7 Practices of Spirit-Empowered Disciples…Mission
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It’s pretty clear that Jesus never meant for us to be hanging out killing time till He returns. There’s a huge amount of work that’s been entrusted to us. We shouldn’t take it lightly because lives are literally hanging in the balance!
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.
Jesus was sending out His disciples to do the work that He had modeled before them. The message wasn’t complicated “The kingdom of heaven is at hand!”.
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
Jesus preached the very same message…
From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The message has never changed. Now He’s sending His disciples out to preach that same message. He’s putting them to work! What I would like for you to see is that not only is He sending them but He’s also giving them the authority to do the job. “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons” implies He has already given them the authority to do so.
Jesus then closes up with some simple instructions, take nothing with you and don’t worry about it! He is pushing the disciples to trust in God for their provisions. Trust in God for the authority and wisdom for every situation. God’s got this!
Some will receive you and your message, some will not. We can’t force their hand, they will have to choose for themselves. It will be terrible for them in eternity if they reject this good news!
“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!
It will serve us well to remember that we can’t make people choose life. It’s not personal against us, Jesus said that if they reject you remember they rejected me first! If they hate you, they hated Him first! Don’t ever allow yourselves to be hurt or offended by their rejection!
I’ve read where some would argue that this authority was only given to these disciples and only for this time, which brings me to us…
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
This wasn’t just for those select few that walked with Jesus in His time on the earth, this is for all who will believe. Notice that we still have a message and sign and wonders will follow. Our commission looks very similar to that He gave to the 12 disciples.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
While the wording from Matthew is a bit different it really drives home what I believe to be the key to all of these things that Jesus has given us to do. Jesus said all authority has been given unto Him...GO THEREFORE! He’s trying to reassure His disciples and us as well that we have His full support and authority for every situation that will arise.
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
All we have to do is step out by faith and He’ll work with us! Every demonic stronghold and force is subject to Jesus’ authority. Jesus came to destroy the work of the enemy, and He expects nothing less from us.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
It’s what Jesus did, it’s what His disciples did, and it’s what we are to do! Step out and do what you know to do and trust God to do the rest.