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Have you ever looked at a task and said, “That’s too hard for me! It’s too difficult.” Maybe we camouflage it in pointing out our lack of skills or abilities to complete the task. “I’m not really handy with tools.”  “I don’t think I’ll be of any help, I’m not strong enough to lift that thing!”

Perhaps we are right. We are lacking something. Empowerment. Purpose. Support. 

Ask anyone in the workplace who’s successful at getting their employees to go above and beyond and you’ll find a manager who does their best to empower those workers for the task at hand, helps them understand their purpose and the purpose of the task, and supports them through it. Perhaps sharing the load or giving some authority for decision making to those employees. 

Jesus did something very similar with his disciples…but first we need to get an understanding of the kind of leader Jesus was and is. He knows nothing is impossible for God. And he has his disciples work under that truth. 

Jesus Went (Read Matt 9:35)

He went teaching in the synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom.

This words used here in chapter Nine are similar to description used earlier in Matthew 4:23, where Matthew describes the beginning of Jesus’ ministry

“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.”

Jesus also ministers similarly to the people who come to him from all over…

“News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.” (Matt 4:24-25)

Between these two similar verses, we have the heart and work of the Messiah. The New Beacon Bible commentary says, 

“his [Matthew’s] audience had a good idea of what the proclamation of the gospel includes because of the Sermon on the Mount in Matt 5-7 and what the healing ministry of Jesus entails because of the collection narratives in Matt 8-9.”

Each of the teachings he starts off with the common knowledge of the people. “You have heard it said…but I say…” He’s not negating the former, (with the exception of “love for enemies,” where people were taught it was fine to hate those who were their enemies. To return hate with hate.) He is trying to address the real issue and it comes down to the matter of the heart.

• Murder stems from inner hatred for another.
• Adultery’s root cause, believe it or not, is lust.
• The issue of divorce doesn’t make two persons whole by separating them. It breaks a marriage in half.
• He also talked about Oaths. Bringing in things like heaven or the altar when making a solemn promise points to the weakness of the promise and potentially the credibility of the one making the oath. I personally don’t trust some who feels they need to swear on a stack of bibles, their mother’s grave, or add expletives to show how serious and truthful they are.

Jesus moves beyond instruction and theological discourse. He actually does stuff to help people! He heals, sets free, and raises people from the dead. He lives out the things he believes and people put their faith in him. And Jesus restores them. 

There was of course more…but why share all that? Because it’s the ground work of the Gospel in word and deed. When we read Jesus is preaching the good news of the kingdom, this is what He’s talking about. It’s especially helpful for us to understand since Jesus calls us to “Go and do likewise,” we’ve got a blueprint to follow.

So Jesus went. Went to many places and was known throughout Galilee…his home region, and even Syria, the large chunk of land to the North/North east of Galilee. 

[That Syria of the first century is now divided into Lebanon, which is the the east and closer to the Mediterranean sea, modern day Syria which is a chunk of land to the west of Lebanon and includes territory further south than the original Syria stretched.]

But Jesus didn’t just simply go places, Jesus saw.

Jesus Saw (9:36)

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matt 9:36)

Jesus saw the crowds and knew what they needed.

This compassion that Matthew points out here, connects back to chapter 6 where Jesus was teaching about not being anxious about the food you eat or the clothes you wear. In today’s vernacular, “God’s got this!” Our response is to trust and pursue the Lord’s kingdom.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt 6:33)

Chapter 6 is talking about earthly, physical needs, chapter 9 is pointing out the spiritual, intangible needs of the people. Sure, some needed healed of physical illness and disease, but the greatest need they had was for a Shepherd. Jesus being the Good Shepherd takes action…he turns to his disciples and calls them to pray.

“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’ “ (Matthew 9:37-38)

That’s nice. Jesus sees the state of people and His first inclination is to pray and call others to pray. Can you imagine being one of those disciples… “You want us to pray? Sure Jesus no problem.” They had learned from Jesus how to pray and how not to pray. He had modeled the importance of prayer. “Hey everybody…we’re going to pray that God would send workers out into His harvest fields. There’s a lot of people that need to know about the Kingdom, they need the good news. Let’s pray God sends someone of those people.” 

In that prayer, they are agreeing with Jesus and calling on God. But they are also being prepared to be Sent. But before they can be sent, Jesus has to call.

Jesus Called (10:1-4)

“Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.”

So this is a bit of a recap or consolidation of the callings of the various disciples. We get a recent story in the text of Matthew being called near the beginning of chapter 9. We get various fishermen like Peter and Andrew. We don’t get a narrative for the calling of Judas Iscariot…perhaps that’s for the best.

But at least here in verses 1-4 we have the Twelve Disciples. They are known as this, but also by a different title which they will get soon. Various people who don’t make the list of the Big 12? Mark and Luke, who wrote two other gospel accounts, James the brother of Jesus…who helped lead the church in its infancy. 

These verses serve as a bridge between the prayer and what Jesus is calling them to do.

He doesn’t just have them be useless interns who just stand back and watch Jesus do all the things. 

Jesus “gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” The authority was vested in Jesus and his name, it wasn’t the disciples’ authority in and of themselves. And claiming Jesus’ name and authority over unclean spirits and sickness should be met with caution and faith. Caution if you are not in Christ, but try to wield him like a magic word you might get rekd by said unclean spirits (see Acts 19 for an example of that.)

And faith if you are his called one, knowing that what you ask in accordance with His will and in faith in Him…it will be given or done.

The reason for this spreading of authority was to “divide and conquer.” The message of the kingdom needed to spread quicker and covering six villages at a time, rather than one at a time seems like a good use of people and resourcesher

Jesus Went to where the people were. He saw the tangible and intangible needs of the people and had his disciples pray that God would use “somebody” to do His will…send workers. Jesus called specific workers and equipped them to then be SENT.

Jesus Sent (10:5-8) 

“These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”

Jesus had a focus in mind for this missionary trip. Lost sheep of Israel only. Don’t get sidetracked or distracted by going to any other group. 

This was in keeping with another teaching of Jesus. Once, when a gentile woman asked for Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter, Jesus said, “I’ve come for the children of Israel.” It seems he’s pointing out the rightness of going to Israel first. It tracks back to the Promise we spoke of last week. All nations will be blessed through Abraham and his descendants. 

(By the way, Jesus doesn’t leave the woman hanging. She persists, even equating herself with a dog who gets table scraps. That show of faith moved the needle, and He healed her Daughter that very moment. See Matthew 15:21-28)

God’s intent is to reach the children of the Promise to help fulfill this blessing for the rest of the world.

Jesus was being intentional when he sent his disciples only to the lost sheep of Israel.

The Lost Sheep of Israel will be used to reach others with this message, “the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

And we see that in the gospels and the book of Acts; the amazing amount of Jewish people who come to follow The Way, especially at Pentecost. And through them, God reaches the Gentiles.

They were not only to preach about the kingdom of Heaven, but also “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” (Matt 10:8)

These miraculous acts were just that, Miracles. And Miracles point to the miracle worker, the one whose name it is done. Jesus. The Messiah. 

These miracles and teachings marked Jesus’ earthly ministry. So the disciples healing people and preaching about the Kingdom of Heaven point to Jesus and validate their message.

The last part of verse 8 says, “Freely you have received; freely give.” The disciples…or the Apostles, as they now are known. (Apostle means sent one) were freely given the authority to do what Jesus wanted them to do. He commanded them to do these things such as heal or cast out demons. They were not to require or request payment for these sign-acts. The people benefitted and were blessed. God was glorified. That’s what mattered. 

Conclusion: People receive or not (10:11-16, 22-23, 40-42)

Far too often in life we allow ourselves to think of the worst-case scenario as we approach a potential challenge. There isn’t anything wrong with being realistic, but even the possibility of rejection or persecution should not and ought not stop us from doing what God has called us to do. 

I read this story of the Sent-ones, the Apostles on their first mission trip without Jesus right by their side, and I wonder who got paired up with Judas? What about Thomas? Did he have doubts about faith, even back when he was following Jesus and preaching the kingdom of Heaven? If you got paired up with Peter, would you let him do all the talking and healing or would you not even get the option because we would just dive in and do it? 

I’m glad these 12 did not let “what if we fail? What if we’re rejected?” stop them from obeying Jesus.

I think it’s owed to Jesus laying down the very real likelihood that they would be rejected sometimes, and he then gave them a game plan for doing his will regardless of hard hearts. 

“Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”

God is not surprised by human behavior. Our distrust in others or the willingness to submit to His will. Yet he pursues us anyway.

Near then end of Matthew chapter 10, Jesus says this:

“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

People are going to receive the message or they are not. Jesus focuses on the positive as he finishes out this particular talk. Perhaps you’ve heard the expression, “A job well done is its own reward.” I think something similar is at work. 

The blessing and the free support of the bringer of the good news of the Gospel is in of itself a blessing. At that point the person is no longer just a receiver of what the Sent-one brought for them. They are a partner in what God is doing through them.