Thought for 24 March

 

Matthew 10:5-8

Jesus sent the disciples out with these instructions: ‘Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel – God’s lost sheep.  Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy and cast out demons.  Give as freely as you have received!’ 

The bible is an amazing book.  It gives us answers to many of life’s questions, it gives us direction and it gives us warnings.  As well as providing answers, it can also leave us with questions unanswered.  I’m guessing/assuming that where answers are not provided, we don’t really need them anyway and that they are probably superfluous to the important messages we need to devote our attention to. 

One of the questions I sometimes think about is what the life of Jesus was like throughout his childhood right up to the point where he set out on his ministry, especially in the years immediately prior to the point when we begin to read of his words and deeds.  In today’s passage, we are told that Jesus sends his twelve disciples out with specific instructions in terms of what he expects them to do.  His instructions continue in the verses following verse 8 right up to the end of the chapter (please read it when you get a chance).  He also makes them aware that they will encounter resistance and even hate for what they are being charged to teach.  Its interesting to note that the disciples are told to avoid Gentiles and Samaritans and concentrate their teaching on Israelites yet as the ministry of the Lord progresses, we know that Gentiles and Samaritans are included. 

Jesus sends the disciples out to ‘heal the sick, raise the dead, cure the lepers and cast out demons’.  I would love to have heard how they all got on when they reported back to the master, what kind of reception they got, how successful they were in terms of healing others.  Did they become inspired or did they return downhearted?  They must certainly have had stories to tell, but we don’t get to hear how they got on. 

I’m sure there would be a mixture of responses from the disciples when Jesus sent them out to do the things he had asked.  Some might be confident, some anxious but every single one of them would be taken well outside their comfort zone.  Even those that were confident when they set out may have been taken aback on some of the reactions from the strangers they were preaching to.  

These articles have indicated passages of scripture that would take each one of us out our daily comfort zones but, just maybe, this is what should happen and its just the word and Spirit of God being alive within us.  If we are not made uncomfortable on occasion after reading or hearing the word, maybe its because we’re just not opening our hearts as we should. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the many things we can learn from the commission Christ gave to His apostles, when he sent them to preach the good news of the kingdom to Israel and empowered them with strength from on high.  Give us courage to stand for the truth of your Word even in the face of opposition.  Help us to trust in you even when it means going against the world.  As we face these conflicts, fill us with your peace that surpasses all understanding. In Jesus' name,  Amen (with thanks to knowing-jesus.com)