January 23, 2015
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Passion for People

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Opening Prayer

Lord, You are my strength and my joy. I offer up to You this day that You have made.

Read Matthew 9:35-10:16

[35] Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. [36] When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [37] Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. [38] Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” [1] Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. [2] These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; [3] Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; [4] Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. [5] These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. [6] Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. [7] As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. [9] “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts- [10] no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. [11] Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. [12] As you enter the home, give it your greeting. [13] If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. [14] If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. [15] Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. [16] “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

“God to enfold me, God to surround me, God in my speaking, God in my thinking, God in my life, God in my lips, God in my heart” (Celtic prayer).

This passage describes the transition that sees the coming of God’s kingdom extended to the activity of Jesus’ twelve disciples. In the Sermon on the Mount we were told what kingdom life and relationships should be like. Jesus then embarked on a period of bringing in the new order, culminating in an intense period of traveling throughout the region preaching the Good News of the Kingdom and demonstrating its transformational power. The bridge into the disciples’ commissioning is that of Jesus’ deep compassion. With strong Old Testament echoes (Ezek. 34; 1 Kings 22:17; 2 Chron. 18:16; Isa. 53:6), his deep concern is that the shepherd-less crowds are oppressed and helpless with no rescuer. The language contains a reminder that the shepherd can refer to God or the Davidic Messiah whom God promised to send.

The named disciples are given detailed instructions about what to take with them, what to do and how to behave. These instructions contain principles for living for Jesus in the world, but it is the authority given them by him that enables them to fulfill his instructions. Their mission is birthed out of the passion of Jesus for people, shaped by kingdom principles and empowered by Jesus’ own authority vested in them. They were to hold money, possessions and personal comfort lightly. Focusing on Israelites, they were to preach and operate in the context of announcing, and by implication believing, that the kingdom was near. With Jesus the kingdom was so near that it had actually dawned.

Notice that the disciples’ mission started with Jesus’ passion, his strong feelings, that really saw people’s condition. The same is true today–we are invited to join in God’s mission, his activity in the world, by sharing his passion for people.

Apply

The early disciples were commissioned to go and proclaim, “The Kingdom of heaven is near!” (10:7). How would you share this message? What insights come from the passage?

Closing prayer

Heavenly Father, I thank You that Your Kingdom has come into my life. You have taken the same old things of my daily life and given them new meaning.

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