June 15, 2022
Matthew 10 is the conclusion of Jesus calling the disciples. They are listed and then sent out on mission. It is interesting that the Bible spends a little more time focusing on the sending then the calling. Today we focus a lot on calling. How did you become a follower of Jesus? What is your story? How is it you came to ______ church? These are questions that we ask a lot. When is the last time you asked a person about their personal ministry? Today is churches all over the country one of the greatest struggles is to find volunteers to serve. Jesus doesn’t do a big sales pitch about trying to get them to serve in fact He tells them how very difficult and challenging it will be. Then He just sends them. Let’s look at the account together in Matthew 10.
16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! 26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
We often talk about how the disciples never really got it and were not understanding what Jesus’ ministry was really about. One thing they did get was going out and serving. They did it and the result is the Church today. They are the ones who built it through the power of the Holy Spirit once Jesus was gone. Perhaps we all need a little more disciple spirit in us today. Maybe we don’t get it all, we may put our foot in our mouth like Peter or worry about our position like James and John. Yet, no matter our struggle we go, we serve, we build Jesus’ church because that’s what He told us to do and that is why we were called, to be sent. May we be a people who GO and share God’s love with the world.
In His Grip,
Pastor Dave
Hello Advent Family,
Matthew 10 is the conclusion of Jesus calling the disciples. They are listed and then sent out on mission. It is interesting that the Bible spends a little more time focusing on the sending then the calling. Today we focus a lot on calling. How did you become a follower of Jesus? What is your story? How is it you came to ______ church? These are questions that we ask a lot. When is the last time you asked a person about their personal ministry? Today is churches all over the country one of the greatest struggles is to find volunteers to serve. Jesus doesn’t do a big sales pitch about trying to get them to serve in fact He tells them how very difficult and challenging it will be. Then He just sends them. Let’s look at the account together in Matthew 10.
16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! 26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be
afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
We often talk about how the disciples never really got it and were not understanding what Jesus’ ministry was really about. One thing they did get was going out and serving. They did it and the result is the Church today. They are the ones who built it through the power of the Holy Spirit once Jesus was gone. Perhaps we all need a little more disciple spirit in us today. Maybe we don’t get it all, we may put our foot in our mouth like Peter or worry about our position like James and John. Yet, no matter our struggle we go, we serve, we build Jesus’ church because that’s what He told us to do and that is why we were called, to be sent. May we be a people who GO and share God’s love with the world.
In His Grip,
Pastor Dave