Join with Jesus in His Kingdom Mission (preaching resource for June 21 and 28, 2026)
The post exegetes Matthew 9:35—11:1, providing context for Gospel readings on June 21 and 28, 2026. Insights are drawn from Craig Keener ("IVP Bible Background Commentary New Testament"), TR France ("New Bible Commentary") and Louis Barbieri ("Bible Knowledge Commentary").
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| "Christ with His Disciples" by Mironov (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) |
Introduction
In the preceding section, Matthew tells us of Jesus’ kingdom power (and authority). Now he shows that Jesus’ followers are called to join their Lord in his kingdom mission. There is a price to be paid to do so, but the reward is great.
1. Join with Jesus
Matthew 9:35-38
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Here is Jesus’ threefold kingdom ministry: teaching, preaching and healing (v35). His motive is compassion for people (v36)—a deep emotion that yields caring action. Jesus is moved to minister because he sees people as harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. They have no one to guide and protect them, and that leaves them open to predators. Jesus, no doubt, has in mind the predatory tactics of the Jewish religious leaders who exploit, rather than care for people. How very different is Jesus, the True Shepherd. Jesus refers to this ministry of compassion as ‘harvest work’ (v37), and urges his followers to join him by praying for harvest workers. To do so is a sacred calling—and thus we should never hesitate to appeal to the Father (the Lord of the harvest, v38) to send out more harvest workers. Furthermore, we should remember that in the next chapter, those called to pray for workers are themselves sent out! And so we pray and then go, joining Jesus in his kingdom ministry.
2. Learn from the apostles' calling
Matthew 10:1-4
1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil 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.
Matthew now lists some of the laborers who follow Jesus’ command in Mat 9:38 to ask the Father for harvest workers. Matthew appropriately refers to them as ‘apostles’—a term meaning ‘one sent.’ This is Matthew’s only use of the term; normally he refers to Jesus’ followers as ‘disciples’ and these particular ones as ‘the twelve.’ The authority (power) given them over evil spirits and sickness is an extension of Jesus’ own. Note that the twelve are named in pairs—this is probably how they are sent out (see Mark 6:7). Ministry with Jesus is a “team sport.”
3. Heed Jesus’ instructions
Matthew 10:5-15
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, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is 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 take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; 10 take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his 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, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Here Jesus commissions the twelve for a specific and limited mission at this particular time. They are to go to the lost sheep of Israel (v6). This is not a permanent restriction—eventually Jesus will send them to all people (Mat 28:19–20). The message they are to declare is the one that Jesus is declaring (see Mat 4:17), and their ministry in v8 parallels his acts recorded in chapters 8–9. In short, they are called to share in what Jesus is saying and doing. And they are to go out without a lot of resources. This applies to their ministry the principle that Jesus taught in Mat 6:25–34. The implication is that if they faithfully commit themselves to God’s mission, they can expect God to provide for them. Importantly, that provision will come largely from the hospitality of those they serve. To say that the worker is worth his keep, probably refers to the fact that when they enter these villages and the homes of people who receive them, they will work alongside those people, and thus earn their keep (people primarily worked out of their homes). The implication is that deep, abiding relationships are formed—this is not ‘hit and run’ ministry. The standard greeting they are to convey upon arrival (‘peace’) is no mere formality, but a way of discerning an open, hospitable reception. Where the response is rejection, their greeting will return to them (like an un-cashed check). In Jesus’ ministry, rejection sometimes happens and when it happens there are consequences, both for those who reject and for the disciples who are rejected.
4. Count the cost
Matthew 10:16-39
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 against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their 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 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!
26 "So do not be afraid of them. 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 apart from the will of your Father. 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 men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him 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 his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
To be active in ministry with Jesus is to go out like sheep among wolves. Persecution will sometimes result. This being so, Jesus’ co-ministers must be shrewd without being harmful; innocent without being gullible. They must avoid danger but not take forcible action. Some of the apostles were taken before the Jewish religious leaders and flogged (see Acts 5:40) and brought before Roman rulers as well. But when persecution comes, the messengers of the gospel need not worry, for the Holy Spirit will give them words to say. And even if the persecution goes to the point of betrayal from family members (v21) and extreme hatred (v 22), God will grant salvation in the ultimate sense (the glorified life after death). It is clear from the scriptural record that these words of Jesus apply to his followers in all times (e.g., Acts 4:1-13; 5:17-18, 40; 7:54-60). When opposition comes to us, we need not fear—for it provides opportunities for witness. Moreover, when opposition arises, we can count on the Holy Spirit to give us the help we need, and thus we need not worry (see Mat 6:25–34).
We do need to realize that joining Jesus on mission is not a route to popularity—we will be persecuted and falsely accused just like Jesus, who was accused of using demonic powers (see Mat 9:34). Beelzebub (v25) is a name for Satan. Jesus also warns that ministry with him can mean a life on the run (v23a), and it can also mean ministry that won’t seem “successful” as the worlds measures success. Indeed, the twelve themselves did not complete their mission to Israel prior to the Son of Man ‘coming.’ This reference in v23b is taken from Daniel 7:13–14, where the Son of Man ‘comes’ to God to receive sovereign power. Therefore the ‘coming’ in view here is not Jesus’ ‘second coming’ but his enthronement to power through his resurrection and ascension. The point is that the mission of the twelve to the house of Israel will not have been completed before that time.
In verses 26-33 Jesus tells about the wrong and the right way of being afraid. To fear human opposition is to get things out of perspective, for people can do no more than kill the body. But God can destroy both soul and body in hell. Jesus’ disciples should therefore be more afraid of failing him by concealing the truth which must, in any case, inevitably be publicly proclaimed (vv26–27). The same God, however, can not only destroy but preserve; thus within his will there is no need for fear (vv29–31). Jesus is talking about a simple choice of loyalty—a choice with eternal consequences (vv32–33).
In vv34-39, Jesus says that his coming into the world at that particular time brings not peace but a sword, which divides and severs. Some disciples will find persecution coming from within their own families; but a true disciple loves the Lord more than family (v37). Indeed they are willing, if the Lord so chooses, to be martyred—carrying their cross to their own execution like a common criminal. The point Jesus is making is that his followers grant to their Lord full rights over their lives. In doing so, they find true life (v39). If this sounds extreme, we must remember that we read this in the comfortable security of a society which at least tolerates Christian commitment. However, there are areas in the world today where Jesus’ followers are experiencing these extreme circumstances every day. Note, however, that the conflict and division which Jesus warns of here are real for his followers even where their lives are not at risk. We cannot follow Jesus without having to make crucial choices of where our ultimate loyalty lies.
5. You will be rewarded
Matthew 10:40-11:1
10:40 "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."The cost for following Jesus can be high, but it yields great reward. The phrase little ones (v42) that refers to disciples is picked up in Mat 18:1–14 to refer to children. True disciples of Jesus share the vulnerability and lowly status of children. Yet they (and those who receive their ministry) are rewarded by God himself. Receiving Jesus’ disciples is tantamount to receiving Jesus himself (and here the apostles are called prophets for they are recipients and communicators of God’s message; see Mat 10:27). Therefore, even a cup of cold water given to these insignificant disciples of Jesus will be detected by the One who keeps accounts. In that culture it was common courtesy to give a thirsty person a cup of water with no expectation of payment. However, God in his grace gives reward far beyond what is customary and deserved.
Conclusion
11:1 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.With these words of instruction, Jesus departs to teach and preach in the region of Galilee. With the twelve having received delegated authority from the Lord, it may be assumed that they departed and carried out Jesus’ instructions. The words, "after Jesus had finished instructing," indicate another turning point in the book (see Mat 7:28; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1).