Matthew 9:35-10:42

Notes for BSF

JESUS IS OUR SHEPHERD (Matthew 9:35-10:4)

Matthew 9:36
But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

Jesus has great compassion for us because without Him, we are like lost sheep. Jesus is our Good Shepherd who loves us, guides us, tends to us, and protect us (Cf. Psalm 23:1-3, Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 2:24-25; Jeremiah 50:6,17; Ezekiel 34:5-16; John 10:11-15).

Matthew 9:37
Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

There are a lot of lost souls to save, which greatly outnumbers the presence of true disciples of Christ. While we continue to do all that we can to do God's will, we should also pray that God continues to strengthen and support the number of disciples that go out into the world.


JESUS SENDS OUT THE 12 APOSTLES (Matthew 10)

Jesus sends out the 12 prepared
As Jesus sends His disciples out into the world, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

Jesus comes first for the Jews (Cf. John 4:22; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Romans 1:16; 2:9-11)

Matthew 10:5-6
Do not go into the way of the Gentiles... but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

In His first coming, Jesus came for the Jews. As we learn through the Old Testament, God called Abraham and his descendants (which makes up the Israelites/Jews) to be His people. It was through them that the world was to come to learn about God and to come to dwell in the love of God. The Israelites were supposed to be God's representatives in this world, shining as a light of Truth, leading all peoples to God.

Jesus instructs the disciples in how to carry on their ministry
Key message of the ministry: "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand," therefore repent, allow Jesus to cleanse our hearts.

The way to carry out the ministry:

Give freely as God has freely given us

When entering a city, stay with people of godly values. If the house is a house of people who are God-fearing people, then let God’s peace be filled throughout the house. If the house is not of God, then move on. After our diligent sharing of the Gospel, if there are still those who will not hear the Word of God, then we will not be responsible for the results of their own decisions.

We do our best to share the Gospel. We are not responsible for salvation – Only God provides salvation. The most we can do is do our best to spread the Gospel, to let people know of the Truth. What they do with that information, that is between them and God.

Jesus warns His disciples of coming persecutions

Matthew 10:16
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

It is not cotton candy and lollipops when we choose to follow Christ. Jesus makes it clear from day one that we live in a fallen world, whose leader is Satan (Ephesians 2:2). If we're fighting for Jesus, then we will be going up against Satan and his demons. Forget about the persecutions we face among fellow mankind. It is child-play compared to the darts Satan will throw at us (Ephesians 6:12). As formidable an opponent Satan is, Jesus is much more powerful. 

Matthew 10:28
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Jesus does not send us out without an armor (Ephesians 6:10-20). More importantly, He fills us with the Holy Spirit, who is stronger and more powerful than Satan (1 John 4:4).

Matthew 10:31
Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

If God takes that much care in the sparrows in the world, how much more so would He take care of us. Therefore, take great comfort in the Armor of God and the Holy Spirit!

And why are we sent out? So that we may spread the Good News, so that all would come to know the Truth!

It is difficult to live as the light in a world ruled by darkness. Hence, begin each day by putting on the Armor of God and being filled with the Holy Spirit. End each day by mending any kinks in the Armor and being renewed by the Holy Spirit. With every obstacle we face while living by the Word of God, we shine with a light of hope for the people around us. They will be inspired by the hope we have inside of us, which is another way to spread the Gospel!

Persecutions from loved ones hurt the most (Cf. John 15:18-16:4)
One of my pastors once said, "God is not number one on our list of numerous priorities. God is number one on our list of one." This is to emphasize the importance of placing God in the center of our lives.

When we put God first, those who expect us to put them first would not be very sympathetic. In fact, many would shun us, forcing us to choose either God or them. These are very painful encounters and can often weaken our walk with God. Despite the pain, we must continue to put God first. Why? Because nothing else affects our eternity as this decision. If we put family first, we would follow them before we follow God. And if they lead us away from God, then we would lose our salvation. And then, what of this short-lived life? However, if we follow God first and stay true to God, we can be a beacon for the rest of the family and friends, pointing them to God – and then, we would all be saved.

This is why Jesus said following him would break up families. Logically, it makes all the sense in the world to choose Jesus over anything and everything. Emotionally, however, that is not so easy. In the long run, if we remain faithful in Jesus, He will bring this family back together, with Jesus remaining at the center! So, friends, focus on the eternal, and let that guide us through the pain as we bring loved ones into the light!

Profess the name of the Lord and die daily in our sins (Cf. Luke 14:25-35; John 12:24-26)
As disciples of Christ and as we gain understanding of God, we are compelled to die to our sins. This means, when we choose to follow Christ, we need to continue to learn about what that requires us to do. This is why we study the Bible, because it teaches us how to follow Christ. Through this studying, we learn what is right and wrong in the eyes of God. We learn what sin is and why sin cannot be in the presence of God. We live in a fallen world in our fallen bodies. In the millennium, we will receive our eternal bodies, full of righteousness and devoid of sin. Until then, we will never be completely without sin, but we also never strive to live righteously. We no longer live for ourselves or our fleshly wants. We live for God’s will, with our eyes on eternity.