When am I ready go to work to “bring the Kingdom of God to earth?”
Matthew 9:35-10:14
Theme: Ch 9 Jesus taught and healed > saw the crowds > had compassion > saw their needs > said more workers
needed > prayed for more workers > got an answer.
QUESTION: Are you confident?
We are confident when we know the subject matter.
QUESTION: What is bravery?
The quality or state of having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty, or the unknown.
QUESTION: Are you brave? (Ever done anything brave?) (Not stupid!) Why or why not?
I helped get people out of a car that flipped near Poyen while gas was leaking out. I did it but I was scared.
Definition – The quality or state of having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty
Bravery is more or a character trait.
But sometimes you are called to be brave!
QUESTION: Where have you served or led now or before? (We will come back to this.)
DON’T READ YET
9:35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good
News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had
compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 He said to his
disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who, is in charge of the harvest; ask him
to send more workers into his fields.”
10:1 Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of
disease and illness. 2 Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter’s
brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James’s brother), 3 Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector),
James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, 4 Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him). 5 Jesus sent out the
twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, 6 but only to the people of
Israel—God’s lost sheep. 7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead,
cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! 9 “Don’t take any money in your
money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. 10 Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals
or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed. 11 “Whenever
you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. 12 When you enter the
home, give it your blessing. 13 If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the
blessing. 14 If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as
you leave.
BIG QUESTION: How did it go from “disciples following Jesus around” to “apostles going out” and announcing and
announcing the Kingdom of Heaven?
READ 9:35-38
1) 9:35 What did Jesus start doing after he preached The Sermon on the Mount?
TRAVELING, going, teaching, announcing the Good News of the Kingdom, healing.
2) 9:36 What did Jesus see and what was his emotion?
The Crowds. Compassion.
What is compassion? sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. The feeling that arises
when you are confronted with another's suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.
3) 9:36 What kind of condition were the people in?
Poverty was visible and common. Estimates are that 9 out of 10 persons lived close to the subsistence level or below it.
There was no middle class. The state did not show much concern for the poor. Inequality and inability to improve one's
social status were based on honor and shame, culture and religion.
In Galilee there were large building projects that demanded a lot more taxes and forced labor and made life even more
difficult.
The social and economic policy of the Roman Empire could well be summarized in a phrase: 'the Roman system of
inequality.' There was no middle class at all.
One bad harvest or one serious misfortune might mean the loss of everything, since the new patronal class, already viewed
with distrust, could not be depended upon for help. If they lost the essential resources of living, they became destitute.
That caused banditry, itinerancy, slavery, prostitution and robbery.
http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0259-94222016000400046
Then there was the Jewish religious leaders. Jesus spoke about the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. He said, “You
must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not copy what they do, for they do not practice what they
preach.” Jesus went on to explain that these religious leaders place unnecessary burdens on people, make a big show of
religious observance and love to be treated with honor as if they are really important. Pharisees – This name means 'the
separate ones'. They regarded themselves as morally superior to many in society – like tax collectors, Gentiles (non-
Jews) and sinners. They liked to keep themselves ‘pure’ and separate from such people. Their main responsibility was to
make sure that all the Jewish laws were kept. The Pharisees were very strict and self-righteous, but they were often stricter
on others than they were on themselves. AND THESE WERE “THE PEOPLE’S” LEADERS!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zhmhcqt/revision/1
4) 9:37 Who/What did Jesus determine was needed to help the people and who did he tell?
Workers. He told his disciples, his students.
How many people are typically being held in the detention center? Capacity is 395, sometimes they go over. How many
inmates have a mentor? Guess. How many need a mentor? Most. How many would be willing to accept a mentor?
How many people regularly attend church in Garland County and Hot Springs Village? Thousands How many senior
adults/empty nesters regularly attend church? Low thousands How many senior adults attend a senior adult ministry at
their church? 1,000. Name the churches that minister in person, specifically to the down and out?
What percent of people that go through the Christian based rehabs in Hot Springs then find a church and join and
participate in that church? Re-engage with the church their previous church?
TABLE QUESTION: Do you feel capable of helping and/or leading in some capacity in a church? If not, what do you
need to feel confident? If you feel confident, in what capacity could you serve and/or lead?
5) 9:38 What did Jesus decide was the first best course of action?
Pray and ask.
QUESTION: What have you prayed for that has happened? A place to serve that reaches people I don’t know, don’t
have a work or church relationship with. Garage Church Jail LOL.
I’m praying for workers that are graduates of shelters/rehabs to become Garage Church workers.
READ 10:1-14
6) 10:1 After Jesus prayed, what did he do?
Called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and
illness.
What do you think they thought? Brave, scared, confident, not confident? We don’t know but what do we know?
THEY WENT!
INSTRUCTIONS
Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, 6 but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. Why? Not enough time
yet. Focusing on Israel first.
V7 What instruction? Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. (Not talking about eternity – the
kingdom – is here now! – that’s what we are supposed to be living in, bringing to rest of the world – the true Good Life!)
V8 What instructions? Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure the lepers, cast out demons, give.
V9-10a What instructions? Don’t take money, luggage – clothes and sandals, walking stick.
Why not? God is a God of just enough. Trust Him.
V10b-12 What instructions? Accept hospitality – you deserve it, search for a worthy person (As opposed to what? the
best house), don’t move around (why? After doing miracles your everybody’s friend – Jesus knows the human condition),
bless the home.
V13 What instruction? Leave the blessing or take it back. ??? Honesty ??? Serious business here ???
GET BROOM AND SHAKE OFF DUST TO A COUPLE OF PEOPLE
V14 What instruction? If not welcomed: Shake off the dust – “I’m moving on, I guess you’ll just miss out.”
The command to “shake the dust off your feet” appears only four times in the New Testament. In each case the command
is spoken by Jesus to His disciples when He sent them out two by two. Embedded within this symbolic gesture was the
implication that God also saw the dust-shaking and would judge people accordingly.
This situation feels like what we talked about several weeks ago. Today people don’t outwardly reject God, they just
don’t need God.
So why did he include this? We will face rejection. Learn to accept it. It’s your job the present – the Holy Spirit
convicts. Plus, OK, they’ve been put on notice.
Think about that – after they show up and presumably do miracles and they still want you gone! ????
BUT WHAT IF somebody picks you up of the Kroger sidewalk, or from underneath a bush, and helps you, and you . .
Bottom line, BUT WHAT IF someone accepts you (with all of your quirks/faults/failures – everyone in this room) and
loves you with no strings attached and you . . . . . .
AND YOU – WHAT ABOUT AND YOU – there’s a wonderful phrase hidden in these instructions – Give as freely as
you have received! (v8)
BUT WHAT IF
But what if you grow in: confidence – trust (in God) – bravery – going out there and sharing – sometimes accepting
rejection – being the giver giving back what you have received.
Bluntly – we need you to come and work with us – we need your knowledge & compassion! Talk to us, dream.
So what did these “not too trained” disciples do?
Luke 9:6 So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.
Mark 6:12 So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. 13And they cast
out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil.