The Power Of The Message

Secular -

An elderly lady was walking out of church one Sunday when the pastor stopped her at the door.

He smiled and said, “Ma’am, don’t you think it’s about time you joined the Army of the Lord?”

She looked at him and whispered back, “Pastor… I’m already in the Army of the Lord.”

He raised an eyebrow and asked, “Then why do I only ever see you here on Christmas and Easter?”

She leaned closer and said, “Because I’m in the secret service.”

Historical/Cultural Context -

This Gospel is written by Matthew, also known as Levi who was a former tax collector. It was most likely written between AD 50-60. Matthew left everything behind to follow Jesus. Matthew wrote primarily to Jewish believers—people who knew the Old Testament well. Matthew had one goal: to prove that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the King of Kings, and the fulfillment of God’s promises. Connecting the Old Testament prophecies to the life of Christ, proving that every word God spoke was coming true in Jesus. The key themes of the Gospel include Jesus as King, The Kingdom of Heaven, Fulfillment of Prophecy and discipleship.

Biblical Text -

Matthew 10:1–23 NKJV

And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, 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! “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - The Gospel Is Powerful, Changes Lives & Must Be Told.

Life Point- The Message Must Go Forth

Exegetical -

Matthew 10:5–10 BSB

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Do not carry any gold or silver or copper in your belts. Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.

Homiletical -

We know that there was pretty much always a crowd with Jesus and people who followed Him from place to place, but He called the twelve. So here He calls for the twelve and gives them some instructions. He is sending them out to preach the kingdom of Heaven is at hand to scattered Jews and tells them not to go to the Gentiles which were the non-jews and the Samaritans which were half-Jews.

Why would He ignore the other two groups?

Because salvation is promised to the Jews. Later, after Pentecost when Jesus has already arisen, Salvation will be opened up to everyone.

Romans 1:16 BSB

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.

Then he tells them to do somethings. He gave them, that is the 12, power to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and drive out demons. He also told them to not take any money for it. freely they received, freely they are to give.

He tells them to not carry any money and take only what is necessary.

Why?

because God will provide for their needs through the generosity of others. Which is why He says “the worker is worthy of his provisions.”

The question comes up a lot that if the Apostles had this power, doesn’t it mean we have this power? The answer is No for a couple of reasons.

1) They were operating under the Old Testament anointing, which means empowerment. Jesus had not died and been resurrected yet.

2) We aren’t the Apostles. There are some that call themselves apostles but they aren’t on of the twelve. This was for them at that particular time.

Doesn’t God still do all these things? Yes, according to His will. Our job is to pray, believe, and let God decide who gets healed and who doesn’t.

Also, I have not seen anyone raise the dead lately, have you?

Driving out demons with a word? I have seen that happen a few times, but not something you see every single day.

By the way, if anyone tells you that everyone they pray for gets healed, put a hand over your wallet because if he will lie to you he will steal from you too.

All of these miracles at the time were to substantiate the message of God’s Kingdom being near them.

Life Point - The Message Is Powerful

Exegetical -

Matthew 10:11–15 BSB

Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on. As you enter the home, greet its occupants. If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; but if it is not, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Homiletical -

The disciples were to go into a town or village and if they were accepted they would do the things Jesus told them to do and preach The Kingdom

It was common in this time to welcome a fellow Jewish traveler into a home and have them stay with you.

Let me ask a question?

Do you think with all these miracles happening that they would be offered better accommodations? Why Yes, they would have been. But Jesus says to stay where you are?

Why? To show humility and to cause as little offense as possible.

He says when you go into a house to declare peace. To us that sounds funny but this was a spiritual blessing that was given to the household.

You know God gives believers a peace that is beyond anything we can ask for. It is supernatural, and if the person living there is a person of peace; God’s peace would remain there

John 14:27 BSB

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.

Next Jesus tells them that if they are not received by the people living there that they are to shake the dust from their feet and he pronounces judgement upon them.

It was a common practice at this time that if you were traveling and had to travel through a Gentile area once you got back to the Jewish area you would shake that dirt from your sandals because they thought that the even the dirt from the Gentiles would defile you and make you unclean. So you shook it off.

So by shaking the dirt from their feet the Apostles were calling that town or village unholy, unclean.

Jesus states it would be better for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than that place.

That is a scary place to be. I wouldn’t want to be them on the day of judgement.

Sodom and Gomorrah were so exceedingly sinful that God destroyed both cities. Raining down fire from heaven and no one was spared but Lot and his daughters. His wife’s heart was so set toward the sin found in those cities that she turned around and instantly became a pillar of salt.

Jesus says it will be better for the people found in those cities than it will be for those that rejected the Kingdom of Heaven.

We find power in the message of the cross, the kingdom of heaven. There is no other way by which man can be saved from his sin. Only through this message can man be saved from a fate that you don’t want to have without the saving power of Jesus. Which is why the punishment for ignoring the message is so harsh.

Illustration -

We live in a time like no other. People say they are going to ask the prophets of Old what it was like when they did all these big miracles. But in reality they will ask us what it was like to have the Holy Spirit, God Himself, living within you.

The Christian message rightly understood means this: The God who by the word of the gospel proclaims men free, by the power of the gospel actually makes them free. To accept less than this is to know the gospel in word only, without its power.

A. W. Tozer

Life Point - The Message Will Change Lives

Exegetical -

Matthew 10:16–20 BSB

Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues. On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Homiletical -

Jesus says look, I am sending you as sheep among wolves. Now to me that doesn’t sound very good. Who wants to be eaten? But He was right. Christians are like sheep amongst wolves.

Which is why we have to be smart and discerning as a snake. Shrewd and understanding. But as innocent as a dove in our behavior in our life.

Someone who is as innocent as a dove does not thrive on drama. They don’t live in chaos, but live in God’s peace.

Jesus says to beware of men because they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues. This is called persecution of the Christian. We used to say it was coming to America, but I believe it has already started. So we need to be wise as serpents and gentle as Doves as we move forward.

The good thing about this is that it means two things:

1) We are closer now to the return of Christ than we ever have been

2) The harvest truly is plentiful and we need to go about being workers in spreading the Gospel as well as praying that the Lord would send the workers to us.

But when this persecution happens we are given a glorious promise. That is, to not worry about how you will respond because in that hour you will be given what to say by the Holy Spirit. You will have peace and you will know what to say. It won’t be you speaking, but God.

Why would anyone want to go through any of this?

Because they love Jesus and want to see His message go forth. They want to see people’s lives changed, their hearts turned toward God. That’s why.

Illustration -

This is a true story about a man named Dave, who struggled with addiction for years. He hit rock bottom before he attended a local church service, feeling utterly lost. The pastor shared a message about God’s unconditional love and grace. Moved to tears, Dave accepted Christ that day. Over time, his life transformed; he found strength in the community and support from his new faith. Today, he shares his testimony to inspire others who feel hopeless.

Life Principle – The Gospel Is Powerful, Changes Lives & Must Be Told.

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