Watch Me while I do it.
Do it with Me.
Do it while I watch you.
Now you go do it.
WATCH ME WHILE I DO ITThe philosophy of “on the job” training can be summed up in this way. Jesus, Master Teacher, created and demonstrated this perfect way to learn well. He gives instruction at every turn. He provides “what if’s” before sending them to do what He does so his students of mission will know what to do when it occurs.
“Freely as you have received, freely give”, says Jesus for he gives them the authority from heaven to heal and drive out demons like He can. What I give to you, give to others.
Camp on this idea for a bit. What has God, through Jesus, given to us that can be given to someone else? What have we learned on our individual journeys that can be passed on to someone else? And most of all, do we really believe what we believe about the love of God is really real? Are we passing on the depth and breadth of this love to others? Has Jesus redeemed us? Are we passing on the way to salvation to others?
What Jesus teaches to his student missionaries is for us to learn then freely give to others who need to know Him, too. Let’s break in down and see what we learn for understanding. For when we understand, we can freely help others understand.
Matthew 10 – DO IT WITH ME
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.2 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; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 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, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 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.
24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 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!
26 “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. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 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. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 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—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37 “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. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 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. 42 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.”
WHAT DO WE LEARN – DO IT WHILE I WATCH YOU
1. It’s not about you. It’s not about us. It’s all about God and His Son. It’s His story of His love that saves us. It is Jesus in us helping others to find and follow Him, too.
2. With authority comes great responsibility.
BE before doing. We are responsible to Jesus, our Advocate, Savior and Lord and to His Holy Spirit, for guidance and direction. We say only what God wants us to say, doing what God wants us to do, in Jesus Name, for God’s glory.
3. We become LIKE our Teacher, Jesus. But we are not Jesus. Only Jesus saves people. Only God changes hearts.
4. Tell who you know first, then go to others.5. Ministry and Mission is not a money maker. It is not necessary to “save up” for where God is taking us. We go where He sends. God will provide where He guides. Our complete focus is Him.
6. Seek people who are also focused on Him. Together be who God wants and do what He says. If this is not the case, move along to the next town.
7. Tell of God’s saving grace through Jesus. God’s Holy Spirit will tell you what to say!
8. Be smart. Ask for wisdom and discernment. We are living in a world that is not always as it appears.
9. Not everyone will like you. Not to worry, they hated Jesus, too. To be like Jesus, we expect it. Stand firm in our faith of Jesus.
10. Love and listen to God first. Then love your families with the love of God in you. But know that families will be divided. Some will accept, believe, and follow Jesus and some will not.
11. Expect persecution and stand firm. Souls given to God cannot be touched.
12. “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.”13. God sees each sparrow that falls to the ground. He knows who you are, where you are, what you are thinking and saying and doing for His glory. God cherishes you.
14. “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”
“Anyone who welcomes Me, welcomes you.”
When The Master Teacher, Jesus returned to heaven after dying and rising again for our redemption, He left His students and those who would be coming after them with this message,
NOW YOU GO DO IT…
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” —Jesus
Matthew 28:19-20
Lessons were learned well and other “students” taught.
Paul, one of those students, trained others…
“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” Colossians 3, NLT
“And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5, NLT
Lord,
May all we think, do or say today bring you glory as we tell and live your story.
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 