Matthew 10:5-8
New International
Version (NIV)
5 “These twelve Jesus sent out with the following
instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost
sheep of Israel. 7 As
you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the
dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have
received; freely give.’”
It has
been a long time since I have written a blog but I have continued to seek Him
and know Him with my whole heart and I pray that you have done the same. Last time I wrote we looked at who Jesus
chose to be His disciples and today we are going to begin looking at some
instructions that He gave to them as He sent them out to minster amongst the
Jews.
Something
very noteworthy is that He sent these men out to the lost sheep of Israel not
to the Gentiles or the Samaritans. Now,
why do you think that was so? We know
full well that Jesus wasn’t racist because He talked to the Samaritan women at
the well. We know that He came to save
all of us not just the Jews, so why did He instruct them in this manner?
As I
looked closer at that scripture I realized that He sent them to the “lost
sheep of Israel”. These were
people who thought they knew how they were to act, they thought they knew who
God was, I am sure they probably thought that they were the only ones who would
be going to Heaven but they were lost. As I read the story of Jesus talking to the
Samaritan women I saw someone who recognized Jesus for who He was not for His
healing power, not for His lofty position but she heard His words and
recognized Him. You can read of this
account in John 4 but I want for you
to look at John 4:39-42:
39 “Many of the Samaritans from that town
believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever
did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they
urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words many more
became believers.
42 They said to the
woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard
for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.’” (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204:%2039%20-%2042&version=NIV)
Another
passage I was reminded of this morning that illustrates this can be found in Luke 10:25 – 37 where Jesus uses the
illustration of a Samaritan to explain the proper actions and reactions of a
true follower of Christ:
25 “On one occasion an expert in the law stood
up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read
it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with
all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so
he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked
by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving
him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the
same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the
place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came
where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his
wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought
him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper.
‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any
extra expense you may have.’”
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who
fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one
who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told
him, “Go and do likewise.”
Back to our scripture for today, Jesus was not
overlooking the Samaritans nor was He overlooking the Gentiles, He was going
after the lost sheep that He so dearly loved.
He was practicing what any good Shepherd would do as He says in Luke 15: 3 – 7 3 Then Jesus
told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t
he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until
he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and
says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven
over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not
need to repent.
Jesus sent His disciples out to bring the lost sheep
home. They performed miracles, Jesus
performed miracles, and yet many did not repent and recognize them. You can read of this account in John 10:22 – 42:
22”Then came the Festival of Dedication[a] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts
walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered
around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the
Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my
Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are
not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know
them, and they follow me.28 I give them
eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my
hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,
is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up
stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of
these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any good
work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be
God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the
word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set
apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of
blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?37 Do not believe me unless I do the
works of my Father. 38But if I
do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may
know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he
escaped their grasp.”
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan
to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They
said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man
was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in
Jesus.
So, you may ask, what did John
say? You can find the answer to that
question in John 3: 22 – 35: 2 After this, Jesus and his disciples went
out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and
baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon
near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being
baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in
prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of
John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him,
“Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you
testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27 To this John replied, “A person can
receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I
said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29The bride belongs to the
bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him,
and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and
it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become
less.”
31 The one who comes from above is above
all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from
the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and
heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified
that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks
the words of God, for God[ gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has
placed everything in his hands.
Yes, Jesus performed miracles yet some
still did not believe. We ask for
miracles today and we have seen them yet still some do not believe. Notice in John 10:41,
John never performed a sign but those who continued across the Jordon with
Jesus realized that what John had said was true and they believed in
Jesus. The miracle of belief is so much
more amazing than the miracle of a healed body or the miracle of a winning
touchdown or the miracle of being raised from the dead. Yes, we still see miracles today and we still
see people with unbelief. Where are you
in the belief of Jesus Christ? Do you
believe He is the way to the Father? Are
you a religious person or a forgiven person?
Have you been asked to go out and proclaim the good news to the lost
sheep? How have you responded?
May God
reveal to you His glorious riches through Jesus Christ our Lord as you seek Him
and know Him when you seek Him with all your heart.
Seeking
Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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