Their Commission, Our Commission

Jesus gave quite a commission to the twelve disciples when sending them out to spread the good news. The beautiful thing about His commision that we often forget is that He expects us to carry it out as well; nothing has changed. Yet in reality, among hearing His daunting instruction, most of us would much rather drop everything and run the other direction.

Let’s look at a few things that characterized Jesus’ commission:

“Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff.” In other words, abandon your so called “necessities”. Trust Me and only Me.

He then informs the disciples, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.” David Platt discusses this verse in his book Radical. He states: “sheep are among the most helpless of all domesticated animals. They are also some of the most senseless… all they can do is run, and unfortunately they are slow. As a result, the dumbest thing a sheep can do is wander into a pack of wolves.” So basically, Jesus is sending His disciples out into what seems like utterly hopeless circumstances – all odds against them.

Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that “they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues.” If that wasn’t enough, He then adds that their imprisonment was pretty matter of fact – He didn’t say “if you get arrested,” but “when you get arrested.”
Talk about pressure. What were they supposed to do with that commission? Jesus was guaranteeing that things were going to get messy to say the least; realistically, their hope was next to none. So why even go through with Jesus’ instruction? Because that is what it means to be a follower of Jesus. And even though the Lord’s instruction didn't promise comfort or safety, look at how He concludes His speech:

“So do not be afraid of them…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. 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. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Yep, that’s right. Jesus gives the disciples the most seemingly absurd and terrifying commission known to man, and then tells them not to be afraid. Talk about an obsurd concept. Why would He do this? Because it’s the only way in which they would learn to trust Him profoundly. He wanted them to take nothing, so that they would trust Him to supply their needs. He allowed them to go out as sheep among wolves, because even though they were powerless and senseless, they had a pretty reliable shepherd. He allowed them to be handed over to the local councils, yet He assured them, “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, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” In other words, don’t rely on your own wisdom, TRUST ME. Spiritual warfare is something that the disciples were about to become excruciatingly familiar with.

Here’s what we need to ponder on: in conclusion to His command, Jesus assures the disciples that “a student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.” Therefore, if Jesus went to great lengths, life threatening lengths, to share the gospel and so did His disciples – why aren’t we? Do we expect superior treatment after Jesus and His disciples’ endured opposition at its worse? If Jesus says that as His followers we are to expect these things, why aren’t we experiencing them? Because we live in a culture that loves to indulge. We love our little luxuries, and we would rather bask in them than go and give our lives to something that is potentially life threatening. And what does Jesus say in response to this? “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown Him before my Father in heaven.” Now, there are very few of us who would right out deny the name of Jesus. But do we really acknowledge Him? From a single conversation, do we intentionally make our relationship with Jesus evident, or are we more consumed with the things that seem immensely valuable – but are actually worthless. See, contrary to what we may think – by not acknowledging Him, we are actually disowning Him. Therefore He will disown us.

It’s time to own up to who we belong to. It’s time to carry out His original commission that we somehow lost sight of. It will be dangerous. It will be utterly terrifying at times. But we aren’t promised tomorrow as it is, so why not give the time that we know we have left, today, to Him? For whoever loses his life for the sake of Christ, will find it. And only in Christ will abundant life be found.