Becoming the First Call #10

Be a Blessing

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. 16 "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. 26 "So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. 34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. -- Matthew 9:35 - Matthew 10:1-38

SIDE NOTE:

What do these statements mean?

We must understand the context of this message. Jesus is training his disciples and sending them out to be witness to Jesus' power. He gives them authority in Palestine over demons, sickness. He sends them only with what they are wearing, but in v16 there is a shift. The shift is when he talks about the end of times, this is the bigger picture of the gospel going out to the world through his people, through Israel. He is not saying necessarily that you should go out unprepared, but there are underlying truths at play.

In our eagerness to GO and be SENT we often fall short of the goal.

In becoming the first call, like the PRC with unplanned pregnancy, this outward expressing is important. However, there is a preparation that needs to take place (Matt 9:35). Jesus shows the physical manifestation of the Kingdom, and we get a glimpse of his heart. v36  Jesus had compassion on the crowds.

This is what he saw - He sees people in their environment, he does not get concerned by their outward brokenness, he sees their inner torment. He sees that his people "are harassed" and feels compelled to help these people.

We think of the outward actions without seeing the Father's heart. We need to understand Jesus' compassion and how he sees people.

Realize that the reality is that the enemy is attacking the people, we need to see that, not the outward actions. We forget how much love our father has poured out on us.

Recall the story of the debtors who were forgiven. (Luke7:36-50)

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." 40 And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven--for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." 48 And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" 50 And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

God has given us great tools, starting with the Holy Spirit.

He calls us

He gives us authority over demons, sickness, and EVERY affliction

Does he really do this? 10:5-15 - Don't let your confidence be in your self get in the way of God's power. We are called to use God's strength and wisdom.
He calls our authority - DOMINION - Go and have dominion over the earth.
He tells his disciples that the harvest is full, but the workers are few.

The power and authority is like the talents that the servants are given, and we must be good stewards of these things.

Also, remember that His power works best in our weakness.

He gives us the Holy Spirit

What happens next? v16 - He says that we will be persecuted even to death.

For us in America, this is not a reality, but it is the case for a vast majority of Christians throughout the globe. We lived in a place where the morals of scripture have been the foundation of the country; however, that is changing. Scripture states that we will feel push back for the gospel. We are not to be ashamed of our father in heaven when we are having a hard time in our life. Jesus says that he did not to come and bring peace on earth. The peace that he speaks about is an inward peace. He comes against the prince of earth, our enemy. He came to not bring peace, but a sword, to cut through the lies of the enemy. Wielding the sword is painful because we must choose to serve God or Baal.


We have a choice to obey and follow God, or reject His call. Jesus demands total allegiance and recognition that he is the ruler of all things. When we come up against this, we have to choose Him, or live forever without Him.

This choice has a cost - Now, like Stephen, we must forgive those who persecute us. How hard this is in the flesh, in fact it is impossible. We must face this fact before we can even think about asking others around us to walk in this faith.

v28 - Do not fear those who can kill the body, but fear him that has the power to kill the soul.

Questions -

Who will you acknowledge?
Who will you fear?
Who will you serve with utmost devotion?

Jesus does not accept half-hearted following.

He is not asking you to give up your vices, he is asking you to give up your life, your everything.

Are you willing to give up everything for Jesus??

Wide is the way to destruction and many will find it, Jesus is the narrow gate and few will find it.

When you have made your choice, expect God to reveal to us those around us who most need Him. Be praying for them to be called into the Kingdom, be dedicated to those people.

Who are those people in your life that you want us to be a blessing to?
Who are those people not yet in your life that he is calling you to?
Who are those people around you that need His compassion?

ATTRIBUTION - The scriptures and sermon content first appeared at The Bridge, Big Flats, NY where Alex Ruffer is the Senior Pastor. These notes are mearly my thoughts and transcriptions during the sermon itself. Scriptures are quoted from the ESV unless noted otherwise.