Mat 10:1-15, Jesus Wants You to Have His Job.

Class Outline:

Wednesday January 8, 2025

Main idea: The character of the apostle makes him effective.

 

Mission commission mentioned four times in the synoptics. God wants each of us and our church on the mission.  

 

Characteristics of an apostle

 

Gifted: Spiritual gift. 

 

We are not given the authority of miracles, but we are given spiritual gifts.

 

Chrysostom: When the apostle Paul “was to declare this [most excellent] way, he spoke not of raising the dead, not of cleansing lepers, not of any such thing; but in the place of all these he set charity ([click in] 1Co 13) … [click in] For if thou change from inhumanity to almsgiving, thou hast stretched forth the hand that was withered. If thou withdraw from theaters and go to the church, thou has cured the lame foot. If thou draw back thine eyes from an harlot, and from beauty not thine own, thou has opened them when they were blind. If instead of satanical songs, thou has learned spiritual psalms, being dumb, thou has spoken. These are the greatest miracles, these the wonderful signs.” 

 

 

Heart of Christ: Compassion (MAT 9:36).

 

Their mission is as servants and not masters. The glaring problem with the clergy when the church became powerful and rich is that many of the ministers took on the role of masters rather than servants. 

 

Prayer: More workers (MAT 9:38). 

 

Humility: Matthew the tax collector, Simon the Zealot (not Peter and Andrew the fishermen). 

 

PSA 25:8-9

Good and upright is the Lord;

Therefore He instructs sinners in the way. 

9 He leads the humble in justice,

And He teaches the humble His way. 

 

It is good to be reminded that we know next to nothing about most of them. All the good ministers of Christ are not alike famous, nor their actions alike celebrated.

 

Independently able: Gifted by God. If forsaken, able to still work unto the Lord. 

 

Spiritual gifts come from God, not others, not developed by ourselves. So, independent is not entirely true. We always depend upon God, and if all others forsook us, we would still work unto the Lord. 

 

Community oriented: Spiritual gifts in the body of Christ (1CO 12:14-18). 

 

Gracious. Freely you received, freely give. 

 

Poor: Treasuring treasure in heaven (MAT 6:19-21). 

 

MAT 5:3

 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

 

LUK 6:20

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

 

MAT 10:9-10

"Do not acquire [ktaomai - obtain, gain possession of] gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10 or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.  

 

MAR 6:8-9

He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff — no bread, no bag, no money in their belt —  9 but to wear [perfect tense of “tie on”] sandals; and He added, "Do not put on two tunics."

 

Jesus does not want them to acquire anything from their hearers for their words and works.

 

Didache 11-12.  

 

And, Jesus changes the instruction as the apostles move into the next dispensation:

 

LUK 22:35-38

And He said to them, "When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" They said, "No, nothing." 36 And He said to them, "But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.  37 "For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, 'AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS'; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment."  38 They said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough." 

 

We store up treasure in heaven and not on earth, and that means that we are poor towards the things of the earth.

 

Dependence on God: Inquire who is worthy. 

 

God protects our endurance and boldness by ensuring that they are rejecting Him and not us (1SA 8:7).

 

Follow Christ - Christ goes ahead of them. The Gospel is Christ. 

 

If they reject Gospel then the apostles leave (“Shake the dust off your feet.”).

 

The Gospel goes ahead of them, therefore God goes ahead of them. It is not they who are rejected (or you) but the Word of God.

 

MAT 10:40

“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

 

If Christ leaves the house, His peace goes with Him.

 

Handling rejection. Take back your peace. 

 

Calvin, “the chief point of His counsel is to give some relief to them for their natural sorrow and dismay whenever their teaching may be flung back upon them, for fear that they might give up in mid-career.” 

 

The Gospel is the Lord’s incomparable treasure. No crime is as weighty as contempt for the word of the Gospel. 

 

So then, Christians who are willing to spread the gospel as lights to the world are the most important people in the world. 

 

Job description: A spiritually gifted, humble, divinely compassionate Christian of consistent prayer, who works really well with others, and can work alone if need be; who is gracious, poor towards the world, and who completely depends upon the Lord. 

 

Application:

 

Exodus parallels the sent apostles: 

Gifts / signs through Moses. 

Provision in the wilderness. 

Could not take enough for insurance on the whole trip (DEU 8:1-10). 

 

DEU 8:3

“He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.”

 

Faith tested

 

God goes ahead of them (pillar cloud and fire). 

 

Pick up your own cross, deny yourself, and follow Me (MAT 16:24). 

 

Whatever is hindering your full commitment to God (_______) God will ask, then tell, then demand, then really motivate you to be rid of it. 

 

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”