Matthew

As chapter 9 ended, we saw that Jesus was moved with compassion by the multitude; they were weary and scattered like sheep without a shepherd.  The love of Jesus for people becomes even more visible as we see His desire to shepherd all who would come.  Jesus said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. ³⁸ Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."  We can see this picture of the multitude longing for hope, needing forgiveness and healing, wanting purpose in life, contentment and joy.  It's the same thing people are looking for today.  This was like a vast wheat field ready to be harvested and all that was needed were workers to do the work.  While Jesus was available to the least, He was also limited physically because He was a man and could only do so much.  Jesus told his disciples to pray that the Lord would send out laborers. 

In chapter 10 we see a transition as Jesus empowers his disciples and sends them out as the first laborers into the harvest to do the same work He was doing.  They were to go among the people and preach the good news of the kingdom of heaven. 

10 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

We should remember that the Holy Spirit had not yet been given.  So this power given to them is a supernatural enabling coming from authority given to them by Jesus.  These twelve, whose names will be on the foundation of the New Jerusalem, are the foundation of this new message.  They were going into the world, standing in the place of Jesus, doing the same work he would do.  They were, in essence, an extension of Him. 

² Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

We know Judas isn't a true believer, that his heart is wrong and his motivation is mostly greed.  But none of the others knew this.  He looked and acted just like one of them.  We should be aware of this.  We see this warning several times in the scriptures that we should always be looking out for wolves among the sheep.  The wolves are hard to detect because they look like the other sheep. 

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. ⁶ But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' ⁸ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. ⁹ Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, ¹⁰ nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.

As these laborers went out into the fields white with harvest they were to go only to the Jews.  The good news of the Kingdom of heaven was to be delivered to the Jews first.  Jesus will command them later to take the gospel of the death, burial and resurrection to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the outermost parts of the world.

The message was the kingdom of heave is at hand.  The authentication of that message was the healing and cleansing, raising the dead and casting out demons.  This message was given to these men, the power and authority was also freely given, they were to take it to the world and freely give it to others.  There was to be nothing stingy about it.

In bringing this message, they were not to take money.  The Lord would provide for them along the way through His people.  God would put people in place to clothe and feed these men as a provision from God.  This isn't the kind of faith these men were used to exercising.  Imagine Matthew the tax collector, a man who always had money and means, independent and somewhat of a lone.  Now he had to rely on God, daily!  Consider James and John, the sons of thunder, probably both very independent and hard working men, now having to rely on Jesus for everything.

¹¹ "Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. ¹² And when you go into a household, greet it. ¹³ If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. ¹⁵ Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

It would be normal etiquette for those in a city or town to welcome a stranger and traveler by feeding them and giving them a place to stay.  A worthy household was someone who received them in a normal manner and listened to the message these men had to offer.  It's fascinating that these men had a blessing of peace to offer a household.  Yet, if a household was found to not be worthy, that blessing of peace could be removed by them just as quickly.  If a household wouldn't receive them or hear the message they had they were to leave and shake the dust off their feet.  The Jews did this when they left gentile lands; they stopped and shook the unbelieving dust and dirt from their shoes not wanting to defile the land of Israel. 

People who rejected this message would be judged more harshly than those of Sodom and Gomorrah.  These cities were the epitome of evil, immorality and lascivious lifestyle.  Yet, as bad as they were, they didn't reject Jesus.  When these laborers came to someone who didn't feel they needed a shepherd, they weren't to force the issue.  They were to shake the unbelieving dust from their feet and move on.   

¹⁶ "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. ¹⁷ But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; ²⁰ for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Wolves by nature destroy sheep.  It's what they do, they don't even know why.  It's an instinct.  This is the picture Jesus uses to describe His disciples going out into the world.  They will be like sheep in the midst of those who want to tear you to shreds, even if they don't know why.

While Jesus was saying this to these disciples at that time, there is certainly a prophetic sense about it that would apply to the followers of Jesus for the entire church age.  The warnings are similar to other warnings about persecution against those who follow Jesus.  There was no widespread persecution at the time, in fact the biggest rejection of the message comes from the religious leaders of Israel.  At the time Matthew wrote this persecution was becoming more prevalent from Rome and the world in general.

As laborers for Jesus we are to remove our blessing, shake the dust off of those who reject the message.  We don't have to be doormats; we are called to be wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove.  The wise serpent avoids trouble and is crafty to avoid and escape any harm.  To be gentle as a dove is to not be on the offense, to harmless.  In this picture you might see that meekness Jesus spoke of in the beatitudes; its power reigned in and under control, not used to offend or as an offense. 

The warnings of Jesus speak first of the persecution of the religious folks.  They will take you to their councils and scourge you in the synagogues.  This is the business young Saul was in before the Lord knocked him tot he ground and changed him.  The first persecution will be religious in nature, then the rulers and politicians would persecute the followers of Jesus simply because they are associated with His name.  Even in being delivered to these authorities and courts, God will be at work, as these disciples will be a testimony before them.  It's here, in verse 18, we see that this has a prophetic sense since Jesus told the disciples not to go to the gentiles, yet in this persecution the disciples would be a testimony to the gentiles. 

When we are filled with God's word and out life is paid for by the blood of Jesus, we don't have to worry about knowing what to say or how to act.  At those times Jesus said He would give us the words.  After all, you are standing as a representative of Jesus who is representative of the Father.  When you speak the words given, you will be speaking with the authority of the Most High God.  We should be cautious here not to get sloppy or complacent in filling our self with God's word.  He can't bring His word to remembrance if we've never read it or learned it (John 14:26).  As followers of Christ, we should be lifelong students of His word. 

²¹ "Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ²² And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. ²³ When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

This message of love and hope, of healing and deliverance is also a message that divides.  If we love Jesus and follow Him, it may cost us everything.  There can be no stipulations with our salvation.  We can't say I'll follow, unless of course a family member says I can't or shouldn't.  To follow Jesus is put Him first on a list of one.  Everything else is on another list and secondary in every way. 

Verse 23 is a much debate verse that no one is quite sure what to do with.  I believe the verse is to be taken in context with the time of this extreme persecution.  I think this is pointing toward the end of days when all this is happening; families are split, governments are persecuting and oppressing Christ followers and the church is turning on itself and against true believers.  When these things happen, time is short, flee to another city and keep preaching because you won't get through all the cities before Jesus returns.  See also Revelation 7:1-9; Matthew 24:4-26.

²⁴ "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! ²⁶ Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

A disciple by definition is a follower of Christ.  A follower learns the ways of the master and lives like he lives.  If we are going to follow Christ; He is our master and our teacher.  We aren't above Him and shouldn't expect to get treated any different than what He is treated.  Now at the time, this may not have seemed like that big a deal to the disciples.  It meant more to them after Jesus was betrayed, whipped, had his beard plucked out, beaten and whipped, paraded around, mocked and spit upon, then nailed to a cross.  As His followers we must understand we may expect the same treatment. 

It appears that associating Jesus as His work with the work of Beelzebub (Satan) was a common slur directed toward Jesus and His followers.  But we don't need to fear these slanders or defend our self against them.  Part of the fear of persecution is that a slander can spread out of control and we are in capable of stopping it.  Jesus said not to spend time worrying about this.  In the end, the truth will prevail.  All the slanders and lies will be shown to be lies.  The truth will always win out.

In the early church there were several slanders commonly spread about the followers.  They were called cannibals, eating and drinking the blood.  They were called immoral because their agape (love) feasts were assumed to be orgies.  The church has always been a target for slander and criticism from the enemy.  What would we expect?  And frankly, many times we deserve the criticism and ridicule for some of the foolhardy things done in the context of church.

²⁷ "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

The message the disciples were taking to the world wasn't just a few select or for the elite.  The same message we were freely given, we are to freely give.  In doing so, we may be persecuted, and maybe even killed.  But we aren't to fear those who can harm the body; because the real you is a soul that is forgiven and saved.  Man can't touch your soul.  We should fear God alone who can destroy both body and soul.  We aren't at the mercy of men and their moods and politics and agendas.  We are at the mercy of a merciful God.  He watches over the sparrows that the world sees little value in; will he not watch over you in whom he places value.  You were created in His image.  Don't fear, God even knows the number of hairs on your head.

We are to fear God alone.  Wiersbe says, "The fear of God is the fear that cancels fear."  Spurgeon said, "There is no cure for the fear of man like the fear of God."

³² "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Every follower of Christ must follow Him publicly.  We can't expect Jesus to publicly confess us if we won't publicly confess Him.  As a follower, Jesus ought to be coming out of our life in every way; how we speak, our walk, work ethic, worship, family, politics, etc.  Our life should be evidence and testimony that we are followers of Jesus. 

If you were arrested for following Jesus, would there be enough evidence to convict you?  Or, would your case be thrown out as ridiculous since there is no evidence?

"Jesus calls us to his rest, and meekness is His method. The meek man cares not at all who is greater than he, for he has long ago decided that the esteem of the world is not worth the effort."
? A.W. Tozer, Pursuit of God

³⁴ "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; ³⁶ and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' ³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

But this message calls for total commitment to Him.  It's a message of surrendering our own will and our own ways to Him.  This kind of radical following caused, and is still causing, division.  It divides families to the point where a man's enemies are right in His own household.  There can be nothing more important than following Jesus.  We must remember that when verse 38 was spoken, no one knew Jesus would be crucified and resurrected.  A person only took up a cross if they were a criminal and they only took it up for one reason, to die on it.  The cross was not discussed in polite company.  It was shameful.  Taking up the cross was to carry the cross beam down the street while the public spit and ridiculed you only to arrive at your destination and have soldiers nail you to it while the crowd looked on and cheered.

These were hard words for the followers of Jesus; radical in every way.  This was calling for death to follow Jesus and anyone not willing to die wasn't worthy.  The resurrection life is only available and possible to those who died to themselves.  Anyone preserving their life and ways, thereby lording over their own life, is unworthy of Jesus.  In attempting to hold onto that life, they will lose it for eternity.  Dying to self and surrendering to Jesus give us access to life eternal. 

⁴⁰ "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. ⁴¹ He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. ⁴² And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."

The disciples were ambassadors or Jesus and Jesus was sent by the Father.  Whoever receives the message of the ambassadors receives Jesus and the Father who sent Him.  Jesus then speaks of the rewards to come for those who receive this.  There seems to be different levels of rewards associated with discipleship.  It seems even a cup of cold water is a gift that will be rewarded by our Father in His kingdom to come. 

While we don't work for rewards, it sure is nice to consider what this will be like.  Imagine getting acknowledged by the God Most High, creator and sustainer of the entire universe, in the presence of all believers and the angels in heaven, rewarding little ole you for the humble act of being obedient and extending love and care to another. 

"The "show business," which is so incorporated into our view of Christian work today, has caused us to drift far from Our Lord's conception of discipleship. It is instilled in us to think that we have to do exceptional things for God; we have not. We have to be exceptional in ordinary things, to be holy in mean streets, among mean people, surrounded by sordid sinners. That is not learned in five minutes."
? Oswald Chambers

We truly serve an awesome God!!

©2015 Doug Ford