Jesus’ apprentices have seen him combine the message of heaven’s nearness with powerful displays of just how near! Heaven’s economy is forgiveness, peace, wholeness, joy, praise and resurrection (v 8; 9:1–8,23–26,35). Now it’s the disciples’ turn! Jesus’ first focus is on the ‘lost sheep of Israel’ (v 6) because his time on earth is short. He must return to the Father, so that generations of disciples can do even greater things, taking the good news to the ‘ends of the earth’ through his Spirit in them (John 14:12, 16:7–11; Acts 1:8). How might you share God’s message and power with others (v 8)? Why not find a mentor to help you grow your gifts and use them (2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11). 

Jesus’ strategy puts the disciples at the hub of each community (vs 10,11). If you’re open to accommodating dirty, hungry, penniless travellers, you are already demonstrating godly hospitality, and may be open to their message too (v 13). Generous people have high standing in their community, connecting Christians with others. Most people respond better to a friend of a respected friend, rather than some dusty strangers! 

Can you think of a time when you were puzzled by God’s guidance but with hindsight came to see the wisdom of the Lord’s plans? Give thanks.

Today’s reading begins with an instruction that may make us feel uncomfortable. Jesus tells his disciples not to pursue their mission among the Gentiles and Samaritans. Did Jesus only care about the Jews, then? No, for he did heal and teach the few Gentiles he met on his travels: he conversed with the Samaritan woman at a well, for instance,¹ and cast out a legion of demons from a man in Gentile Decapolis.² Later, at his ascension, he called his followers to ‘make disciples of all nations’.³

Jesus, then, was not prejudiced against Gentiles but simply had a clear mission strategy: to go to the Jews first and then the Gentiles. He was building a team from nothing, and his disciples needed time with him to grow in their understanding of their faith rather than be dispersed far and wide. Moreover, this was before they had witnessed Jesus’ death and resurrection or received the Spirit’s empowering at Pentecost, so at this point they lacked the courage, knowledge and ability for such wide-scale mission.

Jesus was, then, guided by God in his mission strategy and clearly communicated that strategy to his disciples, but helping people to follow God’s guidance can be challenging, as is often illustrated at church meetings when Christians pull in different directions. How important it is, then, to pray through our ideas before we advocate them, so we can sift out those that simply reflect our own thoughts rather than God’s. Leaders bear a particular responsibility to encourage their churches to seek God’s guidance and to speak out when they feel their flock are drifting away from the Lord’s priorities and timings. What challenges does this bring leaders and how can congregations support them in this?  

Pray for your church to know God’s guidance in its mission and for everyone to follow that divine direction rather than pushing for their own ideas and preferences. 

¹ John 4:7–26  ² Mark 5:1–20  ³ Matt 28:19