Well, I invite you to turn to Matthew chapter 10 this morning. Matthew chapter 10. We are continuing our study of Matthew, page 968. We're taking verses 1 through 25 of this section today. You remember that we had the summary, sort of a close of a section last time with what is called an inclusio, where Jesus summarizes, it is summarized of his ministry, what he went to do. And now he's commissioning his apostles, if you will, for the same ministry. Let's give our attention this morning to the word of the Lord, beginning at verse 1.
"And he called to him his 12 disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the 12 apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother; James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 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 receive 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 labor deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out what is 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. Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues. And you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and father his child. And children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake, but the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. For truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household
And there will end the reading of God's word.
When the apostle Paul was helping the young pastor Timothy, he had to constantly remind him of what the ministry was about. I don't know if the kind of common phrase of Timothy is that he was timid timothy is true but at least he had to make very clear that the ministry is a warfare, and that that is something that the servant of God must remember. In the Christian life, especially those who go out into the ministry, to, as Paul said, "fight the good fight." It's a fight. It's a fight. At the end of his ministry, Paul said the same thing: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." That was supposed to be a model for pastors that the apostle Paul had set. We are fighting for the salvation of people. We are making known the riches of Jesus Christ. This, of course, the battle that we are in, is not always appreciated as it should be. The depth of a lot of today's Christianity is simply that people think it's just a bunch of nice people getting a nice message so they can learn to be more nice. That's kind of the extent of it.
But here we have captured for us today, this morning, Jesus is really sending out his apostles on a trial run, if you will a tour through Israel ministering the gospel. It's a ministerial tour, and it's a great window, I believe, to help us appreciate just what is happening in Christian ministry. And by the way, just you have some perspective of my take on this passage since there is a one sort of challenging verse here at the end this is really what is known as a technique called prophetic foreshortening, where there are multiple fulfillments throughout history. And this whole section captures that. For the very things that we read, were for we see play out in Acts everywhere. So it wasn't just for the days of the apostles as they were sent on their mini tour. This would be something that would echo throughout the whole new ministry age the new covenant age as the design of Christian ministry. What you can expect in Christian ministry. That's why this passage is so important. But it's challenging. It's kind of like a job description. Even though ministry is not should never be called a job with most job descriptions, you're going to have somebody who's going to be brutally honest about what is required. And they're going to tell you what to do and what not to do, and all the warnings and expectations that come with it. We have Jesus here, fascinatingly, warning the disciples about what to expect as they minister the word. And this is very instructive. very instructive It's important for a few different reasons. Number one: it probes us all to ask how we're receiving the ministry. Number two: even though it's focused on sent pastors, if you will here apostles it showcases and characterize characterizes the qualities of all true servants of Jesus Christ. So in your very callings, you can apply the very things that are said here. And it's important.
The main point of this section this morning that we're considering is that Jesus is sending his apostles on a trial run to train them as to how to conduct themselves, giving instruction about conduct and what to expect as they minister the gospel. It's intended to help us understand the struggle that is taking place for you and what's going on behind the scenes. I want to look at this this morning by look considering Jesus's instructions here, his cautions, and then what I believe is an encouragement in the midst of all this.
Last week we had that surprising section that was preparatory for all this that was sort of a preparation for this section of the sending of the apostles out on this ministry tour. You remember in verse 35 we read that Jesus went through all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom. He was preaching the gospel. That is exactly what was said to begin the Sermon on the Mount. It was an inclusio, that was sort of a refrain to tie everything together so far of what Jesus' ministry looked like, what He was doing. And the surprising thing about the ministry, Jesus' ministry, was already how much opposition he was enduring. I mean, think of 35 again. He's teaching, he's proclaiming, he's freeing people from bondage with his authority. People are being set free from sin and death. And in that very section last time, there are all the religious leaders of Israel saying, "This man casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of demons." What an awful thing to say. What an awful blasphemy. Matthew says nothing about it at this point. How patient Jesus was. He stayed focused on the mission. He was long suffering And the heart of it, I think, one of the most beautiful passages in the gospel of Matthew was verse 26 of chapter 9, last time: 36 "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."
Oh, how wonderful our Lord is. He sees his harassed sheep. He sees, and you notice there, it is really fascinating in that verse. He wasn't just talking about the harvest. He saw the crowds. These are the multitudes of all the peoples. And he had this kind of emotion well up within him, for these sheep who are lost, no shepherd. Well, that's driving everything here. That is really driving everything here. He had come for this purpose to preach the Gospel, to set people free. Look at how intent he was to rescue people. It would not be a failure. He would fulfill Ezekiel 25. He would be the one, the shepherd, the good shepherd, because of these failed shepherds, to go out and recover the lost sheep of the house of Israel. That's what this passage is. It's a fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy. And continues to be.
But the apostles had no idea what awaited them. So Jesus said, and as the heart of this, in our section today, in chapter 10, in verse 24, which is the principle here: "A disciple is not above his teacher." We should be content with that. You're going to face the same things. What they did to me, they're going to do to you. People are not going to like you. So that's the heart of the trial run.
Now, this is brutally honest. It does not mean this is an easy passage today. This is brutally honest because it gives you a window into what actually goes on in the ministry behind the scenes. Sometimes, boys and girls, you might look at elders and say, "What really goes on in those rooms over there when we talk?" Or you might wonder about all the things going on behind the scenes in the life of the church. You've got it right here. The apostles did not understand this. This was the heart of the trial run. Initial training for them to send them out in the same ministry. This is the point. There's a direct correlation here to Jesus' ministry. With that inclusion, the same ministry they are to follow.
So notice chapter 10 becomes his instructions. In verse 1, this is what we read: "And he called to him his 12 disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal every disease and every affliction." Notice what just happened. We've been looking at the authority of Jesus all throughout Matthew's gospel. Here it comes again. Now, that authority is delegated and given to the apostles. Very important. That's been the whole theme throughout Matthew of the ministry. The very authority of Christ is is there, now given to them to continue the ministry that he is bringing. It's Jesus's ministry, so he's commissioned them.
And Matthew at his point names the twelve. Um, I thought about going into the character of each ones and to spend some time on a sermon on each of the apostles, but I didn't think that would be necessarily helpful because I want to see the big picture here. But I don't know that we would be very happy with these guys as pastors. Just want to say that: Peter, the, uh, the great optimist; um, Thomas, the great well doubter Philip, the pessimist. You know, these are ordinary guys fishermen whom the Lord chose to do this work. I'll just say that that's really encouraging. And praise the Lord for that. praise the lord for that then there's judas here which is the surprise who was a charlatan stealing off the money bags the whole time. So we know that from John. It's a surprising thing that he sent out on this ministry. He was obviously a special kind of circumstance that the Old Testament to be fulfilled. He would betray the Lord. But here we are.
Here come the instructions now. Instructions for ministry. These 12 men are sent out. "Go nowhere among the Gentiles," he says. "Enter no town of the Samaritans, but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Again, fulfilling isaiah 25 i mean Ezekiel 25 First to Israel, and then to the Gentiles would be the pattern throughout Acts. But here we are first to Israel. That's where he's focusing the ministry. That fulfilled the promise, the prophecies that it would first go to Israel and then it would go to the gentiles first to the toughest soil, if you will.
Notice that he's directing them where to go and what to say: "Proclaim to them, the kingdom of heaven is at hand They knew just what that meant. When Jesus began his ministry, that those were the very first words That came out of his mouth repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand that was good news it was a call for israel to return to the lord their god to come home if you will to him to turn from sin and to come to the light. "With my arrival, the kingdom," proclaimed in all of Scripture, says, "Come." And he gave them power. You'll notice here to validate this great kingdom message, he gave power of them to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse lepers, and to cast out demons. That must have been quite a ministry tour. I can't imagine being sent out to do those things. I think you'd have great followings, right?
What's amazing here here's the king and here's what he's after. Look at verse 12: "As you enter a house, I want you to go to households, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come on it. Who's worthy? Well, I think you saw it last time, with the two blind beggars. They were crying to Jesus for mercy. They had an open disposition and heart to receive the gospel. They were They were soft They were ready They were prepared They knew they were sinners they knew they needed grace. Those are those who are worthy."
They were commissioned to go to the homes, and they were commissioned to preach the gospel. They were commissioned to preach the good news of the kingdom. And Jesus attached that and said, "You know what? I want you also to do. I want you to heal their sick, and I want you to help them and heal them and set them free. And notice what Jesus wanted them to say. Isn't this amazing? Now, listen carefully. This is really powerful: I want you to say peace i'm bringing peace to you. Of all things, a message of peace. You think of what we deserve and what God could have brought to our houses. Now we're looking at households here. This is really important. His whole mission comes with the intention of peace to households in israel peace to you and to your children. Thoroughly covenantal, by the way, from the heart of Christ. He wanted to bring peace. This was his desire. I can't get over it. It so correlates back with 35. He's having compassion. He's showing it as the gospel comes to you people, just like you, to your houses.
This is why Jesus was so concerned about conduct here. Um, he says in verse 8: "You receive without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, no tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the labor deserves his food." He is saying something very simple here: I don't want you behaving like charlatans. I don't want anyone to think you're that. I don't want you peddling this for money. I don't want anyone to think that this is about money. Notice the statement: "As you receive the kingdom freely, give the kingdom without pay." That's not saying people couldn't provide for their necessities. That's how they live. What he's saying is, "I don't want the perception that the kingdom of God is about money. I don't want people thinking they have to give gold to receive it. Or they have to think of Rome. Buy indulgences. And I don't want people paying you for it. I don't want you paying them for it. You see. You received it freely. Give it freely." This is amazing. "Speak peace to them. Give the kingdom freely. It's a free gift for people."
I can think of no more beautiful representation. He wanted the sense the kingdom of God could not be given or purchased with money. That would always be a free will, offering, if you will, of the people. If you've been here at nights, you know that we've been working through Romans 5, and last time he said something that described the gospel and the work of Christ as a free gift and the righteousness and peace that we enjoy. Having been justified by faith, we have peace. And the free gift abounded to many. The free gift. But then Jesus qualifies: "But we're not begging people. Listen, we are not begging people. We are not on our hands and knees. Don't come across that way. Be very wise in this. If they won't receive it, let peace return. Shake the dust off your sandals. Truly, I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment from the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town." That town will face more judgment than Sodom and Gomorrah faced. Wow. What did He do? He rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus is not begging. We need to remember that. He gives an offer, a free offer, a call. But He's not begging. For people who refuse, that was a willful choice. A day of judgment is coming, and it will be an overthrow of life like nothing nobody's ever expected.
He says in verse 23, he doesn't expect any servant to continue to minister in a place where he's being persecuted. Did you catch that? I do not expect that. If you are being persecuted and you are being beaten, you do not need to remain in that place. Move on. You're free to move to the next town. This was Israel, so it's interesting. You had families in entire towns that could reject the gospel.
Now, what's the most interesting part of this, and something here that helps us to understand about ministry: Jesus now gives cautions so that they would understand what to expect. One would think that if Jesus is offering peace and healing and he's raising the dead did you catch that Even raise the dead through them, that that would create happiness and that would create great joy among The people and forgiveness of sins. Everyone would get on board with this, right? The sad reality is: what he's describing here is, some receive it, many do not. And he explains now what will be the consequence of that opposition, so that's now his concern is to let, give a window into: "Here's what you're going to experience in ministry as you take the gospel and as it's either received or rejected. Here's going to be the consequences of that."
Verse 16: "Behold, I'm sending you out as sheep among wolves. Be wise as serpent and harmless as doves." There's all kinds of opposition to this, he says. In general, people will not take to this message. That's how hard the human heart is. He's using the serpent here as sort of proverbial meaning it's intellectually shrewd. So what he's saying is: use great wisdom, use great wisdom in how you approach people. Give great insight into who you're going to and how you conduct yourselves. Use great wisdom in in knowing how to. conduct yourselves in ministry and who you're taking the gospel to but be harmless undefiled like doves in how you do it why because the opposition is going to be great.
And there are two arenas here he speaks of the opposition. Two arenas to understand it. First, the world or society in general. Notice this: This message, at times when you take it out, will be hated. You're taking it among wolves. "Beware of men." Especially when a message that you're bringing touches on repentance is what got Paul in all kinds of trouble in Acts. Remember when the goddess Artemis, when he criticized that there is no God made with human hands and they lost all kinds of profit? He was taken right before the councils.
Now, this is an important section here to understand this. All of this will play out in the book of Acts. Peter was brought before councils and commanded not to preach in his name. This will play out through the history of the church, really. "Beware of men." There will be appointed times. There will be appointed times. And you'll notice there what he says is their reason for this: is because you're going to go and bear witness to the Gentiles. I've actually set up the opposition for you to give you opportunities to bear witness. We don't think like that today. If we had a time of great persecution and a pastor was put on trial, we would all be devastated. That's an appointed opportunity to bear witness to the Gentiles. That's what we see in Acts.
You will go before magistrates and governors. It's just what happened to Christ. "Don't be anxious." This is great. I don't want you even to be anxious about this. What a great message for our time. I don't want you to be even anxious if great times of persecution come and you have to go and testify before courts and governors and you have to give that kind of testimony. Here's my promise to you: "The Spirit of your Father will give you the words. Don't worry. No anxiety over this. There will be times in which the gospel ministry we preach against sin and idolatry that we are hated and we're given up to magistrates. It's all appointed. Jesus told us to expect this. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also." That's the first arena.
Now, the second. This applies to us too, how we witness. Here's where I would say the cost of discipleship gets more challenging than you think. What's the second arena of opposition? I want everyone to look at verse 21: "Brother will deliver brother over to death. And father, his child. And the children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake." Obviously, we're looking at the most extreme examples here throughout history.
What did he just say? Jesus just said: the opposition will often show itself most strongest in the separation the gospel brings among family. This is really important. What is the strongest bond in this life? Family. Family. We know the phrase: "Blood is thicker than water." That originates from, I think, the 12th century in my research. They found a manuscript in Heidelberg. It originates in Germany, which is interesting. A manuscript in the 13th century saying, "I also hear it said that kin blood is not spoiled by water." Most likely what that meant was: baptism waters cannot break the bonds of family blood.
Well, whatever the case. Where were they going? Households. Greet the house. In that day, if you knew how the households functioned, they all, multiple families, big families, stayed in one large house that had a center court. The gospel ministry is so powerful, says Jesus. It will break the bonds of family in that loyalties to Christ will become greater than that of blood. That's the heart of the calling of a true disciple. You can prove this. Jesus has already done this. If you look back at verse 18. Now, When a crowd when he saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go the other side. "Teacher, I'll follow you wherever you go." And another of his disciples said to him, "Let me first go bury my father." And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead." Can you imagine the offense of that? "No, I know what you're doing. You're making an excuse. Your father is second to me. If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." Offensive. He's dividing it right down the line.
So what Jesus is saying is: the power of the gospel often makes disciples. And, and dear disciples guess what? That's dear apostles guess what that's going to mean for you in those that are truly set free. It's going to cause a separation from those not receiving it in households. And that's going to get fierce. When a household or family has peace, other households of that family may not have that peace. Loyalties come out at some point. It's all exposed at some point. That's what gospel ministry does.
I know no minister in all my years of pastoring now that has not expressed this problem to me. One lady said to me: "When I practiced what I believed, me and my husband and our family, and we honored the Sabbath and we went to church, her family, a Christian family, would ridicule her. Church-going people would ridicule her for their commitment to these things." And it was her father. And she said, "Dad, but this is how you raised me. What happened?" Gospel ministry is powerful. It breaks the bonds of the strongest loyalties in this life. Christ will be greater than blood loyalty for the true follower.
And notice: it's not the ones who have peace that are the agitators. Not the haters. The haters are the brothers who separate from fathers. Fathers and children. Children will rise against parents. How many parents have seen children go astray and they follow them, and they've rejected the faith of their own parents?
See how we're getting into what ministry is now, and it makes us all uncomfortable? And this is what we live. I've seen parents follow children right out the door of the church. True gospel ministry separates even nominal followers. That's the effect of ministry. And Jesus says notice you'll be hated by all. Now, the tie here to the previous section: he says the religious leader said he had a demon, remember that? And Jesus directly applied this to them and said, "Well, if I face that, you're going to face that. If they have called the master of the house beelzebub then they're going to malign listen notice the language here how much more will they align those of his household? He's got a household Jesus but some are so hard-hearted, and they're not regenerate, that they it is they who are willing to break listen this is so important from the beautiful calling to have a united true family in this life so Jesus was after that gives everyone the peace of the gospel in a new family. not tied together by blood of all ethnicities of all peoples they're my family There's my mom There's my sister there's my brother."
Remember? Now, I want to emphasize: the craziness of this is not on Jesus's part. He's bringing a message that's peace. He's bringing a message intended to tear down these kind of things and desires actual peace for people. But they have said no.
Now, I want you to remember what this is all about. Why did he continue this? Why such endurance? Because he has compassion on the multitudes. He's so long-suffering that the gospel goes out to the ends of the earth. He's concerned about forlorn sheep. He's concerned about sheep who have no shepherd. He's concerned about the masses of people who don't have a true family. He's concerned about that.
Does your household have peace? It's a really important question. Does your household have peace? Does that peace show that the parents and the children and have embraced the gospel with joy?
There's an encouragement here. "He who endures to the end will be saved." In the ministry, he doesn't want us giving up on the ministry. He doesn't want us stopping on the ministry because of all this. He doesn't want all the bitter struggle that goes on in the ministry. I told you about pastoral burnout, and this is the stuff. And it's probably the most difficult verse in this section could be but I, I think, I think verse 23 is actually meant to be an encouragement. "For truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes." I think that's been overthought. It's capturing capturing prophetically all the struggle of the church before the Lord Jesus Christ comes in every age. It's a device I taught i told you about called prophetic foreshortening, meaning it's bringing together everything as one. He's speaking of many events and multiple fulfillment the destruction of the temple all these things that brings a close of history Jesus is coming. That's the heart of this. jesus is coming endure the calling that's why He's doing this he's doing this because He's saving a multitude no man can number he's doing this and he's not going to lose one sheep, beginning at Jerusalem and Judea to the ends of the earth. He's taken this gospel. And you want to know how long suffering he is? We're still here in 2024. He's still stretching out his hand all day long: "Come, enter. Peace to you and your children." The servants need wisdom, and they need strength from him, because the opposition to this is fierce. But he wants it to be an encouragement to them.
Notice the next words for next time: "Have no fear. Have no fear. For nothing is covered that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known. I'm going to uncover everything. every heart. and everything don't fear don't lose heart Continue to preach the gospel. Continue to make it known. I won't fail. I'm coming."
May we be those in the household today. This is good news. If there's anyone outside, what is he saying to you today? Come into the family. Welcome to the family. Join the family. Receive peace. Cry for mercy. You're worthy when you come to me that way. I will in no wise cast out anyone who comes to me, believing and asks for mercy. That's his gospel. That's how good it is. Nobody. So who's the hardest heart that wouldn't do it? He'll forgive you. He loves you. He brings you into his family. This is the best news. That's got to be the only message that can truly soften a heart that is that calloused.
Do you know who you are? Do you know what you've done? Do you know who's come to you and said, "My peace I give to you. My peace I leave with you"?
Lord God, may we be believing in his wonderful promises. Let's pray.
Gracious Lord, thank You for such a text and thank You for guiding us to see the struggle of ministry. We confess, Lord, that apart from Your work of the Spirit, the bonds are too tight everywhere else. We would join with the world. That bond is tight. We would join with family over You. But we're so thankful that Christ is our all in all. Fill us with a love and knowledge of Christ that we might live by faith. Thank You for taking this ministry of the forgiveness of sins to the ends of the earth. For today, giving us an eye into the struggle to accomplish it. Bless it. We continue to pray and raise up labors to send them out into the harvest, for the fields indeed are white for the harvest. The labors are few. So we come to You, the Lord of the harvest. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.