Friday 16 Jul 2021

July 16: Matthew 10:5-8
 
Key Verse: Matthew 10:6
Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.
 
Devotion:
When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples, He gave them authority of many things, to do miracles just as He had been doing, and to teach the people about God. But He did not send them out to all the gentiles; rather He sent them out to the Jews, the lost sheep of Israel. Why would He exclude most of the population of the area?
 
Jesus was sending these twelve disciples to get the Jews into action. Up until now they had been slowly wandering away from God and taking things into their own hands, making the own rules and not following the prophets as they should be. Jesus knew how urgent it was to get the chosen people of God back on track.
 
Often, we look out and we try to find the people we think who need the gospel more than others – we tend to look away from our homes and out toward people who we think have not yet heard about God. Quite often God wants us to focus on the people around us rather than those on the other side of the country or world!
 
When Jesus said the gospel was going to be told to all the people, He did mean everyone; but at this time He knew the importance of focusing on the people who had forgotten themselves. Sometimes it is the Christians who need a bit of encouragement or guidance. Sometimes it is the people in church who need that word from God. We don’t always have to take it to someone new all the time!
 
Points to Ponder:
Do you like telling others about God?
 
Have you told the people in your household?