Thursday 26 June 2008
- Bible Book:
- Matthew
"Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near'. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town." (v.5-14)
Background
Although Jesus personally commissions the 12 disciples here,there are limitations to what they are being asked to do. They areto confine their activities to the "lost sheep of the house ofIsrael". This is not because their message will only be for Jews,but for the time being they are to focus on those who have beenlost. In time the commission will be widened.
Likewise, they are given a list of things they are allowed to do inJesus' name - a list of possible miracles they can conduct by proxy- but their power is limited to these things.
In verses 9-10 there is a list of things they are not allowed tocollect or take with them. This could point towards a number ofdifferent meanings - perhaps that they were not permitted to returnto work to provide these things for themselves but they had to makedo with all that they had already. Making haste is the key, ratherthan travelling without certain provisions.
The command to "shake off the dust from your feet" was drawingattention to the fact that the very land itself was holy and youwould not want to take it to the unwelcoming places. Those whorefused to listen were automatically placed outside of the holycommunity.
To Ponder
If one of the costs of discipleship is to beprepared not to work for your own benefit, how does this fit withour modern 'must-have' world?
How would you keep strong, knowing you were hatedbecause of your commitment to Jesus?