Matthew (4)

Psalm

Psalm 42 ESV

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah. 1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation 6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. 8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Prayer Requests

Message:

Matthew 10:1–15 ESV

1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 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; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 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. 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. 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.

Last Week....

Over the past several chapters we had examples of Jesus’s authority through His teaching as one who had authority in Matt 5-7.

Then we had examples of Jesus’ authority through physical and spiritual healings - including raising a little girl from the dead - in chapters 8 and 9. According to Matthew 9:35, Jesus was teaching and healing throughout all of the cities and villages.

Last week, we looked at verses 36, 37, and 38 where Jesus “had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.””

Matthew 10:1

In Matthew 10:1, we see Jesus answering that prayer: “And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.”

Matthew isn’t recalling how Jesus called his 12 disciples here, he is just stating that they were called and, in the next few verses he gives their name.

Mark 3 and Luke 6 give the story of Jesus calling the 12 Disciples. According to Luke 6:12-16 “In these days he [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.”

Here in Matthew, Jesus gives the power to cast our demons and to heal to these 12 disciples, not to the rest of his disciples.

All of His disciples are called to be laborers in the harvest, but not all are called to cast our demons or to heal.

Matthew 10:2-4

In verses 2-4, Matthew lists our the disciples: 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 Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Two things we should notice with this list.

1. Peter is listed first. It is the same each time this list is given in scripture and may indicate leadership responsibility. But we must remember that he was “first among the apostles, not placed over the apostles. He was a leader, but he was still a disciple. A similarity today would be the chairman of the deacons. He may lead or facilitate meetings. He would be highly respected among the deacons and the church. But he would still be a deacon and subject to all that entails.

2. As noticeable as Peter being listed first, Judas Iscariot is always listed at the end of the list, except in Acts where he is not even mentioned.

Matthew also puts the disciples in pairs. This is most likely how they were sent out.

being sent our in pairs allowed the disciples to support, protect, and empower each other better than if they went out alone.

Deut 19:15 teaches the requirement of having 2 or 3 witnesses for a charge to be established. In the same way, 2 witnesses to the gospel message are more credible than 1 witness to the gospel message.

Larger groups would have been inefficient, and would not allow the disciples to effectively engage a large number of people.

So they went our during their training 2 by 2.

These were the men that went with Jesus everywhere. They saw everything he did. Heard all of his teachings. Jesus poured into them as each believer should pour into those he or she mentors.

Simon

Simon who was called Peter.

He is also knows as Peter (Greek) or Cephas (Aramaic) meaning rock

Mt 16:16–18. 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter( Petros = rock/stone), and on this rock (Petra = rock/boulder) I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. [Jesus refers back to the statement that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God.]

This is the Peter who denied Christ 3 times and was later restored to his position as a disciple - as the leader and often spokesman for the 12.

Peter was the first leader of the Church in Jerusalem from Pentecost until his arrest and release from prison as seen in Acts 1-12.

Peter went on to minister to churches in Asia, Pontus, Bithynia, Galatia, and Cappadocia as we read in 1 Peter 1:1

By the early 60’s, Peter was bishop of the church in Rome. His ministry in Rome is verified in 1 Peter 5:13.

Church tradition and extra-biblical books such as the Apocalypse of Peter claim his martyrdom by an upside-down cross in the late 60’s.

Andrew his [Peter’s] brother

Comes from the Greek Manliness.

Like Peter, he was a originally a fisherman from Bethsaida (John 1:44)

He is the first-known disciple of John the Baptist to follow Jesus. (John 1:40)

James the son of Zebedee

Comes from the Hebrew “Jacob” meaning “he who grasps the heel” (Jacob and Esau, Gen 25:26)

Also a Galilean Fisherman

He was executed by Herod Agrippa I no later than 44 AD as taught in Acts 12:2.

He died too early to be the author of the epistle of James or the James who became the leader of the church in Jerusalem after Peter’s departure.

John his [James’] brother

Comes from the Hebrew meaning “The Lord is gracious”

Like Peter and James, John was part of Jesus’ inner circle of 3 disciples to whom he was closest.

He wrote The fourth gospel (which bears his name), 3 epistles (1st, 2nd, and 3rd John), and the Book of Revelation.

When he wrote Revelation, he was exiled for his faith on the island of Patmos, probably under the emperor Domitian. in the mid 90’s.

Strong, early church tradition associates his ministry with Ephesus and combatting the gnostic teacher Cerinthus.

Church tradition has him as the only disciple of Jesus not to have died a martyr’s death and instead, claim he lived into his 80’s or 90’s.

Philip

Comes from the Greek, “horse lover”

He was from Bethsaida and was one of Jesus earliest disciples along with Simon and Andrew.

He should not be confused with Philip the deacon in Acts 6:5 and 8:26-40.

Comes from the Hebrew “Son of Talmai”

He came from Cana

Most likely, he is the same person as Nathanael, Philip’s companion in John 1:45-49.

Thomas

Come from the Hebrew for “Twin”. (John 11:16)

He is known for doubting the resurrection of Jesus until he personally saw him and felt the Risen Lord’s body. (John 20:24-28)

Church tradition associates him with the establishment of the church in India. The Indian Eastern Orthodox church still reads prayers and writings that they claim were written by Thomas.

Matthew the tax collector

Comes from the same Hebrew phrase as Nathanael which means “God has Given”.

He was also called Levi, a converted tax collector.

This gospel is attributed to him.

We studied his call a few weeks back in Matthew 9:9-13.

James the son of Alphaeus

He is also called “the small one” or “the younger” in Mark 15:40. Most likely this was to distinguish him from James the son of Zebedee.

He led the church in Jerusalem and wrote the Epistle of James.

Not much more is known about him from scripture.

Thaddaeus

Also called Lebbaeus and Judas, son of James (Luke 6:16)

The nicknames were terms of endearment meaning breast and heart.

Simon the Zealot

nickname meaning Zealous one

A zealot was a person who took murderous action against Rome in an effort to free the Jews from Roman occupation. - Could also be seen as terrorist activity.

Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

As we all know, Judas betrayed Jesus in Matthew 26:47-50

He was the treasurer for the 12 disciples.

Iscariot is interpreted as Hebrew for man of Kerioth. HE came from one of the cities in Judea or Moab and could have made him the only non-Galilean disciple of the 12.

Iscariot came to mean “assassin” or “false one”

He ended his own life after regretting his betrayal (Matt 27:1-10) and hanging himself. This is also included in Acts 1:18-19.

Overview of the 12

Some scholars remind us that we don’t know much about some of these men. They claim that they were ordinary men and they didn’t do much. They didn’t leave their mark on the church.

I do not believe that is the case. I believe that God chose men who were not qualified as none of us were qualified for the task to which he called us. But that these men did step into the role God had created them for.

While scripture doesn’t tell us everything about these men, historians can tell us more.

For example, Thaddeus is known as the Apostle to the Armenians because of his time in Arminia. Simon the Zealot and Thaddeus often ministered together and were both martyred in Beirut, Lebanon in 65 AD.

James, the son of Alphaeus remained in Jerusalem as the bishop until he was stoned to death in 62 AD.

Matthew spent time in Ethiopia and Italy.

You see, these locations are not in the Bible and do not hold the same level of truth as scripture. They contain no doctrine. But they are helpful in understanding that these men didn’t just stop sharing the gospel when Jesus died.

The Bible doesn’t record everything and neither does history.

Just like history will most likely not record what You have done or what I have done. That does not make it insignificant. If we do what God has asked us to do, it is very significant to God - Even when the world doesn’t care.

Matthew 10:5

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.

There is a whole“Jews Only Movement” or cult that is popular today that push the idea that Jesus came for the Jewish people only and not the Gentiles.

Many of them use this verse as one of their proof verses.

I won’t go far down this path, except to say that in 1 John 2:2, John teaches that Jesus “is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

This is debunked more explicitly in Romans 3:29: “Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,”

And lastly on this topic, Acts 2:21: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

But for the time and for what Jesus was teaching his disciples, they were to go only to the Jewish towns.

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Remember last week when we looked at the end of Chapter 9 and read:

Matthew 9:36 ESV

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Now in Matthew 10:6, Jesus is sending his disciples to the lost sheep of Israel.

These lost sheep are sheep without a shepherd. They are lost because the religious leaders are fleecing the flock rather than feeding and protecting the flock.

Matthew 10:7 ESV

7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Isn’t this what we are still proclaiming? The kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus died so we may have life. They were proclaiming the coming of the Messiah. We proclaim his second return.

Matthew 10:8–10 ESV

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.

Heal the sick? Raise the dead? Cleanse the lepers? Cast out demons?

We don’t see these often today. These malicious works tend to be prevalent when the Gospel fist enters an area.

For the context of the passage, Jesus is giving the apostles the ability to do these works as a conformation of their message. But they are not doing anything. It is God working through them.

I wonder sometimes how Judas could see the works of Jesus. According to this passage, He was given the authority to do these works as well. And yet he betrayed Jesus.

It goes to show how - except for the grace of God - each one of us could abandon the truth for a lie. How we can be led astray and go after things outside of the kingdom.

__________

The Disciples were not to charge for this healing. They were to acquire no money. They were to take no extra supplies - a bag, and extra tunic, extra staff, extra sandals. What they needed on the trip was provided for them.

Things tend to weigh us down in this life, don’t they? When we save things for the future, we get bogged down. The more we own, the more those things cost us to maintain. The more we have to worry about. The more we have to protect.

This is not a Prohibition against owning things, but it is important for us to remember that God will provide as we serve Him. This is not prosperity gospel, I want to be clear. Paul needed to make tents to provide for himself until the church sent money and he could stop making tents for a time.

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.

God calls each person to be a student and a teacher.

We are a student when we listen to God’s word at Church.

We are a student when we read and study God’s word.

We are a student when we read a Christian book.

We are a student when we are being mentored by another believer.

We are teaching when we pastor a church, teach a Sunday school class, or lead in family devotions.

Mothers are teachers when we teach our children about God as they home-school them.

Believers disciple or mentor those who have not been in the faith as long.

God calls all believers to make disciples of all nations. This passage may be referring to a missionary or apostle who travels to share the Gospel, but God calls all of us to share the gospel as we live our lives.

When ever we travel, God gives us opportunities to share his love. We don’t need to seek others out, God brings them to us. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t seek them out, but we should be open to those God is leading us towards.

Sometimes we find a worthy house. And sometimes we need to shake the dust from our feet.

Overview/conclusion

As we look over this entire passage, we see that Jesus chose 12 disciples and trained them. He gave them practical examples. and sent them out to practice what they saw him do.

Those 12 would then teach another 72 to practice their leadership. Did they make mistakes - most likely. Peter denied Jesus, that was a pretty big mistake. Yet it was a learning experience.

I don’t want to go too far outside of this specific passage, but this is a practical example of Jesus’ mentoring His disciples.

Then I want each of us to think about the people who mentor us. Are we teachable? Are we eager and ready to learn? Can you think of people who have mentored you in the past? Is anyone mentoring you now? Can anyone speak into your life and lead you closer to God? Can anyone speak truth into your life?

How about someone you mentor? Are you mentoring someone right now? Do you have someone that you are discipling, someone who you can speak truth into their life? Someone who you can help guide past the pitfalls in this life?

Titus 2:4-6 instruct Older women “to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”

Paul teaches Older men to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. He teaches Titus, as he teaches older men, “Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.”

This is the art of mentoring - Teaching those who have been believers for less time - younger believers - how to follow God. Men and women who have been believers for a long time and are solid in their faith have the responsibility to disciple newer believers. The responsibility to help guide them.

Jesus provides the example and Paul provides the command. Are we going to follow them or just try and do our own thing. If you don’t have a mentor, let’s talk about someone who can mentor you and poor their life into you. If you don’t have a someone to mentor, we can work together to find someone that you can mentor. Whether it is a person you meet with in person on a regular basis or someone you can mentor through the mail. The options exist, if you are willing to take them.

Let’s pray.

we mentor.