Matthew 10

1 – 4

Jesus called his 12 followers together. He gave them power to drive out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and sickness.

These are the names of the 12 apostles: Simon (also called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot. Judas is the one who turned against Jesus.

Jesus had His own names for each of His followers. We know we are close friends when someone calls us by a special name. See Revelation 2:17

5 – 10

These 12 men he sent out with the following order: “Do not go to the non-Jewish people. And don’t go into any town where the Samaritans live. But go to the people of Israel. They are like sheep that are lost. When you go, preach this: ‘The kingdom of heaven is coming soon.’ Heal the sick. Give dead people life again. Heal those who have harmful skin diseases.

Send demons out of people. I give you these powers freely. So help other people freely. Don’t carry any money with you—gold or silver or copper. Do not carry a bag. Take for your trip only the clothes and sandals you are wearing. Do not take a walking stick. A worker should be given the things he needs.

Why would God send you to do a job for Him and then not make sure you have everything you need? Jesus is getting His followers ready to go all over the world by teaching them to trust God for their food and other things they need.

Do not waste your time thinking that you need money or something else before you can work for God. Just go and watch what He does!

11 – 15

When you enter a city or town, find some worthy person there and stay in his home until you leave. When you enter that home, say, ‘Peace be with you.’ If the people there welcome you, let your peace stay there. But if they do not welcome you, take back the peace you wished for them.

And if a home or town refuses to welcome you or listen to you, then leave that place. Shake its dust off your feet. I tell you the truth. On the Judgment Day it will be worse for that town than for the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah.

People do not want to come close to God but He has come to them. We bring healing and after that it is their decision what to do with Jesus. We do not want the dirty things that the world has to stick to us.

16. “Listen! I am sending you out, and you will be like sheep among wolves. So be as smart as snakes. But also be like doves and do nothing wrong.

The devil attacks us all day with anything that will get our minds off of the Lord. If we listen to demonic thoughts it will kill everything good. Sheep cannot fight against wolves. Wolves sometimes hurt sheep just for fun.

Our best way to fight is to listen to what Jesus says. This makes our enemy wonder what is going on.
 For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are being killed like sheep. Romans 8:36

17 – 20

Be careful of people. They will arrest you and take you to court. They will whip you in their synagogues. Because of me you will be taken to stand before governors and kings. You will tell them and the non-Jewish people about me.

When you are arrested, don’t worry about what to say or how you should say it. At that time you will be given the things to say. It will not really be you speaking. The Spirit of your Father will be speaking through you.

There are times when God puts words in your mouth and you do not have to think about what you are going to say. Walk close with the Lord so that He can use you in this way.

21 – 22

Brothers will turn against their own brothers and give them over to be killed. Fathers will turn against their own children and give them to be killed. Children will fight against their own parents and have them killed. All people will hate you because you follow me. But the person who continues strong until the end will be saved.

Today we already see family members hurting each other. The devil wants good Christian children to be hurt by their parents or each other so that he can fill them with bitterness. Walk as if you are in a field of bombs! Ephesians 5:15

23. When you are treated badly in one city, go to another city. I tell you the truth. You will not finish going through all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

When you share God’s Words and there are people who do not want to listen, leave them with a strong message and move on. This means there are other people waiting somewhere else who will listen!

24 – 25

A student is not better than his teacher. A servant is not better than his master. A student should be satisfied to become like his teacher. A servant should be satisfied to become like his master. If the head of the family is called Beelzebul, then the other members of the family will be called worse names!

We should not expect to be treated better than Jesus was treated by the world.

26. “So do not be afraid of those people. Everything that is hidden will be shown. Everything that is secret will be made known.

If we try to hide our secret sins then someday then will be seen by everybody.
Never make fun of the king, even in your thoughts. And do not make fun of the powerful, even in your own bedroom. For a little bird might deliver your message and tell them what you said. Ecclesiastes 10:20

27 – 28

I tell you these things in the dark, but I want you to tell them in the light. I speak these things only to you, but you should tell them to everyone. Do not be afraid of people. They can only kill the body. They cannot kill the soul. The only one you should fear is the One who can destroy the body and the soul in hell.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and worry, but of power, love, and a calm mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

29 – 31

When birds are sold, two small birds cost only a penny. But not even one of the little birds can die without your Father’s knowing it. God even knows how many hairs are on your head. So do not be afraid. You are worth much more than many birds.

Why would God send His Son to die for us and then forget to take care of us? He cares about even the small things in our lives!

32 – 33

If anyone stands before other people and says he believes in me, then I will say that he belongs to me. I will say this before my Father in heaven. But if anyone stands before people and says he does not believe in me, then I will say that he does not belong to me. I will say this before my Father in heaven.

If we are not willing to pay some kind of price for following Jesus then we are not really following Him. Would it be fine with you if you could say that you are following Jesus but you never give up anything?

34 – 36

Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. I have come to make this happen: ‘A son will be against his father, a daughter will be against her mother, a daughter-in-law will be against her mother-in-law. A person’s enemies will be members of his own family.’

Some religions will have a funeral for your child because they have given their lives to Jesus and they say that these children are dead to you now. This is an opening for demons to give these families a hard heart as they have to pretend something that is not true! Micah 7:6

37 – 39

Whoever loves his father or mother more than he loves me is not worthy to be my follower. Whoever loves his son or daughter more than he loves me is not worthy to be my follower.

Whoever is not willing to die on a cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever tries to hold on to his life will give up true life. Whoever gives up his life for me will hold on to true life.

Why should we give up the things we want? How else can we show that we are living for Him and not for ourselves? The world says that we should push ourselves to get what we want. The secret of life with God is that if we put His things first He will give us what we need without having to fight for it. Matthew 6:33

40 – 41

Whoever accepts you also accepts me. And whoever accepts me also accepts the One who sent me. Whoever meets a prophet and accepts him will receive the reward of a prophet. And whoever accepts a good man because that man is good will receive the reward of a good man.

We treat each other with great respect because the Lord Jesus is living inside of us!

42. Whoever helps one of these little ones because they are my followers will truly get his reward. He will get his reward even if he only gave my follower a cup of cold water.”

He who waters others will be watered also. Proverbs 11:25