THE WORDS OF JESUS
Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 43
“The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”
Matthew 10:5, These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them,
“Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 10:5-18
The disciples first step of training – their ‘basic training’, so to speak – completed; Jesus now sends them out, for the first time, to do His works, and He sends them to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
In this fashion, “Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; and James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who also betrayed Him.” (Matthew 10:1-4)
This, being before Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, and before the establishment of His earthly Church, shows the order of things to come in God’s economy and of His plan to ‘save the world’, and to ‘graft the wild olive branch” into the Church.
Secondly, it is the pattern and the model for all future disciples, that is for all future Christians – you and me – to obey and to fulfill His Great Commission. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you”, in the same manner Jesus demonstrated and taught these disciples.
Let’s remember, however, that these words of Jesus are much more than a ‘model’ or a ‘pattern’ for evangelism and more than a directive (the Great Commission), this is the Creative, Causative, Prophetic, and Instructional Word of God.
When this Word is implanted into the heart and mind of a follower and disciple of Jesus, it will come to pass:
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it produce and sprout, And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)
This is but ‘a first step’ in the establishment of His Church and the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus throughout the entire world. It is not just the first step, but the only step, but it is in the footsteps of Christ.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
(If you have any questions or remarks, please contact me).
PREVIOUS: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? , “The Harvest is Plentiful”, Part 42.
NEXT: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? , “Behold, I am sending you out?”, Part 44.
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