January 10: Matthew 10
Like doves among wolves
Jesus gives his twelve apostles several crucial commands to follow as he sends them out. As we observe them, we will see that some were specific to the apostles, and yet Jesus seems to communicate beyond them to us.
First, the apostles are to go only to the Jews, who have pride of place for receiving the gospel (6). Wherever they go, they are to proclaim that the kingdom has come near (7).
Many Christians today communicate the gospel as if we are selling something that will arrive in the mail at life’s end. But when we come near with the gospel, so does the kingdom. The kingdom is the sphere of God’s influence that brings God’s grace and life. In one sense, this equals the Church. But the kingdom is “out there,” too. The kingdom is all the blessings that come from living God’s way in God’s world. Therefore the kingdom means blessing later and now. And we are charged to proclaim this to those we come near to. The kingdom has come near! Don’t miss it!
The apostles were also given authority (1) to heal sickness and cast out demons. While God can and still does heal, He no longer vests individuals with this power, as he did the Twelve.
A “worthy” house is one that receives the gospel with joy and faith. If you find such a house, bless it. But if you don’t, Jesus commands us to keep moving (14). Don’t get bogged down by unbelief.
As we move in this world, we are operating on enemy territory. Therefore Jesus commands us to
… be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (16)
By this Jesus means to be pure, as regards to our personal experience of sin, while at the same time not falling into the sin of naiveté. You heard that right: sometimes it is a sin to be naive, to always assume good motives in others. Instead,
17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. (18)
And when this happens, don’t stress about what you will say. The sense of verses 19-20 is not that we should not prepare in advance. But, in the same way that Jesus told the Father, “Not my will but yours be done,” so we should prepare, but then when the moment comes, let the Spirit lead. Let God’s will be done.
Above all, fear God more than man. For God holds our souls in His hand (28).