MATTHEW 10: 7-15 [THE MESSIAH REVEALED SERIES]
KINGDOM WORKER'S MESSAGE, MINISTRY, AND METHOD
The King has trained and empowered His twelve Apostles to carry out His ministry. Now He gives them some specific guidelines concerning this specific short-term missionary assignment (CIT). The clarity and exactness of these instructions reveals the Messiah's expectations for their first non-supervised ministry experience. Later, when they have gained ministry experience and are sent out on long-term assignments, their directions will be different.
The overreaching ministry objective would be to preach that the kingdom is being set up and second to heal those oppressed by sickness or demons. The specifics as to how they are to carry out their charge are then given. This section closes with a declaration concerning the seriousness of their gospel message and ministry.
I. WORTHY WORK, 7-8.
II. WORTHY WORKERS, 9-10.
III. WORTHY WORDS, 11-15.
In verse 7 the rightful King of Israel sends His representatives to make the legitimate offer of the kingdom to the old covenant people. “And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The kingdom (3:2, 4:17,23), first proclaimed by John the Baptist (3:1), then by Jesus (4:17), is now to be proclaimed by His disciples. They are to preach, or as the present imperative indicates, to keep on preaching that the kingdom of heaven is at hand or has arrived, been brought near (9:35; 13:19). God's rightful reign in the hearts and lives of men is now being announced.
“The Jews were waiting for the Messiah to usher in His kingdom. They hoped for a political and military kingdom that would free them from Roman rule and bring back the days of glory under David and Solomon.” Jesus though was talking about a spiritual kingdom that begins when He is received as Lord in the hearts and lives of individuals. [Had Israel accepted her King, she would have had her long-awaited kingdom.]
The gospel offer through the sharing of Jesus Christ today still is that the kingdom is near you. Jesus, the Messiah, has begun His kingdom on earth in the hearts and lives of His followers. “One day the kingdom will be fully realized. Then evil will be destroyed and all people will live in peace with one another.” [Life Application Study Bible. NIV 1988. Zondervan. Grand Rapids, Mich. p. 1668.]
The ministry mentioned in verse 1 is restated in verse 8. “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.”
The twelve were instructed to conduct virtually the same ministry of healing and exorcism that Jesus had been conducting, even to the point of raising the dead and cleansing lepers. Their performance of this ministry is evidence that the kingdom of God has indeed arrived.
Certainly it was exciting to have authority to perform wonders with word and touch. Yet ministry is also hard and discouraging work. To keep them motivated and help them realize where the miracles come from, Jesus gave them the guiding principle “freely you have received, freely give.” They had not earned this enabling but freely received it from Jesus. "They had received their forgiveness, acceptance, position, and authority freely from Him. We today need to heed the same lesson. Believers today, in our comfortable lifestyles, tend to be hoarders of all we have received from the Lord- physical wealth, spiritual gifts for ministry, time, as well as the truth of the gospel and the authority to take it to others. We have earned none of this. It is all a gracious gift from the Father, given primarily so we might use it to further His kingdom. We must be” faithful stewards of what has been entrusted to us (1 Cor. 3:12-15; 9:24-27; 2 Cor. 5:10; Phil. 3:7-21). [Weber, Stuart. Holman NT Commentary. 2000. Broadman & Holman. Nashville, TN p. 142.] for our world needs to experience it’s love and power.
I read about a man in Santiago, Chile, a man named MUNOZ was arrested for drunkenness. As the police were taking him to jail, two Christians stopped them and asked if they could take care of him. The officers agreed. Faithful to Christ's commands, the believers fed the man, cared for him, found him a job, and told him about Jesus.
The gospel brought new life to Munoz. He became sober, employed, and industrious. He began to repair shoes and was able to make a simple living for his family. He started to talk to his neighbors about the love of God that was changing his life. Soon he was leading a group of neighbors in worship. Before long he became pastor of a congregation of 70 with a Sunday school attendance of 150 children. Munoz' life was changed because two Christian men gave him the gift of love.
If you believe in Christ and have experienced for yourself the wonderful love of God, don't keep it for yourself alone. Follow the command and example of the Lord Jesus by giving it to others. All around you are people who are living empty and unsatisfying lives because they do not know the love of God. You can help them. In the name of Christ, reach out to them. A heart full of love always has something to give. Be a giver of love.
The love of Christ has freed us, Has lifted us from shame;
Now we should do as He did, And reach out in His dear name.
[Because God has showered us with His blessings, we should give generously of our time, love, and possessions.]
II. WORTHY WORKERS (9-10).
Jesus has told them where to go, what to proclaim, and what to do. Now He tells them how they are to equip themselves for their first missionary assessment mission. The message of the Kingdom is not for sale (Acts 8:20), but in verse 9 Jesus declares those who receive it should also receive and support His commissioned messengers. "Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support. "
Only what is strictly necessary must be taken along on their short-term trip. His command that the twelve not make any advance preparation to acquire money or supplies for their journey was to give them an opportunity [or a challenge] to trust God for their daily provisions. They were to focus on ministering and let God take care of their needs through those to whom they ministered. They were to travel light, but not to travel alone, as Jesus paired them up (Mk.6:7; Lk. 10:1; Mt.10:2-4).
The phrase, for the worker is worthy of His support, instructs them in how God is going to provide for their daily needs. They would receive money, clothes, food and other needs because their work was valuable and would be recognized as so by those who truly received it. Why? Because God has empowered it and conferred upon it great blessing and said that those who receive it and recognize it's worth would support the workers God sent. “Paul set forth this very principle in Galatians 6:6, "Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches.” [Glasscock, Ed. Moody Gospel Commentary. Matthew. 1997. Chicago: Moody Press. p. 225.] God will providentially provide through those who honor the blessings of God through His ministers’ ministry. The obligation to supply the needs of worthy workers by those who receive their fruit is often reaffirmed in Scripture (Deut. 25:4; 1 Cor. 9:7,14; 1 Tim. 5:18; 1 Thess. 2:9).
III. WORTHY WORDS, 11-13.
Verse 11 instructs the disciples to find hospitality from the worthy among those who received their message in these strange towns and cities. “And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. "
By God's providential design, those receiving the ministry will be used to care for the needs of God's servants. Like the workers who minister, those providing care for them are called worthy (axios). Worthy folk are not easily encountered, so the disciples are instructed to inquire [exetasale - aor. imperative] or make a careful search for them in each city or village where they minister. They would need to be alert for those God would use to provide for them. The disciples were to stay with these providers until they completed their ministry in that place.
They are also directed to bless and let their peace rest on the worthy who receive them into their home in verses 12 & 13. “As you enter the house, give it your greeting. If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.”
When the disciples entered their supporting house they were to give it their greeting, "Peace be with you,” or peace be upon this house. Apparently this customary greeting [shalom] has a different value or effect depending on who says it. When said as a blessing by worthy workers of the kingdom it has a profound effect on all that goes on within the household of where Christ’s workers rests. The objective blessing could be taken back as well as given. If the household proved unworthy of the worthy work the pronounced blessing of peace and the prosperity of mind, soul, body, fellowship, and work was to be removed by the disciple. Those who genuinely welcome the gospel message and messenger are accorded special peace, while “unworthy” households forfeit the peace which accompanies the gospel.
IV. WORTHLESS AVOIDERS (14-15).
Verse 14 deals with those that refuse to listen to God's authorized worthy workers. “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.”
The Apostles were to visibly and symbolically reject those who rejected them or their words by shaking off the dust of their feet. Shake off the dust of your feet is a symbolic act of rejection carrying the idea that not even the dust of a wicked city would cling to them. This gesture indicates that they have not the slightest thing in common (or want to be contaminated by them in the least possible way) with these who reject Christ's messenger or message. They reject the only message that can save, that can make them right before God. Because of their rejection of the message of God, God will also reject them [be it an individual, a house or a city or a region]. Refusing to hear and obey the Word will also bring judgment.
Verse 15 declares the seriousness of the judgement and implies that there will be degrees of punishment. "Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement than for that city. "
[Verily or truly (Gk. amēn) is a transliteration from the Hebrew meaning “truly,” which gives emphasis to the statement that follows.] So serious is the offense that on Judgement Day God will show greater mercy to the notoriously wicked and perverse land of Sodom and Gomorrah than to those who reject the disciples and their message. The heinous offenses "of Sodom and Gomorrah” in the eyes of God is well documented in Scripture (Gen. 18:23-19:28; Lk. 17:29; 2 Pet. 2:6). Yet the grossest immorality and perversion of the flesh will not be as severely judged as the unwillingness to hear the message of the kingdom. Perhaps"[Glasscock, p. 225] Luke 12:48 offers some assistance; “From everyone who has been given much, much shall be required.” Given the opportunity to hear the gospel is the greatest privilege this life affords and rejecting to do so therefore is great sin even more than sodomy, rape, and murder. [See 11:23–24 for an application of this statement to Capernaum as well.]
IN CLOSING
The message of the kingdom of Christ brings great blessing as its proclamation separates out the worthy from the unworthy in the towns and cities of the world. We do not determine who is worthy or unworthy we are simply to take the Gospel to our lost world. Those who receive the Gospel will receive God’s worthy representative messengers and prove themselves worthy. Those who refuse to listen to the Word of God prove themselves unworthy of Him and His kingdom.
[The Gospel is not only an invitation to turn and surrender to Jesus, but a warning. We must convey the warning with compassion to maximize the likelihood that it will be heard. But we must be careful not to compromise its truth.] Anyone who has the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus' free forgiveness and salvation by grace and turns away should understand that they are choosing judgment, and that Judgment Day is very real.
