Matthew 10:5-15. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
God has chosen you—yes, you—to save lives through the power of the gospel. This is not a calling reserved only for pastors, missionaries, or theologians. It is the mandate given to every believer. But how should you carry out the task of proclaiming the gospel? Jesus gives us the answer.
Begin close to home. Jesus instructed His disciples to seek out “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mt 10:5–6). Begin with those nearest to them, those already within reach.
Look around your life. Is there someone you know who is discouraged, drifting, or drowning in despair? Is there a friend wrestling with doubt, struggling to believe what they once held dear? Is there someone who has quietly walked away from the faith because they were wounded by the church?
These are your lost sheep. Do not wait for them to come to you. Go to them. Sit with them. Encourage them with the living Word of God, which alone has the power to revive what has become dead.
When you speak, proclaim nothing but the “kingdom of heaven” (Mt 10:7). This is the central message of the gospel. Do not dilute it with anything. The kingdom of heaven is the only answer.
When someone genuinely believes the gospel that Jesus is the Christ, the kingdom of God comes upon them, and everything changes. The sins of the past are forgiven. The anxieties of the present are turned into thanksgiving. The uncertainties of the future are secured in the hands of God.
The Holy Spirit takes up permanent residence within them (1 Corinthians 3:16). No philosophy, therapy, or human achievement can accomplish what the gospel does. Nothing else will change a person’s eternal destiny.
You are not alone in this work. As you proclaim the gospel, God Himself works alongside you, confirming His Word through signs that accompany it. bringing healing and restoration (Matthew 10:8, Mark 16:19-20). Don’t worry about the results; you just need to be faithful. Step out in faith, and watch what God does.
Jesus was direct: “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts” (Mt 10:9). God takes care of His evangelists. Those who carry the gospel are not to be driven by financial ambition or personal gain. The message of grace must never be exploited for profit. Trust that the God who sends you will also provide for you.
Not everyone will receive your message. Jesus knew this when He sent His disciples out. Do not be surprised, and do not be discouraged when people turn away. Remember this truth: “All who were appointed for eternal life believed” (Ac 13:48). Salvation ultimately rests not on the eloquence of your words, but on the sovereignty of God. He is the Lord of the harvest. Trust Him with the results. Your calling is to sow faithfully; His responsibility is to bring the harvest in.
As you go, you will carry both joys and sorrows—doors opened and slammed shut, lives transformed and hearts hardened. Through it all, commit everything into the hands of your Father. Jesus promised that the peace you carry as you proclaim the gospel of peace will return to you (Matthew 10:13). You cannot give what you do not have. You have the only life-saving message of the gospel that Jesus is the Christ. Rest in Him. Let His peace guard your heart so that you can continue to pour it out for others.
Above all, never forget where you began: you were lost, and you were found. You were dead, and you were made alive. You received the gift of salvation not because you earned it, but because of grace, the unmerited favor of God. “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8). Let that be the background in which you go. Not reluctantly but with open hands and an overflowing heart.
Prayer. Father, I thank You for calling me into Your harvest field. What an undeserved privilege to carry a message that changes everything! Fill me with Your Spirit. Give me eyes to see the lost sheep around me and courage to proclaim Your kingdom without compromise. Help me follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit every step of the way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.