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Matthew 10: Calling, Empowering and Commanding the Twelve

Calling & Empowering the Twelve

Matthew 10:1 — And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

His Twelve

  1. A Great Multitude had been Following Him (miracle seekers, carnally hungry, etc.)
  2. Some out of that Multitude Asked Jesus to be His Disciples (Jesus revealed their heart, 1) Love God More 2) Not fit looking back)
  3. Some were still following John. (Somewhat open and questioning but still holding on to their ALLEGIENCES., Even to Nicodemus Jesus taught the good news of the kingdom, but not even he was CALLED TO BE AN APOSTLE.)
  4. Some positioned themselves as his enemy. (Scribes and Pharisees)
  5. There are just 12 whom Jesus called. (Why 12?)

Matthew 10:2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

  • from 649; a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ ("apostle") (with miraculous powers):--apostle, messenger, he that is sent. [Bearing a commission from Christ.]

He Gave them Power

  • and to these 12 he gave power:
    • against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and
    • to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
  1. exousia ex-oo-see'-ah from 1832 (in the sense of ability); privilege, i.e. (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely, magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence:--authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.

Mattthew 9:6 — But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

"In My Name"

Mark 16:15-18 — And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

John 14:26 — But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

  • "in my name" - Christ is the Believer's Access to the Riches of Heaven.

Psalms 89:24 —20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: 21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him. 23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. 24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

  • It is not enough to "envoke" his name. He is not a talisman or an incantation, HE (God) is personal.

Matthew 7:22 — Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Jeremiah 14:14 — Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

Deuteronomy 18:20 — But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

John 15:7 — If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Joh 15:16 — Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

ILLUSTRATION: IN WHOSE NAME IN REALITY?--- In her Early 20's Christine Eckman left her country in South America recovering from malaria. There was a missionaries wife heading to the states with a plan to return to French Guyana within two months. This lady offered to bring Christine with her to California and then they would return to South America in two months. On the boat ride she noticed her companion overly friendly interactions with fellow passenger, a business man and she confronted her about it. "I'm never going back to that old man." Christine was bothered by her behavior but even more so scared death not knowing how she would get back home.

Who were "The Twelve"?

Matthew 10:2-4 — 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

  • There are are 4 lists of the Apostles in the Bible. (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:1-13) A) "Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John" B) "Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas" / "Philip ..." c) "James, Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, Judas Iscariot" / "James ... Judas"
  • Peter, James, and John where part of Jesus' inner circle. (Matthew 17:1-2)

Ephesians 4:11 — And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

1. Simon, who is called Peter

a. The Oldest

  • Was probably the oldest of the disciples as he is the only one mentioned as having a wife. (Matthew 8:14)

b. "Simon called Peter"

Matthew 16:17 — And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

  • SIMON: that hears; that obeys
  • PETER: a rock or stone

c. Peter was quick to act (maybe impulsive, not afraid to speak his mind).

  • When what apeared to be a ghost walked toward them on the water, Peter "Bid me come" Matthew 14:18

  • When John recognized "it is the Lord", Peter jumped in the sea of Tiberias; and swam to the shore.

John 21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

  • He is the only disciple known to have REBUKED Jesus!

Matthew 16:22 — Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

  • Not Afraid to speak his mind, but was tempered by the Holy Ghost

1Pe 4:11 — If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

d. Peter was a leader and pillar of the early church

  • Peter was a leader, John 21:3 "I go a fishing"

John 21:3 — Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

  • It is Peter that brings to the table the need to replace Judas.

Acts 1:15 — And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

  • It is Peter that stood giving definition in the midst of confusion on the day of Pentecost. "This is that"

Acts 2:14-16 — But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

  • Acts 1-15 is largely centered around Peter's ministry, until the focus shifts to Paul from Acts 15-28.

  • Peter disputed with Paul.

Galatians 2:11 — But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. [The partiality against gentile believers.]

e. Peter wrote at least 2 Epistles

  • titled 1st and 2nd Peter
  • 1: to those Jews scattered

1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

  • 2:remember

2 Pe 3:1 ¶ This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

f. Peter's Death

  • Jesus foreshadowed the manner of peter's death "old man"(John 21:18)
  • Crucified upside down.
  • early christian tradiation says he was crucified under Nero possibly upside down. ( AD 64–68)

2. Andrew his (Peter's) brother

3. James the son of Zebedee

4. John his (James') brother

5. Philip

6. Bartholomew

7. Thomas

8. Matthew the publican

9. James the son of Alphaeus

10. Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus

11 Simon the Canaanite

12 Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

Sending the Twelve

  1. Called Them
  2. Gave Them Power
  3. Sent Them

He Gave them their Mission Field

Matthew 10:5-6 — These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 12 And when ye come into an house, salute it. 13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. 16 ¶ Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? 26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

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