Matthew 10 · Clearspring

The Twelve Apostles

¹And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.+ ²These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;+ ³Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;+ ⁴Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.+

The Ministry of the Twelve

Mark 6:7–13; Luke 9:1–6

⁵These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.+ ⁶Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.+ ⁷As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’+ ⁸Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.+ ⁹Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts.+ ¹⁰Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.+ ¹¹Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on.+ ¹²As you enter the home, greet its occupants.+ ¹³If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it, but if it is not, let your peace return to you.+ ¹⁴And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.+ ¹⁵Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.+

Sheep among Wolves

2 Timothy 1:3–12

¹⁶Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.+ ¹⁷But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.+ ¹⁸On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.+ ¹⁹But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say.+ ²⁰For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.+ ²¹Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.+ ²²You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.+ ²³When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.+ ²⁴A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.+ ²⁵It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!+

Fear God Alone

Luke 12:4–7

²⁶So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.+ ²⁷What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.+ ²⁸Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.+ ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.+ ³⁰And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.+ ³¹So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.+

Confessing Christ

Luke 12:8–12

³²Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven.+ ³³But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.+

Not Peace but a Sword

Micah 7:1–6; Luke 12:49–53

³⁴Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.+ ³⁵For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.+ ³⁶A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’+ ³⁷Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;+ ³⁸and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.+ ³⁹Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.+

The Reward of Service

2 Kings 4:8–17

⁴⁰He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.+ ⁴¹Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.+ ⁴²And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”+