Matthew: The Story of the King ~ Part 5 Called and Sent Matthew 10: 1-42 February 3, 2019
I. The big PICTURE of the PASSAGE. (v.1-8)
A. It’s about REAL PEOPLE… (v.2-4)
B. …CALLED “to” and SENT “out”. (v.1,5)
C. THEY are given AUTHORITY… (v.1)
D. …To proclaim in WORDS and DEEDS. (v.7-8)
Chapter 10 of Matthew covers a lot of ground and hops back and forth between many different instructions. Sometimes it’s good to just take a step back and see if there are some ideas that can help us to hold all of these “diverse verses” together. What is the “Big Picture” of the chapter?
1. Kid’s Question: If you could do anything (a “mission”) for God, what would it be?
2. Do you identify with the disciples and their backgrounds? If so, what way?
II. Finer DETAILS of the SENDING. (v.9-42)
A. TRUST and be GENEROUS. (v.8-11)
B. Work WITH God, not FOR God. (v.11-14, 40-42)
C. EXPECT what Jesus GOT. (v.16-18, 21-25)
D. Yet LIVE without FEAR. (v.19-20, 26-33)
E. Live UNDER a new AUTHORITY. (v.34-39)
The big picture always needs to be filled out with more details. Jesus gives a lot of those finer points as he commissions the disciples and sends them out. Some are exciting to hear, some a bit more anxiety inducing.
3. Is it easy or difficult for you to be generous with both stuff and in your attitude toward others? Why do you think you are the way that you are?
4. “Expect what Jesus got.” How might that look in your life? What are your feelings toward that idea?
5. In what areas of life are you afraid right now? How can you better surrender those to Jesus?
III. LOSING our LIVES properly. (v.38-39)
A. TRUST in God’s GOODNESS. (v.29-31; Ps. 103:1-14)
B. REST in the Spirit’s PROVISION. (v.19-20; Jn 16:13-15; Phil. 1:19)
C. SURRENDER to Jesus’ AUTHORITY. (v.38-39; Rom. 12:1)
D. Do what you CAN, not what you CAN’T. (v.1, 7-8; Rom. 12:4-8)
So Jesus calls His disciples to Himself, and then He sends them out. The same thing happens today with us, or at least that is the plan. There are some reminders embedded in the text that help us in this process. It’s not always easy to take up your cross and lose your life.
6. “Fear is a failure to rest in the goodness, power, and provision of the Trinity.” Do you agree or disagree? How does this speak to you life?
7. What areas of your own life do you struggle to surrender to the authority of Jesus? What steps might He be calling you to take.
8. What “can” you do right now? How can your life proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven has come near?