HE CALLED THEM AND SENT THEM

Matt. 10:1

Morning Meditation 1/4/15

"And when he had CALLED unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."

Jesus did on the job training with His disciples. This is the best possible way to train men to work. You can read blueprints and books on how to preform tasks, but for the master builder to be present with you and show you how to do it, is the best way of training men. Matthew 10:5-6, "These twelve Jesus SENT forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

The church was begun in it's very beginnings at this point. The word church is ekklesia in the Greek from which our King James Bible is translated. The word church is made up of two words. The preposition "ek" which means, "out," and the word, "kaleo" which means to "call." The two words together mean "to call out," or, "assembly." Jesus called the twelve with the purpose of sending them forth to call others who would respond to the call and have this initially small group grow into a larger group of "called out" disciples who would be the church of which Jesus is the head. These would be called to go out with the message of salvation.

The commissioning of the twelve is called by many the limited commission. Jesus told them not to go at this time to the Gentiles but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then in Luke 10:1, "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come." In this verse the disciples had grown to where Jesus could call 70 to go out two by two into the cities where He himself would come. These were sent ahead to prepare the way for His coming. He instructed them carefully what to do and what not to do. He also gave them power to work miracles which would vindicate and authenticate their ministry. We are told in Luke 10:17-20, "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."

When Jesus gave this kind of power to His disciples, He knew that they would have a problem with pride. There was over powering joy that distracted them from the main focus of their ministry. He said, "I beheld (the word beheld means to know by seeing, i.e., eye witness) Satan as lightening fall from heaven." The word "fall" means, " to be cast down from a state of prosperity." Lucifer was one of God's archangels until he sinned against God.. His fall is described in (Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:13-19). Jesus told the seventy that He was an eye witness to this. That took a little of the boasting about their power to cast out demons out of their report. Its kind of like the man who miraculously escaped the James Town Flood. He went around to churches giving his testimony about his miraculous deliverance. When he died and went to heaven he kept bothering the angels about giving his testimony up there. He finally pestered them until they said, "ok, we will let you give your testimony. But just remember, Noah is in the audience!!!"

The ones who are sent forth are those whom Christ has chosen, called, ordained and empowered (verse 1; Mark 3:13-15; Luke 6:13). As it was with the Apostles, so it is with believers today. Those who are chosen in Christ (Eph. 1:4), called by Christ (Rom. 8:30), ordained by Him (John 15:16), and empowered by Him (Acts 1:8), are set apart to work with Him (2 Cor.. 6:1). Let's look at the directions that Christ gave to His disciples:

THEY WERE TO BE GENEROUS

Matthew 10:8, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give."

One is never more like Christ than when he gives. It can be giving to the support of the Church. God has designated the tithe for the work of the Church. Hebrews 7:8 says, "And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth." Then the Lord inspired Paul to teach tithing to the Church at Corinth. 1 Corinthians 9:9-14, "For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn (the pastor is the ox in this illustration). Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? FOR OUR SAKES, NO DOUBT, THIS IS WRITTEN: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel."

Then freely giving can be for the cause of worldwide missions. If your church is one that uses faith promise for the support of world wide missions, you are blessed by being a member of a church where you can give directly to missions. There are many churches that give a percentage of the whole budget to missions and they would not know what to do with a hundred dollars that came in designated for missions. Never would you be more like Christ, if you give to missions on a systematic basis. When Paul was teaching giving to missions above the tithe, he used Jesus as the example: 2 Corinthians 8:9, "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

Then again in 2 Corinthians 9:14-15, "And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."

You are never more like Christ when you give to a brother in need. I speak here about a benevolent offering. You see a brother that is struggling to make ends meet, the Lord has blessed you, so you just reach down in your pocket and when you shake his hand, leave a generous gift in his hand. You will never know what that means to a Christian brother in need when one of his brothers or sisters in Christ loves him with an unexpected offering.. Jesus told His disciples, "Freely ye have received, freely give."

THE DISCIPLES WERE TO BE COURTEOUS

When they came to a house they were to "salute" it (verse 12). Their salutation "Peace be to this house," or "Peace be to you," would be the benediction of God. A Christian should always be a walking blessing, shedding forth the fragrance of Christ wherever he goes, and this shall be so, as Christ dwells in the heart; for as scent in the clothes will betray itself, so Christ will be known when He lives in the soul.

Jesus was one of the meekest men who ever walked this earth. Someone has said that meekness is the temper under God's control. There are many things in people that bother the dedicated Christian. I believe in separation from the world. I do not believe a person can live a holy life if his love of sports is not under the Lord's control. I do not believe that a life of sanctification can be lived without sensual desires being mastered by the Master.

When a Christian is confronted with a situation that would cause him to violate his conscience, it is best to pray for wisdom in getting out of doing some of these things without offending, and looking self righteous to the other brother. Be courteous. Some Christians I know do not know the definition of this word and they do not think they are standing for Christ unless they offend a bunch of people in the process. One of the things that really helps me to be kind to people who do not live up to the standards that I have adopted, is to remember how long it took the Lord to bring me to this place in my life. When I remember that, and the patience that my brethren had with me, it motivates me to deal with this kind of an issue with kindness. Jesus taught His disciples to be kind.

THE DISCIPLES WERE TO BE INDEPENDENT

Matthew 10:14, "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet."

If the people to whom they went would not receive them nor their message, then they were not to force themselves upon these unwilling persons, but to shake the dust off their feet, as indicating that they would not take the dust of their floors from them; as Trapp says, "In token that you sought not theirs but them, and that you will not carry away so much as any of their dust."

This is not to be done in arrogance but in humility. It might involve leaving a gift or blessing rather than taking one solitary thing from them. God will take care of us, and He may not use that family to do it. If not, that is ok. We walk by faith in Him. And the Lord supplies generously to meet our needs. This kind of independence is a trust in the living God to take care of us. It avoids the name of being a leach or parasite who lives off the people. Amen!!! God does not want His children to be a burden to people but a blessing.

THE DISCIPLES ARE TO BE HARMLESS AS DOVES

Matthew 10:16, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

It is related of Francis Xavier, that as he was preaching in one of the cities of Japan, a man went up to him pretending that he had something to communicate in private. Upon his approach, Xavier leaned his head to hear what he had to say. The scorner thus gained his object, which was to spit freely upon the face of the devoted missionary, and thus insult him in the most public manner. Xavier, without speaking a word or showing any sign of annoyance, took out his pocket handkerchief, wiped his face, and went on with his sermon, as if nothing had happened to interrupt him. By such a heroic control of his passions, the scorn of the audience was turned into admiration. The most learned doctor of the city, who happened to be present, said to himself, that a law which taught men such virtue, inspired them with such courage, and gave them such complete mastery over themselves, could not but be from God. Afterwards he desired baptism, and his example was followed by others. So effectually did the meekness of the missionary promote the success of the work.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White