Disciples’ ministry begins, John’s ministry ends

(One Perfect Life Chapters 74-76) Up to this point, the disciples were listeners and observers. They listened to Jesus teaching and observed His miraculous deed. Jesus moves the disciples from a passive role to being active in ministry. Just as the Father gave power and authority to Jesus over the physical and spiritual universe, Jesus now grants that same power and authority to His disciples. The names of the twelve disciples are recorded in this passage.

The disciples are sent out in humility, depending on God to sustain them. Like Jesus, they are to teach that the Messiah had come and to confirm that message by performing miracles of healing and casting out demons. Jesus says God will use local people to support them. They are to bless those that support them. They are to leave it to God to judge and punish those that reject their message.

Jesus warns them to expect rejection and persecution. While their message is life-changing and soul-saving, men will still reject it. Truly people will prefer darkness over the light of the Gospel. Jesus promises that God will be with them even during the difficult times. He promises to give them the words they will need to defend themselves when they are persecuted.

This is the great paradox of the Gospel. It is at the same time the most unifying message of all time, but it is also the most divisive message. The Jews were separate from the Gentiles but united in their families. The Gospel would not only divide people in to groups of believers and nonbelievers, but would also divide people within the family structure.

The disciples and all followers must understand that they must sacrifice all for the sake of their salvation and the Kingdom of God. The world rejected and hated Jesus and His followers will experience the same condemnation. There must be nothing that Jesus’ followers valued more than Him. Not possessions, position or even family.

They will be tempted to compromise and bend to those that reject them. Jesus warns them of the consequences of forsaking Him. Then He reassures them of God’s blessings and rewards for being faithful to Him and the Kingdom. They must take up their cross (give up all) and follow Him. “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39).

This portion ends with the description of the successes of the disciples but then the description of John the Baptists giving His life for the Kingdom. John had faithfully called the people to repentance and pointed them to the Messiah — Jesus. He was in prisoned for confronting King Herod for his sin. He was killed for that same reason.

Jesus said that to that time there was none greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11). Jesus consoles and encourages the disciples by telling them that their ministry would be even greater than John’s. The stage is now set for Jesus final year of ministry.