Sunday, 15 March      Seeking the Messiah.         Matthew 9:35–10:42

Matthew uses the word ‘all’ in v35. Jesus went about all the cities and villages… But shortly after, he sends the disciples out because of the immensity of the task. So we must assume that ‘all’ was restricted to a particular area of Galilee. 

The mission that the disciples took up went far beyond Galilee. It no doubt went as far south as Israel's border stretched, down to the area of the Nabateans, in the Negev desert; out to the west coast from Caesarea Maritima in the north down to Joppa and Gaza; out to Syria and Jordan; down the middle to Jerusalem and the Salt Sea; up to the far north to Dan and the Golan Heights and Mt Hermon. In modern geographical distances it is a small enough task – but in those days it was a vast area to be covered by foot.

In that ancient civilisation, there could have been a village every few kilometres or miles. Jesus specifically said not to go to Samaria or the Gentile towns, so the large Roman towns of the Decapolis (ten major Roman towns) were to be avoided.

Jesus’ instruction process is interesting. Pray! he says. The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.

Presumably the disciples do as he instructs, then Jesus says, ‘Right, then. Off you go’. This is an instance, not of ecclesiastical ordination, but of dominical (Lordly) blessing on the vocation of imago Dei – of beings made in the image of God. 

We are all called to do the work that God would do ‘if he were here’. Of course, we know the Trinitarian God is always ‘here’ – but no longer in the incarnated physical person of Jesus Christ, so we are called into service to do what he would do. This, as I understand it, is the best definition of that fraught Christian concept of calling. We diminish the idea immensely by imagining that only some particular, special people have a calling to ministry.

It is we who are to feed the hungry crowds, perhaps with clever technology and broadacre farming. We are to heal the sick, perhaps through good medicine and safe hospitals and persistent, intelligent research. We are to preach the good news of the kingdom of God.

‘Ah, but,’ someone might say – ‘these were his disciples, his apostles. They were special people and he ordained them.’ Well, they weren’t special. They were just faithful. And they weren’t especially holy. They still had arguments about who would be greater in the kingdom, and they still failed to stand up for him when the crunch came, and he was arrested. 

And here’s the most telling of all. He included Judas Iscariot in the list of itinerant preachers! Judas who would eventually betray him! Let’s hear no nonsense about how he won't use me because I'm not good enough, or because I have sinned in the past or some such. If he can use Judas on this evangelistic mission, he won't have any qualms about using you or me. I sometimes get depressed about the parlous state of church leadership across the world. This little event encourages me. God can use anyone for his good purpose.

The whole of chapter 10 seems to be Matthew’s Compendium of Ministry Handbook. Parts of it turn up in the other Gospels, but this passage seems to lump it all together. It’s the kind of passage that even modern travelling preachers are inclined to take parts of, but not always all of it.

It’s all very well to focus on the first part of v8: Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. But we dare not forget the next sentence: You received without payment; give without payment. Again, we are not talking here about the regular weekly stipend of a pastor or youth worker, or fair payments for services rendered. 

This is problematic. Gird up your loins now for some tough thinking for a paragraph or two. I’m nervous about even writing this down:

What would the Master say to those who seek to amass personal fortunes for selling their books, sermons and copyrighted songs on DVD or podcasts, or rake in millions of dollars in offerings and sales of merchandise from the faithful? Is the Master pleased when we claim that we have received Holy Spirit inspiration for a song, then charge the faithful around the world every time they sing it in church worship as happens in most churches every Sunday? We remember the words: You received without payment; give without payment.

I doubt that the Wesley brothers or John Newton levied a singing-rate on their songs! I perceive a difference between requiring a person who records my song to sell for his own gain, and the congregation of the family of God singing my song in worship of the One who gives to us freely, amazing grace, without payment, without cost.

I’ve published books that were sold, too, so I’ve had to think hard about this. There is a reasonable expectation for an artist to be paid for their work. But how much, how often, and by whom? It seems to me that there is an area of discipleship responsibility and commercial accountability that the modern church has not thought through sufficiently, in a world of copyright law and subscriptions to worship song lists or podcasts. Perhaps some hard thinking needs to be done, to reflect the kingdom of God more truly?

The thrust of this whole chapter is certainly to present a radical methodology. It sometimes suits the wild-eyed evangelist, perhaps more than the gentle parishioner. It’s a document for its time, but yet speaks to all times. Perhaps parts of it needs to be read for general principles, to make it applicable to all people in all settings.

It is, fundamentally, a manual for leaders and ministers, rather than for the aged residents in the nursing home. It contains huge promises, huge responsibilities, high moments of drama and impressive success – but it also promises and presages fearful challenges; demonic and human opposition and great danger.

It reads exactly like a Briefing Manual for a pre-invasion incursion, instructions for an advance strike force. 

The abiding message is, however, that this overall mission will not fail, regardless of how many individuals or teams are shot down and destroyed in the process. The Kingdom and the King will prevail.

Prayer:  How do you want me to be your witness, my Lord? You know my limitations in my capacity to speak, or write, or study, or travel, or… How is that you want me to witness to others around me? Please help me to have the courage to say your name, whenever I get the opportunity. Amen.