Matthew 10:7 - Go Preach that God's Kingdom is Near.
Mat.10:7: Go Preach that God's Kingdom is Near.
Matthew 10:7 (TEV) Go and preach, 'The Kingdom of heaven is
near!'
DEVOTIONAL PEARL
The Lord calls and empowers. The two go inextricably together!
Many who are out "ministering" today may not be called, which
explains the lack of power and authority. There is a vast, but subtle,
difference between asking God to bless our works, and responding to God's
call to do His work. The difference is the power and authority, or
what some also call "anointing." And without anointing, nothing of
significance happens for eternity. Are you busy with God's work or your own?
Are you sensing the power and authority that you need? Wait
upon the Lord for the call that comes with power and authority, and
don't push ahead in a fruitless frenzy of your own good works! [In His
Time; Walk With Wisdom re Luk.9:1,2]
THE FOLLOWING IS FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE DEEPER STUDY:
CONTENT; What's in the verse; Translations; Paraphrase; Word
Study:
Matthew 10:7 (KJV) And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of
heaven is at hand.
Matthew 10:7 (TEV) Go and preach, 'The Kingdom of heaven is
near!'
CONTEXT; What's around the verse; Overview; Topic:
Overview
Jesus commissioned the Twelve (10:1-4). He instructed them on an
immediate preaching mission (vv. 5-16), and spoke of future challenges
(vv. 17-31). Jesus explained what He expects of disciples (vv. 32-39)
and the disciple's reward (vv. 40-42). A demoralized John was
encouraged (11:1-6) and praised (vv. 7-19) by Jesus, who damned the cities
that refused to repent despite His miracles (vv. 20-24). Yet the
weary who come to Jesus will find rest (vv. 25-30). [The 365-Day
Devotional Commentary]
Chapter Topics
1 Christ sendeth out his twelve apostles, enabling them with
power to do miracles, 5 giveth them their charge, teacheth them, 16
comforteth them against persecutions: 40 and promiseth a blessing to those
that receive them. [SDA Commentary]
Chapter Summary
Jesus sends His twelve disciples out to teach and preach. He
equips them for this ministry with power over demons and diseases
(10:1-5). Their powers, however, were not to be used for selfish purposes.
Like Christ, they were to travel in poverty, dependent on the
willingness of those to whom they ministered to meet their basic needs for
food and lodging (vv. 6-15). Jesus warns them to expect hostility as
well as welcome--something believers throughout the ages have known.
Their goal, as ours, is not to be successful or popular, but to live
humbly as Jesus did, taking His trust in the Father as our example, and
refusing to fear man (vv. 16-31). The message the disciples carry is the
most critical in the world. It's not a message intended to bring
earthly peace, for it will stir up opposition. Yet its acceptance or
rejection determines each person's eternal destiny (vv. 32-42). [Victor
Bible Reader's Companion]
Section Headings
The mission of the Twelve (10:1-16)
The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service
Jesus sends out the twelve disciples (10:1-16)
Jesus Sends Out the Apostles (10:5-15)
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve--Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6
CROSS REFERENCES; What's in verses elsewhere.
Isaiah 61:1 (KJV) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me;
because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek;
he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty
to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are
bound;
Matthew 3:2 (KJV) And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand.
Matthew 4:17 (KJV) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to
say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 11:1 (KJV) And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an
end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach
and to preach in their cities.
Luke 9:2 (KJV) And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God,
and to heal the sick.
Acts 28:31 (KJV) Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching
those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence,
no man forbidding him.
COMMENTARY / APPLICATION: Moving From The Head To The Heart.
What is God teaching here? What does it teach about Jesus?
How can it improve my relationship with Jesus.
The kingdom of heaven. An expression used exclusively by Matthew
(31 times) in the NT, in preference to the more common term "kingdom
of God," which Matthew himself uses five times, and the other NT
writers use exclusively. The substitution of "heaven" for "God" is in
harmony with the custom of the Jews of Christ's day to avoid uttering
the sacred name for God, in the same way as they used the
expressions "name of heaven" for "name of God"; "fear of heaven" for "fear
of God"; "honor of heaven" for "honor of God," etc. (see Vol. I, p.
172). The expression "kingdom of heaven" is not found in the OT,
though the idea is implicit throughout the prophetic writings (Isa.
11:1-12; 35; 65:17-25; Dan. 2:44; 7:18, 22, 27; Micah 4:8; etc.).....
The "kingdom of heaven," or "kingdom of God," constituted the
theme of Jesus' teaching (Luke 4:43; 8:1). He introduced many of His
parables with the words, "The kingdom of heaven is like [or likened]"
(see Matt. 13:24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47). He taught His disciples to
pray for the coming of the kingdom (ch. 6:10). His gospel was the
good news of the kingdom (ch. 4:23; etc.). His disciples were the
"children of the kingdom" (ch. 13:38). The Father was pleased to give them
the kingdom (Luke 12:32), which they were to inherit (Matt. 25:34).
In this life Christians must make the kingdom supreme in their
affections and the great aim of life (ch. 6:33). When He sent forth the
Twelve He instructed them to "preach the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:2,
60).....
John proclaimed the imminence of the establishment of the
kingdom of heaven (Matt. 3:2). Jesus also declared the kingdom to be "at
hand" (ch. 4:17) and instructed His disciples, when He sent them forth
to preach, to bear the same message (ch. 10:7).....
The "kingdom of heaven" was established at the first advent of
Christ. Jesus Himself was King, and those who believed in Him became its
subjects. The territory of the kingdom was the hearts and lives of the
subjects. Obviously, the message Jesus bore referred to the kingdom of
divine grace. But, as Jesus Himself made clear, this kingdom of grace
was preparatory to the kingdom of glory (see DA 234; GC 346, 347).
Concerning the latter, the disciples inquired on the day of the ascension,
"Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"
(see Acts 1:6, 7). The kingdom of grace was near in Christ's day
(Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 10:7), but the kingdom of glory was future (ch.
24:33). Only when the Son of man should "come in his glory, and all the
holy angels with him" would "he sit upon the throne of his glory"
(ch. 25:31). [SDA Commentary]
The kingdom of heaven. A phrase found only in Matthew, where it
occurs 33 times. Mark and Luke refer to "the kingdom of God," a term
Matthew uses only four times (see note on Mk 11:30). The kingdom of
heaven is the rule of God and is both a present reality and a future
hope. The idea of God's kingdom is central to Jesus' teaching and is
mentioned 50 times in Matthew alone. [NIV SB]
The Jews were waiting for the Messiah to usher in his kingdom.
They hoped for a political and military kingdom that would free them
from Roman rule and bring back the days of glory under David and
Solomon. But Jesus was talking about a spiritual kingdom. The gospel
today is that the kingdom is still near. Jesus, the Messiah, has
already begun his kingdom on earth in the hearts of his followers. One
day the kingdom will be fully realized. Then evil will be destroyed
and all people will live in peace with one another. [Life
Application SB]
The kingdom of God is God's rule in the human heart. When we
allow the Lord to be master of our lives, we enter the kingdom of God
and look forward in faith to its final establishment. [Disciple SB]
At first Christ's ministry was directed to God's covenant
people, the Jews.... This first mission of the disciples was also directed
to Israel. What's most significant here, however, is Christ's
directive to take no extra money, clothing, or traveling equipment. The
disciples were to shun luxury. They were to depend on God to supply their
needs through the hospitality of others. They were to give freely what
they had themselves freely received.... If every Christian in ministry
today were to adopt the attitudes commanded here--a contempt for
material possessions, matched by a bold reliance on God alone--many who
have exposed the Gospel to ridicule would today be ministering to the
glory of God.... Most travel in the first century was on foot. From
Matthew 10 and other written sources, as well as the finds of
archeologists, we can reconstruct how the disciples must have looked as they
set out by twos on their mission of preaching and healing. [The
365-Day Devotional Commentary]
These disciples were to be heralds of the truth, to prepare the
way for the coming of their Master. The message they had to bear was
the word of eternal life, and the destiny of men depended upon their
reception or rejection of it..... Their warfare is not to be waged against
flesh and blood,... They are to contend with supernatural forces, but
they are assured of supernatural help.... Our infirmities may be many,
our sins and mistakes grievous; but the grace of God is for all who
seek it with contrition. The power of Omnipotence is enlisted in
behalf of those who trust in God..... The servants of Christ are not to
act out the dictates of the natural heart. They need to have close
communion with God, lest, under provocation, self rise up, and they pour
forth a torrent of words that are unbefitting, that are not as dew or
the still showers that refresh the withering plants. This is what
Satan wants them to do; for these are his methods. It is the dragon
that is wroth; it is the spirit of Satan that is revealed in anger
and accusing.... The power by which they are to overcome evil is the
power of Christ. The glory of Christ is their strength. They are to
fix their eyes upon His loveliness. Then they can present the gospel
with divine tact and gentleness. And the spirit that is kept gentle
under provocation will speak more effectively in favor of the truth
than will any argument, however forcible... Let them rest in the love
of God, and the spirit will be kept calm, even under personal
abuse. The Lord will clothe them with a divine panoply. His Holy Spirit
will influence the mind and heart, so that their voices shall not
catch the notes of the baying of the wolves. {DA 352-353}
Jesus called his twelve disciples. He didn't draft them, force
them, or ask them to volunteer; he chose them to serve him in a
special way. Christ calls us today. He doesn't twist our arms and make
us do something we don't want to do. We can choose to join him or
remain behind. When Christ calls you to follow him, how do you respond?
The list of Jesus' twelve disciples doesn't give us many
details--probably because there weren't many impressive details to tell. Jesus
called people from all walks of life--fishermen, political activists,
tax collectors. He called common people and uncommon leaders; rich
and poor; educated and uneducated. Today, many people think only
certain people are fit to follow Christ, but this was not the attitude
of the Master himself. God can use anyone, no matter how
insignificant he or she appears. When you feel small and useless, remember
that God uses ordinary people to do his extraordinary work. [Life
Application SB]
The Lord calls and empowers. The two go inextricably together!
Many who are out "ministering" today may not be called, which
explains the lack of power and authority. There is a vast, but subtle,
difference between asking God to bless our works, and responding to God's
call to do His work. The difference is the power and authority, or
what some also call "anointing." And without anointing, nothing of
significance happens for eternity. Are you busy with God's work or your own?
Are you sensing the power and authority that you need? Wait
upon the Lord for the call that comes with power and authority, and
don't push ahead in a fruitless frenzy of your own good works! [In His
Time; Walk With Wisdom re Luk.9:1,2]
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