Saturday 3 Dec 2022

December 3: Matthew 10:1-8

Key Verse: Matthew 10:1
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and illness.

Devotion:
When the time came for Jesus to tell the disciples what they should be doing, He gave them far-reaching instructions. To start with He gave them the authority to drive out spirit and the heal people. This does not mean He gave them the power to drive out spirits or heal people; He gave them the authority to do so. When Jesus drove out spirits or healed people He did so knowing it came from God and without God He knew He could do nothing as a mere human being. The same goes for us!

Jesus gives us the authority to go forward and do things through His name. He is the Son of God and God gave Him authority to do so much more. Jesus in turn gives us the authority to go forward and do things. Never walk into the world thinking you can take over the world or do things without God – that is not what Jesus did. Jesus, being the Son of God, had the power to do all of those things but only did them through the authority given to Him by His Father.

Jesus also told the disciples to go forward without taking the world and its treasures with them. They were to leave the treasures and trappings of the world behind and do things as He gave them the authority to do so. They were obedient to Christ!

Jesus does not want us to hold back but to go forward as disciples. A disciple is not someone who just tells other people about God. A disciple will move forward with people to invite them into the kingdom of God and give them the authority to go forward to do things for Christ too. A disciples job is to make disciples!

Points to Ponder:
Do you get scared of doing things for God?

Have you ever thought of it as inviting people to be your closest friends?