Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Matthew Series, Week 19 - The Unglamorous Disciple

  No job starts off glamourous. In construction I started as a scrapper, picking up the debris left behind from the sheet-rockers. When I worked for a baseball and softball school, I was the one who warmed up the students and picked up the balls between sessions. For a time, my dad used to run a small rooter business, like Roto-Rooter, cleaning out drains for people. My Dad told me a story about my great grandfather who moved to the Los Angelas. area back in the 40s. No one was pumping septic tanks, so he got into the business. Every beginning phase of a job is unglamorous; even later points of the job can be unglamorous. The two questions I have always asked myself is, do I need this job and am I happy doing this? Meaning, if I need the job, I don’t care how unglamorous it is, I need to eat and provide for others. That’s the first question, because sometimes we have to work unglamorous jobs to pay the bills. My second question about being happy is secondary to needing the job. Yet, if I am not happy in the job the need begins to wear quickly and the unglamorous nature of the job wears as well. Yet if I am happy with the job, the unglamorous parts are not as important because I enjoy being there. 

I enjoyed being a scrapper because I hung out with my Dad. I enjoyed being a ball boy, because I got to be around training future players. Most of the jobs I have held are ones where I have learned to look past the unglamorous parts, and found the enjoyment in the work. Some more so than others. 


And it’s understanding that work is not always glamorous, yet enjoying it anyway, is what brings us back into our summer sermon series, where we’ll be looking at the second sermon of Jesus, that Matthew gives us in chapter 10 of his Gospel. And as we open to Matthew chapter 10, let’s recap how the Holy Spirit, by way of Matthew, has brought us into this second sermon.

Starting in chapter 8, Matthew began a three-section, three-fold narrative structure, where he would present three moments in Jesus’ life followed by some sort of teaching by Jesus.

In the first section Matthew has shown us that, as disciples, we need to realize that our home is with the willing God, and not found in this world. In other words, like Jesus was reject by this world, so too would be those who follow him. If we are Jesus’ disciples, then we must recognize that wee cannot be tethered to this world.

The second section built on this by letting us know that, as disciples, we must realize that we are to live our lives under the authority of God, following him as he reaches out to sinners lost in darkness. This means that, just as the hymn states, “where he leads, I will follow,” Jesus must be the one who directs us as he sees fit, and not the other way around. 

Finally, last week we saw how Matthew shows us that, as disciples, we must realize that we are to rejoice in the presence of Jesus and to head out to the harvest fields for work. Jesus reveals that there are many out there that are ready to receive the Gospel message, but few people who are willing to take the time and present it. Therefore we are to not simply pray for others to be used, but also be willing to be used as God leads us.

These three sections culminate in Jesus’ sermon as he sends out his closet twelve disciples. This sermon is sometimes referred to as the Little Commission, because it focuses on just a few disciples, whereas the Great Commission, at the end of Matthew, is for all disciples.


Now, we’re looking at this entire chapter in one sitting, because we need to see how each aspect of it links together. And as we have done for this last few weeks, we’ll read a aspect and see what that aspect has to say.

Let’s begin reading in chapter 10, starting in verse 1.


1 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.


For now we just need to notice one thing from these first four verses. These twelve are paired together by their names, this is most likely to let us know that this is how they were sent out. By grouping the names in pairs, we are being shown that when we minister, we need to have support. We need to have others by ourselves, both physically and spiritually as we present the Gospel message. This is based on a proverb from Ecclesiastes 4:12. Which reads, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Partnership between disciples of Jesus in the work of God will always produce better results and healthier outreach. 


Now that we have that as a foundation to Jesus’ message, let keep reading in verse 5.


5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.


Here there are three parts that we are to notice. First, Jesus gives some “Do” instructions. Do go to the Jews, i.e. the lost sheep of Israel. This means their work is focused specifically with that people group. Later on this would expand to all nations, but not yet. The next do is, to proclaim the message about the kingdom and heal the sick, cleans the lepers, and drive out demons. In other words, they were to follow in Jesus’ footsteps of a healing ministry. Jesus’ final do is, do give freely what had been given to them. Jesus never took money from anyone to be healed, he freely gave to those that needed it. The disciples had to follow suit, they couldn’t charge for these miracles. 

This is followed by Jesus some “Don’t” instructions. The first is, don’t take money. Meaning, don’t take your personal cash or even a coin bag to place money in. No money was to be used on this trip. In addition to not taking money, the second instruction was, don’t take additional resources. Don’t take a bag for personal items. Don’t take extra clothes or shoes. Don’t take an extra staff. In other words don’t take things that would weigh down your going and you in getting the Gospel message out. And because you’re not taking anything it leads in Jesus’ final instruction of reliance.

Jesus lets these disciples know that they would be take care of because, a “worker is worth his keep.” Jesus lets them know that there will be houses of peace that will let them in, and will provide their lodging and other physical needs. These instructions are all based on Jesus wanting his disciples to rely on God for sustaining them. They are to go about the work of God, and in return, God will take care of their needs. Remember that prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray back in chapter 6, verses 9-13? Here’s the application of it in the disciples’ lives. 


So as they go, they are to rely on God for their needs being met. But as they go out into the world, there will be things that they must be aware of that will happen. Let’s drop down to verse 16.


16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!


As the disciples are going out into the world, they must be aware that things are not going to be all sunshine and lollipops. They will be sheep among wolves. This is something Jesus had already mentioned back in his first sermon, in chapter 7 verse 15. There are people out there that are ready to devour Jesus’ disciples and so they must be aware of the condition that the of the world is in. 

But that’ shouldn’t dismay them, but rather bring reality into view. And they should engage the world with some Old Testament wisdom. Jesus says to “be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” Snakes were seen as being careful and cautious, and so the disciples need to be like that as they are dealing with people. Yet at the same time, the need to be like the dove who was seen as being pure in motive. Therefore the disciples should be honest in their actions and motives, and being open to the movement of God. In other words, a disciple can’t shrink back in the face of the wolves, but move intelligently forward, in the purity that God calls them to.

But even as a disciple does this, there will be both physical persecution and challenges to the disciples’ faith. And so a disciple must rely on the Holy Spirit to speak through them. Not relying on ourselves, but on the movement of the Holy Spirit to speak on the disciples’ behalf through the words he will give.

And because a disciple follows Jesus, families and communities will be divided. Jesus is divisive, because his message calls us out of the sin that we enjoy and into a life under the authority of God. The rebellion of Adam and Eve is where humanity currently resides, and so there will be those that desire to stay in that rebellion. Jesus’ narrow message is not something that is readily accepted by humanity at large, and so will divide people.

Therefore, how the disciple engages the world, must be based on Jesus’ example. Because, even Jesus, who did everything right, was vilified, hated and killed, what more will the world do to those who follow him?


This leads into Jesus’ call to trust in him starting in verse 26.


26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.


Here Jesus lets his disciples know that, even though they will be physically and spiritually persecuted, they do not have to worry because God will be the final judge in all things. A disciple doesn’t have to fear lies, because every lie will be revealed. A disciple doesn’t have to fear physical death, because in eternity, they will be vindicated with everlasting life.

There is nothing in the world that a disciple needs to worry about, because God will make all things good in the end. This is the real world application of Jesus words in chapters 5 (v.38-48) and 6 (13-34) about not worry and relying on God. Do you see the application of what Jesus has already said and did up to this point being asked of the disciple to be put into practice?

The final thing Jesus tells his disciples here is that they are to acknowledge him. This is the application of the final words of Jesus’ last sermon. If we are to know Jesus, then we are to acknowledge him before the world. If we shy away from this, we will be like those that Jesus mention back in chapter 7 (v.21-27), who can do miraculous things in Jesus’ name, but who are unknown to Jesus because they have no relationship with him. A relationship with Jesus means that it isn’t secret. That others know we are his disciples; that we will stand, not upon our own reinterpretations of God’s word, but on the clear teachings of Jesus.

And because of this stance we are called to make as Jesus’ disciples, our home in heaven will become abundantly clear. Starting in verse 34 we read…


34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.


When Jesus made reference to this world not being his home in chapter 8 (v.18-22), and how his disciples too should not be tethered to it, we see Jesus’ words work themselves out here. Following Jesus means that we must realize that he becomes central to us. That he must become greater than anything else in our lives. A disciple must wrestle with this concept and have it as a firm conviction before persecution begins. If we do not have the conviction that Jesus is more important than anything else in our lives, then we have put ourselves in a position where the pressure of the world will be do unbearable to face. 

Yet when we have our conviction to follow Jesus no matter what, we will then find true life. We will love like we have never loved before. We will be compassionate, kind, generous, self-controlled, firm in our identity, and a pillar of strength, because in Jesus we have everything. The world and all the worries it holds will have no sway over us. And as the world descends into chaos, the disciple will seem an oddity, because they stand firm on Jesus.


It’s here that Jesus then turns our attention to the end result of following closely to him.


40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”


Jesus’ disciples will multiply as people receive the message. Paul talks about this idea 1 Corinthians chapter 11, that he is passing on what he had learned from the Lord. Each one of us receives the Gospel from another disciple; our faith is then developed by the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. Then we are to pass that on into another’s life, and so continue the work that began from this Little Commission to these twelve. We who are disciples today, are those who stand in a long line of disciples who have welcomed the one whom Jesus sent and who are in turn, welcomed by Jesus. 

Therefore the reward that everyone in his long line has received is not the things of this world, but Jesus himself. Jesus is the reward of the disciple. Through trials and tribulations, Jesus’ Gospel has come, and it will continue forward through his disciples, so that others may know the surpassing riches of God.


The call of these first twelve men to the work of Jesus began the distribution of the Gospel message through those whom Jesus called. The majority of these unknown people would go onto the world stage with one simple message, Jesus crucified and resurrected. This message would then change the world. 

But we must not fall into the trap that it’s a glamorous work. All these men gave their lives in the work of the Gospel. Millions of disciples have given and are giving their lives now for this same Gospel message. They have counted the cost, they have forsaken their home in this world, and they have sought Jesus above all else. This is the call of the disciple of Jesus. God is calling us into his life. A life separated from the world, to God. A life where we must lose our place here, to gain and everlasting one. Where Jesus becomes supreme, and then everything is put into its rightful place. This work is not glamorous, but is glorious. Because as we live in the life of Jesus, we are not elevated in the economy of the world, but God is lifted in the praise of his people, and his people get to experience his glorious presence. 


So then, my challenge this week is to take an aspect of Jesus’ sermon here in chapter 10 everyday, and ask God to make it real in your life.

Day 1: Read verses 1-4; Ask God to give you a Gospel partner. Whether physically or spiritually. Someone who would engage in the work Jesus is calling you to, that would encourage and support you in it.


Day 2: Read verses 5-15; Seek God to rely on him. Ask God to break any desire you have to rely on yourself to provide for his work. True you will need to work, but remember that it is God from whom all your blessings flow.


Day 3: Read verses 16-25; Ask God to prepare you, both mentally and physically for the push back of both light and hard persecution. So that you can be wise and innocent in this world.


Day 4: Read verses 26-33; Asking God to help you be bold about you relationship with him, not worry about the things of this world, but that the Gospel would be known through you.


Day 5: Read verse 34-39; Seek to be an oddity in this world because you rely on Jesus for everything. 


Day 6: Read verses 40-42; Praying that God would multiple the work that he calls you to, that you would be a linage of disciples who follow after you, for the glory of Jesus.


Partnership, Reliance, Preparedness, Boldness, Oddness, Multiplication. Those are the things we are to be seeking as we share the Gospel message. Each one is an aspect that is needed if we are going to be about God’s work in the harvest fields. Each one falls back onto God as being the central and sustaining point of our lives. 


Jesus’ work is not the glamour the world seeks, but it is the glory of eternity. Let us be about our Father’s business, pointing others to the Son’s wonderful life, by being empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish all that he has for us. Amen.

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