“So Send I You”

Series: “The Gospel Truth”

Text: Matt 10:1-25; John 20:21

Introduction: (What?)

One of the truths that we must embrace is that commands to the Twelve are also commands to every believer for all time. When Jesus commissioned the Twelve to go out on mission, He also commissioned us. Our mission field may be different, but our commission is the same. We may not have the authority given to the Apostles, but we have the Word of God, prayer and the Holy Spirit’s empowerment. What are we waiting for?

Examination: (Why?)

1. How and where we are sent (John 20:21; Matt 10:1-7)

John 20:21 “Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.””

One commentator notes that this is John’s version of the Great Commission. In context, this is first appearance of Jesus to His disciples after the resurrection. The greeting that He gave was and is common greeting of “Shalom”. In v 20 He showed them His hands and His side. Then immediately, in the next verse He gave them, and us, the assignment of carrying on the ministry that He started while here on earth. Then in verse 22 He said “Receive the Holy Spirit”. We know that the Holy Spirit did not come until 40 days later on the Day of Pentecost. This statement then was Jesus’s pledge to send the Helper Whom He had promised back in John 14:25-26 ““I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.”

In Matt 10:1-7 Jesus sent the Twelve on what might be called a “training run”. “Summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness. (These are Apostolic gifts and abilities that are not widely available today. By listing the names of those so gifted, we know that these are not universal gifts.) These are the names of the twelve apostles: 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 also betrayed him. Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan town. Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’” The scope of their ministry at this time was limited. They were not to go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but rather to concentrate on “the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. Today’s missionaries are normally sent to individual people groups rather than just “sent”. By the same token, our involvement in the Great Commission starts where we are with the people around us. There are churches today that totally overlook the neighborhoods where they are and jump anywhere from 5-25 miles away to reach a more “acceptable” group. There was a saying years ago, “it is not longer attend the church nearest to you, but rather attend the church DEAREST to you.” This is not how we are sent. As Jesus said to the Twelve, “As you go, proclaim...”

2. Practical directions for us (Matt 10:9-15) Jesus then gave the Twelve some very practical details for their assignment.

Matt 10:9-15 “Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts. Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff, for the worker is worthy of his food. When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave. Greet a household when you enter it, and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it; but if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house or town. This was a Jewish tradition to show disdain as a visible protest. Usually it was done when they returned from Gentile regions.) Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.”

They were not to take suitcases or backpacks stuffed with everything they could think of for the trip. They were to rely on God to supply their needs through the people among whom they would minister. This is like getting on a plane to travel to a place of ministry with no suitcase checked, no carry-on, just with the clothes you are wearing and what you might have in your pocket.

In v 11 He told them to “find out who is worthy”. By this He meant find out who is open to your message and is willing to support you in your mission. Later when Jesus sent out the 72 Luke recorded in Luke 10:5-7 “Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they offer, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Don’t move from house to house.” This is the same as when He told the Twelve to find out who is worthy. I know of a church in Los Angeles that planted over 100 churches using this formula. They would go into a community where there was no church and look for “persons of peace”. These were people who were willing to open their home for a weekly Bible Study. When they found three “persons of peace” in a community, they would begin to bring the three groups together once a month to form a congregation which would later become a church.

3. What to expect in the field (Matt 10:16-25)

Matt 10:16-20““Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts and flog you in their synagogues. You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour, because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you.

Jesus did not then and does not now want us to walk into the unknown without having an idea what to expect. He told us in the Beatitudes that we would be persecuted and lied about; Matt 5:11 ““You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me.” While He doesn’t tell us exactly what will happen, He does let us know that we will be blessed when it does happen. He wants us to be “shrewd as serpents” which means knowing when to flee from danger. He wants us to be “as harmless as doves” which means that we don’t fight back. Then He gives the promise that we don’t have to worry about what to say when we are in a jam because of our mission. His promise is that the Holy Spirit will speak through us. The approach of Mormon missionaries and Jehovah Witness visitors is to have a programmed reply. They are trained “if they say this, then you say this.” Jesus assures us that in the heat of the moment the Spirit will speak through us so we don’t have to be “programmed”. That should give you confidence in witnessing. Just tell your story and what you know about the kingdom of God.

Matt 10:21-25 ““Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master. It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household!”

Beginning in v 21 Jesus laid out just how bad the persecution will be. Families will be split when some are followers of Christ and others are not. The hatred that the Christ-follower experiences is toward Christ, not toward them as individuals. The last part of v 22 needs some unpacking. It is not perseverance that saves you, it is salvation that enables you to persevere.

Our systems are set up to respond to circumstances on a “fight or flight” basis. The fight or flight response is an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is perceived as stressful or frightening. The perception of threat activates the sympathetic nervous system and triggers an acute stress response that prepares the body to fight or flee. Jesus removed our having to work through that by telling us that when we are being persecuted, the best thing is to flee because time is of utmost importance. If someone won’t listen to your witness and becomes belligerent, move on. There are many more who will be open to the gospel. Don’t lose time beating your head against a wall. You have planted a seed. Move on. You will not run out of prospects who are open to your message.

Application: (How should I respond to this message?)

Follow the example of Jesus. He did not stay where His message was not received because He knew that His time on earth was limited. Remember, He didn’t chase after the Rich Young Ruler, although He was grieved that he chose not to accept His invitation.

Recognize that if you have accepted Jesus, you are “sent” to the world around you.

Realize that failure to go when He commands you is disobedience and all disobedience to God is sin.

Repent and return to God and to your assignment.

If you have never surrendered to Christ, do it now.