Matthew 10:1-20
Mercy is more than kindness; it is the validation of the message preached. The post-Christian man is in a different situation than the Heathen who has never heard the Gospel. The description of the 12 sent out expresses a wide gamut of people from the Zealot to the tax collector. But it is loyalty to the Lordship of Jesus that binds them together.
The scope of the mission is fairly small since it is limited to Galilee, but is expansive with both the message and the miracles of Jesus. The miracles of healing even include raising the dead. We need to ask, “Is the application of this commission for all the disciples or only for Jesus' immediate audience?”
Jesus commissions and sends them all without a lot of provision. They embody the message and they embody the promise of divine provision. The call to trust and “seek ye first the kingdom of God” now has a practical application. What is needed will be available when it is needed. The time taken to acquire an extra tunic and extra pair of shoes or walking stick is time and effort that is wasted.
The culture of that day allowed a different kind of hospitality than what we experience today. However, the rejection of the message is always a disaster for any people. Disciples are not responsible for the decisions of those who hear the message once that message has been communicated. Disciples are a helpless group like wolves among sheep. How does a disciple survive? The disciple survives by the combination of cunning and purity. They are as cunning as a snake, but without ulterior motives. Jesus assumes the reality of persecution and opposition for us.
We find this combination odd and this expectation places the discipleship opposed by the powers and responding to them without power.
"Lord, help me to focus my life on being a disciple through which the message of the Gospel flows and is validated by acts of mercy. AMEN"
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