December 17, 2012
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 10:1-8
OBSERVATIONS
1. Why twelve disciples? Is Jesus starting a new ‘Israel’, a new beginning for God’s ‘chosen’ people? Since the disciples were sent first to the “lost sheep of Israel”, this seems like a pointed message. The symbolic picture of the new Jerusalem connects the twelve tribes with the twelve apostles (Revelation 21:12-14): the message of Israel (12 tribes) was as a gate into the kingdom, but the message of the church (12 Apostles) is the foundation of the kingdom.
2. What a motley crew. Bold and loud Peter, a bunch of fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot (fanatic), and the future betrayer of Jesus. This says a lot about the make-up of the church. Not the cream of the crop, but weak and small and scorned of society. “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
3. Kingdom authority. Jesus had it (Matthew 9:6-7) and now He gives it to His followers. Jesus is restoring God’s original creation kingdom, where God’s people are given authority over creation (Genesis 1:26-28). Like Adam and Eve, like Abraham (Genesis 12:1-2), Jesus followers mission is to freely bless, serve, care, help. This is our calling as Jesus followers, why we have been sent into the world.
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
1. What I like about Crossroads is that we are a WYSIWYG church, just like Jesus’ first followers. We are a motley crew of people. But this is not to belittle our people; as we get to know each other we discover the gems that God has placed within us all. That is why Jesus chose these followers (and us), not because of societies acclaim, but because He sees in us the potential that God puts in us.
2. Blessed to be a blessing, that is why I am here, that is whey we are here. This is what our mission as a church is: ‘to bless the students, staff and families of Bolton C. Falby PS.’ Freely we have received, freely we give. We are living the kingdom, showing the kingdom, sharing the kingdom, proclaiming the kingdom. Not perfectly (no room for boasting, lots of ways we can grow and improve), but moving in the right direction!
3. Is my life a blessing to others? Do people feel better when they are with me, not just ‘good’ but ‘blessed’? What are the things about me that are not a blessing, that does not heal or help others? I am an authorized agent of the Creator and the Messiah, how am I using (or abusing) that authority? How am I using (or abusing) the freely received blessings that He has given me?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
God, this passage makes me feel important, one of Your authorized agents with an important mission. Help me to somehow bless the people I meet today, including the ones that are harder to get along with.
Where I work we have several cases with people having the same name. This makes paging for them confusing, and many times they end up taking calls intended for someone else. Jesus also had this problem with the twelve he called disciples. James Z and James A, and Simon 1 and Simon 2, lets just call them Peter, and Zealot. There seems to be a wide range of people here. Simple fishermen, a tax collector, and others. Some of them seem to keep a low profile, such as Bartholomew, and Thaddaeus. Others are infamous by the one action in their lives (Thomas and Judas).
At this stage in the game, they are all on board, and are given power and authority to spread the message. What is the message they were to tell their countrymen? The kingdom of heaven is near! They also healed the sick, raised the dead, drove out demons. This sounds like Jesus ministry duplicated. We generally think of this stuff happening in Acts, but already when Jesus was with them, they were sent out to do as he did. As they had received from Jesus, they were to give to others.
What does this mean to me? Have I received from Jesus? Yes I have! So I should be able to pass this along to others, the good news of the kingdom. I wonder if “the Kingdom of Heaven is near” is a reference to location and place, rather than time. The kingdom is close to where I am. I am close to the kingdom, and I welcome you to come close to it with me to experience God’s goodness. I am not yet at a place to offer raising of the dead, but I can pray for you, and I believe that God still provides healing today. So just as God has given to me, in understanding, comfort, peace, and his kingdom presence, I can give to others.
I pray that God will continue to freely give, so that I can freely give to others. I pray that I can be an effective disciple of Jesus.
Observations:
Jesus calls the twelve and empowers them to heal and drive out evil spirits.
They are told to minister among their own – that the kingdom is at hand – and freely give what the Lord gave unto them.
Application:
Called to serve. That’s God’s command for all His people today – to proclaim the Good News to all people and not only the lost of Israel. God still empowers His people with the Gospel message – freely give because freely you have received.
Prayer:
help me this day Lord to be Your Ambassador of peace.
God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name,
I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name,
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share His love as He told me to.
Chorus:
He said, Freely, freely you have received;
Freely, freely give.
Go in my name and because you believe,
Others will know that I live.”
All power is given in Jesus’ name,
In earth and heaven, in Jesus’ name;
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share His power as He told me to.