Daily Word - The Kingdom Of Heaven Has Come Near - Matthew 10:1-7

Scripture:
Matthew 10:1-7 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Commissioning the Twelve
Matthew 10
1 Summoning His 12 disciples, (A) He gave them authority over unclean [a] spirits, to drive them out and to heal every [b] disease and sickness. (B) 2 These are the names of the 12 apostles: (C)First, Simon, who is called Peter,and Andrew his brother;James the son of Zebedee,and John his brother;
3 Philip and Bartholomew; [c]Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; [d]
4 Simon the Zealot, [e] and Judas Iscariot, [f]who also betrayed Him. (D)
5 Jesus sent out these 12 after giving them instructions: "Don't take the road leading to other nations, and don't enter any Samaritan (E) town. 6 Instead, go to the lost sheep (F) of the house of Israel. (G) 7 As you go, announce this: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near. (H) '
Footnotes:
Matthew 10:1 Morally or ceremonially impure
Matthew 10:1 Or every kind of
Matthew 10:3 Probably the Nathanael of [Jn 1:45-51]
Matthew 10:3 Other mss read and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus
Matthew 10:4 Lit the Cananaean
Matthew 10:4 Iscariot probably = "a man of Kerioth," a town in Judea.
Cross references:
Matthew 10:1 : Mk 3:13-19; 6:13-16;
Matthew 10:1 : Mt 9:35; Mk 6:7; Lk 9:1;
Matthew 10:2 : Mt 4:18;, 21; 16:18; Jn 1:42;
Matthew 10:4 : Mt 26:14; Lk 22:3; Jn 6:71; 13:2;, 26;
Matthew 10:5 : 2Kg 17:24; Lk 9:52; 17:16; Jn 4:9; Ac 8:25;
Matthew 10:6 : Ps 119:36; Is 53:6; Jr 50:6; Mt 9:36; 18:12;
Matthew 10:6 : Ac 2:36; 7:42; Heb 8:8;, 10;
Matthew 10:7 : Mt 3:2-3; 4:17; Lk 10:9;

Reflection:
Do you know and experience in your life the power of the gospel? The core of the gospel message is quite simple: the kingdom (or reign) of God is imminent! What is the kingdom of God? It is that society of men and women who submit to God and who honor him as their King and Lord. In the Lord's prayer we pray for God to reign in our lives and in our world: May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus' preaching of God's kingdom was accompanied by signs and wonders. People were healed not only spiritually, but physically as well. Jesus' words are just as relevant today, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We cannot buy heaven; but those who know the love and mercy of Jesus already possess heaven in their hearts! Do you believe in the power of God's kingdom? Jesus commissioned his disciples to carry on the works which he did -- to speak God's word and to bring his healing power to the weary and oppressed. In the choice of the twelve apostles we see a characteristic feature of God's work: Jesus chose very ordinary people. They were non- professionals, had no wealth or position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these men, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power. When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not think we have nothing to offer. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom. Do you believe that God wants to work through and in you for his glory?