Scripture: When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. Matthew 11:1 ESV
Observation: This short transitional matter of record follows a formula (“When Jesus had finished…”) that marks the end of an epoch in Jesus’ life and ministry. In total, Matthew organizes his Gospel into five segments:
- The Christ-child is born and guided into manhood, where he preaches his first and foremost sermon (Sermon on the Mount), 1:1-7:28.
- Jesus launches his Galilean ministry (exercising authority over diseases, death, nature, and demons; calling and commissioning his disciples), 8:1-11:1.
- The Son of God reveals his identity and the nature of his kingdom (through signs and parables), 11:2-13:53.
- Christ engages in kingdom work amid conflict and confusion and prepares for the last leg of his ministry (challenges the Pharisees, his disciples, and a Gentile; strengthened at his transfiguration), 13:54-19:1.
- The Son of Man concludes his ministry in Judea (culminating in his crucifixion, death, resurrection, and commissioning of his disciples), 19:2-28:20.
In the above transition, Matthew tells us that Jesus followed up on his disciples’ evangelistic work by teaching and preaching in the cities where he had previously sent them (more to say below).
Takeaway: Matthew, one of the Twelve sent out into the Galilean region, wants his readers to know that Jesus did not merely take time off for a well-earned vacation but commissioned them to expand the proclamation of the kingdom. While Matthew says nothing about the Twelves’ actual mission, Mark (6:30) and Luke (9:10) do, for the Twelve returned, no doubt excited and filled with joy, and shared with Jesus all they had accomplished. And little did they know that they laid the foundation for their Messiah to fulfill his mission as foretold by Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19 ESV).
So how does this evangelism model apply to us? It is no different than for the Twelve—except that we see Jesus at work by faith and report to him by praise and prayer. Like John the Baptist and the disciples, we prepare the way and then get out of the way. Jesus then speaks to the hearts and minds of those searching for hope through his Holy Spirit and his Word. Indeed, some of the church’s most beloved evangelists, like Billy Graham, have nuanced this model by sending out teams ahead of their crusades to spark the conversion process. Still, these gifted preachers can do nothing apart from the Holy Spirit empowering their message. And this model takes us full circle to yesterday’s Daily Focus regarding humbly exercising our gifts as an integral part of the body of Christ.
In short, Jesus commissions and sends us out through the ongoing work of his Holy Spirit, who equips and guides us. And the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ through our faithful service of loving and serving one another (yesterday’s Daily Focus) and the lost. In other words, we do our small part, and he does the rest.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for the privilege of participating in your Son’s kingdom-building work. We confess that we sometimes are allured by our egos and by the Tempter to make it all about us. So would you please help us to remember that we can only do our part when we exercise humility and seek to glorify your Son? And would you please help us to appropriate your Son’s grace when we fail to do so? Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
Leave a Reply