Marching Orders - Irishtown

In Joshua chapter 6 we find the recounting of the battle of Jericho.

Who knows what happened in the battle of Jericho?

This was a story that I remember well from my time as a child in Sunday School. If you’re unfamiliar with the battle of Jericho, it’s truly an incredible event. Joshua was leading the Israelites to claim the Promised Land that God would give them after delivering them from Egypt. Now, there’s a lot that goes on to before this, so I encourage you to read through the first few chapters of Joshua later on, but basically Joshua get’s his battle plan directly from God. Through The Angel of the Lord,Joshua is given an interesting battle plan. The Israelite army was to march around Jericho once a day for six days, with the priests carrying the ark and trumpets made of ram’s horns. Each day the priests were to sound their horns while marching, and the people were to remain silent. On the seventh day, after marching around the city seven times, the priests were to make a long blast with a trumpet made with a ram’s horn. At that signal, all the people of Israel were to loudly shout. God promised that then, the formidable walls of Jericho would collapse, and Israel could rush in to conquer the city.

I still have glimpses in my mind of the old flannelboards we’d use in Sunday school to illustrate this story. As a child, this was a fascinating and incredible story! But as an adult I want to point out two things about the narrative of Jericho before we enter in our text today.

When we read through the short account in Joshua chapter 6, we see Joshua receive instruction from God, he shares instruction with His people, and they follow the instruction. Sounds pretty simple. But for a moment, I want us to try to imagine what it would’ve been like to receive these orders. “You’re telling me that you want us to simply walk around this city for a week and at the end of it, we’re going to shout and those great big walls are just gonna tumble down?” Some of the more militaristically minded individuals would’ve known that this isn’t the way you’re supposed to attack a walled city. The traditional practice was dig under, climb over, or bust through the walls. Not march and shout. The other tactic would have been to surround the city and cut off any supplies until the inhabitants would have to surrender because they had run out of resources. That wouldn’t typically happen within a weeks time. By all earthly measures, this plan was insane! There was a great deal of faith exhibited both in Joshua, following the Lord’s commands, and the army following Joshua.

This really happened and there is archeological evidence to back it up! I read a great article from our friends at Answers in Genesis this week, that lays out the evidence. Those walls really did come tumbling down. The city was then burned and victory was secured by the Israelites. This isn’t just an ancient fairytale. God’s Word is true and though it sometimes seems as if history and science are at odds with the Word, you will find that over time the two go hand in hand!

So this fascinating, incredible, unconventional story is more than a story, but a real event. And it showcases for us that God needs no counsel from conventional wisdom. He works through His people to accomplish His Will in His Way.

The event of Jericho serve as a great introduction as we get into our primary text this morning.

Today we’re gonna be in Matthew 10. Today we will be looking at verses 5-15. The book of Matthew highlights the Kingship of Jesus Christ. Last week we looked at His calling of the 12 disciples and today we will dive deeper into the specific mission into which He called them. Briefly looking at the the battle of Jericho reminds us that our God, Lord Jesus, often gives orders that may seem unconventional by human wisdom, but when the King comes a calling, we are best served by heeding the call and faithfully obeying the One who’s knowledge surpasses all understanding.

With that in mind, let’s begin our exposition in verse 5 as we see the marching orders Christ the King has for His disciples.

Matthew 10:5–6 ESV

5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Now, the first thing that we have to make crystal clear when we are reading these commands of Christ, is WHO He is commanding.

In our human nature, we have the tendency to read ourselves directly into the text. We often view ourselves as the main character of our lives so we attempt to identify and apply the things we see and read in a story. Typically when we read the Bible, we are seeking some form of direction and application. But if we aren’t careful in how we are approaching the text, we can inaccurately draw specific practices when we should be seeing principles.

For instance, if we were all to go back to grade school and think about that story about the Tortoise and the Hare. Who’s hear of that story before?

What’s the point of that story?

You know the Hare is a rambunctious, motor-y sort that is boastful about his abilities. He picks on the tortoise so the tortoise challenges him to a race. Long story short, the hare puts too much stock in his athletic abilities, takes a nap mid race, and actually loses the race to the slow and steady tortoise. So that story has been used for years to teach children not to overestimate their abilities and to keep plodding on with hard work. The point of the story is not to tell us all that we need to start challenging one another to a foot race all the time.

This might seem a bit shallow, but when we aren’t careful, it is how we treat the Bible, instead of looking for the principle about God’s character, or influence of the Holy Spirit on the trajectory of the Christian life, we end up inserting ourselves inappropriately. Like with the Jericho narrative. That account has been preserved and is profitable for our teaching, reproof, correction, and training. But we don’t read it then think that we are supposed to march around our enemies house with trumpets blasting. Instead we read it and learn that God’s direction is good and worthy to be followed even if it seems unconventional. We see that He is continually working out His plan for redemption. We see that we can hold fast to His promises because He is faithful to accomplish every one of them.

I say all that to say that the specific directions given in our text this morning are specific for the ones directly whom Jesus is giving them to, the twelve. We aren’t looking at the text to find the exact 7 point plan for following Jesus. Rather, we are looking at the principles for following the Lord’s commands.

We read here in verses 5 and 6, Jesus was instructing them, that term is a military representing the an order from an officer to his troop, He says “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritan, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

So starting off this list of orders, we see the targets the disciples are given for this missional endeavor. It is the house of Israel. Now from our modern perspective, this is interesting and should cause our ears to perk up. When we think about the mission of the church, our minds rightly go to great commission. To take the gospel to all nations, through Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and all the ends of the earth at large.

When we read that Jesus commands the disciples to particularize their efforts to the house of Israel, it is a big clue that the specific instruction given here is specific to this group in this time. We know from the full testament of Scripture that we are to take the gospel all over. So now we have to ask ourselves, why? Why did Jesus limit the disciples to the House of Isreal? And when we figure that out, it will help us see the underlying principle for ministry that applies to our context today. So why do you think Jesus limited the disciples to the house of Israel?

Jesus’ limited the scope of the disciples ministry for a few reasons. First, we must remember God’s covenant with Abraham, perpetuated through Jacob, and reinforced with Moses and the Israelite. The next phase of God’s plan for redemption in this World, included reaching first to the nation of His people. With the inauguration of His Kingdom, the first offer is given to seed of Abraham. Jesus Himself would say this to the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15. He says, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” Before we view Jesus’ words too harshly, we need to understand that He would in that same interaction heal the Canaanite Woman’s daughter. We also know that the gospel will eventually be spread around the world and include the gentiles. When Jesus says He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, He is explaining that His purpose in that specific place and time is to fulfill the Old Testament Prophecy and gather the lost sheep of Israel, as is prophesied in Ezekiel and Micah. With the Canaanite woman, and in our text this morning, Jesus is fulfilling Old Testament prophecy and setting priorities in accordance with the Will of God.

The principle for our application, through a full understanding of the Word of God, is not that we should only be preaching to the House of Israel, rather we should recognize that God has chosen to work through us as limited creatures, thus the expanse of our ministry is limited and is best utilized when it is pointed. We know that God certainly had plans to bless all nations through the seed of Abraham. The gospel was going to and is today still making it to every tribe and tongue and nation. But in this particular moment, the disciples were hyper focussed on a particular group that was within their capacities to reach. For application to the modern christian, we have to realize it is not within our means to do every good thing. But we should do what we can do well for the glory of God. The harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few. So we pray for more laborers, and get to work. As God grows His kingdom, there are more to share the load. These same disciples would be used to build the early church that would expand across to us even this morning. Let’s love one another well. Let’s engage with Irishtown Missions well. Let’s make connections with the Isaiah House well. Let’s support our missionaries well. And as we go we can expand ministries but we don’t have to bite more than we can chew because we should know God know’s we have our limitations. We are called to be stewards of our lives, we can’t be the Savior of all. That’s quite literally Christ’s Job. Let’s rest in Him and work diligently within the gifting He has given us.

Let’s now look to more of the marching order’s Christ gives to His apostles.

Matthew 10:7–10 ESV

7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.

In 7 and the first half of 8, we see the two fold strategy for interaction with others. The disciples are to proclaim, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” while they are healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing the lepers, and casting out demons. Their message and their actions coincide with their particular purpose in going to the house of Israel.

When the Israelites hear, “the kingdom of God is at hand,” they would be expecting the Davidic King. The downtrodden Jews, living under the hand of Roman rulers, were looking forward to the a visible Kingdom in which they would once again be on top. The disciples message is, “The king you have been seeking is here! This is the inauguration of His Kingdom.” The miracles served as a validity to their message and a fulfillment of prophecy that the Israelites should have been familiar with.

Any time we talk about miraculous events I think it is important to note that the miracles, while wondrous, were not salvific in and of themselves. While many of the Israelites were amazed, we know that they did not, in those moments, receive a true understanding of the Lordship of Christ. We can see this in the triumphal entry recorded in Matthew 21. The crowds gather and praise as Jesus rides into Jerusalem, however by Matthew 27, the crowds are turned to demand the release of the robber and murderer Barabbas instead of Jesus. They thought they had their earthly King and rejected the spiritual King. They would join in the chants for Jesus to be crucified.

The experience of witnessing miracles is no substitute for the experience of understanding Christ as Lord. Truly it is more of a miracle for someone to see the worthiness of Christ to be followed as Lord than it is to receive a momentary relief of a particular affliction.

For practical application to the christian today, we must never place humanitarian efforts as the primary mission of the church. We can certainly meet the needs of others and are called to do good unto all as we have opportunity, especially those within the household of faith. But we cannot see the PRIMARY goal of the church as meeting the physical needs. I’ve often heard the concept, “It’s really hard for someone to hear the gospel when they have an empty stomach.” I agree! And I would say that if we have opportunity to feed some one, take it! But don’t forget the other half of the phrase, “hear the gospel!” Too often we’re willing to meet physical needs and never get around to mentioning the gospel. however, we see in our text this morning that we can do both within our gifting. We haven’t been given the gift of healing in the same way that the disciples are in this instance, but we have been given resources and individual skills and talents that can be used for the good as others. As we do good unto others, may we also do the ultimate good of sharing with them the grace we have received by God.

Remember, for the disciples to be faithful to the marching orders they received in our text there had to be both proclamation and benevolence. Most of the people they interacted with would only have a superficial understanding of the Kingdom. The disciples aren’t held responsible for the reception, they’re held responsible for their own faithfulness. The same is true today. We can’t control how someone responds to the gospel. I recognize that people, particularly in our therapeutic context, don’t like to hear that they are sinners who stand opposed to the Holy God whom only Christ can save. That can be a hard message to get across and can be met with frequent consternation. However, your calling is not to make people believe. That’s outside your pay-grade. Your calling is to share Jesus and let them work that out with the Holy Spirit!

As the disciples were to preach and perform, we read that they were to do without acquiring gold, silver, copper, bags, tunics, sandals, or staffs. This is prefaced by saying they received their gifting without pay and so now they are to give without pay. As the twelve went about doing these miracles by the power of God, it would’ve been very easy to obtain large sums of money. But they did not pay for the abilities God gave them to accomplish these miracles, many would like to purchase such power. We even see that in Acts 8 when Simon the magician attempts to purchase the abilities from the apostles.

The overarching point of Jesus’ instruction is that the disciples were to travel lightly and depend on God for provision. Their mission was service to the Kingdom and not service to themselves.

For our practical application in the christian today, we should note two things. First we can go forward knowing that God provides everything that we need. We are not to twist doctrines to line our own pockets. God provides for our needs. And even if faithful service were to lead us into untenable situations, as we have seen with missionaries around the world. We can have solace in knowing the joys of glory await us! Service to God is not about lining our pockets, but giving God glory. Secondly, we should note that God provides for His people through others. We will see this more in the last portion of our text, but even though the disciples weren’t getting rich through this endeavor, their needs would be met by others. It wouldn’t be appropriate to say that all ministry requires ascetic life style, that is a rejection of any sort of possessions. We see throughout the epistles to provide for one another, that elders are worthy of double honor, and the worker deserves his wages.

So let’s now look to the final portion of our text this morning:

Matthew 10:11–15 ESV

11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

As the disciples traveled from town to town, they would need to find “worthy” houses to stay in. That is an interesting phrasing that we need to unpack a bit.

This past Wednesday we had a men’s meeting at my church where a lot of us shared our testimonies with one another. Without going into the details of another man’s testimony, one of the biggest takeaways I had from our conversations was that none of us, pastor, deacon, new christian, seasoned saints, felt “worthy” of salvation. And that is true! We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Looking at our lives, there is nothing inherently special about us that would compel God to save a wretch like me. All we like sheep have gone astray. Our righteousness is nothing more than filthy rags before the all holy God.

And while that is true, we must remember that while we can never earn favor before the Lord, we can live with receptiveness to the gospel and God’s people, while showing God-shaped character. We ought to conduct ourselves in a way that is honorable in our communities. The qualifications of an elder require being respectable and hospitable. We should be peacekeepers and peace makers in our communities.

Being a “worthy” house in the context of our text this morning refers to the spiritual character of the hosts (godliness, men and women of integrity, upstanding reputation). That is something we should all desire to have!

When the disciples found a place where they were well received, that was hospitable to them and the message they brought, they were to stay there as we read in verse 11. This seems like a bit of an odd command for us in our context, but it was the regular practice of the religious philosophers in that day to go door to door begging for gifts and seeking out the best physical amenities. Jesus is telling the disciples not to worry about who has the best couch to sleep on, find those who are receptive of the gospel and stay there with them until it is time to move on to the next town.

As a point of practical application today, we ought to stick with the people who share the same mission and vision as us! The community of faith, the church, the Irishtown mission even, is not about finding the place where we are individually served the best, it is about serving together for the same mission! There are times when we need to move on for a variety of reasons so I don’t want to make any legalistic rules on every time its appropriate to leave a church or ministry or not, but if we are all aligned in the same mission, following the same vision, and serving together in love for the glory of God, we ought to look past some of the bells and whistles that may be available other places that don’t share the same beliefs and remain together in love!

As the disciples traveled around they were looking for these “worthy”, these receptive houses. If they find a place, they would bring their blessing of peace, that is a deeper explanation and presentation of the gospel of Christ. If they went into a house and the folks turned out not to be receptive to the gospel, they would shake off the dust and leave, that is they would would move on. “let your peace return to you” in verse 13 refers to either depart or retract or withdraw your blessing (because it was never actually received).

To put it shortly, if the gospel wasn’t received, the disciples were to simple move on.

When it comes to sharing the gospel, we’re so often scared to do so because either we don’t think it’s going to be received, or we’ve face some form of rejection before in the past and so we’re scared to put it out there again. But dear Christian, allow me to remind you once more that you are not responsible for the reception. You don’t have to put a burden on yourself you’re unable to bear. Tell others about Christ! You’re entry to heaven is not dependent upon how many people you’re able to convert. And good thing because God gets all the glory in salvation! You’re calling is to share and let God work out the conversion. If someone does not come to understand Christ as Lord through your conversation, that is okay! But keep on tellin’ others! Shaking off the dust is the same thing as washing your hands of a situation. It’s saying I’ve done my job and leave it at that. Let’s do our job and leave the results to the Lord!

As we come to the close this morning, I want to highlight one final truth and warning in our text today. Jesus tells His disciples in verse 15, “Truly I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomarrah (a city destroyed by fire from above for the wickedness of the people there within) than for that town.” those who do not receive the message, the gospel.

This referring to the reality that all those who do not come to understand Jesus as Lord will face eternal judgment and separation from the grace of God. Maybe you are someone who has been unreceptive to the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ before. I say this, not as an emotional manipulation, but as a faithful presentation of the Word of God, Without Christ, there is no eternal hope. The wages of our sin is death. But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. I implore everyone of us to understand that we are unworthy. That our sin separates us from a Holy God. But God loved the unlovable so much that He sent Jesus Christ to live and die and rise again, to pay the cost of our sins, for all those, who so ever, would believe in Him turning from our sin and turning to the Lord. With Christ as Lord, there is eternal life. Without Christ there is no hope. You don’t have to prove anything to me, Brad Pearce. But I promise you one day we will all individually stand before the Holy God and make an account for our lives. The only defense we can make as to why we should not be sent to a worse judgment than Sodom and Gomorrah is that Christ has paid for our sins and our faith is in Him.

I implore you today, understand Christ as Lord, not for my sake, but for your own and for the very glory of God. Allow me to tell you more about that. Come find me in this hymn of response or afterwards. Let’s pray.