Read Matthew 9: 35 - 10:42
The theme of the chapter is obvious ... Jesus is commissioning his twelve chosen and called disciples for their work in the kingdom of heaven. We have already considered the fact that Jesus calls each of us ... chooses us and calls us for work in his kingdom. We have different tasks ... different places to serve ... different responsibilities to carry ... but the call on our lives is present and real. Therefore it seems altogether appropriate for us to consider these words from Jesus as wisdom for you and I as well as instructions for the twelve apostles. Our task as we read this chapter is to glean wisdom for us in our day ... in our work ... in our service in Christ's kingdom. So reflect on the following observations:
Observation #1: Jesus chose his workers. It was not a random mix of men. They didn't just "happen" to be together at the right time so Jesus said, "I guess you guys will do". It was deliberate and intentional. There are a couple of things I believe are very important for us to recognize.
First, these were ordinary men. They were not learned rabbis of the day. They were not the intelligentsia of Israel. They were not the socially prominent in Palestine. They were ordinary. And Jesus chose them. So we must NEVER try to excuse ourselves from service in the kingdom of heaven because we are just ordinary folks! We don't know enough ... we are not smart enough ... we are not important enough. So what? Jesus chose these ordinary men. He specializes in taking the ordinary and transforming that ordinary into extraordinary. It is HIS ability ... not ours ... that accomplishes anything of eternal value anyway. Do you trust Jesus enough to know that when he lays a task out before you ... he will enable you to do it? Our job? Follow Him.
Secondly, these men were an extraordinary mix. We know very little about them individually. But what little we do know is striking. We know 4 of these men were common fishermen. Laborers. We know Matthew was a tax collector - making him a collaborator with the Roman occupation forces - a collaborator with the dreaded enemy. We know Simon was a member of the party of the Zealots - the uber-patriots of the day. The historian, Josephus, in describing the Zealots, says: "they were prepared to go to the lengths of secret murder and stealthy assassination to seek to rid their country of foreign rule." We know that these men came from the region of Galilee - small town guys - none of them from the seats of political and religious power of their day. I know of no strategy team that would have chosen this particular mix of men and said they were a good fit. But these men were Jesus followers. And being a Jesus follower supersedes any human categories or prejudices or groups. Right? This group 'worked' because they walked with Jesus. First priority.
Paul describes it best in Galatians 5: 27 - 28
As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
The personal questions begin to tumble out. Does my life reflect that kind of cooperative spirit in the kingdom of heaven? Can I disagree on important issues (aka Matthew and Simon) and still respect and work with others in Christ? Do I consider the work of the kingdom of heaven as more important than work for any earthly system or "kingdom"? I am walking with my Lord close enough for human differences to be overcome?
Lord, help us see ourselves as your followers, your disciples, first. And as your disciples, we are an ultimate form of a "band of brothers". May we truly band together ...
(to be continued ...)
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