October 3, 2010
Evening Service

Matt. 10

 

Review:

1.       Jesus is doing many wonderful works.  God is saying through these works, I am doing something in your midst.  Do you see it?

2.      The last thing Jesus said in chapter 9 was Mat 9:38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.

 

Let’s begin chapter 10;

 

Mat 10:1-42  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. 

• We will see them use these gifts before we are finished with this study.

(2)  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;  (3)  Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus whose surname was Thaddaeus;  (4)  Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 

• Apostle = one that has been sent.

(5)  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:  (6)  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  (7)  And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.  (8)  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 

• There is not a doubt in my mind that they did this. 
• Look at the power He gave them.  Again, to bring attention that God is moving among them.

(9)  Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,  (10)  Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 

• You can see how they were to depend on the generosity of those they ministered too.

(11)  And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 

• Jesus is telling them, “there will be those that will meet your needs in every town”.  Find them, and stay with them till you leave.

(12)  And when ye come into a house, salute it.  (13)  And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.  (14)  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.  (15)  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city. 

• This is a pretty harsh penalty for not accepting the gospel of the Lord.
• The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were very wicked, we might think, deserving of the penalty they will receive at the judgment.  Jesus says those that reject His gospel will have a more stiffer penalty than these.  Can you imagine?

(16)  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 

• Spirit filled people are to be meek, gentle, humble, forgiving, and loving, like sheep.  They are sent out among worldly people who are like ravenous wolves.
• Use your wisdom to handle every situation.  A soft answer turns away wrath.

(17)  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 

• Here are the wolves.  Without love, gentleness, meekness, forgiving, longsuffering, they think these are traits of a weakling. 
• Jesus told Paul, 2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
• When we turn the other cheek, when we don’t strike back, then we are showing the strength of Christ in our lives.

(18)  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.  (19)  But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.  (20)  For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 

• Divine intervention.  The Lord will give you the words you need when you need them.  You must really be in touch with the Lord for this to happen.  If not the flesh will take over, and it will not come out the way you would have liked it too. 
• Anytime we get ahead of God, we will make a mess of the situation.  Every situation must be handled with a gentle, Spirit led approach or it won’t come out the way you would like for it too. 

(21)  And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.  (22)  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 

• Just think how twisted satan has people.  He turns families against one another, even causing them to be put to death. 
• The thing that always got me about this is the fact that these men were preaching love, gentleness, forgiveness, humility, doing good, and not evil, and yet they were hated.

(23)  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 

• This is a tough saying.  I’m not satisfied with anything I’ve read concerning this.
• He is telling them to keep preaching regardless of the circumstances.  If you are kicked out of one city go to the next, keep going. 
• I just don’t get the part “till the Son of Man be come.” 

(24)  The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.  (25)  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?  (26)  Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.  (27)  What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

• You see what made this so hard, and dangerous for these disciples, they are saying that there is One here that is greater than Moses, and the law.  This will get you killed by satan filled Jews, even today.
• We that preach the gospel today in America really don’t have this problem.  O yes there are times when satan rears up some radicals, and they threaten God’s people, but not that often.  It has never happened to me in 33 years of preaching, that my life was threatened, but I have had people show disdain at what I preached.
• Hopefully we can see that it is not a denominational handbook that we preach, it is the Word of God.  Just as He has told His disciples above.

 

 

(28)  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 

• Man might be able to kill the body, but that is as far as he goes.  However, God can, and will destroy both body, and soul of those that come against His chosen.

(29)  Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  (30)  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  (31)  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.  (32)  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  (33)  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 

• These are true saying, and one should be ready to give an answer of the hope that lies within us at every opportunity. 

(34)  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  (35)  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.  (36)  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 

• You follow Me, and this is the way it will be.

(37)  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 

• Very direct and to the point.  It goes without saying that when we put Him first, then He allows us to have the love, and care of our family.

(38)  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 

• He will have none other place in your life, than first.

(39)  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 

• In order to find happiness, and peace, and salvation, one must die out to the things of the world.  As the Apostle Paul puts it “you are buried with Him in baptism to arise to walk in newness of life.”

(40)  He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.  (41)  He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.  (42)  And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

• All acts of kindness.
• Promised rewards for treating people in a decent manner.

 

This is what the Gospel is, good news.  God loves you, and is willing to forgive all your sins, if only you will come to Him and ask Him. 

Learn to put Him first in your life, and He will bless you beyond measure.

 

There may be times when you suffer a little persecution, but it will be nothing compared to the reward you will receive one day.

 

May God help us to see the wisdom, and love in the teachings of the Lord.