Mentoring 5 “Go!”
Before Easter we were looking at a series on mentoring and we had discussed all sorts of stuff about apprentices, walking along side newer people to the faith, helping people to grow in the faith and the like.
In the gospels we get read an account of Jesus sending out the disciples to do his work.
It should be remembered that the disciples had been with Jesus awhile that they had been taught by him. They were learned in his way of doing ministry and it was time for them to be off doing the thing that Jesus had trained them for. Now I don’t know about you but this I reckon would be a bit of a nervous old time. Let’s read the account! Matthew 10:1-10.
Now Jesus sent the twelve disciples out and we know them by name, it is thought that most of these men were young with only Jesus and Peter having to pay the temple tax which was paid by men over twenty. So here they are, they have been following their Rabbi Jesus and it’s time for them to go and carry out the Rabbi’s work without him. So he sends them out with the following instructions, “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.”
Now there seems to be a bit of concern about this. Here’s Jesus telling the disciples that they are to ignore the gentiles (that’s non Jewish bods like us) and the Samaritans who were mixed blood people of Jewish decent and just to talk and work with Jewish people. Sounds a bit on the nose, a little exclusive you could even say a bit racist. What is this about?
Well let’s have a think about why Jesus would say this, we see him revealing who he is to a Samaritan woman in John 4: 4-42. If we read verse 40 we see that he got on alright with the Samaritans. “So when the Samaritans came to him they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.” We also see him healing the daughter of a gentile woman in Matthew 15:28. Jesus also tells his disciples later to “go and make disciples of all nations.” He also has some reasonable dealings with Roman people as well. So we can now that Jesus isn’t exclusive, he isn’t about just being there for Jewish people.
So Jesus isn’t a racist, that’s good news!
So why would he tell his disciples to only go and tell the Jewish people the good news?
Well William Barclay came up with three reasons, and while one doesn’t relate to mentoring they are worth looking at and thinking about.
a) The Jews had in God’s scheme a very special place. In the justice of God they had been given the first offer of the gospel. It is true that many rejected Jesus, but the whole of history was designed to give them the opportunity to accept.
b) The twelve disciples were not equipped to preach to the Gentiles, they didn’t have the right background, knowledge or technique. Paul was to start this ministry, and some of the disciples as well followed a ministry to the gentiles later in life. This command was only for a season, here and now they were restricted to preaching to the people of Israel. Go to the Israelites.
c) The greatest reason was this wise commander knows that he must limit his objectives, directing his attack at one point. The smaller his forces the more limited his immediate objective should be.1 To target the Israelites with Jesus message.
The disciples; these young students of the master were probably chaffing at the bit, keen as mustard, steamed up, jumping out of their skin’s, primed and ready for action, ready to get on with a bit of ministry – ready to preach but within that probably not too aware of their limitations and having seen Jesus success with Gentile and Samaritan people, keen to take the good news about the kingdom of heaven to them. In this passage of scripture we see Jesus just telling them to Taihoa ((Maori), wait/delay) hold on boys, “go just to the lost sheep of Israel.”
And what an awesome message he sent them out with! “Preach ‘the kingdom of Heaven is near’, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
I find it interesting that Jesus commanded them to do all that; as today in the church we have a tendency give out food parcels and budgeting advice and if we feel lead then to ‘preach’ “the kingdom of heaven is near”. Amazing what they did in Jesus name.
Then what does Jesus say to them? “Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or staff; for the worker is worth his keep.” Jesus sent the disciples out with the clothes they were standing up in, with no cash and what they achieved was going to ensure they had a feed and a bed for the night, that if they needed something it was to be provided because of the work they were doing, the signs and wonders that God was going to do through them, the good news they were going to preach... they were going!
That’s like me saying to the youth group here; “well guys, here’s the gospel take it and preach it, in fact live it just like the Acts two church, healing, raising the dead, driving out demons, just the clothes you’re standing up in will do, leave me all your plastic that’s right no Eftpos or credit, your phone, MP3 player and girls hand over the makeup. If you do a good job you’ll have all you need. Oh yeah no musical instruments just you and the message and God’s power. But to make it a little easier I’m only sending you out to preach to your family and lapsed Salvationists.”
Whose ready for that task then?
The truth is that Jesus was a great teacher and great teachers stretch their students, they make them a bit uncomfortable to ensure they achieve what they are capable of. Who here can remember a time when their parents, teacher or boss sent them off to achieve something they really didn’t want to do and as a result they grew through the experience.
So what does this passage say to us today? Other than the churches first priority is the preaching of the gospel and healing, driving out demons etc. in the power of Christ Jesus, leading people to him?
What does this passage say, well back to mentoring.
1) As mentors, ensure that those you are working with are equipped to do their tasks, the role that they are to fulfill, so that when they go they will be ready, but also do this in a way that puts some limits around the mentored. There is no use setting a future leader up for a fall early in their ministry to teach them a lesson.
2) I’ve often heard in my trade and in life we learn best through our mistakes. Absolute rubbish, deliberately setting someone up for a fall can be one they don’t get up from depending on their self-confidence and self-esteem. We learn best when we taught well, when we can observe someone doing a task well and repeat it.
Have you ever heard of Shin’ichi Suzuki, (no he’s not the man who made motor bikes) Mr Suzuki realized children learn their native language quickly and he developed a method of teaching the violin through a method of observation and repetition, a method that is used for twelve different instruments today and also in early childhood education. If you were to give a group of four year olds violins and bows that were made to their size and tell them to learn from their mistakes they would have a fairly tidy pile of kindling within a couple of hours. Whereas if you had them in a room with a trained teacher of the Suzuki method they would be able to play a tune.
Jesus knew what his students were capable of, he didn’t want them making mistakes, he wanted them to achieve and they did. Jesus had them go out ready.
If you are developing a leader, teach them well. If you are being taught a role if the person who is mentoring you insists you learn only by making mistakes find another mentor. If you do make mistakes and don’t learn from the mistakes you do make that’s not your mentors issue. Even the disciples made the odd mistake and they had the greatest teacher the world has known.
3) If you’re the one being mentored, allow yourself to be mentored – come under authority, allow yourself to be stretched, so that when you do go out you will be ready.
“But it’s too hard, I feel uncomfortable, I get anxious in new situations, look Jesus I just can’t do it, I’d prefer to stay home and polish the other blokes sandals!” What do you think Jesus would have said to Bartholomew or James the son of Alphaeus if they had come out with that line?
Jesus saves us, in him we are new creations he doesn’t leave us where we are, either we can go forward with him and grow, or stay where we are. That’s the choice.
Allow for challenges in your life. You will be stretched but stretching results in growth, new tasks result in new learning. Who here would want to be where they first were when they came to Christ, (pause) has the path you are on been challenging (pause). Are you ready to go onto the next challenge (pause).
4) If you wish to grow you will have to be willing to come under authority. The disciples came under the authority of Jesus. He taught with love but at times he put them right on their thinking. That’s what a good mentor, coach or boss will do.
If you’re thinking ‘I don’t have to answer to anyone other than God’, remember authority is not just something that limits people, though often in the world we see it used that way. Authority when used correctly brings liberty to people (repeat). This sometimes requires change but, it results in growth.
Do you know of a bloke called Daniel Carter, arguably the world’s best rugby player. This from Andy Howell of The South Wales Echo in 2008 “Scrum-half [Justin] Marshall took Dan the man under his wing when he burst on the scene with Canterbury, helping him through games as he developed into the world’s best player.” Now Daniel Carter could have just said Marshall what do you know, I’m a reasonable sort of a rugby player but instead he allowed himself to learn the disciplines that helped him become better so that he could go onto become the best in the world.
Jesus gave the disciples authority to heal, preach and cast out demons.
Authority should enhance not hold back. (repeat)
So Jesus sent the disciples out with authority, so what was that about only going to the Jewish people in Israel?
5) Jesus knew the disciples capabilities and he knew that he had a limited resource. Jesus is a great commander so he targeted a community that the disciples could make a difference in, people they could relate to.
If you are mentoring or being mentored and you wish to do your bit for the kingdom of God, for a while you may have to limit yourself, I know here at the Corps we have a list of dreams, but we also know that we have a limited resource. Would it be wise to say it’s all good let’s just get on with it, it will all come out in the wash. Even Jesus didn’t do that.
But in time he did allow his followers to go further, they were equipped with the good news of his resurrection his defeating that thing (pointing to the cross) he had conquered sin and death and his Holy Spirit was with them. He had a plan and at this time his plan was for the lost sheep of Israel. He instructed them “Go!”
Do you have a plan? For those you are training, for your training. Did you know people who have a financial plan are more optimistic about their future; people who have an emergency plan are more likely to survive a disaster. As a believer plan to spend time with God, in his word, at a small group, at church, going on retreats all this will help you grow in your relationship with God. To go on with God!
As a believer do you have a plan to tell others about Jesus?
If you are a leader who is training people what is your plan for them? Have you discussed it with them? Remember also plans don’t have to remain static.
Jesus had a plan for his disciples, Jesus had a plan for the lost sheep of Israel but he also had a plan and has a plan for the rest of the world and the whole of creation. But at this time he limited his forces to their capabilities. So where does that leave us? Plan, work to your abilities and continue to be stretched continue to grow. Be ready to go where God would send you, it might be to help the solo Dad next door who’s struggling with after school care for his kids or it could be to the ends of the earth, Are you ready to go?
In our own Christian witness I would like to set a challenge.
I’ve said this a few times, we have a number of empty seats here, I know of churches that have standing room only. The challenge is to plan, for each of us to seriously reach out to one person, a person you know, who you can discuss their future with, who may or may not respond to your inviting them to church to become a follower of Jesus. This isn’t just a Salvation Army thing, I don’t care if they come here or go back to a church where they haven’t attended for a while. This is about the kingdom of God not just about the Salvation Army.
The reason for this challenge is central to Jesus work with his disciples and was one word really summed up in one word “GO”. Going was uncomfortable, I can guarantee they were nervous, Jesus knew their capabilities, he knew that they could.
I challenge you today because I know you can. In some cases it will stretch you, rock you out of your comfort zone. But like the disciples who later on were commissioned to go not just to the lost sheep of Israel but to the whole word, making disciples of all nations, it takes action, it brings life change as people realize the power of God in their lives, Are you ready, Go!
We sang earlier “Light of the world forever reign”, an interesting fact is that darkness doesn’t actually exist, it can’t be measured, it is just an absence of light. We have the opportunity to take the light of the world into dark places are you ready to go?
Benediction:
The consequences are eternal!
Your witness will make a difference,
Empowered by the Spirit of him,
Who brings freedom,
As you Go!
Amen.
