Jesus was focused first on israelites

JESUS WAS FOCUSED FIRST ON ISRAELITES
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 10:5-6 5Thesetwelve Jesus sent out with the
followinginstructions:"Do not go among the Gentiles
or enter any town of the Samaritans.6Go rather to the
lost sheep of Israel.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Limited Commissions
Matthew 10:5
R. Tuck
Go not into the wayof the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter
ye not. We may find reasonfor this limitation of the sphere of the apostles in
the factthat this was strictly a trial-mission, in which they were to learn how
to fulfil the largermission which would be entrusted to them by-and-by.
When the war-ship is nearly ready for sea, it is required to make a trial-trip;
but then its course is strictly defined and limited. But there is something more
than this suggested. Our Lord really taught, by these limitations, that every
man's work is strictly defined. He should spend his strength on work within
his bounds; and neither worry himself, nor let any one else worry him, by
pressing claims outside his bounds. One of the greatsources ofChristian
fretfulness is the pressure of claims on men beyond their proper spheres. The

man who is only a popular preacheris worried by people because he does not
teach. The man whose gift is teaching is worried because he does not preach
the gospel, andsave souls. The truth is that every man has his limited
commission. Eachone has no business with Gentiles or Samaritans. Eachone
has his proper sphere with his Israel, and he is wise if he keeps to it.
I. CHRISTIAN COMMISSIONSARE LIMITED. The honour of doing a
whole thing was never given to a single Christian yet. No man ever yet either
sowedor harvestedGod's entire field. Parts of work are given to individuals.
Pieces ofthe field are given to each. We are seldom, if ever, wise when we go
stepping over our borders, breaking down the fences that hedge round our
particular work. Within our limits there is sphere for all our powers.
II. CHRISTIAN COMMISSIONSARE VARIED. These particular men were
to go to "the lostsheep of the house of Israel;" but other men were to go to the
"Gentiles;" and yet others to the "Samaritans."These were to go and preach;
others following them would have to teach. Some have just to live for Christ;
some have to sing for him, to write for him, to suffer for him. Happy they who
can say, "This one thing I do."
III. CHRISTIAN COMMISSIONS ARE UNITED. In the Divine thought and
plan they fit into eachother, like the strangelyshaped puzzle-pieces, and
make up the greatwhole of service for Christ. This workman and that should
be doing wellhis own piece of work, and so the building will be surely growing
into a "holy temple of the Lord." - R.T.
COMMENTAARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Go not into the way of the Gentiles.—Theemphatic limitation seems at
first sight at variance with the language whichhad spokenof those who
should come from eastand westto sit down with Abraham and Isaac and
Jacobin the kingdom of God, and with the factthat our Lord had already
takenHis disciples into a city of Samaria, and told them that there also there
were fields white for the harvest(John 4:35). We must remember, however,
(1) that the limitation was confined to the mission on which they were now
sent; (2) that it did but recognisea divine order, the priority of Israelin God’s
dealing with mankind, “to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile;” and (3) that
the disciples themselves were as yet unfitted to enter on a work which
required wider thoughts and hopes than they had yet attained. It was
necessarythat they should learn to share their Master’s pity for the lostsheep
of the house of Israel before they could enter into His yearnings after the
sheepthat were “not of this fold” (John 10:16).
BensonCommentary
Matthew 10:5-6. These twelve Jesus sentforth — Namely, to preach the
gospeland to work miracles;exercising therein his supreme authority over his
Church. And commanded, Go not into the way of the Gentiles — That is, into
their country. Their commission was thus confined now, because the calling of
the Gentiles was deferredtill after the more plentiful effusion of the Holy
Ghoston the day of pentecost. And into any city of the Samaritans enter ye
not — In travelling through Palestine the apostles would often have occasion
to go into Samaria; but they were not to enter the cities thereof with a design
to preach. It is true, in the beginning of his ministry, our Lord himself
preachedto the Samaritans with greatsuccess, John4:41-42;and therefore,
had he sent his apostles among them, numbers, in all probability, would have
been induced to believe; but the inveterate enmity which the Jews bore to the
Samaritans made the conversionof the latter improper at this time, as it
would have laid a greatstumbling-block in the wayof the conversionof the
Jews:as preaching now to the Gentiles would also have done. But go rather to
the lostsheep of the house of Israel — He calls the Jews lostsheep, because, as
he had told his disciples, Matthew 9:36, they fainted, and were scattered
abroad, as sheephaving no shepherd, and so were in danger of perishing. See
Isaiah49.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
10:5-15 The Gentiles must not have the gospelbrought them, till the Jews
have refused it. This restraint on the apostles was onlyin their first mission.
Wherever they went they must proclaim, The kingdom of heavenis at hand.
They preached, to establish the faith; the kingdom, to animate the hope; of
heaven, to inspire the love of heavenly things, and the contempt of earthly;
which is at hand, that men may prepare for it without delay. Christ gave
powerto work miracles for the confirming of their doctrine. This is not
necessarynow that the kingdom of God is come. It showedthat the intent of
the doctrine they preached, was to healsick souls, and to raise those that were
dead in sin. In proclaiming the gospeloffree grace for the healing and saving
of men's souls, we must above all avoid the appearance of the spirit of an
hireling. They are directed what to do in strange towns and cities. The servant
of Christ is the ambassadorof peace to whatever place he is sent. His message
is even to the vilest sinners, yet it behoves him to find out the best persons in
every place. It becomes us to pray heartily for all, and to conduct ourselves
courteouslyto all. They are directed how to act as to those that refused them.
The whole counselof God must be declared, and those who will not attend to
the gracious message, mustbe shownthat their state is dangerous. This should
be seriously laid to heart by all that hear the gospel, lesttheir privileges only
serve to increase their condemnation.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Into the way of the Gentiles - That is, among the Gentiles, or nowhere but
among the Jews. The full time for preaching the gospelto the Gentiles was not
come. It was proper that it should be first preachedto the Jews, the ancient
covenantpeople of God, and the people among whom the Messiahwas born.
Afterward he gave them a charge to go into all the world, Matthew 28:19.
And into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not - The Samaritans occupied
the country formerly belonging to the tribe of Ephraim and the half-tribe of
Manasseh. This regionwas situatedbetweenJerusalemand Galilee;so that in
passing from the one to the other, it was a direct course to pass through

Samaria. The capitalof the country was Samaria, formerly a large and
splendid city. It was situatedabout 15 miles to the northwest of the city of
Shechemor Sychar(see the notes at John 4:5), and about 40 miles to the north
of Jerusalem. Fora description of this city, see the notes at Isaiah28:1. Sychar
or Shechem was also a city within the limits of Samaria.
This people was formerly composedof a few of the ten tribes and a mixture of
foreigners. When the ten tribes were carried awayinto captivity to Babylon,
the King of Assyria sent people from Cutha, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim to
inhabit their country, 2 Kings 17:24;Ezra 4:2-11. These people at first
worshipped the idols of their own nations; but, being troubled with lions,
which had increasedgreatlywhile the country remained uninhabited, they
supposedit was because they had not honored the God of the country. A
Jewishpriest was therefore sent to them from Babylon to instruct them in the
Jewishreligion. They were instructed partially from the books ofMoses, but
still retained many of their old rites and idolatrous customs, and embraceda
religion made up of Judaism and idolatry, 2 Kings 17:26-28.
The grounds of difference betweenthe two nations were the following:
1. The Jews, aftertheir return from Babylon, setabout rebuilding their
temple. The Samaritans offered to aid them. The Jews, however, perceiving
that it was not from a love of true religion, but that they might obtain a part
of the favors granted to the Jews by Cyrus, rejectedtheir offer. The
consequence was, that a stare of long and bitter animosity arose between them
and the Jews.
2. While Nehemiah was engagedin building the walls of Jerusalem, the
Samaritans used every art to thwart him in his undertaking, Nehemiah 6:1-14.

3. The Samaritans at length obtained leave of the Persianmonarch to build a
temple for themselves. This was erectedon"Mount Gerizim," and they
strenuously contended that that was the place designatedby Moses as the
place where the nation should worship. Sanballat, the leaderof the
Samaritans, constituted his son-in-law, Manasses, highpriest. The religion of
the Samaritans thus became perpetuated, and an irreconcilable hatred arose
betweenthem and the Jews. See the notes at John 4:20.
4. Afterward Samaria became a place of resortfor all the outlaws of Judea.
They receivedwillingly all the Jewishcriminals and refugees from justice. The
violators of the Jewishlaws, and those who had been excommunicated, betook
themselves for safety to Samaria, and greatly increasedtheir numbers and the
hatred which subsistedbetweenthe two nations.
5. The Samaritans receivedonly the five books ofMoses, andrejectedthe
writings of the prophets and all the Jewishtraditions. From these causes arose
an irreconcilable difference betweenthem, so that the Jews regardedthem as
the worstof the human race John 8:48, and had no dealings with them, John
4:9.
Our Saviour, however, preached the gospelto them afterwardJohn 4:6-26,
and the apostles imitated his example, Acts 8:25. The gospelwas, however,
first preachedto the Jews.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
Mt 10:5-42. The Twelve Receive TheirInstructions.
This directory divides itself into three distinct parts. The first part (Mt 10:5-
15) contains directions for the brief and temporary mission on which they
were now going forth, with respectto the places they were to go to, the works

they were to do, the messagethey were to bear, and the manner in which they
were to conduct themselves. The secondpart (Mt 10:16-23)contains directions
of no such limited and temporary nature, but opens out into the permanent
exercise ofthe Gospelministry. The third part (Mt 10:24-42)is of wider
application still, reaching not only to the ministry of the Gospelin every age,
but to the service of Christ in the widestsense. It is a strong confirmation of
this threefold division, that eachpart closes with the words, "Verily I SAY
UNTO YOU" (Mt 10:15, 23, 42).
Directions for the PresentMission(Mt 10:5-15).
5. These twelve Jesus sentforth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into
the wayof the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not—The
Samaritans were Gentiles by blood; but being the descendants of those whom
the king of Assyria had transported from the Eastto supply the place of the
ten tribes carried captive, they had adopted the religion of the Jews, though
with admixtures of their own: and, as the nearestneighbors of the Jews, they
occupieda place intermediate betweenthem and the Gentiles. Accordingly,
when this prohibition was to be taken off, on the effusion of the Spirit at
Pentecost, the apostles were toldthat they should be Christ's witnesses first
"in Jerusalem, and in all Judea," then "in Samaria," and lastly, "unto the
uttermost part of the earth" (Ac 1:8).
Matthew Poole's Commentary
See Poole on"Matthew 10:6".
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
These twelve Jesus sentforth,.... And no other but them, under the character
of apostles. These hadbeen with him a considerable time, to whom he had

been gradually communicating spiritual knowledge;and by the benefit of
private conference withhim, and the observationthey had made upon his
doctrine and conduct, were greatly qualified for public usefulness:wherefore
he gives them a commission, furnishes them with powerand authority; and
sends them forth from him by pairs, that they might be assisting to one
another, and bear a joint testimony to the Gospelthey preached; but before
he sent them forth from his presence, he gave them some directions where
they should go, and to whom they should minister, and where not:
and he commanded them, as their Lord and Master;he gave them strict
orders, which he expectedthem to comply with, and closelyenjoinedthem, as
they must answerit to him again,
saying, go not into the wayof the Gentiles;meaning, not the customs' and
manners of the Heathens, they were to avoid; but that they were not to steer
their course, or take their journey towards them: they were not, as yet, to go
among them, and preach the Gospelto them; the calling of the Gentiles was
not a matter, as yet, so clearlyrevealedand known, nor was the time of their
calling come:besides it was the will of God, that the Gospelshould be first
preachedto the Jews, to take off all excuse from them, and that their
obstinacyand perverseness in rejecting Jesus as the Messiah, might manifestly
appear; and since Christ himself was the minister of the circumcision, he
would have his apostles, forthe present, whilst he was on earth, actagreeably
to the characterhe bore, that there might be an entire harmony in their
conduct.
And into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: the word "any" is supplied,
and that very rightly; for, not the city of Samaria, the metropolis of that
country, as the Arabic version reads it, is only meant, but any, and every city
of the Samaritans:not that it was strictly unlawful and criminal to go thither;
for he himself went into one of their cities, and so did his apostles, John4:4
Luke 9:52 and after his death preachedthe Gospelthere; but he judged it not
proper and expedient at this time, and as yet, to do it; that is, not before their

preaching it to the Jews;for there was a very greathatred subsisting between
the Jews, andthe Samaritans, insomuch that they had no conversationwith
eachother in things civil or religious. The Samaritans, though they boastedof
their descentfrom Jacob, were a mongrel sort of people, partly Jews, and
partly Gentiles, a mixture of both; and therefore are distinguished from both
and though they had, and held the law, and five books of Moses, yetcorrupted
them in many places, to serve their purpose, and countenance their religion,
particularly their worshipping at Mount Gerizim; on which accountthey were
lookedupon by the Jews as apostates,idolaters, and even as Heathens (f), and
are therefore here joined with them; and to shun giving offence to the Jews,
seems to be the reasonof this prohibition; see Gill on John 4:20.
(f) T. Hieros. Shekelim, fol. 46. 2. Bartenora in Misn. Taharot, c. 5. sect. 8.
Geneva Study Bible
These twelve Jesus sentforth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the
way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Matthew 10:5 ff. From this on to Matthew 10:42 we have the instructions to
the Twelve;comp. Mark 6:8 ff., and especiallyLuke 9:3 ff. As in the case of
the Sermonon the Mount, so on this occasionalso, Luke’s parallels are
irregular in their connection(in ch. 9 connectedwith the mission of the
Twelve, in ch. 10 with the missionof the Seventy). But this is only an
additional reason(in answerto Sieffart, Holtzmann) why the preference as
respects essentialoriginality—a preference, however, whichin no way
excludes the idea of the proleptical interweaving of a few later pieces—should
also in this instance be given to Matthew, inasmuch as the contents of the
passagenow before us are undoubtedly takenfrom his collectionof our
Lord’s sayings.

The mission itself, to which Luke 20:35 points back, and which for this very
reasonwe should be the less inclined to regard as having takenplace
repeatedly (Weisse, Ewald), was intended as a preliminary experiment in the
independent exercise oftheir calling. Forhow long? does not appear.
Certainly not merely for one day (Wieseler), althoughnot exactlyfor several
months (Krafft). According to Mark 6:7, they were sent out by twos, which,
judging from Luke 10:1, Matthew 21:1, is to be regarded as what originally
took place. As to the result, Matthew gives nothing in the shape of an
historicalaccount.
Matthew 10:5. With the Gentiles (ὁδὸνἐθνῶν, wayleading to the Gentiles,
Acts 2:28; Acts 16:17;Kühner, II. 1, p. 286)Jesus associatesthe Samaritans,
on accountof the hostility which prevailed betweenthe Jews and the
Samaritans. The latter had become intermixed during the exile with Gentile
colonists, whomShalmaneserhad sent into the country (2 Kings 17:24), which
causedthe Jews who returned from the captivity to exclude them from any
participation in their religious services. Forthis reasonthe Samaritans tried
to prevent the rebuilding of the temple by bringing accusations againstthem
before Cyrus. Upon this and upon disputed questions of a doctrinal and
liturgical nature, the hatred referred to was founded. Sir 1:25 ff.; Lightfoot, p.
327 f. In accordancewiththe divine plan of salvation(Matthew 15:24), Jesus
endeavours, above all, to secure that the gospelshall be preached, in the first
instance, to the Jews (John 4:22); so, with a view to the energies ofthe
disciples being steadily directed to the foremostmatter which would devolve
upon them, He in the meantime debars them from entering the field of the
Gentiles and Samaritans. This arrangement (if we excepthints such as
Matthew 8:11, Matthew 21:43, Matthew 22:9, Matthew 24:14)He allows to
subsist till after His resurrection;then, and not till then, does He give to the
ministry of the apostles that lofty characterofa ministry for all men
(Matthew 28:19 f.; Acts 1:8), such as, from the first, He must have regarded
His own to have been (Matthew 5:13). The fact that Jesus Himself taught in
travelling through Samaria (John 4), appears to be at variance with the

injunction in our passage(Strauss);but this is one of those paradoxes in the
Master’s proceedings aboutwhich the disciples were not to be enlightened till
some time afterwards. And what He could do, the disciples were not yet equal
to, so that, in the first place, they were calledupon only to undertake the
lighter task.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 10:5-15. Instructions to the missioners.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
5. Go not into the way of the Gentiles]For the expression“wayof the
Gentiles” cp. ch. Matthew 4:15, “the way of the sea.”
This prohibition is not laid on the Seventy (St Luke 10:1-16), they are
expresslycommissionedto carry tidings of the gospelto cities and places
which our Lord Himself proposedto visit.
any city of the Samaritans]The Samaritans were foreigners descendedfrom
the alien population introduced by the Assyrian king (probably Sargon), 2
Kings 17:24, to supply the place of the exiled Israelites. In Luke 17:18, our
Lord calls a Samaritan “this stranger,” i. e. this man of alien or foreign race.
The bitterest hostility existedbetween Jew and Samaritan, which has not died
out to this day. The origin of this international ill-feeling is related Ezra 4:2-3.
Their religion was a corrupt form of Judaism. For being plagued with lions,
the Samaritans summoned a priest to instruct them in the religion of the Jews.
Soon, however, they lapsed from a pure worship, and in consequenceoftheir
hatred to the Jews, purposely introduced certain innovations. Their rival
temple on Mount Gerizim was destroyedby John Hyrcanus about 129 b. c.
See Nutt’s “Sketchofthe Samaritans,” p. 19.

About twenty years previous to our Lord’s ministry the Samaritans had
intensified the national antipathy by a gross actof profanation. During the
celebrationof the Passoverthey stole into the Temple Courts when the doors
were opened after midnight and strewedthe sacredenclosure with dead men’s
bones (Jos. Ant. XVIII. 2, 2). Even after the siege ofJerusalem, whenthe
relations betweenJews and Samaritans were a little less hostile, the latter
were still designatedby the Jews as the “Proselytes ofthe lions,” from the
circumstance mentioned above.
5–42. Christ’s Charge to the Apostles
This discourse falls naturally into two divisions; of which the first (Matthew
10:5-15)has reference to the immediate present, the secondrelates rather to
the church of the future. The subdivisions of the first part are: (1) Their
mission field, 5, 6. (2) Their words and works, 7, 8. (3) Their equipment, 9, 10.
(4) Their approachto cities and houses, 11–15.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 10:5-6. Ὁδὸν—πόλιν—οἴκον, way—city—house)The apostles were
sometimes obligedto tread the roads of the Samaritans in their journeys;[454]
but there was the less need for them to enter their cities, and stay there,
because the Lord had preached to them in His journey (see John 4), and the
apostles also were afterwards to come to them. The first of these injunctions
regards this first legation; most of the rest apply equally to the whole office of
the apostolate, to which the twelve are introduced on the present occasion;cf.
Matthew 10:18. Our Lord gave nearly the same commands to the seventy
disciples;Luke 10:1-11.

[454]Inasmuch as Samaria was situated betweenJudea and Galilee.—V. g.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 5a. - Parallelpassages:Mark 6:7, 8; Luke 9:2. These twelve Jesus sent
forth; ἀπέστειλεν (cf. John 17:18). Till now they had formed an inner circle of
μαθηταί (Matthew 9:35, note), but now they begin their work of carrying
Christ's messageto others. "Ἀποστέλλω corresponds with the idea of our own
words 'despatch' and ' envoy,' and conveys the accessorynotions of a special
commission, and so far of a delegatedauthority in the person sent" (Bishop
Westcott, onJohn 20:21, Add. Note). Bengelsuggests (onver. 1) that the
twelve were not all absentat once, but were sentout in relays; but Mark 6:30
is againstthis opinion (cf. also Luke 22:35). On the New Testamentconception
of the name and office of an apostle, cf. Bishop Lightfoot's classicalnote in
'Galatians'(pp. 92-101, edit. 1869). And commanded them, saying;charged
them (RevisedVersion). Important as the charge is, its necessary
subordination to the factthat they were sent is expressedby the very form of
the sentence (ἀπέστειλεν... (παραγγείλας). Verses 5b - 42. - CHRIST'S
COMMISSION TO HIS AGENTS. The connexionand development of
thought in this important charge is exceedinglydifficult to perceive, and has
been understood in many ways. Perhaps that most generally acceptedin this
country is Alford's, according to which the charge is divided into three
sections - the first (vers. 5-15)referring to the mission to the cities of Israel;
the second(vers. 16-23)to the generalmission of the apostles as developing
itself, after the Lord should be taken from them, in preaching to Jews and
Gentiles, ending with the close ofthe apostolic periodin the narrower sense
(ver. 23 referring primarily to the destruction of Jerusalem);the third (vers.
24-42)spokendirectly of all the disciples of the Lord, concluding with the last
greatreward. But this threefold historical arrangement seems to be little more
than fanciful, the basis of truth Underlying it probably being that the charge
in its presentform is due to the writer of the Gospel(nor to our Lord
directly), who desirednot only to record what our Lord saidat the time of this
mission, but also to incorporate other sayings of his that bore upon similar
work, and thus to give such a summary of our Lord's utterances as would be

of specialuse to preachers ofthe gospel, irrespective ofplace or time. Observe
that ch. 5. - vii, referred to believers in their private capacity - laying stress on
the relationthat they were to hold to the religion of the day - while this
chapter refers to them as representing Christ to the world. The original basis
of the commissionwas addressedto men called to give their whole time to this
work, but as the chapter stands it applies to all believers in their capacityof
witnesses forChrist. The ministerial function of preaching committed to men
selectedforit is only an accentuationofone of the duties expected from all
Christ's followers. The development of thought in the chapter appears to be as
follows:-
1. The external conditions of conveying Christ's message, with special
reference to the immediate occasion(vers. 5b - 15).
2. The internal conditions (vers. 16-39).
(1) Vers. 16-23:Though surrounded by enemies, you must conduct yourselves
with calmness (ver. 19);with endurance (ver. 22);with wisdom (ver. 23).
(2) Vers. 24-33:Remembering that fellowship with me in suffering is essential
to fellowship with me in glory.
(3) Vers. 34-39:Such fellowshipwith me will costseparationfrom the dearest
on earth, yet its reward is great. 3. Final encouragement(vers. 40-42). Verses
5b - 15. - The external conditions of conveying Christ's message,with special
reference to the immediate occasion. OurLord points out
(a) the sphere of their work (vers. 5b, 6);

(b) the substance of their message(ver. 7);
(c) its accompanying signs (ver. 8);
(d) the external means and methods that they should employ (vers. 9-15).
Verse 5b. - Matthew only. The sphere of their work. The reasons for the
limitation here expressly enforcedare:
(1) That it was only right that the proclamationof the coming of Messiah
should be thoroughly made to the Jews first. Had they acceptedit, they would
have become the great factors in the evangelizationof the Gentiles (cf.
Romans 11:12, 15); as they rejectedit, it was necessarythat the offer should,
apart from them, be made to others (Acts 28:28).
(2) The apostles were as yet in no fit state spiritually to carry the message
beyond their own nation, and the facts which they were in a position to
proclaim might, when proclaimed alone, have proved a stumbling-block to the
after-acceptance by Gentiles and Samaritaus of a fuller and therefore truer
message(cf. Matthew 28:18, sqq.; Acts 1:8). Therefore they are now bid
perform their present duty without turning awayfrom it, and, as we may add,
will-out anticipating their entrance upon a wider sphere. Saying, Go not. This
would be outside your course (ἀπέλθητε). In the Greek, however, the
following words receive the emphasis. Into the (any, RevisedVersion) way of
the Gentiles (εἰς ὁδὸν ἐθνῶν).
(1) These words are generallyunderstood to mean "into any road that would
lead to Gentile lands or districts." So Tyndale, "Go not into the wayes that

leade to the gentyls." (For this genitive of direction, cf. Matthew 4:15;
Jeremiah2:18, and perhaps, Judith 5:14.)
(2) Weiss, 'Matthaus-ev.,'takes them as equivalent to "into any streetin a
heathen land," making the genitives, ἐθνῶν and Σαμαρειτῶν, both possessive.
There are serious objections to these two interpretations; to the first, that the
genitives are then used in different senses;to the second, that it suggests
something altogetheroutside the Israelitishborder.
(3) Is not a third interpretation possible - to considerflint our Lord had in his
mind the parts of towns, otherwise Jewish, whichwere inhabited by heathen,
just as, in the days of Omri and Ahab, such parts were assignedto Syrians in
Samaria, and to Israelites in Damascus, orin modern times to Jews in
Christian towns? We have not, indeed, direct evidence of Gentiles, during the
time of our Lord, thus living in separate streets, but with the Jewishaversion
to even letting them houses and to having more to do with them than possible
(cf. Schurer, II. 1:51-56), it would seemprobable that, without any formal
arrangementbeing made, the result would be separationof this kind. It is true
that ὁδός is not used elsewhere in this sense in the New Testament, but a
comparisonof passages in the LXX. seems to justify our so interpreting it. For
‫,תוצּוח‬ in 1 Kings 20:34, means such streets, and the LXX. for this is ἐξόδους
(ἔξοδον, Luke), yet ‫,תוצּוח‬ in the sense of "streets," is often elsewhererendered
by ὁδοί (Jeremiah 5:1; Jeremiah7:17; Ezekiel11:6; Nahum 2:4; Nahum
3:10). Compare especially2 Samuel1:20, "in the streets of Ascalon," where,
for the common text, ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις Ασκάλωνος, Lucian's reads, ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς
Ἀσκάλωνος. The expressionthus means - Go not off into any quarter (of such
towns as you may come across)inhabited by Gentiles, and (both in complete
parallelism and with perfectaccuracy, for Samaritans dwelt alone)into any
city of Samaritans enter ye not. And into any city. In the Greek both clauses
are in the same order, the verb coming last. It will be noticed that the Revised
Version has transposedboth for the sake of uniformity. Of the Samaritans. By
descent, a mixed race, from the intermingling of the remnants of the

Israelitish population more especiallywith the heathen colonists introduced
by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:24, sqq.); by religion, so far Israelite as to have
acceptedthe Pentateuch, and to have maintained the observance of
circumcision, the sabbath, and the annual festivals. Both sides of their
connexion with Israelseemto have contributed to their being placedby the
Mishna betweenJews and Gentiles (cf. further, Schurer, II. 1:5, sqq.). Enter
ye not. A slight turning awaywould sometimes bring them to Gentile
quarters; but into a Samaritan town they would have definitely and purposely
to enter. Observe that our Lord himself so far extended his own practice as
not to refuse to take the opportunity of preaching to a Samaritan woman
when it presented itself, and further followedup the work thus begun by
continuing two days in her village (John 4:40). But the nature of the exception
proves the rule. Matthew 10:5
Vincent's Word Studies
Judas Iscariot (ὁ Ἰσκαριώτης)
The article distinguishes him from others of the name of Judas (compare John
14:22). Iscariotis usually explained as a compound, meaning the man of
Kerioth, with reference to his native town, which is given in Joshua (Joshua
15:25)as one of the uttermost cities of Judah towardthe coastofEdom
southward.
In the four cataloguesofthe apostles (here; Mark 3:16; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13)
Simon Peteralways stands first. Here expressly; "first Simon." Notice that
Matthew names them in pairs, and compare Mark 6:7, "sent them forth two
and two." The arrangement of the different lists varies; but throughout, Peter
is the leaderof the first four, Philip of the second, and James, sonof Alphaeus,
of the third.

JOHN MACARTHUR
Principles for an Effective Missionary, Part1
INTRODUCTION
Matthew 10:5-15 is our text for this study: "These twelve Jesus sentforth, and
commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any
city of the Samaritans enter not; but go, rather, to the lost sheepof the house
of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heavenis at hand.
Heal the sick, cleansethe lepers, raise the dead, castout demons; freely ye
have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor copper in your
purses, nor a bag for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, noryet a
staff; for the workman is worthy of his food. And into whatsoevercityor town
ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and there abide till ye go from
there. And when ye come into an house, greetit. And if the house be worthy,
let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to
you. And whosoevershallnot receive you, nor hear your words, when ye
depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say
unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodomand Gomorrah in
the day of judgment, than for that city."
A. The Theme of Matthew's Gospel
Matthew's messageis that Jesus ofNazarethis the Messiah--Godin human
flesh. He is the promised King, Savior, and Deliverer. He came to fulfill the
promises and covenants of the Old Testament, and to redeem the world.
1. The verification

In the first nine chapters of his gospel, Matthew amassedevidence verifying
his claim about Jesus. Christ's genealogy, birth, the homage He receivedfrom
easternkings, His threat to Herod, and His preaching, teaching, miracles,
power, and words prove that He is the Messiah.
2. The responses
Chapter nine concludes with some responsesto those truths.
a) Of the people
Matthew 9:31 says, "They, when they were departed, spread abroadhis fame
in all that country." Christ's fame began to spread everywhere.
b) Of the leaders
However, the Pharisees said, "He castethout demons through the prince of
the demons." The religious leaders concluded the opposite of what was true.
Yet verse 35 says, "Jesus wentabout all the cities and villages, teaching in
their synagogues, andpreaching the gospelofthe kingdom, and healing every
sicknessand every disease among the people."
3. The transition

An important transition occurs in Matthew 9:36: "But when he saw the
multitudes, he was moved with compassiononthem, because they were faint."
The people were beaten and bruised by their own leaders, who had imposed
on them a false, legalistic systemof religion that denied the truth of God.
Verse 36 explains they "were scatteredabroad, as sheephaving no shepherd."
On seeing the vastness ofthe multitude and how lostthey were, Jesus
remarkedto His disciples, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers
are few" (v. 37). "Harvest" is a reference to God's ultimate judgment. He
could see this mass of lost, disoriented, wearypeople moving like sheep to the
slaughter. He realizedthere were few who could warn them, and that He had
to enlist others to assistHim. So He askedthe disciples to pray for more
workers (v. 38). Then in Matthew 10 Jesus makes them the answerto their
own prayers. There is greatintegrity in prayer when you are willing to be the
answer--andthe disciples were.
B. The Training of Jesus'Disciples
Jesus then called His twelve disciples to Himself and gave them powerto
minister. Matthew 10:5 says, "Thesetwelve Jesus sentforth."
1. The mission
The disciples didn't have the qualifications you'd think they would need to
change the world. But it wasn't what they were that was important, but what
God made them. In the process oftheir training, Jesus molded them into what
they needed to be to change the world.

Jesus was sending His disciples on their first training mission. For a few short
weeks theywould taste what they would inevitably experience as a way of life.
I think of the twelve as the original missionaries--theywere the first ones
Jesus eversent out.
2. The motive
As we just saw, Jesus wasmotivated to begin this training mission because of
the inevitable judgment of mankind. Paul had the same motivation, saying to
the Corinthians, "Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade
men" (2 Cor. 5:11).
Beginning in Matthew 10:5 our Lord instructed the disciples for a short-term
mission. Included in His instruction is timeless information that would benefit
them for the life of their ministry. It also stretches beyond them to every
person the Lord sends out.
Matthew 10:5-42 can be divided into three parts: the task of the missionary
(vv. 5-15), the reactionto the missionary (vv. 16-23), and the costto the
missionary (vv. 24-42). We'llbegin our study with the task.
I remember reading one critic of the church saythat he thought Jesus had
more class than most of His agents." One of the tragedies of contemporary
Christianity is that people who claim to representJesus Christ don't represent
Him at all. If we're going to touch the world with the reality of Christ, we
must understand what He told His first representatives.

I. A DIVINE COMMISSION(v. 5a)
"These twelve Jesus sentforth, and commanded them."
A. The Callof Christ
The apostles didn't volunteer (although they were certainly willing to go); they
were commissioned. They were like the prophet Jeremiah, to whom the Lord
said, "Before Iformed thee ... I ordained thee" (Jer. 1:5). The disciples were
sovereignlycalledby God. They were under orders.
Mark 6:7 is a comparative passagethat tells us Jesus sentthem two by two.
He had important reasons fordoing so. They would be companions in times of
possible loneliness, strengthto one another in times of temptation, and an
encouragementto eachother in times of despondency and persecution. They
could relieve eachother in the matter of preaching and healing. And it was
well knownto them that according to Scripture, anyone's testimony--
including Jesus'--was to be confirmed by two or three witnesses (Deut. 17:6).
For a few weeks the apostles were officialambassadors ofChrist. They, like
the apostle Paul, were given the ministry as a "stewardship" (Col. 1:25,
NASB). That was such a serious responsibility that Paul said, "Woe is unto
me, if I preach not the gospel" (1 Cor. 9:16). He had been given a divine
commission.
1. A direct commission

The disciples receiveda direct commission. The Lord told them to follow Him.
That was clearenough. They didn't put out fleeces and pray for the Lord to
show them signs (cf. Judg. 6:37-40).
2. An indirect commission
In our case Godis more indirect. Young men going into ministry will often
ask me, "How do I know if I am called to the ministry?" I think there are
three criteria by which you can know.
a) A strong desire
If you delight in the Lord, He will give you the desire of your heart (Ps. 37:4).
First Timothy 3:1 says, "If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a
goodwork." Thatimplies men will desire the office. God puts the same desire
for ministry into men's hearts today.
b) Confirmation from the church
You might think you're calledto preach, but others might not think so. You
need to have the confirmation of the church. That's what Paul was alluding to
when he saidto Timothy, "Neglectnotthe gift of God that is in thee, which
was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery"
(1 Tim. 4:14).
c) An open door

In 1 Corinthians 16:9 Paul says, "Fora greatdoor, and effectual, is opened
unto me."
You need to determine if you have the desire, the confirmation, and the
opportunity for ministry. If you do, and your heart is fixed on that goal, it's
likely you're being calledby God.
B. The Command of Christ
According to Matthew 10:5, Jesus not only sent the disciples but also
commanded them.
1. Defining the command
a) In secularGreek texts
The Greek wordtranslated "command" (parangello)basically speaks of
giving orders. But in tracing the word through its usages in the Greek
language, we find severalshades of meaning.
(1) Its military sense

Parangello was usedto describe a superior giving orders to an inferior--a
command issuedto soldiers. It's a definitive statementthat requires
obedience.
(2) Its legalsense
Parangello was usedof summoning a man to court. He is bound by a legal
injunction to obey and respond.
(3) Its ethicalsense
Parangello was also usedto speak ofteaching morals and ethics. When you
learn what is ethically right, you are bound to obey it. It becomes a matter of
integrity.
(4) Its literary sense
Parangello was usedin connectionwith the rules of grammar, oratory, and
literary composition. It defined exactlyhow something was to be done.
(5) Its medical sense
Parangello was usedof a doctor's prescription for a patient.
Eachof those instances binds a man to a response.

b) In the New Testament
In the New Testamentparangello is used approximately thirty times, often as
a term for instruction. Jesus usedit to instruct a leper (Luke 5:14), to
command an evil spirit to come out of a man (8:29), to instruct Jairus (8:56),
and to command His disciples (9:21). In Acts it is used of the Sanhedrin's
command to Peterand John to stop preaching (4:18; 5:28, 40), and of the
Pharisees'commandto observe the ceremoniallaw (15:5). Paul used it in his
instruction to Timothy regarding widows (1 Tim. 5:7).
Your commissionis from the Lord. You are a soldier and He is the
commander. You are in court and He is the judge. You are the student and He
is the teacher. You are the patient and He is the doctor.
2. Determining the response
More than anything God wants your obedience. The missionary is not a chef;
he's a waiter. God doesn't want you to make the meal; He just wants you to
deliver it to the table. We are servants under a divine commission.
All of us have been commissionedin some sense--some officiallyas evangelists
and pastors--but we all are bound to obey Christ's call to representHim in
this world. The effective missionaryrealizes he is under divine orders. He is
committed to obeying the Word of God.

II. A CENTRALOBJECTIVE (vv. 5b-6)
"Go not into the way of [belonging to] the Gentiles, and into any city of the
Samaritans enter not; but go, rather, to the lostsheep of the house of Israel."
The disciples weren't to go near Gentiles or Samaritans. At this particular
time Jesus was limiting the gospelto a specific place and people--but it wasn't
a permanent command. This plan illustrates how God gives people a central
focus and very clearand limited objectives. It's been well said that self-styled
Messiahs are always megalomaniacs. Theywant to win the world and win it
now. Some people see their ministry as so vastthat it's nothing more than a
big birdbath--a mile long and an inch deep! However, our Lord wants us to
have focus in our ministry.
A. Regarding the Gentiles
1. Matthew 8:5-12--When Jesus enteredCapernaum, He was approachedby a
centurion whose servant was sick (vv. 5-6). A centurion was a Roman soldier
who commanded a hundred men. I believe Jesus brought not only healing to
that Gentile's servant but also salvationto his household (v. 10). Then Jesus
said, "I sayunto you that many shall come from the eastand west, and shall
sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but
the sons of the kingdom [many Jewishpeople]shall be castout" (vv. 11-12).
The Lord has made it abundantly clearthat He will reachGentiles. Isaiah
49:6 and 54:1-3 say Jerusalemwill carry the messageto all the nations.

2. Mark 16:15--Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospelto
every creature."
B. Regarding the Samaritans
The Jewishpeople of Jesus'day despisedthe Samaritans. It was one thing to
be a Gentile--no one could help being born a Gentile. But the Jews viewed
Samaritans as corrupt half-breeds because they were a mixture of Jew and
Gentile. Intermarriage is an unforgivable crime in the minds of many Jewish
people even today. But Jesus didn't think so.
1. The woman at the well (John 4:5-42)
The first personrecorded in Scripture to whom Jesus announcedHe was the
Messiahwas a Samaritan womanliving in the city of Sychar. She had many
husbands, and at the time was living with a man who wasn't her husband. Yet
it was to her He revealedthat He was the Messiah.
2. The Good Samaritan(Luke 10:30-37)
When Jesus taught how we should love our neighbors, He used a Samaritan as
an illustration.
However, the Samaritans weren't perfect. They did many things to inflame
the hatred of the Jews. Forexample, about twenty years before the time of
Christ, the first-century historian Josephus tells us they stole into the Temple

in the middle of the night during Passoverand threw dead mens' bodies about
the Temple enclosure, thus polluting it (Antiquities of the Jews 18.2.2).
C. Regarding the Israelites
1. The apostles'ministry to Israel
I see three reasons Christlimited the disciples' ministry "to the lostsheep of ...
Israel" (Matt. 10:6).
a) Israel's specialplace
The Jews were God's chosenpeople. The covenants, the promises, and the law
were given to them. According to God's plan, they were to be offeredthe
kingdom first. John the Baptist came to them and said, "Repent;for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2). That meant it was imminent and
available. Then Jesus Himself came and said likewise (Matt. 4:17). Now Jesus
was commanding the disciples to give the people that same message. Had the
Jewishnation embraced their Messiah, His internal rule in their hearts and
His external rule on earth would have come togetherat that time.
The Jews were the people through whom the rest of the world was to be
blessed(Gen. 12:3). John 4:22 says, "Salvationis of the Jews."Thatdoesn't
mean salvation was only for them; they were to be emissariesofGod's grace
to all. Jerusalemwas to be where the nations came to see the Messiah, and the
launching point for world evangelism.

The disciples were to go to the people of Israelfirst. That was Paul's priority,
too (Rom. 1:16). Although he was a missionary to the Gentiles, he always went
to the synagogue first.
b) The apostles'background
The disciples hardly were up to the task of reaching their own people, let
alone trying to reachthe Gentiles and Samaritans. They couldn't instantly
overcome their lifelong biases and prejudices toward them. With the
exceptionof Peter's declarationto a God-fearing man named Cornelius (Acts
10) and Philip's witness to an Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8), no one made a dent
in the Gentile world until the ministry of Paul.
Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin, zealous for the law, and trained under
Gamaliel--a highly respectedrabbi. He also came from a Gentile area and was
familiar with Gentile culture. As a result he was able to bridge the gap in
reaching the Gentiles. However, the disciples weren't up to that--they didn't
have the backgroundso they couldn't build the bridges. If they had gone to
the Gentiles or Samaritans first, they never would have been able to come
back to the Jews. The Jews wouldhave written them off as those who
concocteda Gentile-Samaritanreligion.
c) Jesus'focusedobjective
Any goodcommander knows he has to limit his objectives, especiallywhenthe
possibilities are so varied. Therefore Jesus gave the disciples a specific target:
"the lost sheepof the house of Israel" (Matt. 10:6; cf. Matt. 9:36).

2. Jesus'ministry to Israel
Jesus neverwent to the Gentiles Himself--His ministry was almostexclusively
to the Jews. In Matthew 15:24 He says, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep
of the house of Israel." They were His focus while He was on earth.
Clearing Up a Frustrating Ministry
One thing that will frustrate people in ministry is not having a clearobjective.
You can easilybecome diverted without one. I have gone to mission fields and
talkedwith missionaries who have been on the missionfield a long time. I find
that many of them are doing a little of everything, and I wonder if they are
accomplishing anything. They don't have a clearobjective. An effective
ministry will have a clearobjective. Know your gifts. DiscoverwhatGod has
equipped you to do and follow the desires of your heart.
My grandfather taught my dad and my dad taught me that most people never
do anything well. If you do one thing well, you will be wayahead of most. Find
the one thing God wants you to do, and do it. While I'm frequently
approachedby people to do various things, I have to remember that God has
calledme to preach.
Certainly there are other needful areas of ministry. But the Lord will take
care of them through the efforts of others. He's not asking any one person to
do it all. If you take care of the depth of your ministry, He'll take care of the
breadth of it. In a church with many ministries, many people find themselves
lost in the middle. They eventually do nothing or a little of everything. That
isn't the plan. Do one thing, and do it well!

Our Lord clearly kept in mind the focus of His ministry:
a) John 5:36--"The works which the Fatherhath given me to finish, the same
works that I do."
b) John 4:34--"My meat is to do the will of him that sent me."
c) Matthew 9:13--"I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance."
Effective ministry requires focus.
III. A CLEAR MESSAGE (v. 7)
"As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand."
A. Declaring the Message
The kingdom of heaven can be seenthree ways:in conversion, whenwe enter
the kingdom; in consecration, whenwe live out the kingdom (cf. Rom. 14:17);

and in consummation, when the kingdom comes to earth in its millennial
form.
Jesus taught His disciples that He is Lord and that everyone needs to submit
and obey. After His resurrection, Jesus taught them things pertaining to the
kingdom for forty days (Acts 1:3).
B. Confusing the Message
I grieve in my heart over the befuddled condition of Christianity today--our
messageis anything but clear. On a plane trip to a pastors'conference in
Chicago, a pastorsat next to me and gave me a demonstration regarding our
muddled message.He wrote severalthings on a piece of paper. He handed it
to me and said, "What does this say?" The paper had scribble written on top
of more scribble. I said, "I don't know what it says." He then said, "What was
my originalmessage to you?" I said, "I don't have a clue." He said, "Take a
piece of paper." I did. He said, "Write, Christ. That was my original message.
On top of that write, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, Pentecostal,
Charismatic, dispensational, fundamentalist, liberal, Protestant." He gave me
about twelve other things to write. He said, "If you gave that to an unbeliever,
he wouldn't know what the originalmessage was." That's ourproblem: we
don't give the centralmessage.
The messageofChristianity can seemconfusing when listening to different
preachers. Many of them preach all kinds of doctrine. The average unbeliever
who turns on the televisionfinds such a disparity that it's virtually impossible
for him to know the real message.

The Confusionof Bigotry
I was traveling with a team in Mississippipreaching Christ in black high
schools atthe time that Martin Luther King was assassinated. One night after
finishing an assembly, we visited with a family in a rural area. When we left,
we noticed someone following us.
We were in the middle of nowhere on a dirt road about ten miles from where
we were staying. Suddenly blue lights started flashing behind us and the car
pulled up beside me, so I stopped the car. A greatbig man wearing a sheriff's
badge got out and said, "You went through a stop light." I said, "There are no
stop lights around here. You must be mistaken." He said, "I'm not mistaken.
You went through a stop light." I said, "I didn't go through a stop light." He
then reachedfor a club in his belt and I said, "You're right--I went through a
stop light." I wasn'tgoing to argue about it! He then said, "Follow me. We're
going to the jail."
We followedhim for ten miles to the jail. He took us in and collectedour
money as collateral. He asked, "Whatare you telling kids in your school
meetings? Do you tell them about civil rights?" I said, "No." Thenhe askedif
we were telling them about marches, protests, or boycotts. I said no to all
those things. Then I said, "We're telling them about Jesus Christ. We would
be happy to tell you about Him, too." He said, "I'm already the Sunday
Schoolsuperintendent. I don't have any need to hear about Him." There were
many people like him in that area who called themselves ministers but were
not talking about Christ and the kingdom of heaven.
Satanis not stupid. The best way to render the gospelof no effectis to make
sure no one knows what it is.

C. Being Committed to the Message
Our messageis:the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The rule and reign of God
is imminent and available to every person. Our focus must not change from
that. I wish every time we opened our mouth something about the kingdom
came out. We don't know how long we have before the Lord comes, so we
need to be proclaiming the kingdom with urgency.
Focusing on the Facts
1. What is the main theme of Matthew's gospel? Whatevidence did he give to
verify his claim?
2. How did people respond to the truths about Christ?
3. What does the harvest refer to in Matthew 9:36? What did Jesus want to do
regarding the harvest (vv. 9:37-38)?
4. What motivated Jesus to send the disciples on their training mission?
5. What is one of the tragedies ofcontemporary Christianity?
6. Why did Jesus send the disciples on their mission two by two?

7. The disciples receiveda direct commissionfrom the Lord. How can you
know if you are calledto the ministry today?
8. What are the different meanings of the Greek word parangello? Explain
each.
9. Why is it important that the call of God be binding on our lives?
10. What was God's plan for the Gentiles?
11. What did the Jews have againstthe Samaritans?
12. What are three reasons Jesussentthe disciples only to Israeland not to
the Gentiles or Samaritans? Explain eachone.
13. Why was Paul able to be so effective in presenting the gospelto the Gentile
world?
14. What was the centralobjective of the ministry of Christ?
15. What is one reasonpeople become frustrated in their ministries?
16. What is the messageChristians need to be preaching to the world?

17. In what three ways does the kingdom of heavencome to man?
18. Why ought there to be a sense of urgency in communicating the message of
Christianity to the world?
Pondering the Principles
1. Perhaps you want to know if you're being calledinto a particular ministry.
Review the three criteria for knowing the call of God (see pp. 4-5). Do you
have a strong desire for this ministry? Are there others in your church who
believe you are capable of handling the demands that the ministry would
require of you? Do you have the time and availability that this ministry would
require? Take those questions to God. If you answeraffirmatively to all those
questions, God may well be calling you into that ministry.
2. Jesus Christcommanded all Christians to be His witnesses inthe world.
Have you regardedthat command as binding on you, or have you thought
other Christians can do the witnessing? Read2 Corinthians 5:18-21. What is
the ministry God has given to eachof us? How should we be representing Him
to the world? What do you need to begin to do to start fulfilling that role?
3. Do you find you don't have clearobjectives in any of the ministries you are
involved in? To help develop a central objective, answerthe following
questions: How has God equipped you in the area of spiritual gifts (see Rom.
12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11;Eph. 4:11-13;1 Pet. 4:10-11)? What do you desire to
see accomplishedin your ministry? What opportunities do you now have to

minister to others? Basedon your answers, where should you direct your
energy? Once you determine your direction, stick with it!
JOHN MACARTHUR
Principles for an Effective Missionary, Part1
Sermons Matthew 10:5–7 2277 Jun7, 1981
A + A - RESET
It is our privilege againthis morning to examine the tenth chapter of Matthew
– Matthew chapter 10, and I encourage youto take your Bible and turn with
us to that very, very important and wonderful chapter. We are having a high
and holy privilege every Lord’s Day as we commune with God through the
truth of the gospelof Matthew. We have found ourselves, aftera couple of
years, in the tenth chapter, and learning what the Spirit of God has for us
here is one of the richestof all the experiences we have yet had. Forin the
tenth chapter of Matthew, our Lord sends out His disciples for the first time.
And we who have, 20 centuries later, been sent to reach our world canlearn
deep and profound truths from what He said to them. Let me read for you
verses 5 through 15, which is the passage we’llbe discussing this week and
next.
“These twelve Jesus sentforth, and commanded them, saying, ‘Go not into the
way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter not. But go
rather to the lost sheepof the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying,
“The kingdom of heavenis at hand.” Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise
the dead, castout demons. Freely ye have received, freely give. Provide
neither gold nor silver nor copper in your purses, nor a bag for your journey,
neither two coats, neither shoes nor yet a staff. For the workman is worthy of

his food. And into whatsoevercityor town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is
worthy, and there abide till you go from there. And when you come into an
house, greetit. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if
it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoevershallnot receive
you nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off
the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the
land of Sodom and Gomorrahin the day of judgment than for that city.”
Now as you know, if you’ve been with us in our study of Matthew, Matthew’s
messageis clearly that Jesus ofNazarethis the Messiah. Thatis the thesis of
his narrative. Jesus ofNazarethis God in human flesh; He is the promised
King, the Savior, and the Deliverer. He has come to fulfill the promises and
the covenants and to redeem the world. In the first nine chapters of Matthew,
Matthew amasses the evidence to verify this claim about Jesus. So you have
nine chapters of credentials. He has shownHis genealogy, by His birth, by the
homage given to Him from the kings of the east, by the threat that He was to
Herod, by His preaching, by His teaching, by His miracles, by His power, by
His words, he has shownevery waypossible that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son
of God.
And as you come to the close ofchapter nine, you begin to pull togetherthe
responses to those truths which Matthew has made self-evident. For one, look
at verse 31, “When they were departed, they spread abroad His fame in all
that country.” One of the things that happened from all of the tremendous
credentials of Christ was that His fame beganto spread everywhere. But
another thing happened, verse 34, “The Phariseessaid, ‘He castethout
demons through the prince of the demons.’” The conclusionof the religious
leaders was He is demon-possessed. He’s from hell. He is indwelt by Satan.
And so while His fame spread abroad among the people, the leaders were
convinced He was Satanic. And yet in verse 35, “Jesus continuedall about the
cities and villages, teaching in their synagoguesandpreaching the gospelof

the kingdom and healing every sicknessandevery disease among the people.”
He just continued to proliferate the credentials.
And then we come to the very important transition in verse 36. One day, one
time, as Jesus stoodon the edge of a hill and surveyed the crowdbeneath Him,
“He was moved with compassion.”He was wrenchedinternally. “Because
they were faint” – or weary. Literally, they were beaten, bruised. They had
been ripped from limb to limb by their own leaders, who had imposed upon
them a false, legalistic systemof religion that denied the truth of God. “And
they were scatteredabroad, as sheepwithout a shepherd.” Jesus saw the
vastness, the lostness ofthe multitude, and said to His disciples, “The harvest
truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.” As you know from the study of
that text, what He means by the harvest is the judgment, for harvest in
Matthew is judgment, when God puts in the sickle and reaps. And He could
see this mass of lost, disoriented, weary people, moving as if they were some
greatgroup of criminals toward an inevitable judgment.
And He says the people to go and warn them are so few. And He realized that
He had to enlist some others to assistHim, and so he calledfor prayer in verse
38 and He askedthe disciples to pray. And then as we come to chapter10, He
made them the answerto their own prayers. Now there is realintegrity in
prayer like that, where you’re praying for something and willing to be the
answer, and they were. And so He called unto Him, chapter 10 verse 1, His
twelve disciples and gave them power. Then verse 5, “These twelve Jesussent
forth.”
We’ve had the wonderful privilege, over the lastfour or five weeks, ofmeeting
the Twelve. It has been a wonderful time. Hasn’t it? And we have decided
that, summing it all up, they amount to the company of the unqualified. They
really didn’t have what it took to change the world. But it was not what they
were, but what God made them. And for the process oftheir training, Jesus

was molding them into what they neededto be to change the world. And now
it is time to send them out. Notfinally and fully, as will happen after the day
of Pentecostwhenthey are sent forth, but in just a first training mission
format, for only few weeks He sends them out, to get a taste of what it will be
like, to experience whatthey will inevitably experience as a wayof life. And so
this is their first short-term missionary assignment. And by the way, I like to
think of the Twelve as the original missionaries. Theywere the first ones Jesus
sent forth.
And the thrust comes because Jesus perceivesthe judgment of men. And I
really believe that the greatmotive that we see in the book of Matthew, as well
as often in the heart of Paul, is the inevitability of judgment. Paul said to the
Corinthians in 2 Corinthians chapter5, “Knowing therefore the terror of the
Lord, we persuade men.” And Jesus saw the harvest and calledfor laborers to
go and warn men of that inevitable harvest.
Now as we approachverse 5, we have met them and now the Lord instructs
them as they go. Now may I just give you a little bit of a comprehensionof the
total picture? The instruction that He gives the disciples is for a short-term
mission. But as you flow through the chapter, you find that as it progresses,
He releases to them information that will be goodfor them for all the life of
ministry they have, and will stretch beyond them to every other person the
Lord ever sends anywhere. Some of it is very defined and confined, and some
of it is very broad. It’s almost telescopic. It starts with a very limited
perspective and then begins to unfold and unfold and unfold, till you come to
the end of the chapter and you can just sense the Spirit of God driving His
point right into your own heart. So here are principles meant for them on
their first short-term mission, and yet they can be extrapolated and drawn out
to apply to all of us who go in the name of Jesus Christ to reachpeople.

By the way, the chapter is divided into three parts. The first sectionbegins in
verse 5 and ends at verse 15 with the statement, “Verily I say unto you.” And
that sectiontalks about the task of the missionary, the task of the apostle, the
task of the one sent. The secondsectiongoesto verse 23 and ends, “Verily I
say unto you,” and that talks about the reactionto the one sent. The third
sectiongoes to verse 42 and ends, “Verily I say unto you,” and that talks about
the costto the one being sent. So we’re going to learn about the task, the
reaction, and the costof being a disciple sent in the name of Jesus Christ.
Now we’re going to look at the task as the first sectionfor this morning and
for next Lord’s Day. And in verses 5 through 15, you have what I believe are
effective principles for missionary work. If you’re going to go out and do the
Lord’s work, if you’re going as one sent by the Lord, representing Him, it is
essential that you understand these principles. I recallan article in New Times
magazine written by a critic of the church, in which he made this statement.
He said, “Personally, I am convinced that Jesus had more class than most of
His agents.”Unfortunately, that is definitely the case. One of the tragedies of
contemporary Christianity is that the people who purport to representJesus
Christ don’t representHim at all. And if we are to be sent from Christ to the
world, to touch the world with the reality of Christ, then we’re going to have
to listen carefully to what He told the ones He sent out.
Let’s look and see the principles for an effective missionary. Number one, a
divine commission– a divine commission. Verse 5 begins, “These twelve Jesus
sent forth and commanded them” – now stop there. There’s the commission.
They didn’t volunteer, although they were willing to go. Christ did not act
over againsttheir will. But they were called. They were commissionedin great
measure as Jeremiah, of whom the Lord said in chapter 1, “Before you were
formed, I called you.” They were calledsovereignlycalledby God. They were
given a divine commission. They were sent; they were dispatched; they were
under orders. And it is first and foremost needful in the ministry to recognize
that God has sent you. You remember I told you some months ago about the

man who askedthe young preacherafter seeing so much pride in his life,
“Was you sent or did you just went?” And first of all, you want to be sure
you’re sentbefore you go.
By the way, Mark 6, in a comparative passage, in verse 7 tells us He sentthem
two by two. I think there is a reasonwhy. For one thing, they would be
companions in times of possible loneliness. Foranother, they would be
strength to one another in times of temptation. For another, they would be an
encouragementin times of despondencyand persecution. Foranother, they
could relieve eachother in the matter of preaching and healing, which would
be going on all the time. And for another, it was knownwell to them that the
testimony of anyone was confirmed in the mouth of two or three witnesses. So
the Lord sent them two by two. And it probably only lasted a few weeks, but
they were still the ambassadors ofChrist, officially sent. They were really in
the same categoryas Paul, who said, “Godhas given to me the ministry as an
oikonomia, as a stewardship.” As he saidin 2 Corinthians 3, “A trust is given
me.” That’s a serious matter, Paul said, and so serious, in 1 Corinthians 9
that, “I am cursed if I don’t preach the gospel.” Woe is unto me simply means
curse me, if I don’t preach. Why? I’ve been given a commission. I’ve been
given a divine commission. I can no more go AWOL on this deal than
someone cando that in the service. A serious matter.
In their case, their commissioning was direct. The Lord walkedup to them
and said, “You, follow Me.” And that would have been very clear. They didn’t
have to put fleeces outand pray and ask the Lord to show them signs. I mean,
He just grabbed them and took them. No with us, it’s a little more indirect.
Isn’t it? People, especiallyyoung men going into ministry, will often ask me,
“How do you know you’re called to the ministry?” And basically, I think
three criteria help us to understand that. Number one is a strong desire. If I
delight in the Lord, He will give me the desire of mine heart. I believe Godhas
planted in my heart that desire. “If any man desires the office of a bishop, he
desires a goodthing,” and I think the implication of Paul’s word to Timothy is

that men will desire that, and ministry is something that God puts in the heart
today.
Secondlyis the confirmation of the church. You may say, “I am called to
preach,” and everybody else will say, “We’ve heard you. You’re not calledto
preach.” So you have to have the confirmation of the church. And that is what
Paul meant when he said to Timothy, “Thatgift of God given thee and
confirmed to thee by the laying on of the hands of the elders.” Confirmationof
those around you in the church. And finally, the ministry is made possible by
circumstances. Paulsays, I’m in Corinth, 1 Corinthians chapter 16, “because
an opened door and an effectualis given unto me.” So you’re looking at
desire; you’re looking at confirmation and affirmation; and you’re looking at
opportunity. And you know, if you go through all of those things and your
heart is set and fixed on a goal, that that’s the call of God.
And so they were calledin a very immediate, very external, visible, physical
way. We are calledinternally, but nonetheless calledand commissioned.
Becauseyou’ll notice that it says He not only sent them but He commanded
them. That is a very interesting word, paraggellō. The word really demands
an awful lot of attention. I wish we had more time to just really getinto that
word. But it means basicallyto give orders. But if you study that word and
trace it through its usagesin the Greek language, youfind some very
interesting things. For example, first and foremostit is a military word. It
means a superior giving orders to an inferior; it is a command issuedto
soldiers. That we see in its secularusage. It is an aggressive, definitive
statementof absolute behavior that requires obedience. Thatis its primary
use in a military way. Secondly, it is used in legalterms. There are some
papyri that have been discoveredin which this paraggellō verbis used of
summoning a man to court. In other words, he is bound by the law; he is
bound by legalinjunction againsthim to obey and respond.

We also find in some secularsourcesthat the word is used of an ethical
concept. It is used, for example, as Aristotle teaches morals or ethics to his
students. They become binding on the basis of the integrity of the individual.
When you learn what is ethically right, you are bound to that, if you have any
character. Thenit is what you might calla technique word. It is a word to
define certain technique. For example, it is used of the rules of grammar or
the rules of oratory or the rules of literary composition. It is a word then that
defines exactlyhow something is to be done. And fifthly, it is a medicalterm.
It is used of a doctorprescribing something for someone who is sick,
instruction for one who wants to be well.
Now let me sum it up. Here is a word that is a word of military command; you
don’t have any choice but to respond. Here is a word that is a word of legal
obligation; you have no choice but to respond. Here is a word of ethical
standard; you have no choice but to respond. Here is a word of technique,
which means if you’re going to do it right, this is the wayto do it; you have no
other way to respond. It is also a word of medical prescription; if you want to
be well, you do it this way. It is a word, then, that in every dimension binds
upon man a response.
And as you trace the word in the New Testament, and it is used 30 times at
least, you find that it is repeatedly used as the standard Christian term for
instruction. In Luke 5:14, Jesus usedit to instruct a leper. In Luke 8:29, He
used it to give command to an evil spirit to come out of a demoniac. In Luke 8,
He used it to instruct Jairus. In Luke 9, He used it to command His disciples.
It’s used in the book of Acts of the command of the Sanhedrin’s to Peterand
John. It’s used in Acts 15 of the command of the Pharisees to observe the
ceremoniallaw. It’s used by Paul in his writing to Timothy. It’s used as he
talks about what widows ought to do. It’s used in the pastoralepistles. It’s
used many places. It’s just the word that means we are bound to respond.

And so when you realize you’re commissionedby the Lord Jesus Himself, and
that you have no choice but to respond, because you are a soldier and He is
the commander; because you are drawn into the court and He is the judge;
because you are the one who is to live the life, and He is the one who sets the
moral standards; because you canonly carry out the task, He’s the one who
determines how it is to function; because you’re the patient and He is the
doctor, you respond. And I say this so many times when I talk to men in the
ministry, what God wants in a ministry is not your creativity and innovation.
What He wants is your obedience.
I was writing an article Saturday for a coming convention and was reminding
those who would be reading, as I wrote in the article, that the preacheris not
a chef. He’s a waiter. God doesn’twant you to make the meal. He just wants
you to deliver it to the table without getting it messedup. That’s all. We are
servants under divine commission. Now people, that’s a binding thing. I sayto
you that is a binding thing. I am bound to fulfill that commissionbefore God.
And I think that’s what Jesus was doing with these Twelve. I think it’s good
that the Lord binds us, because there are so many days we’d like to get out.
But we’re bound. And we all say, “Woe is me if I preach not the gospel.” All
of us, I think, in some sense have been commissioned, some more officially
commissionedas evangelists and teaching pastors, but all of us are bound to
obey Christ’s call to go and representHim in this world. I thank God for these
folks who go down to Hollywood Boulevardand walk up and down the street
and present Jesus to those people. Don’t you? You cando it anywhere, and I
believe the call of God is binding on our lives in that regard.
So the effective missionary, the effective disciple, effective apostle realizes he’s
under divine orders. Doesn’thave any options. He’s committed to obedience.
He’s committed to follow the principles of the Word of God as commanded.
You see, that’s why when we go, it says, into all the world to make disciples,
we baptize and we teach them to observe all things whatsoeverI have – what?
– commanded you. Becausethat’s the whole issue. The Lord wants obedience.

Let me give you a secondprinciple. I believe an effective missionary is not
only marked by a divine commission, but I believe he is marked by a central
objective. I believe if you’re going to be effective in serving God, there has to
be a very clearfocus, a very central focus. Look at verse 5 again. “And [He]
commanded them saying, ‘Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any
city of the Samaritans enter not.’” And there are two possessive genitives,
which means don’t go into a road belonging to the Gentiles or a city belonging
to the Samaritans. Don’t go near Gentiles or Samaritans. You say, what has
Jesus gotagainstthem? I mean, is this the Jewishgospel? I mean, is it limited?
Well, it is here. I mean, it reads to me just like it reads to you. And then in
verse 6 He says, “Butinstead, you go only to the lost sheepof the house of
Israel.” Now may I add that this is not a permanent command. This is a very
dispensational statement, a very narrow statement, limited to this time and
place and this the plan of God. I’ll talk about that in a moment, but what I
want you to see out of it is that it illustrates how God gives people very clear
objectives, very central focus, very limited mission.
David McKenna has rightly said, “Self-styledMessiahsare always
megalomaniacswho want to win the world and win it now. And some people’s
perception of ministry is so vast that their ministry winds up being like a
birdbath, a mile long and an inch deep.” But the focus that our Lord gives to
us here, I think, is the very narrowness of ministry. You say, does Godnot
care for Gentiles? Of course He cares for Gentiles. Justin case youmight
wonder about that, turn back to Matthew chapter 8 and verse 5. And you’ll
find there that, “When Jesus was enteredinto Capernaum, there came to him
a centurion.” Well that’s a Gentile. That’s a Roman soldierwho commands a
hundred men.
And Jesus respondedto that man. I believe He not only brought healing, but I
believe – and we studied that in the text some months ago. I believe He not
only brought healing, but I believe He brought salvationto that household.

And Jesus makes a greatstatementin verse 11. He says, “And I say unto you
that many shall come from the eastand west.” And that means eastand west
of Palestine. ManyGentiles will sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob
in the kingdom of heaven. And the sons of the kingdom, the Jews, will be cast
out. Don’t be confused. The Lord has already made it abundantly clearthat
He will reachGentiles. In fact, in the Old Testament, all you need to do is read
the prophet Isaiah, and you will find in chapter 49 and in chapter – several
places in the 50’s where he says Jerusalemwill carry the messageto the
nations. He loved the Gentiles. Later on in Matthew 28, He says, “Go into all
the world and preachthe gospelto every creature.” And we’re going to see in
chapter 13 how Jesus begins to turn awayfrom Israel and begins to talk about
the church, which is called by Paul, “The fullness of the Gentiles.” The Lord
always had the Gentiles in His plan.
You say, what about the Samaritans? Does He got something againstthe
Samaritans? No. The Samaritans were okay, but the Jews hated them –
absolutely despisedthem. It was one thing to be a Gentile. You couldn’t help
that. You were born a Gentile. I mean you just sortof were a Gentile. Tough
luck. But to be a Samaritans is to be a corrupted person, because a Samaritan
was a half-breed, and they reflectedthe intermarriage of the Jew with the
Gentile, which was a crime unforgivable in the minds of many Jews. Jesus
didn’t have a problem with that. You see, the first womanthat Jesus ever
announced His Messiahshipto was a Gentile womanliving in the city of
Sychar who had a handful of husbands and was living with a man who wasn’t
her husband. Nota nice lady. And a Samaritan. And it was to her that He
revealedHis Messiahship. No, he had no problem there. And when He was
talking about how men ought to love and how they ought to love their
neighbors, He used a Samaritanas an illustration.
You say, well then if God loves Gentiles and God loves Samaritans, why does
He tell them don’t go to them? Oh, I’m glad you asked. Bythe way, the
Samaritans had fomented the hatred, because 20 years before the time of

Christ, the Samaritans had stolen into the temple in the middle of the night
during Passoverand thrown dead men’s bones all over the temple enclosure,
which polluted it. And so there was just a terrible hatred at that point in time.
And there were lots of problems in going to a Samaritan town and lots of
problems in going to a Gentile town, particularly for this little group of
unqualified guys.
Now let me give you three reasons whyI believe He told them not to go there.
Number one I callthe specialplace of the Jews – the specialplace of the Jews.
They were just God’s chosenpeople and they were the ones to whom the
covenants and the promises were given and the law. And so in the line of
God’s plan, it was that the kingdom was to be first offeredto them. That’s all.
And they, first of all, were approachedby John the Baptist, who came and he
was saying, “Repent. Forthe kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It’s imminent.
It’s here. It’s available. And then Jesus came along and said, “Repent. Forthe
kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And now Jesus says, “Yougo, and you say the
very same thing, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ You offer them the
kingdom. You offer them the rule of Godon earth. Heaven has come to earth.
God wants to rule. Yes, it’s a spiritual dimension. Yes, it’s within you. Yes, it’s
in your heart. Yes, it’s the acceptance ofthe lordship of Christ, but it also has
an earthly aspect.” And had they responded to the Messiah, the internal and
the external would have come togetherat the same moment. “You tell them
the kingdom is imminent. It’s available. They canhave it if they repent and
believe.” And they are the people through whom the rest of the world is to be
blessed. They are the tents of Shem, through whom all the nations are blessed.
“Salvationis of the Jews,”it says in the New Testament. That doesn’t mean
it’s only for them. It means it comes through them. They were to be the
emissaries, the witnesses.Jerusalemwas to be the launching point for
evangelism. Jerusalemwas to be the place where the nations came to see the
Messiah. Theywere to be His witness people, so He said, “Go there first.”
Much like Paul on his missionary journeys. Even though he was a missionary

to the Gentiles, he always went first to the synagogue, because he went to the
people of God first of all to gather them togetherto help him to reach the
Gentiles. So He says, “Yougo first to them.” Now I promise you something. If
they had gone first to the Gentiles and the Samaritans, the Jews wouldn’t
have listened to them. So the specialplace of the Jews was the first reason.
The secondone I call the specialproblem of the Twelve. Theywere hardly up
to this task, reaching their own people, to say nothing of trying to reach the
Gentiles and the Samaritans, whose culture they did not understand that well,
whose biases and prejudices they could not have overcome easily. They were
not equipped for that. Do you know that nothing every really crackedopen
the Gentile world, with the exceptionof Peter’s confrontation of one God-
fearing man named Cornelius, nothing ever made a dent in that world until a
man came along by the name of Paul?
And he, born of the tribe of Benjamin, an Israelite of Israelites, zealous forthe
law, trained under Gamaliel, a true Jew in every way, but educatedand
instructed in Gentile culture and from a Gentile area, was able to make the
bridge to reachthose Gentile people. These fellows just weren’t up to that. It
just wasn’ttime yet for them. They weren’t ready. They didn’t have the
technique. They didn’t have the background. Couldn’t build the bridges. And
if they had startedthere, they never would have been able to come back to the
Jews. The Jews wouldhave just written them off as those who brought about
a Gentile and Samaritanreligion.
Thirdly, and less important than those two, I think the third reasonthey were
sent to only the Jews was because ofthe specialpoint of attack. Any
commander knows that you just can’t do everything. You can’t be like the
man who jumped on his horse and rode of madly in all directions. You have to
have specifics. The possibilities were varied, and He gives them a specific
target. “Justdo this. Go to Galilee, and go to the Jews, who are the lostsheep

of the house of Israel.” By the way, the phrase ‘the lost sheepof the house of
Israel’ simply refers to the Jews. If you compare it back with chapter 9 verse
36, you see that. He saw the multitude and they were sheepwithout a
shepherd. They are the lost sheep. They have been disconnectedfrom the
Shepherd. They are out of the fold. They are wandering, hopeless, and
helpless. He says, “Go to them. Go to My people, Israel. They are the ones to
whom the promises were originally given. They are the ones with whom you
can communicate and have an audience and reception, so go to them.” So our
Lord Himself reflects to them what was His own specific ministry.
You probably have not thought about this, but do you realize that the Lord
Himself never went to the Gentiles? His ministry was almostexclusively to the
Jews. In Matthew 15:24, He says, “Iam not sent but unto the lostsheep of the
house of Israel.” Thatwas His focus. The Gentile world would come after
that. Jesus hada tremendous economyof effort, tremendous clarity of
objective. Now I think that one of the things that frustrates people in ministry
is that they don’t have a clearobjective. They just don’t have that, and you
can getso diverted. You know, I’ve gone to mission fields and I’ve talkedwith
missionaries. And they’ve been on the missionfield a long time, and you ask
them what they’re doing. And well, let’s see. We do a little of this and a little
of that and a little of this and little of that, and they’re all over everywhere
and you just really wonderif they’re doing anything. They don’t have a clear
objective. I think part of an effective ministry is to have a clearobjective.
Know your gifts, what God has equipped you to do; know the needs and the
callings and the opportunities and the desires of your heart and find a track
and run in that track.
My grandfather taught my dad and my dad used to tell me, most people in the
world never do anything well. So just do one thing well and you’ll be way
aheadof most people - just one thing well. Just find the one thing God wants
you to do and do it. I think about that a lot. It’s easyfor me to getpulled off
into all kinds of projects. Oh, I’m telling you, every day someone wants me to

go do something. Come over here for six months, go over here for a month, do
this, do that, help us with this. And sometimes you just feel like you’re being
ripped to pieces. And you go back to the thing that you see in Christ and that
is this tremendous focus on the objective.
I know what God’s calledme to do. God has called me to preach. I know that.
That’s what I’m to do – to preach. I know where He’s calledme to preach,
and that’s right here. I just want to affirm that in case some of you are
thinking otherwise. He has called me to preach here. I know that. He has
calledme to preach here, teaching expositionally His Word. I know that,
because I am compelled to do that in my heart. And He has called me not only
to preach and preachhere and preach expositionally, but primarily the New
Testament, because thatis the mystery and I have been calledto preach the
mystery. It says so in Colossians1. I know what I am called to do, and that’s
what God wants me to do. A lot of other things I could do, and sometimes you
have to fight it off. But you just keepthat constantfocus.
You say, what about this? What about that? And you can getall concerned.
The Lord will take care of that. He’s got other folks. Did you know that? I
don’t have to do it all. If I just do one thing right, just one thing that He gave
me to do. And I’ll let Him take care of where it goes. You know, I’ve said this
so many times, if I take care of the depth of it, He’ll take care of the breadth
of it. If He wants to spread it around, that’s His business. I just want to hit the
target. I’m committed to that.
We need that kind of focus. I know, in a church like ours, sometimes I think
that we have so many things going on that there’s some people just standing in
the middle dizzy, just saying, “Gee, Alice. What do we do?” See? And they
really wind up doing nothing, or this a little bit and that a little bit. You know,
the smorgasbordChristian. Just a little of everything. That isn’t the idea.
Focus. The Lord said, “ I do only that which the Fatherhas given Me to do.

My meat is to do His will. I am not come but with the lost sheepof the house
of Israel.” The Lord said, “I am not come to callthe righteous, but” – what? –
“sinners to repentance. I’m going for the lost sheepof the house of Israeland
only the ones who admit their sin.” That was a narrow focus, a narrow
perspective, but that’s an effective ministry. Do one thing and do it well.
Precisionin ministry.
Third principle, and this is as far as we’ll go this morning. I think effective
missionary work involves a clearmessage, notonly a central objective but a
clearmessage. Oh, I grieve in my heart at just the befuddled condition of
Christianity today. Our messageis anything but clear. I was on a plane the
other day, and a pastor satnext to me. We were going to a pastors’conference
in Chicago. And He said, “Let me give you a little demonstration.” He took
out a piece of paper, and he just wrote on the paper, and he just kept writing
and writing and writing and writing and writing, just kept writing on the
same little tiny piece of paper. And he handed me the paper and he says,
“What does this say?” And you know what it was? It was just every – all
kinds of scribble, scribble, scribble, scribble, deep dents, scribble on top of
scribble in one little – I said, “I don’t know what it says. How could anyone
know what it says?” And he smiled. He said, “What was the first word? What
was my original message to you?” I said, “I don’t have a clue.”
He said, “Let me tell you what I did.” He says, “You take a piece of paper.” I
said, “All right.” So I took a piece of paper. He says, “Youwrite ‘Christ.’”
And I wrote, “Christ.” He says, “Now, overthe top write, ‘Baptist,
Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, Pentecostal, Charismatic, dispensational,
fundamentalist, liberal, Protestant.’” And he gave me about twelve other
things. He said, “Now you give that to an unbeliever and ask him what your
original messageis.” He hasn’t got a clue. Who know? Right? I mean, if you
pick up the daily news and look at the church section, hopeless – utterly
hopeless.

Part of the problem is that we don’t stick with the central message. And what
does He say in verse 7? “And as you go, preach.” And as you preach, will you
say, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” I mean, I can’t it get much simpler.
I love that verse. You say, that’s the whole sermon? Where’s the restof what
you’re supposedto say? That’s enough. The kingdom of heaven is a big
enough subject to covereverything that Godis interestedin. So if you want to
open your mouth, then make sure you talk about God’s projects, not man’s.
Preachthe kingdom, the rule and reign of God, that heaven has come to earth.
The kingdom of heaven is seenthree ways:In conversion, whenmen enter the
Kingdom; in consecration, whenwe live out the kingdom. Romans tells us that
the kingdom is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peacejoy, in the Holy
Spirit; and the kingdom come is ultimately earthly in its millennial form. But
until that time, we preach the kingdom, the kingdom, the kingdom. You know,
Jesus taught His disciples nothing but that. All the principles of God’s rule,
God’s rule, God’s rule. He is Lord, He is Lord, He is Lord. Men are to submit,
men are to obey. God rules. And then even after His resurrection, for 40 days,
Acts 1 says He taught them things pertaining to the kingdom. It can gets
confusing out there for people when they listen to preachers. You sayyou’re a
preacher, and they haven’t got a clue what your messageis until they hear
you. Right? Becauseallkinds of preachers preachall kinds of stuff. I mean,
the average unbelieverwho turns on even the television and listens finds such
disparity that it would be impossible to know what the real messagewas.
I was in Mississippi, at the time Martin Luther King was assassinatedand a
lot of civil rights things were going on. And we were down there going through
the black high schools, two orthree of them a day, holding assemblies and
preaching Christ, and we had a greattime. One night we had just finished a
big assembly, and the Lord had blessedin a wonderful way. And we were out
in the middle of nowhere. Went to some black farm and we had some ice
creamand stuff with the family, and we had a neat time. And it was late and
we were leaving and we kept noticing somebody was following us.

Well here we are in the middle of nowhere, dirt roads, dirt roads, dirt roads
everywhere and we’re trying to getback about ten miles to where we were
supposedto stay. And all of a sudden this blue light starts going around
behind me, and I was driving this carwith the guys in it, and pulled up beside
me. And this greatbig huge guy with a sheriff’s badge on rolls the window
down and I stopped. And he says, “You went through a stop light.” I said,
“What?” There’s no stoplights around here. This is a dirt road. This like 11
o’clock outin the farm area. I said, “There’s no stoplight around here. You
must be mistaken.” He said, “I’m not mistaken. You went through a stop
light.” I said, “Now, I didn’t go through a stop light.” And then he had this
little club in his belt and he said – I said, “I went through a stoplight.” I’m not
going to argue about it. Right? He says, “Follow me. We’re going to the jail.”
So we do. We followedhim for ten miles. They’d been following us around.
They took us in there, and this guy collectedour money as collateral, I guess,
for whateverwas going to happen. And he said, “What are you telling those
people in those schoolmeetings?” Isaid, “Whatdo you mean, what do we tell
them?” He says, “Whatdo you tell them? Do you tell them about civil rights?”
I said, “No.” He said, “Are you telling them about marches? Are you starting
a march?” He said, “Are you telling them about protests, boycotts?” Thatwas
the big word then. I said, “No.” I said, “Do you know what we’re telling
about?” He says, “Yeah, I’d like to know.” I said, “We’re telling them about
Jesus Christ.” And I said, “You know, we’d be happy to tell you about Him,
too.” He said, “I’m alreadythe Sunday Schoolsuperintendent. I don’t need to
hear about that.” Well it was kind of an interesting night, to put it mildly. But
you know what, there were so many people down there at that time who called
themselves ministers who were not talking about Christ, who were not talking
about the kingdom of heaven. It’s no wonder some of those people were
paranoid.

Now, I mean to tell you that Satan is not stupid. And the best way to render
the gospelofno effectis to make sure nobody knows what it is. It is the
messagethat the kingdom of heaven is at hand, that imminently and available
to every person is the rule and reign of God in their lives, here and now, as
well as earthly, millennially, and eternally. That is our message. Iwon’t get
pulled into politics, although I have some strong feelings about things. I won’t
get pulled into other things. I say no to that stuff all the time, because my
focus cannot change from the kingdom. I wish, Christians, every time we
opened our mouths, something about the kingdom came out. Wouldn’t that be
good? Let’s just talk about God’s rule and His kingdom.
I just love it that He says to them, “Justsay that the kingdom of heavenis at
hand.” Now what are you going to do? Just go around saying that over and
over again? No, of course not. Fill it up with all of the content that that term
deserves, and we’ve been through that term about ten times in the previous
ten chapters, so you know what’s there. Well there’s a sense ofurgency in that
statement. I know and you know that it wasn’t long after this until the Lord
turned awayfrom Israel, because they didn’t take the messageofferedto
them. I think there is urgency and immanency in this world too. I don’t know
how long we have before the Lord comes, and we need to be proclaiming the
kingdom with urgency. Effective missionaries have a divine commission,
central objective, and a clearmessage.
You want to know something frustrating? The next point is the best point of
all. I’d ask you how spiritual you are and take a vote about whether you want
me to do it this morning or next week, but I don’t want to do that. I’m just
going to pray that if you don’t come back next week, the Lord will make you
sick, because itis the best point of all. All right? Let’s have a word of prayer
together.

Thank You, Father, for Your goodand gracious Wordto us. Thank You that
You can even use us at all, who are so unqualified. Thank You for the example
that You sent these Twelve, calledthem and used them to change the world,
and we are the fruit, generations later, of their obedience. Should Jesus tarry,
may there be generations aheadwho will be the fruit of our obedience. Send
us, Lord, as You choose. Helpus to focus on that ministry You’ve gifted us to
do and to make the message crystalclear. And well thank You in Christ’s
name, Amen.
A. MACLAREN
CHRIST’S CHARGE TO HIS HERALDS
‘These twelve Jesus sentforth, and commanded them, saying, do not into the
way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6. But go
rather to the lost sheepof the house of Israel. 7. And as ye go, preach, saying,
The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise
the dead, castout devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9. Provide
neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10. Nor scrip for your
journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, noryet staves:for the workman is
worthy of his meat. 11. And into whatsoevercity or town ye shall enter,
enquire who in it is worthy: and there abide till ye go thence. 12. And when ye
come into an house, salute it. 13. And if the house be worthy, let your peace
come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14. And
whosoevershallnot receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of
that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 15. Verily I say unto you, It
shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of
judgment, than for that city. 16. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst
of wolves:be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.’ —Matt. x.
5-16.

The letter of these instructions to the apostles has been abrogatedby Christ,
both in reference to the scope of, and the equipment for, their mission (Matt.
xxviii. 19;Luke xxii. 36). The spirit of them remains as the perpetual
obligation of all Christian workers, andevery Christian should belong to that
class. Some directevangelistic work ought to be done by every believer, and in
doing it he will find no better directory than this charge to the apostles.
I. We have, first, the apostles’missionin its sphere and manner (vs. 5-8). They
are told where to go and what to do there. Mark that the negative prohibition
precedes the positive injunction, as if the apostles were alreadyso imbued
with the spirit of universalism that they would probably have overpassedthe
bounds which for the present were needful. The restriction was transient. It
continued in the line of divine limitation of the sphere of Revelationwhich
confined itself to the Jew, in order that through him it might reachthe world.
That method could not be abandoned till the Jew himself had destroyed it by
rejecting Christ. Jesus still clung to it. Even when the commissionwas
widened to ‘all the world,’ Paul went ‘to the Jew first,’ till he too was taught
by uniform failure that Israelwas fixed in unbelief.
How tenderly our Lord designates the nation as ‘the lostsheep of the house of
Israel’! He is still influenced by that compassionwhichthe sight of the
multitudes had moved in Him (chap. ix. 36). Lost indeed, wandering with torn
fleece, and lying panting, in ignorance oftheir pasture and their Shepherd,
they are yet ‘sheep,’and they belong to that chosenseed, sprung from so
venerable ancestors, andheirs of so glorious promises. Clearsight of, and
infinite pity for, men’s miseries, must underlie all apostolic effort.
The work to be done is twofold—a glad truth is to be proclaimed, gracious
deeds of powerare to be done. How blessedmust be the kingdom, the
forerunners of which are miracles of healing and life-giving! If the heralds can
do these, what will not the King be able to do? If such hues attend the dawn,

Jesus was focused first on israelites

Jesus was focused first on israelites

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Jesus was focused first on israelites

Similar to Jesus was focused first on israelites (20)

More from GLENN PEASE

More from GLENN PEASE (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Jesus was focused first on israelites