The Text:
Matthew 10:1-42 NIV
… Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts--- no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.
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Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “ 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law--- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward .”
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Now, over the next four days here is the invitation for you and your MC. Slowly meditate on this story using the following prompts. Read the text, but also let it read you. Spend unhurried time with Jesus letting him work this story down into your heart and see what he may be inviting you into as his disciple today. This is not an exhaustive list, but a few prompts to help you get started as you sit with this story throughout the week.
READ
The first things we want to encourage you to do is to Read the text. Spend time with the words of God and let them work their way into your heart.
Read the text daily. Maybe even mix up reading and listening to it.
A great practice is to write it in your own handwriting as the act of writing helps you remember!
Imagine Jesus speaking these words to you- what would make your eyebrows raise or excite your imagination?
EXAMINE
Spend time with the text and work through it. If it’s a story notice the characters, tension and the plot. If it’s a verse notice the words. If it’s a chapter or passage, notice the themes, follow the logic. If it’s poetry, what are the metaphors, stanzas, and imagery?
What words, phrases, or characters stand out to you?
What do you see about this story and the other callings God gives to other in the Bible?
How would you retell this story in your own words?
Do you have any lingering questions that come to mind when you meditate on this text?
Are there any terms, phrases, or concepts that seem difficult for you to process or understand?
Who can you ask for clarity or resources to better grasp what is happening?
APPLY
The text was written to people who are very different than us, but it was written for us as well. How does this part of Scripture have implications for your life or context?
Is there a behavior you sense Jesus wants you to stop or start?
When you think about sin in your life, how do you feel? How does this story speak to that?
What are implications for your business, family, roommates, or private life?
Is Jesus speaking something for you to do as you follow him this week?
Who else can you share this story with?
DO
So that thing that you feel called to do- do it. Actually follow through on the invitations or calls to repentance that Jesus is offering you through the kindness of his Spirit. We encourage you to make this a community project and invite others to hold you accountable to what the Spirit is inviting you into!
Who will help you stay accountable to doing what Jesus invited you into?
What does repentance and realignment with Jesus and his kingdom story look like for you?
Is there anyone you need to speak to about these next steps?