The Twelve Sent Out

At the time Jesus sent out the twelve apostles the first time. His primary goal was to reach the Jews.   God had originally made a covenant with Israel so that all the world might know God, as Solomon said in I Kings 8:59-60.  “And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.”  Tt was necessary that God gave the Jews the first opportunity to receive salvation even though they had not always kept his covenant.  The original mission of the apostles was to reach out to the Jews first.  Jesus told the Syrophenician woman in Matthew 15:24, “…I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 

With the goal of reaching the Jews first in mind, Jesus gave specific instructions to the apostles, as we see in Matthew 10:6-13.  “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.  And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.  And when ye come into an house, salute it.  And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.”

The promise to Abraham had been made more than two thousand years before and they had had the Law for more than fifteen hundred years, and the Jews all purported to be looking for Messiah’s coming.  The apostles were to go only to Jewish communities, announcing Messiah’s coming.  As proof of their power from God they were to heal people and cast out demons.   Those who took them seriously would be more than glad to supply their needs in exchange for the information they carried.   When they went into a city they were to find out who the most devout Jews were and go to them first and stay with them as long as they stayed in the area.  If it turned out they were hypocritical or insincere they were to go elsewhere.  

Many Jews had gotten wrapped up in Greek and Roman culture and really didn’t believe in the prophecies about Messiah.  They would not welcome news about his arrival, or be willing to help spread the message.  Jesus instructed the disciples not to try to force the message on them in Matthew 10:14-15.  “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.”

The Jews had grown up in church and already knew what the scriptures said.  If they refused to listen, their minds were already made up and there was no use arguing with them or trying to change them.  Instead of wasting time arguing, the disciples should simply leave, shaking the dust off their feet as a testimony to God that the people had rejected God’s promise.  Because they knew and deliberately refused, their punishment would be even worse than that experienced by Sodom and Gomorrah. 

It is important to understand that if someone deliberately rejects God it is not our responsibility to keep trying to change them.  They have the right to make their own choice.  They just need to understand they will have to live with the consequences of their choices.  When we push too hard we become offensive, and I Corinthians 10:32 commands, “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God.”  It is better to walk away and leave the possibility someone else can reach them than to drive them away completely.  If no one reaches them, it will not be your fault.  Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to win them.  Wasting too much time on a person who isn’t interested may keep you from talking to someone who is, and Matthew 10:23 warns, “…verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.”  We will never get everyone.  We need to learn to differentiate between what is our duty and what is not.  

Don’t Focus on Spiritual Gifts

Jesus had a number of disciples or students.  Among them were twelve Jesus had specifically chosen.  Later these twelve would be known as the twelve apostles, meaning literally official delegates or commissioners.   Matthew 10:1-5 describes the first mission Jesus sent them on.  “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.  Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The 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 publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.”

When Jesus sent these twelve out, he gave them special powers to cast out demons and heal all kinds of disease as proof that they were official representatives of God.  Later, he would give Paul similar powers to prove he was also an apostle, so that Paul could say, “...for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.  Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds,” in II Corinthians 12:11-12. 

Later, he sent out an additional seventy to various towns and cities, giving them similar powers.  As a result, people came from all over Israel to hear Jesus.  When the seventy returned, they were excited that they had had power to cast out the demons, as we see in Luke 10:17-20.  “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”   God had kicked Satan out of heaven and took away his authority because of his rebellion, and Jesus was there too.  It was no big trick for him to give them these miraculous powers.  What was far more important was that God loved them enough to forgive them their sin and give them a place in heaven. 

Unfortunately, in our day many are more concerned with having certain powers and abilities such as speaking in tongues, or healing or prophecy than with people being saved.  They fail to understand that the Holy Spirit does not give everyone those gifts, but only hands them out as they are needed, as I Corinthians 12:4-11 tells us.  “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.  And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”  I Corinthians 13:1-3 makes it clear that without Christ in our hearts, those powers are meaningless.   We need to focus on Christ and his love rather than on the gifts of the Spirit.

II Peter 1:2-11 advises, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Letting the Holy Spirit develop his fruit in us is far more important than any special power, because it shows we really are God’s children.   The various gifts are relatively easy to counterfeit, but the fruit can be easily tested, making it hard to fake.  Even when it looks good, a taste will quickly identify a fake.    

Conflicts With Tradition

Jesus constantly ran afoul of the religious traditions of his day.   Matthew 9:10-11 describes one of those situations.  “And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.  And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?”   

The Pharisees were Israel’s religious elite, convinced that they were more spiritual and better than those who were less religious.  Publicans or public employees were those who worked for the government, which in this case was the Roman Empire, and were in constant contact with people who were not Jewish.  They were often considered traitors to their Jewish heritage and suspected of having forsaken the Jewish traditions and laws.  They were considered no better than the sinners who deliberately violated the Jewish traditions.  It was assumed that association with them indicated one rejected the Jewish standards.   The Pharisees questioned why Jesus would associate with such people if he was truly the Messiah. 

Jesus responded in Matthew 9:12-13.  “But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”  The Pharisees considered themselves as good people whose sins were not that important.  They felt that all they needed to do was offer a sacrifice to pay off their sin much like paying off a speeding or parking ticket.  Jesus said he didn’t come just to collect fines for unintentional mistakes, but to help those who realized they needed serious help.  It is impossible to help people who are satisfied with what they are doing and don’t see any need for change. 

John the Baptist provided a transition from the Jewish religion to Christianity.  Many of his followers did not realize the difference, as we see in Matthew 9:14.  “Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?”   they viewed Jesus’ teachings as just another level on the old Jewish tradition.  They wondered why his disciples didn’t fast like they and the Jews did. 

Jesus emphasized that there was a major difference in his response in Matthew 9:15-17.  “And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.  Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.” 

Fasting is not supposed to be about trying to get God to do something, but about spending time getting to know him.  As long as the Lord was present, the best way to get to know him was to spend the time physically with him.  The hours spent in fasting and prayer would not be needed until he was no longer present.  To spend time fasting when he was present would be like texting your friend who is sitting at the same table rather than simply talking to him.  The texting will only be needed if they are too far away to talk to them personally.

Christianity was not just a patch or a patch on to their old religion, although many treat it as such.  As Jesus points out, such a patch can actually make things worse, and trying to fit Christianity into the old traditions and customs completely destroys them, so that what is left is neither traditional nor Christian.  God doesn’t just do behavior modifications to fix some problems areas, but as II Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “…if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”    The results are very different.  

Identifying The Ungodly

Every one of the New Testament writers warned that false prophets would pervert God’s word and mislead people.  In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus tells one way of identifying false prophets.  “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” 

While Matthew 7:1 tells us we are not judge people on the basis of first impressions or personal prejudices, Jesus says that seeing how they live and what they do, we can tell what kind of person they really are, because their words and actions reveal what is really in their heart according to Matthew 15:19.  “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”  By listening to what they say we can make legitimate judgements as to what they are really like because as Luke 6:45 tells us, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”   I John 4:5-6 builds on that same idea.  “They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.   We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”  If they are living or teaching in way that goes contrary to God’s word, they are not of God.   

We must not fall into the habit of assuming everyone who claims to be a preacher or Christian really is.  Matthew 7:21-23 warns, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”  Even many of those with the biggest and best known ministries are not truly Christians despite their religious activities or speaking in tongues and doing miracles.  A far better indicator is their obedience to God’s word, as Jesus stresses, in Matthew 7:24-27. 

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24-27.

Quite simply, a person who is not obeying God’s word has founded their life on a lie that will be destroyed when judgment comes, no matter how impressive their credentials or record may appear.  A person who is acting in obedience has nothing to worry about, no matter how little of minor their accomplishments may seem.    We need to exercise discernment and discriminate between those who are truly of God and those who are just pretending to be.  

Missing The Exit

As we go through the Sermon on the Mount, it is interesting to see how Jesus was teaching.  In chapter 5, he a group of areas which would result in blessing, in effect laying a foundation for what he would be teaching.  He  then addressed the various areas, laying out some basic principles about them, almost like a person building a log cabin, laying one log on each wall, then coming back around and laying on another log when the other walls are ready to support it, so that every teaching is firmly connected to those around them.  In Matthew 7:7-12, He returns to the subject of prayer. 

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:7-12)

In the earlier discussion, he had stressed that prayer was not to be used to show off our spirituality, nor were we to think that God only listened if we shouted longer and louder than other people.  He said if we would just ask we would receive and that if we would make the effort, we would learn.   Just as a loving human father would see that his children had what they needed, a loving God can be expected to meet our needs.  By treating others properly and showing concern for them, we can demonstrate our faith in God to provide for us.  God wants to supply our needs, so we do not need to beg for his blessings, nor do we need to feel guilty for having what he gives us.  God gave it to us to enjoy, and we can share without giving away everything we have. 

Human nature seems always to go to the extremes, either focused on getting everything for themselves, or impoverishing themselves, being ultra-conservative, or ultra-liberal.  Neither extreme is good.  Matthew 7:13-14 tells us, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” 

Thousands of people drive down our interstate highways on vacation, going someplace like Las Vegas to have fun.  Along the way are hundreds of small exits leading to fascinating places, but most people are too focused on the traffic around them and which lane they need to be in to even notice the exits.  As a result they miss some of the most spectacular scenery and experiences, preferring to stay on the interstate.   Similarly, to experience life to the fullest is going to require turning off the path everyone else is taking and following a less popular way of life.   While we are arguing which lane we should be in, over such issues as which denomination or political party we should join, we miss the road that leads to eternal life.   We may get to Disney land or some other amusement park, but miss many things that would be far more enjoyable because we were unwilling to take the narrower and slower roads.  Sadly, many people are so focused on what they are doing they are unaware that they have missed anything and end up settling for far less than they could have enjoyed.   It really doesn’t matter whether you are in the right lane or the left lane if you miss the exit.    

Judgement or Discernment?

Many times when we point out that something is wrong, people quote Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” and accuse us of being hypocritical for judging them.   Once again, they have not taken the time to see what the passage actually says.  We live in a world that puts a lot of stress on the first impression.    We judge people based on that first impression, or pre judge them, based on their race, gender, style of dress, and manner of speaking.   Such judgments are known as prejudice and is the kind of judgment Jesus is talking about here.     

Matthew 7:2-5 continues, “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.” 

We will be judged by the same standards we judged others, and to a similar degree.  Most of the time we judge others based on what we know about ourselves.  A habitual liar usually assumes everyone else is a liar, and a thief assumes others will steal if they get the chance.  Jesus said before we judge others about such things we need to address such problems in our own lives.  Frequently, we find that we are projecting our own attitudes on them rather than seeing what they are really like. Such prejudices lead to unjustified and unfair discrimination. 

Discrimination is not in itself a bad thing.  It simply means to recognize the differences between things, and make choices accordingly.   For example, we would discriminate between a drink of water and a glass of vinegar.   If we did not have the ability to discriminate, most people would not survive to adulthood.   We need to make sure that our discrimination is based on truth rather than unfounded prejudices.   While we can’t accurately tell what a person is like by their appearances, we can observe their actions and make at least an educated guess, as Matthew 7:20 tells us, “…by their fruits ye shall know them.”   

    

With this in mind, Jesus warned, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you,” in Matthew 7:6.  By observing the person’s behavior, we can get an idea of their attitude,, and Jesus said don’t waste your time trying to placate those who are only concerned with their own greed.   Like a pack of feral dogs or feral pigs fighting over some food, as soon as it is gone, they may turn and attack you.    It is worthwhile to learn to differentiate or discriminate between those who appreciate what they are given and those who are just out to get as much as they can as easily as possible.     

Many people see this as a contradiction with Matthew 5:38-42, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”  It is not a contradiction but warning to be careful in our efforts to help others.  In their efforts to help all refugees, many countries are finding out they have allowed the destruction of their society, for example.   While we ought to go beyond the minimum to help others, there are limits as to how far we should go.  

Staying Focused On God

Many times when we think of being blessed the focus is on financial and physical things.  If we are struggling financially we feel God has forgotten us or that we are not doing what we should. False teachers reinforce that concept, using scriptures such as Psalm 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”   Others go in the opposite direction, impoverishing themselves in the belief that “money is the root of all evil.”    Unfortunately, this is a misquotation of I Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all evil…”  The Greek words actually say “Avarice (greed) is the root of all evil.” 

The problem is not money, but the attitude toward it, as Jesus points out in Matthew 6:19-25.  “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”

Those physical things can all disappear at a moment’s notice, and none of them can be taken into eternity.  Our heart will be focused on the things that are most important to us.  As Jesus points out if a persons eyes work together, he has no difficulty seeing, but if they don’t work together and he is seeing double it is very hard for him to accomplish anything.  To succeed, he will be forced to block out what one eye sees, and the same thing happens to a person who tries to serve God while worrying about their physical wellbeing.    We can’t serve God while focused on worldly desires and goals. 

Matthew 6:26-30 continues, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” 

God provides the food for every bird and wild animal.  Sometimes they have more than they can eat and other times just enough to get by, but they don’t worry about it and we shouldn’t either.  After all our worrying does not really change anything.  Even the bees and ants who carefully save up food for the winter don’t worry about having enough, but just collect what God supplies and trust him that it will be enough.  We spend vast amounts on having nice clothes, but some of the most beautiful flowers last only a single day.  Even the richest person cannot make things more beautiful than what God provides, so why do we worry so much about outdoing each other?  

We need to learn to just enjoy what we have right now, whether is a lot, or just a little.  Matthew 6:31-34 commands, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” 

God knows exactly what we need.  He supplies for both the Christians and those who are not Christians.  We don’t need to worry that he doesn’t care, or that he doesn’t understand what we need.   He will supply for us just like he does for the birds and wild animals.  We shouldn’t feel guilty when he supplies more than we need, nor should we feel deprived when he just supplies enough for today. 

When Israel was in the wilderness, most days God just supplied enough manna for one day, but once a week, on Friday, he supplied twice as much.  The Jews were expected to save enough of the extra to last until Sunday.   Sometimes, when God gives extra, he expects us to save it for use in the future.  If we just give it away, we may end up going without because we didn’t take care of what he gave us.  We must learn to trust him whether we have a lot or just enough for today.  We must not let our situation distract us from seeking God and his will.