Reflection on Matthew 10:1-10

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

Scripture

“Go and announce that the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Observation

Jesus calls the twelve together, giving them authority to heal every kind of sickness and to cast out demons.

Then He sends them out to go to the lost sheep of Israel. They are to announce that the kingdom of heaven is near.

They are to heal the sick, raise the dead, heal those with leprosy, and to cast out demons. They are not to take any money and nor even spare clothes, but accept hospitality when it is offered.

Application

The message that the apostles were to proclaim was simply that God’s kingdom is near. They were to prove the message by healing the sick and casting out demons.

The message hasn’t changed, except that the kingdom of heaven is already here.

Our commission and our authority is the same as the first apostles. We are to take the message of the kingdom to all who will receive it.

Jesus preached a gospel of repentance that said, “Turn away from your sins and follow me for God’s kingdom is near.” The gospel is still the same as people need to repent, follow Jesus and enter the kingdom.

There are people everywhere who simply need to believe that God loves them enough to pay the penalty for their sins.

Let’s be bold and confident the gospel and in the King.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the simple message that we can come into your kingdom because of Jesus. Please help me to share that message wherever I find myself. Amen.

Saviour In The Sky

/ newlifenarrabri / Leave a comment

“Saviour In The Sky” proclaimed the headline in a recent edition of The Courier.

The article was a tribute to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter service which has been a literal life-saver for many people in this region and right through New South Wales. Over the years, there have been countless people scooped up from road accidents, farm accidents or major illnesses and taken to hospitals in larger centres where they have received timely care.

Without in any way detracting from the work of this wonderful service, there is a greater “Saviour in the sky” who perform even greater rescues than the helicopter service.

When God first created the world, He had a great goal for the people He had made. Pretty soon, people refused God’s way of living and tried to run their lives on their own terms.

Sin, rebellion, selfishness and disobedience have ruled the world ever since. We live in a world that is separated from God’s love and everybody suffers.

At the right time, God came to earth as a person, whom we call Jesus Christ. He showed people what living God’s way could look like. The rulers didn’t take too kindly to His teaching and so they had Him executed.

If you have ever heard the saying, “You can’t keep a good man down” you will know that Jesus came back to life. He came with a promise: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” In other words if we just turn away from our acts of selfishness, and ask Jesus to forgive us, then we will know eternal life with God.

Jesus not only gives us a command to be good, He also gives us the ability to live the good life and to enter into eternity.

He really is the “Saviour In The Sky.”