Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
In today’s reading, we see Jesus sending out his disciples. This passage might get swept away with the thought that this was just something Jesus did to prepare and train the men who would take his ministry into the world after his resurrection. However, there is so much we can learn from his instructions. First, we see that Jesus sent them out two by two. How important it is for us to remember that we need help and support. We also need people who think and operate differently than we do. It would be interesting to know just who Jesus paired with whom. Did he match personalities or compliment them? Perhaps those who were bold where given someone more subtle to guide the gentle-hearted listeners to repent. I am so grateful for those in my life that see the world from a different perspective. If it were not for those differing influences, I would not have grown in my spiritual walk or learned to listen and see things from a different viewpoint.
Secondly, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits. It is so important to remember that we have no authority other than that which the Lord gives us. Satan isn’t afraid of us. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us, “Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour.” His goal is to completely destroy us. It isn’t us he fears, but the authority of Christ.
The next set of instructions may strike us as strange, but when we put them into the context of common information at the time, they make perfect sense. At the time, Jewish rabbis could not enter into the temple area with a staff, shoes, or moneybag. This prohibition was to prevent even the appearance of them being engaged in any other business besides the service of the Lord. David Guzik comments: “The disciples were engaged in such holy work (preaching the gospel and bring God’s healing) that they could not give the impression that they had any other motives.” As Christians, we represent our Savior. We have a very important job to do: share the gospel through our lives and through our words. God isn’t telling us we have to be penniless beggars. He is warning us to do away with anything that may distract or taint the message we are sharing.
The last bit of information from today’s reading that stands out as so important for us is what the disciples were instructed to do: preach the message of repentance. We tend to shy away from this message in today’s society, but we shouldn’t. It is still the message of the gospel. We all need to repent and turn to Christ. Too often, we opt for a message that will fill seats: deliverance, peace, joy. These are great aspects of what God does in our lives but these come after we have repented and accepted the cure for our sin problem. It may not be popular or politically correct to point out the wrong path someone has taken but letting someone continue on towards Hell because we didn’t want to offend them strikes me as much more cruel.
The instructions Jesus gave his disciples still ring true for us today. Let us truly think about how they apply to our lives. Are we walking, preaching, teaching, and living the way Jesus instructed his followers? If not, there is still time to adjust, still opportunities to get our methods honed in. God’s prescription for salvation doesn’t need to be updated, simply applied.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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