Free to Free

Day 14: Matthew 10:1-23

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.” - Matthew 10:8 ESV

We ended our reading yesterday with Jesus asking all of us to request the "Lord of the harvest to send out" workers. Now we get to see Him model that with the official choosing of his 12 disciples. Luke (6:12) records that Jesus preceded this choosing with an entire night spent in prayer.

It is interesting to note that Jesus doesn't just choose these men to fill positions. He chooses them to send them. He gives them the authority to be extensions of the work He had started. This was work that Jesus could have done Himself, but it was time to show how incredible of a leader He truly was. The best leaders bring others with them and then entrust them with a share of the work.

Jesus has chosen to scale His kingdom through disciples like you and me. Honestly, I am a little intimidated by this thought. Even still, I trust Jesus knows what He is doing.

Just like the original 12, we aren't sent out as ill-equipped workers. God gives us everything we need to do this work (see 2 Thessalonians 1:11).

Freely we have received. May we freely give.

This won't be easy, but it will be worth it.

"The blessings associated with discipleship come solely by grace and must be similarly imparted." - Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 171)