Every
follower of Jesus has been given a divine appointment.
Jesus demonstrated how this can be carried out when He was walking on
earth. Just as He had promised, His yoke is easy and His burden is
light. It is an easy job as far as Jesus is concerned. The disciples
too carried out the same just as Jesus had commanded.
The
appointment: And Jesus came to them saying,
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven
and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the
edge.” (Matt.28:18-20)
Mark 16:15-18
And He said to them, “Go into all the world
and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is
baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be
condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name
they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they
will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by
no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will
recover.” 20 “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord
working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying
signs. Amen.”
How were
the ordinary disciples sent out? Jesus showed how this was done.
Luke 10:1 “After
these things the
Lord appointed seventy others also and sent them two by
two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was
about to go.”
2 Then He said
to them, “...pray the Lord of
the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
3 “Go your
way; behold, I send you out...”
4 “”Carry
neither money bag...and greet no
one along the road.”
5 “But
whatever house you enter...”
6 “And if a
son of peace is there, your
peace will rest on it...”
7 “And remain
in the same house eating and drinking such things as they
give...”
8 “Whatever
city you enter and they receive you, eat such things as
are set before you.”
9 “And
heal the sick there and say to them, 'the kingdom of God has come
near to you.'”
It is clear that
the only mission Jesus gave the disciples was in verse 9: heal
the sick and preach the kingdom of God Good News in
the city that received them who went in
Jesus' name.
What was
the purpose of Jesus asking the disciples to do these two things?
Jesus gave the
answer: Luke 10:17-20, 22
17 The disciples
returned and reported that demons were subject to them in Jesus'
name.
18 Satan's
authority and power had been superseded when the disciples took up
the authority of Jesus and moved in the power of the Holy Spirit.
19 It proved
that the authority Jesus gave to the disciples was indeed superior:
they can trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of
the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt them.
20 But the more
significant issue is: the disciples have proved their worth by
demonstrating their citizenship in the Kingdom of God, their sons of
God status, both in authority and power over Satan's subjects.
22 The display
of the superior authority and power of Jesus confirmed to the
disciples that Jesus is the Son of God as He had claimed to be. His
supremacy in the spiritual realm is evident to those whom He chose to
reveal Himself.
And this is the
message of the gospel: the
Kingdom of God is what Jesus has brought to the world. All who
believe Him and follow Him as the disciples did could enter through
His gate. He is the Gate. Citizenship in the Kingdom of God is far
more superior than that of all the other kingdoms on earth.
The
disciples tasted this Kingdom and continued even after Jesus ascended
to heaven. They moved in the supreme authority and power of Jesus,
the Son of God. They lived out their divine appointment.
The
Kingdom of God has continued to advance since then. Are you part of
this Kingdom? Have you received your divine appointment?
