Matthew 10

Let me begin today's blog by apologizing for not having blogs up the last few days. Hopefully, we will not have such a lapse again.

Matthew 10 has Jesus sending the twelve out on mission. Going on mission is at the heart of the teaching of Jesus. Jesus had been training the disciples through example and now it was their turn to minister. They were told to preach as they go. They were given authority to heal, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy and to drive out demons. The Bible doesn't report the results of this mission. I am curious to know how they did.

The advice Jesus gives the disciples before sending them out needs to be taken seriously by us today. There is so much in this chapter I cannot comment on the teachings so I will pick a few. Hopefully, some of you will blog some of your insight as well.

In verse 14 Jesus tells them to shake the dust off their feet if their message is not listened too. Too many times I have been discouraged when I have witnessed to someone and they have rejected what I have had to say. Jesus tells us not to carry that with us. Just because someone rejects Jesus doesn't mean that we have to be less enthusiastic in sharing it with someone else.

Verse 22 tells us to stand firm to the end. Living the Christian life and being on mission is more like a marathon than a sprint. We are not to give up but we are to endure.

Verse 39 gives us the key to life. We are to lose ourselves in Jesus. If we try to find a life for ourself it will not last. The only way to have a lasting life is to be completely absorbed in Jesus.

"Lord, help us as we all go to our mission fields today whether at work, school or play. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen."