The Service
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: One day when a man named Moses was walking about with his herds God gave him a project. Go - bring my people out of bondage. He didn’t think he could do it. He did it - with God’s help.
A few years later God told Joshua to lead His people into the promised land. He didn’t think he could. He did it - with God’s help.
A few more years God told a man named Gideon to overthrow the Midianites. He didn’t think he could do it. He did it - with God’s help.
Somewhere along the way a man named Jonah was called by God to go and preach repentance to the Assyrians in Nineveh. He knew he could but he didn’t want to so he ran. That didn’t work out so well - so he did it - with God’s help.
The bible is full of stories about people called by God to serve Him in some way. Some thought they were incapable of doing it, some didn’t want to do it and others jumped in and got busy. God was with them every time.
The history of the church is full of stories about people called by God to serve Him in some way. No matter what their first impression was God always made a way and God was always with them as they lived out their calling.
I am a walking testimony that God calls broken people to serve Him. I didn’t believe I could do it, and still don’t. But God is doing the work through me and will continue to do the work through me until He releases me from this service.
What about you? Do you feel a calling from God to serve Him in some way? If you feel completely incapable then you are part of a long line of people who have been called to serve.
The passage this morning tells about the calling that God placed on a dozen men. The instructions He gives them include the who, what, when, where and how of their service.
I wish my directions had been so clear. So, here it is:
1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.
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.
9 “Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts,
10 or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.
11 “And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city.
12 “As you enter the house, give it your greeting.
13 “If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.
14 “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.
15 “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
Transitional Sentence: Let’s take a look at some of the points of this passage. Verse 1 tells us what is special about this service.
1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
Authority — the power or right to give orders or make decisions.
Unclean spirits are Demons — created supernatural beings rebellious and hostile to God and anyone allied with Him.
So Jesus gave them the right to tell unclean spirits and demons what to do and to tell disease and sickness within the human body what to do. Can you imagine? What would that be like? To heal every kind of disease and sickness.
The question is can we? Do we have that authority as disciples of Christ Jesus? Well according to 1 Corinthians 12:28 someone has it.
28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
Gifts of healings. The gift of healings is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Given to some either for a short time, one healing, or for a lifetime. I have read and heard to many stories to say that it isn’t true. I believe. Jesus is the great physician and He is in the business of healing. Why don’t we see it more often? Is it our dependance on modern medicine or do we have no faith?
Since the miracle of healings is a gift of the Holy Spirit any believer has access to this gift. All you have to do is believe and ask the Father.
23 “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.
Can that anything be to receive the gift of healing from the Holy Spirit? Or can it simply be for the healing itself?
Ask without doubting, and continue asking until the gift is received. Do you remember the parable about the woman and the judge. The woman needed legal help so she went to the judge who simply didn’t care, so he didn’t help her. But she kept going back over and over again until he relented and gave her the help she needed.
If you truly want the gift of healings, ask, and keep asking until He relents. It may never be given, but if you never ask you will never receive.
Now verse 2-4 tells us the who of this service.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.
The twelve Apostles, the twelve sent ones. The ones who would change the world. Some scholars would say that this authority was given only to the twelve for this point in time and only this point in time. Others would say that this authority was given to all those who believe for all time. Either way without the faith that you have received the authority then you won’t use it.
Moving on, verses 5-6 tell us the people who the 12 were to seek out.
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.
Not the Gentiles - They were all the other people groups living in the midst of the Jews and around them. They were the unbelieving. They were separated from God and without hope. Why not include them?
Not the Samaritans - they were sort of Jewish. They believed in the one true God but didn’t do it the same way the Jews did. Descendants of the 10 tribes of Israel that broke away after Solomon’s death.
Lost Sheep of Israel - who are they? Those incapable of fulfilling the law. The unclean, the broken, the poor, the wretched. The Sinners. They were the people of Israel who had strayed from God’s covenant and were spiritually or physically scattered. The twelve were to find them and bring them back into fellowship with God.
Jesus sent them to the lost sheep of Israel. God’s covenant people. God wants His people saved. But why just them?
24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
The lost sheep of Israel are the ones Jesus came to save. He is the Good Shepherd and He came to save the lost sheep. Only those who know they need help will submit to Him. Only the sinners and the broken....
Who would Jesus have you save? The lost sheep of Israel? Or just all of the lost sheep around you, for they have all like sheep gone astray.
And then verses 7-8 tell us what they are to do.
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.
They were to preach or announce the good news. As they went from one place to another, the same town, region or from one nation to another. They are to announce that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. In other words, the sovereignty of God is near. The people of Israel know that God reigns in heaven. They know that He is in control of the world, it simply doesn’t seem that way. When the sovereignty of God is at hand the Messiah will appear to make all things right. By announcing the coming of the kingdom of God they are telling all those who know and are watching for the Messiah that He is at hand.
Maybe this is why they are to go to the lost sheep of Israel. The Gentiles and Samaritans won’t see things in the same way. They won’t know what is being talked about and won’t have a context for the Kingdom of God being at hand.
Along with preaching:
They are to heal the sick. Not much medicine, a lot of illness. They need it.
They are to raise the dead. I wonder how many actually had an opportunity to do that? I am sure they probably raised a lot of spiritually dead people.
They are to cleanse the lepers… Healing the sick is one thing. But cleansing lepers, that is totally different. Lepers are unclean, they aren’t to be touched, don’t even go near them. But there is more to healing leprosy than just the physical body.
They are to cast out demons. There are a few stories in the scriptures that point to demon possession. What about today? Are demons still causing problems the way they were then. Do we need to be able to cast out demons now?
So Jesus has given them their assignment. But then He says: Freely you received, freely give. What’s up with that?
Well with this power that Jesus has given them they will perform a service for people. The twelve could heal them, set them free from demons or even raise them from the dead. Doctors profit from healing people why shouldn’t they? Here is a possible schedule of fees:
Simple one disease healing - 1 denarius
Complicated multiple disease healing - 3 denarius
Leprosy - 5 denarius
Cast out one Demon - 2 denarius
Cast out multiple Demons - 2 denarius/Demon (Bonus for more than six demons)
Raise the dead - That will be 30 denarius That takes a lot so it’s a months wages for a new life.
Tips are appreciated but not required.
This makes sense right? Deuteronomy 25:4 says:
4 “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.
Meaning that the worker should be getting paid for services rendered.
It still works that way now. Back in the 80s I learned to SCUBA dive and then went on to become a SCUBA instructor. The idea was to be a teacher some where in the Caribbean. I learned to teach with the expectation that I would be paid for my services of teaching others.
And now, if you learned something that could provide others a service, wouldn’t you want to be reimbursed for your efforts?
But that isn’t what Jesus expected of His Apostles at the time. They received the power and authority to do this for free. Jesus gave it to them, they didn’t work for it or go to school to learn how to do it. So, they are to do these things for free for others. They aren’t supposed to charge for their services. They are to give it all away. It is to be a testimony to the fact that the kingdom of God is at hand.
And then Jesus told them how to do this work. He told them to go without even getting ready.
9 “Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts,
10 or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.
Have you ever gone on a trip without preparing? Just go. No money, no extra clothes, or shoes, and no staff. Nothing but the clothes on your back and your faith in God.
Kind of tuff isn’t it. Just go. The idea is that God would provide as needed, when needed and just enough for what you need.
I have on my book shelf a book called “The Spiritual Secret of Hudson Taylor.” Hudson Taylor was the man that opened up China for the gospel message beginning in 1854. The book is full of stories about how he took all of his cares to the Lord and not to people. Everyone of the stories shows God providing for him in wonderful ways without him struggling to make ends meet or to have enough.
And so the Apostles are off on their walk about, as the Australians would say, without a purse full of coins or a duffle full of stuff. They were to have faith that someone somewhere along the way would provide hospitality according to the law and take them in. According to the
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Hospitality
To entertain or receive a stranger (sojourner) into one’s home as an honored guest and to provide the guest with food, shelter, and protection. This was not merely an oriental custom or good manners but a sacred duty that everyone was expected to observe. Only the depraved would violate this obligation.
Hospitality probably grew out of the needs of nomadic life. Since public inns were rare, a traveler had to depend on the kindness of others and had a right to expect it. This practice was extended to every sojourner, even a runaway slave or one’s enemy.
How many of you are that hospitable? And so the worker is worthy of his support.
This points us back to visiting only the lost sheep of Israel. Gentiles and Samaritans, probably wouldn’t be hospitable towards them. And as a good Jew they wouldn’t want to become unclean by entering the home of a Gentile or Samaritan. The twelve were to have faith and trust that the Lord would guide them to someone willing to provide for them for a time.
And then Jesus gives them some special orders in verses 11-15.
11 “And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city.
12 “As you enter the house, give it your greeting.
13 “If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.
14 “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.
15 “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
Who is worthy in the village? What would constitute worthiness? Someone willing to put them up for a while? Someone willing to take care of them? Choose wisely.
After choosing someone to stay with then what? Well, a blessing of peace of course. Who knows what a blessing of peace is?
A blessing of peace is a state of peace that is a blessing or favor from God.
Generally the blessing went something like this:
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Greeting
“Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have”
Shalom or peace is a state of peace which is centered on wholeness, not just a lack of conflict in life but a state of wellbeing that covers all of the aspects of life.
The Apostles were to pour out the peace of God on the house when they entered and let it rest there as long as they were staying - if the house was worthy of their peace. If not - then they were to take it back. Let the lack of peace that is usual in that place return.
The last part of the instructions the Apostles were given was about what to do when people rejected them. This is the rough part of what they were doing. According to the definition about hospitality, only the depraved would violate this obligation of providing hospitality. Only the depraved would reject them. Only those who are morally corrupt and lack good principles would reject them.
However since they were disciples of Christ Jesus they would be hated. So if that happened they were to shake the dust of the town off their feet. So what’s the point? Well, shaking the dust off your feet has multiple meanings.
It served as a public testimony that God’s message had been delivered but was rejected by the town or household.
It indicated a desire to be free from the contamination of those who rejected the divine message.
It was a gesture to serve as a warning that the peoples’ choice to reject the message would have spiritual consequences on the the day of judgment.
It was a symbolic gesture of severing ties with that town or household.
It was not an act of anger or personal retaliation, it symbolized the need to move forward and continue the mission because the opportunity to accept the message might not come again.
So, will there be acceptance and peace or rejection and dust. Hmmm?
Exit: How many of you feel that you were called to serve God? What is that service?
The Apostles were told to go and preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand, Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.
They had to have a lot of faith to accept this call. What if more of us had the faith to walk about in our God given calling? Maybe you weren’t called to go to a foreign land or to stand in a pulpit and preach, but Jesus did tell all of His disciples to Go and make disciples. If you are a disciple then at some point in your life you accepted the gospel message and I'm willing to bet that you didn’t pay for it. Someone gave it to you and you accepted it as a gift. Freely you received, freely give. So go and give the gospel to someone else who needs it.
And if you haven’t received the gospel message before today then now is the time. Jesus Christ died on a cross, the righteous for the unrighteous, He was dead and buried and three days later He rose from the dead to reconcile you to God. Don’t leave here today without the assurance of your eternal future because today is the day of salvation. If you have any questions or would like to talk about this more find one of the Elders or myself and one of us can help you start walking on a brand new path.
Let’s pray:
