WHEN YOU GO . . .

LAST WEEK

We looked at the Mission of Christ

We looked at what it means to be on Mission

We realized that in order for us to truly accomplish the will of God

We must be co-laborers with God

We must work alongside what the Holy Spirit is doing in people’s lives

We must be participating God’s Mission

We concluded that

“Its not that people don’t want to come to faith, its that Christians aren’t willing to work.”

Even more convicting

Christians aren’t even willing to pray that God would send laborers for the lost

We have become modern day Jonah’s

Not willing to go

Not willing to pray

When God saves,

We are unwilling to believe it

Jesus said the Harvest is plentiful

We need to have that perspective in everything that we do.

We need to realize that God wants to save our neighbors, the people on our blocks, and our entire family.

The question is are we willing to labor?

Are we willing to work for it?

Or are we just over it?

THIS WEEK

We are going to look at the logistics of being sent

We are going to look at what the mentality of sentness should be

We are going to look at how God did it in sending His Son, and How the Son sends us.

LETS LOOK AT THE TEXT

Matthew 10:5–42 NKJV

5 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. 6 But go rather 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, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. 11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 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. 15 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! 16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 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; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 “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. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 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. 24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. 40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

Matthew 10:5–31 NKJV

5 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. 6 But go rather 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, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. 11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 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. 15 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! 16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 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; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 “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. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 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. 24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Matthew 10:5-42

Matthew 10:

PRAY THAT WE WOULD PICK UP OUR MARCHING ORDERS AND FOLLOW HIM!

Matthew 10:5–10 NKJV

5 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. 6 But go rather 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, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.

Matthew 10:5

Jesus is giving them two aorist imperatives in verse 5

1. SENT

Is in the aorist imperative tense

2. COMMANDED

it is in the Aorist imperative

THE PRESENT TENSE DIFFERS FROM THE AORIST TENSE

You are not just asking for this to be done as much as you can

It is said in a way that demands completion of what you are told to do.

Lets take a look at the Commands.

DO NOT take the roads to the north, south, or east that lead into the Gentile country

Instead, take the only other option, go to Galilee

Go to the lost sheep of Israel

Go to those who have rejected me

Go to those who have lost hope in YHWH

Go to those that didn’t listen or find worth in the message

Tell them that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand

As you preach this message

As you tell people the glorious news of the Kingdom

You must also participate in Kingdom activities

Heal the sick

Cleanse the Lepers

Raise the Dead

Cast out demons

The way you’ve been loved, you love

The way you’ve been forgiven, you forgive

The way you’ve been given life, you give life

FREELY YOU HAVE RECEIVED, FREELY GIVE

As you go, don’t bring things to distract you

Don’t bring money for souvenirs

Don’t bring any other clothes than that on your back.

Because those who find worth in the Message of the Gospel will find worth in you

They will bring you in

Or watch me as I provide for you in the physical and the spiritual.

They will support you

Watch me reward your labor with all you ever need

They will stand with you

So what does this look like?

Matthew 10:11

Matthew 10:11–15 NKJV

11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 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. 15 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!

Whether it is a city or a village

Find some people who are willing to take you in

Find some one who is open to what the Gospel is saying

When you come in greet them

If you feel like the Lord is leading you to stay there, do it

If its not, no big deal, be at peace

If you encounter people who will not receive your words

When you leave the household

Don’t trip

Shake the dust off your sandals and know that its not you that they are rejecting

In fact, Jesus says, If they reject the message

It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement that for that city.

What do we know about this act?

If a Jew ever traveled through a Gentile Country

Before coming back into their home

Before you came into your home

You would dust off your feet and sandals

They

They would dust off their feet and sandals in recognition that even the dirt of Gentile Country was unclean

They would sometimes go as far as going through a ceremonial cleansing before they came back into their community

Now remember, Jesus had sent them to Jewish Communities?

So what is he saying?

Those whom I sent you to

If they reject the message of the Kingdom

If they don’t welcome you

Then dust your sandals off as if you had been in Gentile Country

Dust off your feet and know that their rejection of the Gospel will not go overseen.

These are some pretty hard words to apply

Very hard truths to swallow

But Jesus knew what He was doing

He knew who the disciples would go toe-to-toe with

Check it out:

Matthew 10:16–20 NKJV

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 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; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Matthew 10:16

Jesus lets them know

Just so we are clear

You will have opposition

Your sentness is not a vacation or a source of entertainment, it is going to rob satan of whats rightfully the Lords.

It is a revaluation of life

It is beginning the process of redemption for many who have been ripped off

In fact, Jesus makes it clear to the disciples, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves

Why would God the Son send out his disciples with such confidence

Maybe, Jesus knew what He was doing?

Maybe, His power would be in them?

Maybe, He would be faithful to keep His Word?

He encourages them

Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves

Be shrewd and be innocent

Don’t get ripped off and don’t rip people off

Because this is what is going to happen

Men are going to deliver you up to councils

And these men will scourge you in their synagogues

You will be brought before governors and kings for my Sake

For your testimony of who you are in Christ and who I am

Will be a testimony to them and the Gentiles

But Don’t worry about what you will have to say

For in that very hour

You will know what you are to say

For it is not you who will be speaking

But through the Spirit of Your Father, you will speak

What will be the spiritual climate in your sentness?

Matthew 10:21–23 NKJV

21 “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. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 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.

Matthew 10:21-

There will be drama amongst families

Not only in the life of the disciples

But in the communities that they would minister in

The Disciples will be hated

They will be ostracized

They will be threatened

As people would begin to believe in the Gospel

As they would begin to follow Jesus

As they began to change their spiritual rhytmns

Family members would not understand

It will not make sense to them

How you went from being a manipulative, womanizing, greedy, addict, who rallied at the DNC to a Bible Believing Fundamentalist who loves liberals.

Many will hate you for bearing the name of Jesus

Even the slightest association with Jesus will ruin your reputation

While they hate you

Be bold about your faith in your workplace.

While they revile you

While you are bearing the name of Jesus

You must endure until the end

You must not give up

For your salvation draweth nigh.

As you continue to go through the cities, don’t be discouraged

Dust your sandals off

Go on to the next city

For the Disciples they had one promise

They wouldn’t go through all the cities before Jesus judged these cities

Which did happen in Judea in 70AD

Which was worse than what happened with Sodom and Gomorrah

So when they talk trash, you keep charging

Matthew 10:24–26 NKJV

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

Matthew 10:24

They may call us Satan’s Workers