Read Matthew 10:1–15
Questions from the Scripture text: Whom did Jesus call to Himself (Matthew 10:1)? What did He give them? What were their names (Matthew 10:2-4)? What did He do to them in Matthew 10:5? Where did He prohibit going? To whom did He say to go (Matthew 10:6)? What was their primary mission (Matthew 10:7)? What were they to do alongside this preaching (Matthew 10:8)? What were they to charge for these services, and why? What shouldn’t they store up for the journey (Matthew 10:9-10)? Why not? What were they to inquire in each town (Matthew 10:11)? And what were they to do? When they enter, what are they to do to the household (Matthew 10:12)? How will this be received if they are worthy (Matthew 10:13)? But who will receive peace, even if the household is not? What response is indicative of this unworthiness (Matthew 10:14)? What is the apostle to do as he departs? To what frightful reality does this testify (Matthew 10:15)?
What is the gospel ministry? Matthew 10:1–15 prepares us for the morning sermon on the Lord’s Day. In these fifteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus sends preachers to gather His sheep.
Whom Jesus uses. From the full group of the disciples, the Lord Jesus now calls twelve (Matthew 10:1), who are especially distinguished by the devil-conquering, fall-correcting authority that He gives them. We notice in Matthew 10:2-4, six pairs, related in three groups of four. They are as varied in character as fiery Peter vs gentle John, and Matthew (who had collected taxes for Rome) and Simon (the zealot against Rome). Judas is a warning that calling, ordination, and even usefulness are not guarantees against future disaster or even guarantees of being in a state of grace. But this group of Galileans, unimpressive from a worldly standpoint, were the sort of people whose lives Jesus transforms, and whom Jesus educates and trains to be laborers in His harvest.
What Jesus uses. The Lord is gathering His lost sheep. This means that they will surely be gathered, and that those who are sent to do the gathering can be confident of the success that the Master wants. But by what means does the Lord of His harvest instruct His laborers to gather in His harvest? Preaching. Matthew 10:7 is the primary command.
We have just reviewed, in Matthew 9:35, what Jesus’s preaching of the gospel of the kingdom was. We saw initial indication of this in Johns preaching in chapter 3, and an extended exposition of it in chapters 5–7. The King of the kingdom is Himself the qualification for each of His subjects to have the kingdom, the King Himself grants the repentance and holiness to enter the kingdom, the King brings you near to God in true and spiritual religion, and the King gives you a relationship with God in which He Himself is your priority and pleasure, and every good thing is added to you.
Jesus had given them authority (Matthew 10:1) to do the works that attest to the genuineness and efficacy of their preaching (Matthew 10:8). These things attend the preaching, and the worldling would pay good money for them (so the apostles are warned not to charge for it), but it is the preaching that is primary. Those who heed it will receive not merely temporary and partial conquering of devils and correcting of the fall; they will receive these fully and eternally.
How Jesus provides. In short, Jesus provides however He wishes! For this brief preaching assignment, He did not wish for them to take pains to plan provisions. During this little “internship,” they needed no more than worthy hearers would provide (Matthew 10:9-10). Jesus already had, in each town, those who had a reputation of loving the preaching of the kingdom; wherever they went they were to inquire about these and receive hospitality from them (Matthew 10:11). The Lord provides materially for the ministry through those whom He blesses by it.
What is at stake. For the worthy hearer, and especially the household employed in the support of the ministry, there was great blessing. The expression of delight (greeting) in Matthew 10:12 is not only the apostle’s delight but Christ’s. They would be able to tell if the reputation of worthiness is true, by whether this greeting is well-received (Matthew 10:13). Even if not, the apostle does not minister in vain, and the offered peace comes back to him as his own.
But how dreadful for those who do not receive them for the sake of their message (Matthew 10:14)! God has given men over to Sodomite sin and penalty for rejecting His glory in creation (cf. Romans 1:18–32); how much worse for those who reject His glory in redemption (Matthew 10:15)! Just as Jews were accustomed to shaking off even the remaining dust when leaving a pagan city, lest the uncleanness and condemnation come home with them, how much more should Christians beware of taking anything away with them from people and places of unbelief!
Who are the ordained servants that the Lord is using in your life? What use are you making of prayer, and the sacraments, and especially of preaching? How are you being used to provide for the ministry of the gospel? What is your habit for making use of the gospel preaching that you hear? How do you receive it and those whom the Lord has sent to preach it?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for sending Your Word to gather Your sheep. Gather us to Yourself, and give us to love You and be grateful for Your Word and those by Whom You send it, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP67 “O God, Give Us Your Blessing” or TPH130A “Lord, from the Depths”
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