Author and Authorization

 Matthew 10:1-15

Introduction: This is where I left off last week. Because there is a ripen harvest prepared by God himself… Jesus says,

9:38, ‘So pray, to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into the fields.’

Pray =
Ask =
Send = thrust forth – ‘The harvest is a common biblical theme associated with the kingdom of God (Isaiah 27:12; Joel 3:13; Amos 9:13; Matthew 7:16–19; 9:37; 13:24–30; Luke 10:2; Revelation 14:14–16).

Transition: Jesus began the delegation and authorization of his life’s work and the Kingdom of God teaching and ministry to 12 individuals.

Question: Are the original 12 apostles a ‘special’ group of individuals? Absolutely!

Disciple vs. Apostle

One more thing: what is an apostle? Since the disciples are also called apostles in the New Testament, let me briefly define apostle. The Greek word is apostolos, which means “one who is sent, a messenger.” This makes sense because Jesus does send them out to preach to others.

In Luke 10, mention is made of 70 apostles whom Jesus sends out to preach.

Luke 10:1-24

• In this case, the 70 others were likely followers of Jesus while the twelve disciples/apostles were Jesus’ inner circle.
  
  
• Paul, who never met the earthly Jesus, is thus never called a disciple. He considers himself an apostle, having been sent to preach to Gentiles by the resurrected Jesus.

5 Fold Ministry – Ephesians 4:11 ‘And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers’,…

The five-fold ministry is a set of roles that Christians are called to fill, as described in Ephesians 4:11 of the Bible:

There is a model that is a good way to the role/place of the 5 Callings;

Apostles: Govern and establish local churches

Prophets: Guide

Evangelists: Gather

Pastors: Guard

Teachers: Ground

4:12, ‘To equip the saints for ministry and to build up the Body of Christ!

I. The Uniqueness of the Called

Simon Peter
Andrew – Peters Brother
James, Son of Zebedee
John, Jame’s Brother
Philip
Bartholomew (Nathanael in John)
Thomas (also called Didymus in John)
Matthew the tax collector/Levi
James the son of Alphaeus
Thaddaeus (or Lebbaeus in Matthew) / Judas, son of James, Judas (not Iscariot) in John
Simon the Canaanite (Simon the Zealot in Luke)
Judas Iscariot (Judas son of Simon Iscariot) in John

Fishermen, a tax collector, connected to the fishing trade, carpenters, politicians, finance/account type.

Application: I (we) should take great joy in the fact that God chose very different types of people.

Question: But me? US? Called? One of those ‘called?’

‘Those who are fittest for the work are generally most backward to the employment’. –Adam Clark

Adam Clark

• ‘The man who is forward to become a preacher knows little of God, of human nature, or of his own heart’.
• ‘It is God’s province to thrust out such preachers as shall labor; and it is our duty to entreat him to do so’.
  
  
• A minister of Christ is represented as a day-labourer: he comes into the harvest, not to become lord of it, not to live on the labour of others, but to work, and to labour his day.

• Though the work may be very severe, yet, to use a familiar expression, there is good wages in the harvest-home; and the day, though hot, is but a short one.
  
  

• While not everyone may have the Gift of an apostle, prophet, evangelist and Pastor or Teacher…
  
  

Application: God does call every believer to be a disciple.,

The Unique Identification of = disciple(s)

Aloloutheo -To follow accompany, understand.

Mathetes – imitate/mimic; learner/pupil.

Mimeomai – Imitate, Follow

Opiso = behind, after

1. Initial Boundaries Given – 10:5

Question: Why did Jesus prohibit them going to the Jews only at first?

• When Paul speaks of the gospel bringing salvation “first to the Jew” in Romans 1:16, he alludes to the special relationship the Jews had to the Messiah.
• The Christ was the Son of David, and the hope of the Messiah had long been held by the Jews (see Luke 2:38).
• So, when the gospel of Christ was first proclaimed, the Jews had priority. We see this prioritization in Paul’s first missionary journey. Every time they would come to a new city, Paul and Barnabas would preach in the synagogue to the Jews in that city.
• In Pisidian Antioch, they were so opposed by the unbelieving Jews that the missionaries said, “We had to speak the word of God to you first.
• Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46).
• The persecution in Antioch continued, and Paul and Barnabas were eventually expelled, so they went to the next town (verse 51).

1. Authority of the ‘Called’ – 10:1

‘And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease’ (NKJ)

He gave them –

Acts 8:19 (Simon-a popular and presumably wealthy sorcerer)) saying, ‘Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ NKJ

Power/Authority – (exosuia) – force, goods/influence, dominion, right, weight.

1. Cast out evil spirits.
2. Heal every kind of disease and illness.

Question: Why don’t we see this (as much) anymore? Here are some of my thoughts/opinions:

1. God’s anointing for this is not on some.
2. Fear or holding back due to a lack of faith.
3. Fear of ‘what if it doesn’t happen?’
4. Lack of discernment.
5. Bad Theology.