Commissioning of the 12

July 24, 2022 · Harmony the Gospel

Scripture referenced 9 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

Psalm 62 opened the service, 'my soul finds rest in God, and my hope comes from him'

1 My soul rests in God alone. My salvation is from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress— I will never be greatly shaken.
3 How long will you assault a man, would all of you throw him down, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
4 They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place. They delight in lies. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
5 My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my expectation is from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I will not be shaken.
7 With God is my salvation and my honor. The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. Selah.
9 Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath.
10 Don’t trust in oppression. Don’t become vain in robbery. If riches increase, don’t set your heart on them.
11 God has spoken once; twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God.
12 Also to you, Lord, belongs loving kindness, for you reward every man according to his work.

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Ephesians 2:10

we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works prepared beforehand

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.

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Proverbs 3:5-6

trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not lean on your own understanding, acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight

5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

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Psalm 34:3

let us tell of the Lord's greatness, exalt His name together, sung during offering

3 Oh magnify Yahweh with me. Let us exalt his name together.

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Matthew 10:1-42

primary passage, the commissioning and instruction of the twelve

1 He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother;

3 Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

5 Jesus sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans.

6 Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.

9 Don’t take any gold, silver, or brass in your money belts.

10 Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.

11 Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on.

12 As you enter into the household, greet it.

13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 Whoever doesn’t receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.

15 Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.

18 Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.

19 But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.

20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

21 “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.

22 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man has come.

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.

25 It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!

26 Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known.

27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.

28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

29 “Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will,

30 but the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

32 Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven.

33 But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.

34 “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

36 A man’s foes will be those of his own household.

37 He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.

38 He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me.

39 He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

40 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.

41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.

42 Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

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Mark 6:7-11

parallel account of the commissioning, Jesus sending the twelve out in pairs

7 He called to himself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits.

8 He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a staff only: no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse,

9 but to wear sandals, and not put on two tunics.

10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there.

11 Whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

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Luke 9

parallel account, Luke the physician differentiates power over demons from power to heal diseases

1 He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.

2 He sent them out to preach God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick.

3 He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey—neither staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats each.

4 Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there.

5 As many as don’t receive you, when you depart from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a testimony against them.”

6 They departed, and went throughout the villages, preaching the Good News, and healing everywhere.

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him; and he was very perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead,

8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.

9 Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this, about whom I hear such things?” He sought to see him.

10 The apostles, when they had returned, told him what things they had done. He took them, and withdrew apart to a desert region of a city called Bethsaida.

11 But the multitudes, perceiving it, followed him. He welcomed them, and spoke to them of God’s Kingdom, and he cured those who needed healing.

12 The day began to wear away; and the twelve came, and said to him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and farms, and lodge, and get food, for we are here in a deserted place.”

13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy food for all these people.”

14 For they were about five thousand men. He said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”

15 They did so, and made them all sit down.

16 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to the sky, he blessed them, and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.

17 They ate, and were all filled. They gathered up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.

18 As he was praying alone, the disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do the multitudes say that I am?”

19 They answered, “‘John the Baptizer,’ but others say, ‘Elijah,’ and others, that one of the old prophets is risen again.”

20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

21 But he warned them, and commanded them to tell this to no one,

22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.”

23 He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same will save it.

25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?

26 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels.

27 But I tell you the truth: There are some of those who stand here, who will in no way taste of death, until they see God’s Kingdom.”

28 About eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray.

29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling.

30 Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah,

31 who appeared in glory, and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men who stood with him.

33 As they were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he said.

34 While he said these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.

35 A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!”

36 When the voice came, Jesus was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.

37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great multitude met him.

38 Behold, a man from the crowd called out, saying, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.

39 Behold, a spirit takes him, he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him so that he foams, and it hardly departs from him, bruising him severely.

40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, and they couldn’t.”

41 Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”

42 While he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him violently. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

43 They were all astonished at the majesty of God. But while all were marveling at all the things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples,

44 “Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men.”

45 But they didn’t understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

46 There arose an argument among them about which of them was the greatest.

47 Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side,

48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great.”

49 John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.”

50 Jesus said to him, “Don’t…

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Mark 3

early appointment of the twelve, so they would be with Him and He could send them out to preach

1 He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had his hand withered.

2 They watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him.

3 He said to the man who had his hand withered, “Stand up.”

4 He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?” But they were silent.

5 When he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored as healthy as the other.

6 The Pharisees went out, and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

7 Jesus withdrew to the sea with his disciples, and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea,

8 from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, beyond the Jordan, and those from around Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came to him.

9 He spoke to his disciples that a little boat should stay near him because of the crowd, so that they wouldn’t press on him.

10 For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him.

11 The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, “You are the Son of God!”

12 He sternly warned them that they should not make him known.

13 He went up into the mountain, and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him.

14 He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach,

15 and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:

16 Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);

17 James the son of Zebedee; and John, the brother of James, (whom he called Boanerges, which means, Sons of Thunder);

18 Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot;

19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. Then he came into a house.

20 The multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

21 When his friends heard it, they went out to seize him: for they said, “He is insane.”

22 The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons.”

23 He summoned them, and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?

24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

26 If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can’t stand, but has an end.

27 But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder, unless he first binds the strong man; and then he will plunder his house.

28 Most certainly I tell you, all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme;

29 but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.”

30 —because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

31 His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him.

32 A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, “Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you.”

33 He answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”

34 Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!

35 For whoever does the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.”

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Galatians 5:22-23

fruit of the Spirit listed as closing exhortation on what should be evident in believers

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

Pastor Mark walked through Matthew 10:1-42 alongside the parallel accounts in Mark and Luke, tracing Jesus commissioning the twelve disciples and sending them out in pairs. The sermon sat inside an ongoing Harmony of the Gospels study and covered everything from the practical instructions Jesus gave for the journey to the harder prophetic words about persecution, family division, and what it costs to follow Him.

What was said

The commissioning begins with Jesus summoning the twelve and giving them authority over unclean spirits and the power to heal diseases. Pastor Mark paused on the word "appointed," connecting it to the Greek word behind Ephesians 2:10, where Paul says we are God's workmanship, or in the New Living Translation, His masterpiece. The point was that being appointed or commissioned is never self-generated. Jesus did it, and He did it for a purpose He had already prepared.

The instructions Jesus gave for the journey were deliberate and specific. Take nothing extra. Stay in one house per town. And if a place refuses the message, shake the dust off your sandals and move on. Pastor Mark was honest that the "take nothing" instruction sits uncomfortably with the planning and preparation ministry usually requires, but he read it as a call to trust that what is needed will be provided along the way, and not to let anything hold back the going.

The mission at this stage was directed only toward the lost sheep of the house of Israel, not to Gentiles or Samaritans. Pastor Mark read that not as exclusion but as strategy, and noted that some of the disciples, Peter especially, were not yet ready to minister across those lines. The message they were to carry was the same one Jesus had been preaching: the kingdom of heaven has come near. The healings and deliverances were meant to authenticate that message, not to function as independent displays of power.

Then the passage turns harder. Jesus told them they would be handed over to courts, flogged in synagogues, brought before governors and kings, and hated because of His name. Pastor Mark read the instruction not to worry about what to say in those moments as genuine comfort rather than a throwaway line: the Spirit of the Father would speak in them. He noted that this same Spirit was with them before Pentecost, even if they did not yet experience Him the way believers do now.

The warning about family division drew careful attention. Jesus said He came not to bring peace but a sword, and that the younger generation would often receive the message before the older one. Pastor Mark connected this to the current wave of deconstruction happening publicly, and said flatly that Satan tries to get people to blame anyone but themselves when they walk away from faith. He also pushed back on any legalism that provokes that kind of rebellion, while still holding that genuine faithfulness to Christ will sometimes divide households.

The cross, Pastor Mark pointed out, is mentioned here before the actual crucifixion. For the disciples, it would have meant the crossbeam of a Roman execution. Carrying it means withstanding persecution, not suffering in general. He was direct that bearing the cross of Christ is not the same thing as Christian nationalism, and that the symbol has been dragged into political territory that distorts it. The call is to lose your life for His sake, not to gain a platform.

The sermon closed on what Pastor Mark called the most surprising line in the passage: after sending the twelve out to all the villages of Israel, Matthew says Jesus went on to teach and preach in their cities Himself. He read that as Jesus going ahead into the very hometowns of the people being sent out, to speak to their families while they were away. That, he said, was what stayed with him most.

Doing a Bible study?

Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.

Pastor Aaron pointed to Ephesians 2:10 and said we are God's workmanship, his masterpiece, a love poem to the world. What does it look like in your daily life to actually live as something God crafted on purpose for a specific work?
Jesus told the twelve to take almost nothing with them and to trust that provision would come as they went. Where in your own life do you find it hardest to step out without having everything figured out first, and what holds you back?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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Speaker 2Good morning, church. How are you today? It's good to see you. I've got a good word, from Psalm 62 this morning to lead us into worship. And while I read it, would you would you stand with me?

We'll sing. But it says this, my soul finds rest in God, and my hope comes from him. We say we start by singing that great truth. My hope is in you.

Speaker 1Amen. Y'all can have a seat. I've got a few announcements for us this morning. First of all, Monday nights at first B. What's going on, Carl?

Speaker 2Yeah, we are on meal, music, message, 06:00. It's lasagna night, and we are in the later half of Colossians three where it's instructions for households. But basically, it's how how Jesus rule and reign in our lives transforms everyday life, like work, like parenting, like marriage. So it's just good practical stuff. So just know that it's another worship gathering we have on Monday nights, 06:00.

Speaker 1Meal, music, and a message down the hall tomorrow night. Prayer group happens on Wednesday mornings in the church office, 07:30AM. Group's been together for a long time, or the group has been going with various members for a long time. You are welcome to be a part of that group. 07:30AM Wednesday in the church office.

Sunday school, the kids Sunday school is on a break for the little kids. Middle school and high school guys and gals are meeting this morning, so when we have the break between songs and offering and everything and and just before the sermon, I'm gonna kinda dismiss or release y'all. Church camping trip is coming up fifth, sixth, and seventh of August at Coulter Bay. Contact Brian McCooey, and he will let you know what needs to happen or how to go on. It's pretty easy.

If you want to go up for the night, there are tent spots available. If you have an RV, let him know so he can kind of get you a place for that. It's also food and music and just fun. So plan on being there. That's Friday, Saturday, Sunday fifth, sixth, and seventh of August.

Right before that is a men's rafting trip on the third and I think it's expanded from four to six. They started thinking about that and it's spread out in a couple of different ways. It's a little earlier and a little later. I don't know what it is. 02:30 maybe?

Somewhere in there? Anybody? Anybody? They'll let you know. If you contact us about being there, we'll make sure that you get to the right place at the time.

But there's a men's rafting trip open to all who want to go on the Wednesday, 08/03. You can talk to Mike B or Brian McCooey. I have an announcement right here. Nancy Cummins came in. Would you stand for just a minute, please?

I've got a couple of different reasons. One, she has been our bereavement team leader for the last three or four years. How long do you think it's been? Nine years? Goodness gracious.

You have been working on this a long time with your husband. Brad, would you stand up please too? So there are lots of people on this team who have helped out. It is you know when someone passes and you wonder, what can I do to help? What can I do to help?

What can I do to help? One practical thing we do is when we have funerals, we have a meal usually, a lot of times afterwards, a luncheon or snacks, refreshments, whatever. And they have been coordinating this for the last long time, right? Long time. We are looking for a new one.

There is a team already in place. There are lots of people who want to help out with this. They've been great. Can you give me an amen on that? Amen.

Amen. All right. Good. Our current team leader is moving eventually. So we're searching for a new team leader or coordinator.

So this is a very practical way of helping out. If you think, You know what? I can do that. Please, it's a job that is very, very helpful for people going through grief. Would you agree?

Yes. Yes. Okay. Thank you.

Speaker 2And it's very

Speaker 1I agree.

Speaker 2Yes. And Nancy has set you up to win. She has notes upon notes upon notes on how to do this thing. And that helps too if you're going to serve.

Speaker 1Yes. You very much. You for that. Would you Do you mind? Thank you very much.

Alright. Next week. Next week. If you show up here at 09:00 next week, there's probably not gonna be a full room. Okay?

It's gonna be people who are confused because next week we're not meeting here at the church. We're going to meet at the big top at the fair. Cowboy Church for Teton County Fair is next week at 10:00, one service, so everybody can come to that. Now before that, if you get here early and you go, Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Come on over.

The Lions Club will be doing breakfast like they always do, and then we'll do church from ten to eleven, and then you you're at the fair already. So one service only. Did everybody hear that? 10:00 next week. We'll leave signs on the door here, but it'll be over there not here next week.

One service only. Amen. Pray for me. That's a fun one. We always have a good time, but it's a different thing being there.

And so just I want I want for us all to just live out the amazing love of God in front of, people and just I hope that he draws people into the family of God. That's it. Would you stand up? I think that's all the announcement I've got to do.

Speaker 2God, we are thankful this morning for your amazing grace, for your favor always extending in our direction. And, God, for your love, your brand of love, your self giving, others focused, sacrificial love. Thank you. You truly are worthy of these songs that we sing. Amen.

Here's a couple good words here from, one from Ephesians two ten. It goes right along with this with this song. It's for we are God's workmanship. We're created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand in advance that we should walk in them. That's one.

And here's another from Proverbs three, five and six. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding, but in all of your ways acknowledge him, his ways, and he'll make your path straight. You can have a seat here for a moment. This is the worship through giving part of the service and I'll go ahead and invite the ushers to come on forward here. Gonna sing Psalm 34 verse three of Psalm 34.

It says, let us tell of the Lord's greatness. Let's exalt his name together. Before we sing, great,

Speaker 1would you pray? Sure. God, thank you for the the place to gather, Lord, the time to gather, the accord, the the accord that we've come to to meet together to praise your name, Lord. I thank you that your people who are gathered in your name, Lord, are here sitting humbly waiting for instruction. From you, from your word.

I thank you Lord for the blessing that you have given there. I ask you Lord that you take what is put in these plates, the literal and the metaphorical. Lord, what we put in the plates, what we offer to you. We give back from what you've given to us so that others may know Christ. In Jesus' name, Lord, we try to do everything that is we wanna do.

Would you give us the strength, Lord, and the direction to do that? We pray, Lord, that we would trust in your provision and that you would direct our path. In Jesus' name, Lord, we're thankful. Amen. Amen.

Amen. Amen. It is time now for the middle school and high school guys and gals to have their class downstairs. Alright. Commissioning of the 12.

This is where we are in our Harmony the Gospel study. We're up to this, place where Jesus has been teaching them and they have been with him and they have been going with him this whole time. And now he's commissioning them and he's starting to send them out on submissions on their own. So that's the commissioning of the 12. I see this as not exactly a graduating service, but we have a commencement service, you know, where we send, kids out after they have received their training.

There's a bit of commissioning in the military. Once you've done a lot of the work of boot camp and you've worked through your specializing, then you get commissioned out to go out. This is what is going on. We're going to see it in Matthew ten:one-forty two. That's a long passage.

And then Mark six:seven-eleven, that's not that long and Luke is not that long. Look at this. I will close with a couple more verses. But look at this, today, for the last few weeks Matthew's been the shortest one and then today that's what we're covering in Matthew and Mark and Luke just kind of barely hit it. Hit it in passing.

And then this is one of those long instructive sections from Matthew. We'll analyze that, but here we go. And I've I've color coded them a little different this morning. Mark is kind of a light blue and then Luke is in orange and Matthew is in green. Just so you can kinda see who's saying what.

I don't usually swap around quite as much as I will today and he summons the 12. Anytime you see that asterisk, it's bringing you in in the new American standard. It's a past translation for what's a present historical narrative. It's active. He's summoning his 12 and beginning to send them out in pairs and gave them authority over the unclean spirit.

Mark says it's in pairs. Luke says, now he called the 12 together and gave them power and authority over all the demons. I like this in Luke. He says, and the power to heal diseases. It's not always everything always does not have a spiritual root.

Okay? It's not always demons. But Luke, the physician, kind of differentiates. Mark will later, but Luke does right here. He called the 12 together.

He gave them power and authority over all the demons, which he has been exhibiting recently. Every time we've gotten together, he has shown both his power over the natural and the supernatural. He has been doing these things, and they've been in his presence, and now he's calling them together, and he's giving them this power and authority. Matthew says it this way, Jesus summoned his 12 disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, cast them out and to heal every disease and every sickness. So that's the way Matthew says it.

Now the names of the 12. This is the first time Matthew lists the names of the 12. We've seen it in Mark and Luke and I even picked it up, when we were back in November I think it was November 7 last year. We were covering this and I used the list from Matthew but we were just using it as a list of names. What was interesting about this then and about this now to me is this word appointed.

Jesus appointed these 12. He made them into the 12. Right? He appointed. We called them out for a specific purpose and that's the definition of a poiescent if you want to look it up.

What's important about that word though is this. He appointed. He did it and it is from the verb that Carl used during the little break there in between songs. The poiema. We are his workmanship.

That's Ephesians two ten. For we are his workmanship. We are something that he has created. He created us in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so we'd walk in them. If you want the New Living Translation, it goes, I think it yields a little a little bit, but it says we are his masterpiece.

We are his poem. We are a love poem to the world. Are we? We should be. For we are God's masterpiece.

He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Amen. So to appoint or ordain usually is for a specific purpose, which is what a commissioning is. When you commission them for a purpose, there are different purposes for different people, different times, different places. To appoint or ordain, He did this and in Mark, he says early on, this is Mark three, he says, and he appointed 12, why?

So that they would be with him. They've been with him. They've been with him two years probably at this point, maybe two and a half years. So that they would be with him and that they could that he could send them out to preach, to proclaim the word, and to have authority to cast out the demons. That was early on in Mark and now back here we are in Matthew.

Now the names of the 12 apostles and he summoned the 12 and he sent them out in pairs. I jump back to Mark because it's funny the way that he lists them in Matthew right here. He lists them in pairs. You see a semicolon in English. They didn't have punctuation the way we do, but it's fairly obvious from the text.

He's listing them in I mean six pairs of two. So Simon, who's called Peter and his brother Andrew, makes sense that they'd be together. They've been together their whole lives. James' son is Zebedee and his brother John. Same thing there.

Philip and Bartholomew. Thomas and Matthew Matthew wrote this. Thomas and Matthew. I imagine he remembers what boot camp was like. I imagine he remembers what the commissioning was like.

Matthew, you know the one that was a tax collector converted guy. James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddeus and Simon the Zealot, so not to be confused with Simon Peter. And Judas Iscariot, yeah, the one who also betrayed him. Thaddeus actually, it's interesting, he's called Judas a different name Judas but he also goes by Thaddeus and I think I'd probably go with Thaddeus too. Anyway, he summoned the 12.

He began to send them out in pairs and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits and he instructed them that they were to take nothing for their journey. This is a training session. It's from Jesus. He has the ability to say this. Is it normative for all times, every time?

No. I don't think so. But he did say this to them and I think it's a good exercise and practice for us too. He instructed them that they would take nothing for their journey except a mere staff. No bread, no bag, no money in their belt.

Just go. Wear sandals. Hey. And he added, do not wear tunics. Don't even take a jacket.

Don't even just go. You're ready for this. And if you're not ready, we'll provide on the way. We'll get what you need. Be doing it.

Don't let anything hold you back. How about that? That's pretty good. Don't don't even wear two tunics. Don't take an outer coat.

And he said to him, wherever you enter a house, stay there till you leave town. You know, were missionaries for a long time. And when you get invited to a place, it's often a very friendly audience because they've invited you out of your country that you're ministering to back to speak to the home church or whatever. And people, when you go in, you get to know the people that host you really well. And then occasionally they'll say, well, I can take them for a night.

I can take them for a night. I can take them for a night. And you just bounce the whole time you're there like, where was I know why he says this but I think it's probably. You know Jesus had disciples. He had 12.

He had three. And I think this might have a little bit to do with that. Whenever you go into a house, wherever you are, stay there till you leave town. Just hang out with those folks. They might have questions.

You might get to know them a little better. Any place that doesn't receive you or listen to you as you go out from there, just shake the dust off the soles of your feet as a testimony against them. If you carry Christ's message and it's rejected, what they're rejecting is the message. I often say here, as long as I'm saying what it says, I don't have to defend myself. Right?

But I also told Carl this morning, some of this I'm just gonna have to sit in your lap and let you deal with it because some of it's hard. It's hard personally, it's hard. Like I can't go out without any preparation. I have to prepare. I have to get this together.

I have to figure this out. And I think we've got a missions committee and we go over your plan and try to help with it, but there's something to be said for doing the work where you are right now and going as you go, I mentioned last week. As you are going, be making disciples. But not everyone is gonna receive you warmly. Not everyone's gonna receive the message.

And if that's the case, shake the dust off your sandals and move on. It's alright. Maybe you're not the one. Maybe you were the first one to introduce the message to them. Maybe you hit them at a bad time.

I've got other people. The Holy Spirit is very, very active. Maybe you're not the one. You shake the dust off your sandals and move on. And he sent them out.

This is Luke. He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God. Amen. What has Jesus been proclaiming? The kingdom of God.

The kingdom of heaven is at hand. The kingdom of God is near. It's right here. So close you could touch it. People have been reaching out for him in faith and it makes all the difference.

He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform the healing, Luke says. And he said to them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staff nor bag, nor bread, nor money, nor not even have two tunics. Whatever house you enter, stay there till you leave that city. Both of them remembered that or both of them, you know, Luke was obviously asking eyewitnesses but they all remembered, yeah, he said, just stay in the same place. It seems like that'd be a burden on that family.

Why would you stay in that place? Because your presence is not a burden to that family. You're carrying the very word of God. Whatever you house you enter, stay there till you leave that city. And as for all who do not receive you, it's gonna happen, you know.

When you leave that city, just shake the dust off of your feet as a testimony against them. That's not new by the way. The shaking the dust off your sandals is a symbol. It's Jewish symbol for, you know what, I did all I could do. What they usually did it for though was when they left a Gentile area and they were coming back into Jerusalem.

Oh, that one one's hard. Because the Jews saw themselves as being, and they were, God's chosen people and they are God's chosen people. But if you are one of God's chosen people and you pass through an area of people who do not yet know him, you carry the message purely. You carry the messages of his love and his forgiveness. His judgment certainly will come into play at some point.

But you carry that message and if they reject that message, they're rejecting the message of God. They're not rejecting you. You can let it go. That's good. I know a lot of people who have come back from the field who are traumatized when they come back.

Some of them it's because of reentry because culturally it's just so different here rather than where they were. But some of it is because they feel like they left the job unfinished. And that's a really hard thing. He's saying, move on. It's alright.

These 12 Jesus sent out after instructing them. After he gives those six pairs of two. These 12 Jesus sent out after instructing them and saying, this is interesting because neither Luke nor Mark mentions this, but of course their blurb is this long and his is this long. Matthew took this. Have you any of y'all seen The Chosen?

Y'all watched The Chosen? Yeah. It's amazing. It's really, really good. Matthew is quirky in that.

And the first time I saw it, I said, I don't like Matthew being quirky. I mean he's definitely on the spectrum there with autism. No doubt about it on that. And I thought, don't know if I like that portrayal of Matthew. And he hits a point.

He goes, why would I not want to be precise? You know, one of them waves him off and says, ah. He just goes, no. I want to be precise about this. So where they said that he instructed them and told them a few things, Matthew's gonna slow down and he's gonna spread out some things.

Some of these things are just for this trip and some of these are really prophetic about what's gonna happen in the time of after the resurrection. So the first he says, do not go on the road. Do not go on a road to Gentiles. You're not doing that on this mission. There's a strategy involved here.

When Paul says, first the Jew. He meant it. When Jesus said, first go to the Jews. Actually it says, don't go on the road to Gentiles and don't enter a city of Samaritans. Now we can quibble over this, but from John and James and Peter and probably others, but those are all listed.

They had something against the Samaritans. Right? They were prejudiced against the Samaritans and Jesus might have known that in your training at this point, you're not the one to minister to the Samaritans. Right? Peter wouldn't even eat there.

Like he wouldn't even eat. You know Lord, nothing unclean has ever touched my lips. We he knows he spent three days in Samaria. He just had to fast the whole time. Don't go on a road to the Gentiles.

You're not ready for that ministry. But you do know the lost sheep of the house of Israel. We have gotten off course. Yes, God's chosen people. Yes.

You have the Torah. Yes. You have the prophets. Pay attention to them. Get back to what is the actual word of God.

Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Go to them and as you are proclaiming saying, the kingdom of heaven has come near. This is the messianic age. This is what you've been looking for. The kingdom of heaven is near.

To authenticate that message, y'all be healing the sick and raising the dead and cleansing those with leprosy and casting out demons. We've seen Jesus do every one of these things in their presence And he says at the beginning in Mark and in Luke that he has given them the authority to do these things. Now, in Matthew 17 and a couple of other places, it alludes to the fact that it's not just magic. Okay? It goes with the message and it goes with prayer and faith.

It's not just gonna happen just because in fact, in Acts, we see Simon the magician who wants to have the power that they have and he tries to buy it and that's a no go. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, cast out demons. Freely, you have received. You didn't choose me, I chose you. He would tell him later.

Freely, you have received. It has been given to you to know the kingdom of God freely. It is by grace. It's not through anything that you have deserved. So that's the way I want you to be giving it back to your countrymen, to the Jews, the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Do not acquire. Do not acquire is interesting. Do not procure. Do not acquire gold or silver or copper for your money belts. It goes on to say, or a bag for your journey or even two tunics or sandals or a staff.

Wait a second. I saw staff in that other list. It said don't take that. Alright, said take that. This one it says don't acquire it.

I mean if you got one, take it. Whatever. For the worker is deserving of his support. This Paul reflects back on, and though Paul usually is a tentmaker and works and provides for himself and the ministry he's doing, usually, not always, He also argues for the workman being worthy of his wages. Being a professional minister or a ministering professional.

Right? Y'all are all professionals at something. Most of you, all adults are anyway. You make your living doing something. This is weird for me to be doing this, but the worker's deserving of his support.

I have to live with that. I have to let that go. Does that make sense? It's probably not weird for you all that you'd pay a pastor. Is it?

It is for some denominations. It really is. It really is. I mean I've done lots of other things in my life. Lots of other jobs and everything else.

And hopefully, I ended up with doing this one because of the way that I was already doing this one when I was doing all that other stuff. Right? But he's saying, go ahead and just go where you are right now with what you have right now. Just go ahead. Be doing the work.

Be proclaiming this. Whatever city or village you enter into, inquire who's worthy in it and stay at his house until you leave that city. Now looking at that and seeing the word worthy, we might think, God is gracious. He wouldn't worry about whether somebody's worthy or not. Inns and hotels, if you want to call them that, were nefariously awful places at the time.

It wasn't like it is today where they're kind of it's a booming industry really. Around here, it's a booming industry. It was more kind of houses of ill repute, that sort of thing. And so he's saying, find a decent place to stay and stay there until you leave that city. And as you enter into that house, give it your greeting, a blessing through the door.

Start off. Paul always starts with grace and peace. And I think he's saying that. As you enter the house, give it your greeting. If the house is worthy, see that your blessing of peace comes upon it and remains upon it.

Do everything you can for the peace of that place. If it's not worthy, you can take back your blessing of peace when you leave. That's his way of saying shake the dust off your sandals, right? You do everything you can as much as it depends on you, Paul would say in an echo. Live at peace with all men.

Whoever does not receive you nor listen to your words as you leave that house or that city, just shake the dust off your feet. They're not always gonna answer affirmatively. Actually, I mean, most often we think of the times when people answered affirmatively to Jesus' message, but the Pharisees didn't. The Sadducees didn't. The Herodians didn't.

There were lots of groups of people that didn't. And Jesus presented what it was and he couldn't be. I mean he cried about it. If you'd known the day of your visitation, right, over Jerusalem, oh if only city who killed the prophets. If only you had known the day of your visitation, but you didn't want to have anything to do with you had your own preconceived notions about how it ought to be and you wouldn't.

So I'm doing everything that I can do, but I have to let it go at some point. Truly I say to you, it'll be better, more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that city that rejects you. Behold, I'm sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. So be wary. Be wary as serpents and innocent as doves.

One of the commentaries that I read this week, he said, this is kind of damning for the church but it says, he said, Sometimes we get that backwards. That's not good. He said, we are the problem. Jesus is sending out these 12. Consider this, Judas was among them.

Behold, I'm sending you out a sheep in the midst of wolves, so be as wary as serpents and innocent as doves. But also you got to be on guard against people. Watch out for yourself. We have already seen several times where Jesus got into some hot water with people and they tried to kill him Multiple times and he slipped out. I think Jesus is saying there are gonna be times when you gotta slip out of there.

We see Paul in the book of Acts. He has to be lowered down over a wall in a basket to get away. He has to claim his citizenship to get away from the beatings from the Romans. He's saying, be on guard against people because they're gonna hand you over to the courts and they're gonna flag you in the synagogues and you'll even be brought before governors and kings on my account. For what you believe and say about me, you're gonna be brought before governors and kings as a testimony to them, the governors and the kings, but also to the Gentiles.

Wow. I think this keeps getting harder. We're on verse 18 and it gets harder all the way up to 42. Okay. So I can I feel a stillness in the room this morning?

I have a book in my office. It's called hard sayings of Jesus and it's this big. When they do hand you over though, don't worry. Don't worry. When they hand you over about how or what you are to say for you, what you are to say, it'll be given to you in that hour.

Even now he's saying don't worry about it. Don't take anything extra with you. You don't need it. I'll provide everything that should be needed even if you get thrown in jail or come before the governors and kings and have to explain yourself. I'll give you what you're supposed to say when you're supposed to say it.

Don't worry. Trust me. Trust the spirit of God. The same spirit that was in Jesus was the spirit he was sending out with them. And I know it's New Testament before Pentecost, and I know that they were not used to the way the Holy Spirit operates in our time.

It's hard for us to imagine because when you accept Christ, you get with that the Holy Spirit. For it is not you who are speaking, but it is the spirit of your father who is speaking in you. Trust me. Trust the Holy Spirit, the spirit of your father who's in heaven who's speaking in you. Now, brother will betray brother to death and the father is child and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

That is a terrible, terrible thought. And you will be hated by all because of my name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. Stick with me. They misunderstood me. They're gonna misunderstand you.

This one is hard for me in our time right now because every crazy person with a cause thinks they're being persecuted. Both sides of the spectrum, politically. You will be hated because of my name. Please make sure that please make sure that if someone hates you, it's because they hate Jesus. Right?

And not they hate Jesus because of the way you act. Please. You'll be hated by all because of my name, but it is the one who's endured to the end who will be saved. In humility, walking it off. If somebody rejects you, shake the dust off your sandals and move on.

Whenever they persecute you in one city, just go to the next. Truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the son of man comes. We're going to be doing this until the very end. The disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. Jesus mentions this a couple of different times, but he's saying, if you are following after me, then you're not gonna be above me, right?

A disciple's not above his teacher nor slave above his master. It's enough for the disciple that he may become like his teacher. That's what we hope. And that the slave like his master. If they have called the head of this household Beelzebub, and they just did.

Do you remember that? Like last week they were calling him the ruler of all the demons. If they call the head of this household Beelzebub, how much more are they gonna insult the members of his household, the people who have followed after him? So don't fear them for there's nothing concealed that will not be revealed. There's nothing that is hidden that will not be known.

All of it will come to light eventually. What I tell you in the darkness, you tell in the light. What what you hear whispered in your ear from the Holy Spirit, the still small voice, be proclaiming that from the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul, but rather fear him who's able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Who shall we fear, man or God?

That's a question. Are not two sparrows sold for an Asurion? An Asurion actually, a little break here. An Asurion, this is an older one. This is from second century BC.

But they were coins that were around for a long time. It's the sixteenth of a denarius. It's called a penny. It's one of the least valuable. This is one of Nero, it's a little after this time.

But that's an Assyrian from Nero's time. Are not two sparrows sold for an Assyrian and yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father? He knows everything that's going on. That's comforting. He's trying to comfort them because he's just given some hard stuff and he's about to give them some more hard stuff.

Or two spares not sold for an acerion and yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father but even the hairs of your head are counted. All of them. They're counted. Easier on some of us than others. So do not fear.

You're more valuable than a great number of sparrows. God cares about what happens to you. He's got a bigger picture in mind than you can possibly imagine. Therefore, everyone who confesses me before people, I will also confess him before my father who's in heaven. Strictly speaking, the grammar on this is everyone who will confess, it's future.

Who will confess. Everyone. That to me takes it off of the scared trembling in my boots. Because I see that and go, have I ever denied you? Hope I I hope I don't ever.

Hope I didn't. Did I? Right there when I had the chance to say, I'm the poster of the First Baptist Church and I didn't do it. Was that was that? Did I miss it, Lord?

Are you gonna We all feel that way. When you read it, everyone who confesses me before people, do I have to carry a sign? Does it have to be all the time? Do I have to have a fish on the back of my car? Oh my goodness.

Cross on my neck, whatever. I think he's saying everyone who will confess me. Like from now on, everyone who will confess as homo logeo, say the same thing. Acknowledge me for who I am. Acknowledge me as the Christ, the Messiah.

Everyone who will acknowledge me before people. I'll also confess him before my father who's in heaven. He is our bridge. Every bridge diagram you've ever seen, Jesus is the one that gets you from the one side across that great chasm that is fixed. He's saying, Don't be afraid to speak out for me and when you do, there will be some who come to know me.

But whoever denies me before people, I'll also deny him. This one is, for all you grammar nerds, are two or three of you in here. Aris subjunctive middle. That middle threw me off because that's that's about self. It's it's, I did this by myself, or I did this for myself, or I did this to myself.

This one says, whoever shall deny me and it's subjunctive. It's out there. It's a possible thing that you could. Whoever shall against themselves deny me before men, I'll also be denying them before my father who's in heaven. It's worth it to stick with me and trust me.

By God's spirit, you will make it through. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. This one's hard. De facto.

Bringing the love of God and spreading it not just for this one little group of people, but opening it up to the possibility that everyone has the ability to enter in whosoever. Really, that is audacious. It's especially audacious when you're speaking to that little group that thinks it's for them. Are you with me still? Okay.

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword on earth. It's gonna be the dividing line. What you do with Jesus will divide between your eternity. It'll make a difference into eternity future for everyone.

What you do with Jesus. Do not think I came to bring peace on earth but a sword that divides. For I came to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Each time, it's interesting to me that it's turning the younger generation against the older. And specifically, they're going out to speak to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And so they have their own preconceived notion of how messiahhood should look. And Jesus is saying, the younger folks are probably gonna get this before the older folks. This is gut wrenching for me. It's gut wrenching right now because there's so much deconstruction going on and people are deconstructing their faith and Satan will try to get you to blame anyone but yourself. And I have read tweets and poems and stuff this week from people that were blasting their parents for raising them as believers.

And I just think, Oh, this is horrible. As long as you are representative of Jesus, living it out the way that he asked you to, there will be some who reject. There will be some who walk away. Do the best you can. This is hard for me.

I came to turn man against his father, daughter against her mother, daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and the person's enemies will be the members of his own household. It is so easy to take a legalistic stance. And the rebellion that happens against a legalistic stance often skips the gospel altogether and goes straight into the licentious ditch. But the person's enemies will be the members of his own household. So what is it we're supposed to do for our enemies?

Pray for them. Love them and treat them with kindness. So if you are being shamefully abused and mistreated by those that you love, Jesus says you're experiencing the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. That's what Peter says. The one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.

The one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. This sounds pretty hyperbolic. We're supposed to love and honor our parents. We obviously are supposed to love and not provoke our children. But Christ is saying it's a whole different matter how you love me.

It should be above that, and like Carl said about Colossians, we're getting instructions how the sufficiency of Christ in our life will have a good effect on our earthly relationships. Not everyone will accept everything that you present. They will reject sometimes. The one who does not take, his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. So the cross.

Think about this. This is before the cross. So this is not resurrection talk. This is this is before that. And they would know that that's the death penalty, right?

So stauros is the word there. The cross piece of a Roman cross. It's the cross beam that's placed at top of the vertical member to form the capital T. So if you've got a wingspan like I do, that's a cross tie, like a railroad tie that's longer than this that I'm to carry. It's a burden.

Now, it's not a symbol for suffering in general. It refers to withstanding persecution. Difficult times. By the Lord's power, as he directs in the circumstances of life, and as Christ's disciples, believers are to hold true even when they're being attacked by the ungodly. Again I say, it's very difficult in this time because to follow Christ, to actually be a Christian, is not the same thing as Christian nationalism.

Okay? It's not. And I I have a hard time seeing that the cross of Christ is being dragged into a sphere that is just distorting it so horribly. And I know that there's an answer from folks on the right about the left is just as bad. Yes, they are.

I agree. But we've got to get back to Christ being the center. We've got to get back to the hard stuff with him, and we've got to lose our notoriety and our life in finding it in him. The one who's found his life will lose it. The one who's lost his life on my account will find it.

The one who receives you, receives me. Isn't that great? A person of peace when you go into the town and they receive you in. He said, that's just like them receiving me. And the one who receives me receives the one who sent me.

It's you may be their connection to God by way of you introducing to me and I will speak for them in front of the great throne. The one who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. That's something that we see in the Old Testament when the the people would receive the prophet of God and treat them well, they did receive a reward from that. Some of them immediate, some of them in an enduring reward. Children restored to life.

Supplies that wouldn't run out. And the one who receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person shall receive a righteous person's reward. We often say, don't I often say, don't expect somebody who does not know Christ to act like they do. Right? But if you will act like Christ and they will receive you, they will be introduced to this transforming power and spirit.

And whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in my name, in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward. That seems like a very, very small act and it is and that's his point. He's saying, If you're doing all this for self, you're doing it for the wrong reasons and it doesn't make any difference whatsoever. But if really, in my name, you really are tending to those who are hurting, there's no way that's ever going be taken away from you. I think that's the last one.

No. It's not. We're gonna close with this. That's the last of that section. This is interesting because that kind of concludes the instruction and then we get to this.

Mark two, Excel six twelve says, and they went out and they preached that people are to repent. It doesn't clarify which people. They went out and they preached in the land of the house of Israel, not to the Gentiles, not to the outsiders. People are to repent. And they were casting out many demons, authenticating their message and they were anointing with oil many sick and sick people and they were healing them.

That's Mark. Luke says, and as they were leaving, being sent out, they began going through out the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. Amen. And then Matthew says this, and when Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his 12 disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. Isn't that cool?

I've never seen that part before. Jesus, after he had given them instructions for going go all the villages, don't go to the Gentiles, don't go to the Samaritans, go to go to all of the sheep of the lost house of Israel and I'm gonna go to your cities. I'm gonna go to your hometowns and I'm gonna spread this. Ain't that good? That in itself just blessed my socks off.

Because it feels like I'm leaving my people. I'm leaving my people, Lord. Laying it down. Right? And he says, I'm going ahead of you.

I'll be the one to talk to your mamas and your dads and your cousins. He went on from there and he taught and he preached in their cities. Just beautiful. I think that's the last slide. God help us.

Help us Lord to discern what is true and right. I thank you for the blessing of that little first be in the Bible blurb that comes in my inbox every morning, Lord. Thank you for that. Thank you for your word always being true. And when we engage it, being helpful, even when it's a difficult one.

God almighty, would you convict us of our sin, our sins of pride and politics? Would you convict us of our sins, Lord, of how we treat the other, how we treat our enemies? Would you, Lord, go before us into those areas? Would you help us see, Lord, ourselves in your brilliant and marvelous light? In Jesus' name, Lord, I ask that you transform us, that we would be able to do among the people something that only can be accomplished by the spirit of God.

We ask that we'd be humble before you and you'd show us the way. In Jesus name, amen. Would you stand with us? Amen. Got a little test here.

If you are wondering whether whatever your allegiance is with right now, these days in this society. If it does not issue forth this way, shun it. Get away from it. Okay? In your life, this is what's supposed to be evident as believers.

The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things, there is no law. There will be people who will not stand for that. Shake the dust off your sandals and go. Amen.

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