Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19960519.htm

MATTHEW: JESUS AS ISRAEL'S MESSIAH AND HIS MESSIANIC KINGDOM
Part VIII: The Proof Of Jesus As Israel's Messiah
H. Christ's Authoritative Directives That Define A Credible Ministry For His Workers
(Matthew 10:1-42)
  1. Introduction
    1. We know from Matthew 9:38 that God is sovereign over the harvest, and thus over His harvesters.
    2. However, if God selects US to be one of His workers, how are we to operate to be successful as God defines success? IS ministry success producing a positive result? What kind of result should we seek?
  2. Christ's Authoritative Directives That Define A Credible Ministry For His Workers, Matt. 10:1-42.
    1. Quality One - Christ selected and called His workers to Himself for the task, Mtt. 10:1a,2-3. The first quality of a successful ministry in the Lord's work is a response to God's personal call for a specific project!
    2. Quality Two - Christ equipped the disciples with supernatural powers for service, Mtt. 10:1b. One must be supernaturally equipped with a spiritual gift today, and serve God in the realm of tha t gift to be blessed in service by God, cf. Acts 1:4-5,8; Lk. 24:49; 2 Tim. 1:6-7 with 1 Tim. 4:14-16.
    3. Quality Three - Christ commanded the disciples to go to a select group, Mtt. 10:5-6. Even in the Church era, His d irectives were equally selective when applied to individual ministers, Gal. 2:9; Acts 16:6-10. Quality ministries therefore minister to that group God assigns one, not one's own choice of a group.
    4. Quality Four - What they were to say and what they were to do was outlined in Mtt. 10:7-8b,8c-15. Equally, the pastoral epistles lay out clear guidelines as to what ministrations in the local assembly should and should not do, and we are blessed only in operating within those guidelines, cf. 2 Tim. 2:4-5.
    5. Quality Five - The livelihood support for God's workers was to arrive by a life of faith that God would reward the worker with support from receptive hearers, Mtt. 10:9-15. (cf. 1 Cor. 9:14; 2 Tim. 2:6)
    6. Quality Six - Jesus revealed that godly workers face inevitable opposition in serving Him, Mtt. 10:16-25:
      1. They were to realize that there were wolves under Satan's influence out to get and to harm them as Christ's sheep, Mtt. 10:16a. Accordingly, they were to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, 16b.
      2. Nevertheless, they were to beware of abusive opponents, to be on their guard, Mtt. 10:17; 2 Tim. 3:1ff.
      3. However, God would cause Christ's workers to be put on the spot by such abusers as a witness for God and against such detractors, so they were to "go with the flow" if a commotion arose, Mtt. 10:18.
      4. In such confrontations, God's servants were to rely upon the Holy Spirit's leading as to what to say, 19f.
      5. When persecution rose via such events, the disciples were to withdraw from their abusers, 10:21-23.
    7. Quality Seven - Jesus revealed that godly workers survive such ministry opposition by faith as follows:
      1. When undergoing such persecution, God's workers were to realize that the persecution was not due to their guilt, but a natural part of service as detractors treated Jesus the same way, Mtt. 10:24-25.
      2. Accordingly, the disciples were not to be afraid, but to preach the truth, fearing God who had control over eternal destiny more than men who had control over only earthly welfare, Mtt. 10:26-28.
      3. God watches over the most minute needs of His servants, so Christ's disciples were not to worry about having these needs met in the midst of persecutors while serving Him, Mtt. 10:29-31.
      4. Also, God would hold the hearers responsible to Himself for their response to His workers, 10:32-33.
      5. Also, God's workers needed to realize that God was not sending them out with the primary purpose of creating peace; their primary goal was righteousness even if it produced chaos, Mtt. 10:34-36.
      6. Thus, God's servants have to accept a cross in ministry to gain eternal rewards for service, 10:37-42.
Lesson: (1) Effective ministry in serving the Lord is measured by one's strict obedience to God on every aspect of the ministry, and (2) proofs of an effort being of God are (a) the Holy Spirit's supernatural manifestations in the believer's words and works while ministering, (b) a negative reaction to that effort by those who oppose God's will and (c) survival of the godly in ministry against such pressure by faith. (2) Thus, artificial ministries are marked by (a) a lack of the Holy Spirit's evide nt working in one's words and works in service, (b) a unanimously positive reaction from hearers and (c) the faithless flight from ministry by the worker when opposition arises and/or livelihood shortages accrue due to that ministry!