These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Matt 10:5-7
Jesus sent out his disciples, and so He sends us out too.
He was not yet finished “confirming the covenant” specifically with Israel, but more important than the ethnicity of whom Jesus sent His disciples to, is the strategy. Don’t think you have to save the world, don’t think YOU (alone) have to go to some far-off land in order to have a kingdom impact. Reach people on your block Teach people how to live as Jesus would lead them. Love people where you live.
WE do send people to the ends of the earth, and some are called to go there, but we start at home and we spread. Evangelism is a long-term prospect. We should have passion and urgency fueled by the idea that Jesus could return TOMORROW! Yet, we must plan, work, and plod along with sharing the gospel with everyone everywhere as though we will still be working 10,000 years from now. How will we find faithful people who will pass along what we have learned about out Savior… we reach our friends, or family, the people around us, and then work outward from there.
So, who will you bring to church this week? That’s helping to fulfill the Great Commission.
