In Matthew chapter 10 we see that Jesus sent out His disciples in to the world. Verses 5-6 tells us that He sent them to the people of Israel first. But what did Jesus send them out to do? In verses 1, 7 & 8 we see Jesus gave them authority to do a number of things…
1. Preach the Good News that the Kingdom of God is near
2. Heal the sick
3. Raise the dead
4. Cure those with leprosy
5. Caste out demons
This is a pretty amazing list of things that He asked them to do. But if we think about it we see these are the things Jesus did Himself and as His followers they would have seen Him do them first hand.
Right from the start of His ministry we read in Matthew 4:23 that “Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.”
In Matthew chapters 5-7 we see that Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount which is all about the Kingdom life. Then in Matthew chapters 8-9 He healed all types of diseases, raised the dead, calmed the storm and drove out demons.
So before sending the disciples out Jesus had taught and demonstrated what He wanted His new Kingdom to look like. The disciples were in a sense Jesus’ apprentices and now they were being sent out to put into practice all they had seen and heard.
I could not imagine what it would be like to be chosen as one of Jesus’ early followers? It would have been amazing, scary, confusing and world changing all in one.
One thing I know for sure is how amazing it would have been to see Jesus perform incredible miracles and then do the same thing yourself by God’s power. To actually see with your own eyes God’s Kingdom expanding each day!
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