The Mission : Matt 10:5-20

A wise man prepares for his death. He plans about his life after death, the life of his children and spouse after he is no more. He trains his children to be self sufficient in his absence so that they can provide for themselves rather than begging.

Our Lord knew he would not remain for long with his disciples (Mk 9:19;Jn 7:33) so He trained them to catch fish. He did not just give them but showed them how to catch by themselves.

When He trained them, He sent them out for mission. Our Lord knew His mission so well that He did not go out of His mission goals. He was going to the cross, but He had to keep followers who’ll take the mission ahead.

We have our newly baptized among us today who have just entered into the mission of our Lord. Today we are also celebrating with our new converts who just confessed Christ this last Sunday which was Easter. We are not celebrating a graduation, but an entrance into the mission of our Lord. What is therefore our mission?

a)      Mission statement vs 7: Go and Preach! What were they to preach? “That the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus wanted them to preach His kingdom reign from heaven. This is not an earthly kingdom as He was fulfilling the prophecy. He asked them to preach just that which he taught them and what He has been preaching as we can see in Matt 3:2 and Luke 10:9. Jesus came to earth to destroy the works of the devil (Hb 2:14, EP 4:8). He came to openly crush Satan and his evil works (Gn 3:15, Mk 3:23-26). He therefore made a public show of Satan by openly destroying his works (Col 2:15)

Jesus gave the 12 the authority over unclean Spirits, to cast them out. Though He knew the ultimate and public display over Satan will be on the cross He showed His authority over evil even before the cross. They were to minister to the people freely because they were freely given. That is the principle of christian behavior.

-          Today, so-called prophets prophecy for money

-          So-called prayer warriors pray for money

-          I saw a tract with a text; “To contact prophet Bismark, call Tel no. xxxxxxx: Prophetic consultation = 5000 frs”. Falsehood has entered into Christendom and false teachers and prophets have entered with their own principles.

-          Listen to what the Lord says: “You received it freely, so you must give freely”

-          Some of us will not go to Christian meetings and seminars if the church does not give us transport or pocket money. Or some of us will say they have to pay for my transport because they are the ones to be blessed. They need the Doctor and you are now the Doctor. Now, where is the sacrifice in your Christian walk?

b)       A mission has a destination. To where were they sent with this message and authority? To the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Why would our Lord chose only Israel and exclude the Gentiles and the Samaritans? This commission was specific only to Israel. But Jesus also healed non Israelites. He also mentioned in  Mtt 15:24 that He did not come only for the Lost of Israel. No wonder the scriptures tell us that the judgment will come first to the Jews, then to the Greek (Ro 2:9,10). Yes, they first had the promise of God, they have to be prepared for the cross and they shall be judged first because they first received.

Jesus sent them to prepare the way for the cross and establishment of His kingdom reign. He had sent them in 2s and now He is doing again but to the Lost of Israel to whom the messiah was promised. Then after making a public display of Satan on the cross He will ascend to heaven and send the Holy Spirit on the apostles in Acts 2.

Then they will go into all the nations (Mtt 28:19, Mk 16:15). The mission was clear and the disciples stick to their missions. How many Christians today know their mission? How many are faithful to their mission? Many of us modify our mission on the way because we want to please man rather than pleasing God. We prefer to jump and skip very essential steps in our mission just to please ourselves rather than the master of the mission.

-          That is why we find pastors who would accept calls only from big churches. Yes, because the big churches have money. They claim they have worked enough and need to eat now. What a mess! We want to get the mission fees before we get unto missions. But our Lord says, the worker is worthy of his food. The mission fee is paid in the field. Go and you shall be catered for. God is not a liar because He prepares those who will minister to you because of the word you shared with them. He says “whoever gives to a righteous man because of his righteousness will receive the reward of a righteous man”, and people who are transformed by His word know these things. Our mission is not to get more material things, but to preach the word and He says, when you seek first His kingdom and righteousness ALL these things will be added unto you. How can men of God preach these things and do not understand? Let’s pray that God will open the eyes of their heart so that they can understand and live the word they preach.

-          We find Christians who would only go to big churches that have been build. They don’t want young churches where work is needed. No! They know small churches need workers and people who can give for the financial needs of the church and for its missions.

-          They do not want small churches that can only grow if people go out for door-to-door or outdoor evangelism. They want to came and sit on our pews and comment on the theology of the pastor or his level of English and whatever.

-          What is your mission? Are you doing what the master has called you to do? Do you know that you are a priest? Do you know that you are called to evangelize? How many people have you talked to about Christ? But Christ says “Go to all nations and preach the word”. Prepare the people for His second coming! It is a divine command and that is your mission. You either obey it and do it or you disobey and stay back. If you are not doing that consider yourself a disobedient Christian who cannot bring glory to the master.

-          Our Lord sent the 12 to prepare the road to the cross. He is sending you now to prepare his coming. It will be terrible when he comes because it will be judgment (Vs 15)

c)       What are you do execute in the mission? The Mission was to be executed immediately. So our Lord asked them not to take any extra material with them that would burden the trip. The worker is worthy of his food. The preacher would be paid but they are not to go out for material blessings. Reason why they were not to move from house to house but to stay in one house in the city till the end of the mission (Mtt 10:11-13)

d)      How were they to behave in the mission? They were to behave well throughout their trip (vs 16) They were to be wise, cunning and prudent in their work for the master ( 2Cor12:16,Ep 5:15). They are to be harmless as doves; symbol of peace, innocence and purity. To do this they must exercise a degree of wisdom.

Unfortunately for us, some of us who claim to be disciples of Christ are not like doves. Some of us are responsible for the trouble and persecutions the men of God face today in our churches. We want power, influence, or whatever even money to the point that we persecute other disciples on their mission.

e)      What shall we do then? There is good news for you who may be persecuted for the mission. “Do not worry what you’ll say or how you’ll say it” God will give you what to say. The Spirit of God who indwells you will speak for you. Do not be distracted from the work. The how is not your problem. You just have to do your mission and God will take care of how you’ll answer questions of distraction. Our Lord knew that the enemy will want to distract his disciples from their work to which they were given. Therefore, our Lord Jesus is saying this to you now: “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light. And what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops” vs 27

Confess Jesus Christ before men and He’ll confess you before God the Father who is in heaven.

Are you ready to witness to others about Christ?

Have you started to prepare for the Lord’s coming in evangelism? If you have not, then you have failed in your mission. Wake up and do what your master has asked you to do.

Shalom!