OUR FATHER WHO PROVIDES ALL WE HAVE NEED OF IF WE SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

Having given His disciples the power to heal the sick and cast our demons, the Lord Jesus, in the next section (Matthew chapter 10 verses 5 - 10), instructs them to go out into the territory.

They were only to go the towns of children of Israel and avoid the gentile and Samaritan  towns because their turn to hear the good news of God's salvation would come after the Lord had accomplished the salvation for the whole world by the sacrifice of His life for us.

5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.

The actions they were to undertake were these;

• Preach that the kingdom of heaven was here
• Heal the sick
• Cleanse the lepers
• Raise the dead
• Cast out demons

Having been given the power at no cost, the disciples were to dispense the blessings on the people at no cost. The Lord instructed them to travel very light as per these guidelines;

• Take no valuables as reserves
• Carry no luggage
• No spare jackets
• No spare footware
• No walking aids or defense implements

In these exercises, the disciples were learning how to undertake these missions with total trust and faith in God's oversight over the missions he sent them on.  As workers, they were worthy of their food and would be provided for by God.

They did not need reserves for money nor clothing or even for self-defense. The Lord would provide all they had need of while they were out in territory to which He had sent them.

As Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 verse 33,

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Amen.

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