Lessons In Discipleship Part 2 | Matthew 10:1-5

Scripture

• Matthew 10:1–5

About this sermon

Introduction: Prayer is necessary to the mission of the church. Jesus made that clear just prior to the time when He would commission His disciples. He taught His disciples that the harvest is great, but the laborers are few. He taught them to pray to the Lord of the harvest — to pray earnestly — for the Lord to send laborers. But as we saw this morning, there is more than prayer. Prayer is essential. Prayer is non-negotiable. God has chosen to work through prayer, so in that sense, there are things that do not take place without prayer. But prayer is not the end as Christ builds His church. Review • THE ACTION THAT ACCOMPANIES PRAYER We saw this morning that our Lord took action. Jesus, Himself, spent an entire night in prayer and then selected 12 out of that larger company of disciples who would serve as His apostles. He chose 12 who would serve as answer to the very prayer that He had called on His disciples to offer. These were saved men. They were men who would be devoted to a full-time season of training with Jesus. These are men who will be given ministry opportunities while our Lord was still present to watch over their efforts. Then these same men would eventually be sent out — they would serve as the foundation for the church after Jesus would ascend into heaven. What we see, as we begin tonight, is that with ministry assignments, Jesus granted ministry authority. THERE IS ACTION THAT ACCOMPANIES PRAYER AND THERE IS AUTHORITY THAT ACCOMPANIES PURPOSE. • THE AUTHORITY THAT ACCOMPANIES PURPOSE (vs.1b) This is a principle for all time. God grants us authority in keeping with our assignments. That authority is biblical authority. That authority is limited and mediated authority (it doesn’t belong to us by nature). That authority is for edification not destruction. But that authority is also practical and effectual. • A UNIQUE AUTHORITY The authority granted to these men was unique. It was unique for at least two reasons. • IT WAS COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY BY CHRIST This speaks to the identity of Jesus of Nazareth, doesn’t it? Jesus has the authority to communicate authority. Jesus has the authority to communicate the USE OF THE POWER OF GOD. Or to say it another way, to extend His own authority and power by granting it to His representatives. • IT WAS CONCERNING MIRACULOUS SIGNS Christ grants them a kind of authority that makes them an extension of His own work. HE CASTS OUT DEMONS — THEY DO SO IN HIS NAME HE HEALS ALL MANNER OF SICKNESS AND DISEASE — THEY DO SO IN HIS NAME When Jesus sends out the 72, they rejoiced in this reality. ESV Luke 10:17 aThe seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, beven the demons are subject to us in your name!" 18 And he said to them, a"I saw Satan bfall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority ato tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of bthe enemy, and cnothing shall hurt you. 20 aNevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that byour names are written in heaven." • A COMMON ACTION (GOD GRANTS WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR WHAT HE CALLS US TO DO) Understand that in one sense this hasn’t changed. The signs of an apostle were unique. It is non-repeatable. But our Lord still sends us with authority. ESV Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, a"All authority bin heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 aGo therefore and bmake disciples of call nations, abaptizing them fin1 dthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them ato observe all that bI have commanded you. And behold, cI am with you always, to dthe end of the age." HE IS WITH US AS WE GO FORTH TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS. HE IS WITH US AS WE TEACH HIS WORD TO THOSE DISCIPLES. HE IS WITH US FOR AS LONG AS HE LEAVES US HERE TO DO HIS WORK. Our authority is confined to the Scriptures. But our authority is real, and it involves power. ESV Acts 1:8 But you will receive apower bwhen the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and cyou will be dmy witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and eSamaria, and fto the end of the earth." • THE ASSOCIATIONS THAT ACCOMPANY PASTORAL MINISTRY (vs.2-4) Now, after recording how Christ commissioned them, Matthew records the names of those who were chosen. Our Lord trained men in such a way that they not only had a relationship to Him — they had a relationship to each other. Mark tells us that Jesus sent them out in pairs.

Topics

• Discipleship