts 10:38.) What forms of sickness and disease did He heal? What forms may we expect Him to heal today? Why? (Heb. 13:8; Is. 59:1.) Did Christ’s work draw a crowd? What part of it attracted the multitudes? What feelings did this crowd awaken in His heart as He looked upon them? What feelings do crowds awaken in His heart today? What was it especially in these crowds that awakened His compassion? Had God in His plans for Israel anticipated this condition of affairs? Ezek. 34:5, 6; Zech. 10:2.) Had these people no teachers? How then had they no shepherds? Is it possible for people to have teachers and preachers nowadays and yet have no real shepherds? What is a real shepherd ready to do if need be? (John 10:11.) Who ought to be shepherds? (John 10:2, R. V. margin.) Did our Lord’s compassion simply exhibit itself in feeling and in words? How is genuine compassion to be distinguished from spurious? (1 John 3:17, 18.) Whom did He seek to have share His thoughts and feelings about the great unshepherded masses? Did they? Do you? To what did these great masses of uncared-for souls seem to Him like? Where else do we see a similar thought coming to Him? (John 4:35, 36.) Is that a good harvest to have a hand in? Which would excite the most interest in the mind of the average American—a great bonanza wheat field or one of God’s wheat fields on some street corner? Why, according to our Lord, is not the great harvest garnered? Is that true today? Are paid laborers the great need? Is there work for every Christian? How is it then that so many can’t find work to do? What was the first thing the disciples were to do in order to meet this emergency of the great harvest? What is the need of praying—couldn’t God send laborers anyhow? Ought we to offer that prayer nowadays? If we see the need of a worker in any special direction, what is the first thing to do? Will God answer the prayer? (1 John 5:14, 15.) If we are honestly to pray God to “send forth laborers into His harvest,” what must we be willing to do? Why pray God to send the laborers? (Ro. 10:15.) Of whom must a true laborer be sent? What is the exact meaning of the words translated “Send forth”? Where are we to ask the Lord to send His laborers? Under what other circumstances did He use similar words? (Luke 10:2.) 2. Our Lord Sending Forth Those Who Have Learned of Him to Minister to the Spiritual and Physical Needs of the Masses, 10:1–10 Having told the disciples to pray God to send forth laborers, what does He do with them? Was it at this time He chose the twelve disciples? (Luke 6:12, 13.) What had He been doing with them between the time of choosing and this time? Why does He send the disciples at this time? How does He equip them for this work? What does it indicate as to who Christ was that He could give to others such power? What indication is there in this verse that demoniacal possession is something more than a form of disease? Over what kinds of disease were they to have power? Were these powers confined to the twelve apostles? (Luke 10:9–19; Mark 16:17, 18; 1 Cor. 12:9; James 5:15.) What are the names of the twelve apostles? How many lists have we? How do they agree and how differ? Why is Peter’s name always first? What was Bartholomew’s other name? How many of the Gospels mention that Matthew had been a publican? Do we hear much of most of these men after Christ’s death? Does that prove that their work was insignificant? Of these singularly privileged men, how did one turn out? From what position in society were these men called? Where did our Lord bid them not go? Were they not just as needy as Israel? Why not go there then? Who ought to decide where each of us should go? Where were they to go? Who are lost sheep? (Is. 53:6.) What were they to do? What was to be the substance of their teaching? Who else had begun with that message? (3:2; 4:17.) To whom else did our Lord give it? (Luke 10:9.) What else were they to do? What were they to charge for their services? Why not? What obligation does receiving always lay upon men? NOTE: The remaining instructions given to the Twelve are so like those given to the Seventy in Luke 10:1–23 that they will be considered in studying that portion of our Lord’s life. CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS 1. Our Lord His divine nature, 35, 1; power—every sickness and disease, demons and death subject to Him, 1, 8, 35; compassion—on the unshepherded masses, on the sick, on the demonized, 1, 8, 35, 36; most-loved harvest field—the world of unshepherded and wretched men, 37; field of work—city, country, 35. 2. Workers in God’s Harvest Field Few, 37; to be sought in prayer, must be sent of God, must be thrust forth, must sympathize with our Lord’s thoughts and feelings regarding the masses, 37, 38; must be trained at His feet, must receive power for service from Him, 1; have an abundant harvest, 37; must take that field of labor to which Christ Himself appoints them, must seek lost sheep, 5, 6; a variety of work to be done—preach, heal the sick, cleanse lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils, what they have received from God they must give forth to man,—have freely received, must freely give, 8. 3. The Masses Their crying need, awakens Christ’s compassion, He meets all their need, 35, 36; He longs for helpers to carry on work among them, they constitute a large and glorious harvest field, sadly neglected, 37; their need should drive our Lord’s disciples to prayer, 38; should arouse His disciples to work, 1–15.