The Promised King: The King Commissions His Ambassadors
Matthew 10 is the King's commissioning speech.
He has called the twelve. Now He sends them.
He gives them authority over unclean spirits and over every disease. He gives them their itinerary — go first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He gives them their message — the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He gives them their resources — take no money, but rely on the hospitality of those who receive you. And He gives them sober warnings: you will be hated, hauled before councils, betrayed by your own families, killed.
The Promised King does not hide the cost of His mission from those He sends. He tells them everything in advance — and assures them that the Father who cares for sparrows cares for them.
The twelve named
He calls His twelve disciples to Him and gives them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.
The names of the twelve apostles are these: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.
Twelve men. Twelve, like the tribes of Israel — the King is reconstituting the people of God around Himself. A new Israel begins with twelve apostles.
Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot stand side by side. A man who worked for Rome and a man who wanted to overthrow Rome are now brothers in the same Kingdom. The Promised King reconciles enemies in His own court.
And Judas is there — named openly as the one who would betray Him. The King chose him knowing what he would do.
The mission to Israel
"Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
The first mission is to Israel. The Promised King is fulfilling the promises to the fathers. The Gentiles will come later (Matthew 28 will reverse the limit — make disciples of all nations). But first, Israel must be offered her Messiah.
"Proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay."
The message is the same one the King had been preaching. The works are an extension of His own ministry. They are His representatives — His ambassadors.
Travel light
"Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food."
They are to travel light, trusting God's provision through the hospitality of those who receive them. The Promised King's ambassadors are not to be a financial burden — but neither are they to lay up gold for the journey. They are to depend on the Father.
When they enter a town, they find out who in it is worthy and stay there until they depart. They bring peace to the houses that receive them. They shake the dust off their feet from houses and towns that do not.
"Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town."
To reject the King's ambassadors is to reject the King. To reject the King is to face a judgment more severe than Sodom and Gomorrah.
Sheep among wolves
"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."
The King's mission is not safe. The disciples are sheep. The world is full of wolves.
"Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles."
The persecution is not a sign that God has failed. It is part of the mission. Suffering for Christ is one of the ways the witness goes to the world.
"When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."
Hated for His name's sake
"Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved."
Family will turn on family. Friends will turn on friends. The cost of confessing the Promised King is the deepest the world can ask.
"When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes."
A disciple is not above his teacher. If they have called the Master Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the household? But the King does not leave them in fear:
"So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed."
The truth will come out. Everything hidden will be made known.
"Fear not"
"Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
The right fear delivers from the wrong fear. The Promised King teaches a fear that frees. Fear God — and you fear no one else.
He gives the tender word:
"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."
The Father knows when the sparrow falls. The Father knows the number of the hairs on your head. The Father knows your name.
Acknowledge before men
"So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."
This is the dividing line. To acknowledge Christ is to be acknowledged by Him. To deny Him is to be denied by Him.
The sword
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword."
He has come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother. A person's enemies will be those of his own household.
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
The King will not take second place behind even the most legitimate love. He will be first or He will not be Lord at all.
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
The cup of cold water
He ends with the promise that no act of kindness shown to His messengers will be forgotten:
"And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."
The Promised King is faithful to those who receive His messengers — even in the smallest acts.
Closing prayer
Father, thank You for the Promised King who calls and commissions His ambassadors and sends them out as sheep among wolves. Make us bold to acknowledge Him before men. Give us the fear of You that frees us from the fear of any other. Number our hairs. Hold us as You hold the sparrows. And let no cup of cold water given in His name be forgotten. In Jesus' name, amen.
