Matthew 10:5-8 says...
Today's verses are Matthew 10:5-8 which read,
5 - These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans;
6 - but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 - And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
8 - Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give."
This is Jesus sending out His disciples with the message of Jesus. They are instructed on this trip to not go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans but to their own people, the Israelites. The disciples would later be sent out to the whole world and every people group but this time Jesus' instruction was very focused to their brothers and sisters by race.
The message they are to give is "...The kingdom of heaven is at hand." This was another way to say, "The coming Messiah has come." The fulfillment of the Scriptures (the Old Testament for them) about the coming Messiah are realized in Jesus Christ. This is a huge statement. It will be a statement that would bring joy or curiosity or empathy or resistance. They would get some attention with this bold statement.
It is such a "big" statement that they will need some supernatural evidences to show that they should be listened to. So Jesus gave them the ability to "...heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast our demons..." which were all things that Jesus was doing. Jesus used those opportunities to not only show compassion to those suffering but to open the door to speak of a much deeper issue of the soul (sin and salvation).
"Freely you received, freely give." Freely the disciples were given these abilities and surely they would have been offered money to heal and raise and cleanse and cast out but Jesus says to freely give (don't take a money for it).
Looking at this passage for today, we have this same bold statement to share. "Jesus is coming again. Jesus is the Savior of the world. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life." These are big, bold statements that will bring joy or curiosity or empathy or resistance. Our focus is world-wide with the instruction of the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:16-20 but I think the most neglected group to share this with is our family and friends and coworkers that are right around us.
Jesus can still heal and raise and cleanse and cast out to draw men and women to see Him for who He is and sometimes we are witnesses of those supernatural events but what else have we freely received from Jesus that we need to freely give that might not look as "big" as the supernatural?
What have I freely received from Jesus? I have received His love. I have received His instruction. I have received His purpose and mission. I have received His comfort and security. I have received His forgiveness. I have received His righteousness. I have received eternal life through His sacrifice. I have received His family. I have received...and I am sure that we could add to this.
These may not look as "big" as the supernatural but they are "big" in our society today when people are starving for love and direction and purpose and comfort and forgiveness and justice and something that is beyond themselves and a place to belong. We have been freely given Someone who gives all of that and more and we are to freely give Him to others.
So lets start with those that God has placed around us. Lets start by showing and sharing those things that we have received from Jesus with others. Lets watch as God draws some of those that we love to Himself as we share just something that we have been given with others. It is not from ourselves, it is from Him. We are just the conduit or the vehicle used for them to see how great Jesus is and how much He loves them.
Some will receive it with joy. Some will be curious and need time and ask more questions. Some will pass it off and think it is not important. Some will even get upset and resist outwardly this message of Jesus. No matter the response, the instruction of Jesus for us to freely give is to be given as we go.
"Lord help us to look around ourselves and help us to give to others the effects of what you have given us so that they may come to You to receive personally what has been given to us through You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
5 - These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans;
6 - but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 - And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
8 - Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give."
This is Jesus sending out His disciples with the message of Jesus. They are instructed on this trip to not go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans but to their own people, the Israelites. The disciples would later be sent out to the whole world and every people group but this time Jesus' instruction was very focused to their brothers and sisters by race.
The message they are to give is "...The kingdom of heaven is at hand." This was another way to say, "The coming Messiah has come." The fulfillment of the Scriptures (the Old Testament for them) about the coming Messiah are realized in Jesus Christ. This is a huge statement. It will be a statement that would bring joy or curiosity or empathy or resistance. They would get some attention with this bold statement.
It is such a "big" statement that they will need some supernatural evidences to show that they should be listened to. So Jesus gave them the ability to "...heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast our demons..." which were all things that Jesus was doing. Jesus used those opportunities to not only show compassion to those suffering but to open the door to speak of a much deeper issue of the soul (sin and salvation).
"Freely you received, freely give." Freely the disciples were given these abilities and surely they would have been offered money to heal and raise and cleanse and cast out but Jesus says to freely give (don't take a money for it).
Looking at this passage for today, we have this same bold statement to share. "Jesus is coming again. Jesus is the Savior of the world. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life." These are big, bold statements that will bring joy or curiosity or empathy or resistance. Our focus is world-wide with the instruction of the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:16-20 but I think the most neglected group to share this with is our family and friends and coworkers that are right around us.
Jesus can still heal and raise and cleanse and cast out to draw men and women to see Him for who He is and sometimes we are witnesses of those supernatural events but what else have we freely received from Jesus that we need to freely give that might not look as "big" as the supernatural?
What have I freely received from Jesus? I have received His love. I have received His instruction. I have received His purpose and mission. I have received His comfort and security. I have received His forgiveness. I have received His righteousness. I have received eternal life through His sacrifice. I have received His family. I have received...and I am sure that we could add to this.
These may not look as "big" as the supernatural but they are "big" in our society today when people are starving for love and direction and purpose and comfort and forgiveness and justice and something that is beyond themselves and a place to belong. We have been freely given Someone who gives all of that and more and we are to freely give Him to others.
So lets start with those that God has placed around us. Lets start by showing and sharing those things that we have received from Jesus with others. Lets watch as God draws some of those that we love to Himself as we share just something that we have been given with others. It is not from ourselves, it is from Him. We are just the conduit or the vehicle used for them to see how great Jesus is and how much He loves them.
Some will receive it with joy. Some will be curious and need time and ask more questions. Some will pass it off and think it is not important. Some will even get upset and resist outwardly this message of Jesus. No matter the response, the instruction of Jesus for us to freely give is to be given as we go.
"Lord help us to look around ourselves and help us to give to others the effects of what you have given us so that they may come to You to receive personally what has been given to us through You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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