Sent with Power: A Meditation on Matthew 10

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.

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;

Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican;

 James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, 

whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, 

and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

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:

But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: 

freely ye have received, freely give.

Matthew chapter 10 can make a modern reader very uncomfortable.  To the outside, unbelieving world it might be expected that they find the power of Christ delegated and sent out into the world a thing to mock and deride— and in fact, they've been doing that for millennia.  The Jewish authorities persecuted them both before and after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection; the Roman authorities persecuted them and their successors for several hundred years; and down to our own time, they have been violently and politically assailed by religious and political leaders of various stripes.  Often at the point of martyrdom, the railings and mockery of the persecutors sound reminiscent of those who mocked Jesus, scornfully observing that they could save others but not themselves.  Surely, if they used their power to escape the cross, or the fire, or the wild beasts of the coliseum, or the gas chambers of the Nazis, or the death camps of the Communists, the persecutors would believe them.  Of course, the Apostles and their successors knew what their Lord taught them through His own example— that those who refused to believe the Word He sent them out with, would also refuse to believe, even if one were to rise from the dead.  

And what was that Word and that power?  Repentance and the forgiveness of sins; the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand; healing and cleansing the sick; raising the dead; casting out demons.  This was a power and Word which gave hope to the despairing, healing souls and bodies, and giving people eternal life in the Kingdom which has no end.  This Word and power sent the devil and his army fleeing in terror, as they saw their final judgment in the lake of fire brought forward and made present in the disciples of Jesus.  This Word and power would restore the broken, raise the dead, and shatter the chains of evil, wickedness, and treachery which bind so many souls on the path to perdition.  This was the Word and power first sent to the lost souls of the House of Israel according to the Old Testament promise given to the Fathers and the Prophets, and then later sent out to the whole world on the first Easter Sunday so long ago. 

And where has it gone?  It is still among the people of Jesus who believe and trust in His Word.  Through the rise and fall of empires, philosophies, world wars, and new world orders, this Word and power continue with the people Christ has gathered by grace through faith in Him.  Though it makes no play for politics or violence, the political and the powerful continue to fear and persecute it, because they recognize how it obliterates the fear and evil they use to control their slaves in the world.  But in spite of every persecution prompted by every power of hell, this Word and power continues to do exactly what the Lord sent it out to do:  to seek and to save the lost.

Modern and post-modern man has tried to wave it away, to discard it, to ignore it, to ridicule it, to stomp it out, to criminalize it, or to push it into well contained ghettos, but they cannot escape the truth written into their own bodies and souls.  The world is dying, lost in sin and destined for a death it cannot avoid by its own word or powers.  This Law of truth convicts the heart of every man, woman, and child upon the face of the earth whether they admit it or not, knowing that they cannot save themselves from sin, death, hell, and the power of the devil.  Into this bleak hopelessness still comes, often even against their will, the Word and power of Christ which seeks to give them forgiveness, life, freedom, and salvation by the blood of His cross.  Even to modern man, wrapped in his delusions of Evolution, atheistic materialism, hedonism, and endless varieties of addiction, comes the Word and power of Jesus to liberate them and give them hope.  

Where does this Word and power of Christ find you today?  Does it find you within the walls of a church which has left Christ and His Word for the empty promises of the world?  Does it find you enslaved and persecuted by the rich and powerful, who bend you to their will by fear and violence?  Does it find you broken and alone, near death and without any glimmer of human strength to cling to?  Be of good cheer, dear child of God, for Jesus continues to work in the world through the inheritors of His Word and Spirit, calling to you that you might be healed, restored, forgiven, and live forever in the joyous fellowship of your Creator.  This same Jesus who spoke the world into existence and will judge the world at the end of time, abides in the world with those who abide in His Word, giving them power over all the forces of darkness, death, and despair.

This same Jesus comes to you, through His Word and power working through His disciples in every age and every place, that everyone who will repent and believe will live forever by grace through faith in Him.  Hear His Word come to you this day, that by faith you may rise up in His life and power, and share freely with everyone around you that grace which you have so freely received.  Amen.